Mama Through The Looking Glass

Life as I know it...

2010-06-23T04:32:00.002-04:00

...has changed dramatically since the last time I blogged. So much has been going on, but unfortunately, I don't get on the computer very much anymore. Maybe I should get the blogger app for my blackberry?! hehe

Anyway, Shaun is 5 months old already!!! The last time we were at the pedi's he weighed 16lbs 5oz...that was a few weeks ago. That visit we found out he does indeed have eczema. :o( Poor boy, he had gotten some blotchy, red patches on his back and in his diaper area. Eventually (a week and a half), after applying as much butt cream and coconut oil as I could...and to no avail...I took him to the pediatrician to see what they could tell me was going on. He was prescribed hydrocortisone and the majority of the redness went away. Now he gets TWO soaks per day in a salt, vinegar and water solution. I've switched him to Dove bodywash and he gets slathered with Eucerin cream constantly. Most times I'm sure he loves the attention, but lately he's been irritated by my pawing. :o( At any rate, once the hydrocortisone prescription ran out, the eczema flared up again. I've been reading up and it seems that flare-ups can be caused by allergens, either food or environmental. I'll probably switch his detergent to a more hypoallergenic one for sensitive skin and if that doesn't help I'll start eliminating things from my diet.

Besides that issue, Shaun is doing great! He's grown so much and I've really gotten a sense of that in the past week when I look back at some of his baby, baby pictures! He truly has a personality of his own, but he's got a lot of Joe and I too. He sleeps through the night, from about 7:30p-7:30a, and takes at least 2 one hour long naps throughout the day. I put him down when he's tired. Cloth diapering is going well, we are still trying to find the combination that works best for his skin and provides the most absorbency, because he is definitely a super soaker! He's been a little cranky lately too, with his skin issues, the heat, and teething. I try my best to keep him distracted and happy, but there are times when NOTHING works...Mama wants to cry then too! :o( Rolling over is becoming a regular thing nowadays! SO EXCITING!!!! And he can be very mobile just scooting across the area! Joe and I always say he'll probably crab walk instead of crawl!

Shaun has already been to the ocean twice! :o) A friend of mine from work has invited us to Rocky Neck beach in Connecticut several times. The first time the water was cold...even for me, so he didn't really like the water, but enjoyed hanging out on the beach with Mama. The second time though, the water was so nice! I played with him on waters edge, sat right where the waves lap on the sand and let him dig his feet in. He splashed and screeched! :o) He's so much fun and I loooooove his laugh! I can't help but laugh with him, and that just makes him laugh more! LOL

There are plenty more things that have been going on, but right now I don't have the patience or ambition to sit here and write about them. Maybe another day! And, I'll get to posting pics soon, I promise!

Doctor's Visit and Other Things...

2010-04-16T05:27:00.000-04:00

Shaun had his 2 month check-up on Tuesday. :o) He weighed in at 12lbs 10oz and was 23.5 inches long (tall)!!! He's growing! The doctor had no concerns and praised Joe and I profusely. He said that Shaun has good head control, he's very strong and kept congraduating me for sticking with the breast feeding. Shaun's pediatrician is awesome, he makes you feel so competent and encourages the parents. It was vaccination time at this visit so the he got two shots and a syrup. I know that it's nothing new, babies getting lots of vaccines at once, but I kind of feel like seven is a bit excessive. Ah well, it's already done, no use dwelling on it now. So anyway, Shaun got a slight fever after the shots and was very cranky. He cried for almost 20 minutes straight (with Mama trying to console him) before I could get him to calm down enough to take some infant fever reducer. Poor baby! He slept for a while (woke up twice during the night) and was happy as a clam in the morning. He ate, got his diaper changed and proceeded to "talk" to Mama and Daddy until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore! <3

Work is going well. While out on Maternity Leave, I was offered the job of Scheduling Queen (ok so that's not the offical title) and the extra money in my pay check. I of course accepted and, while it's a little hectic at times, it seems to be going smoothly. It's nice to be back in work mode, I get bored and lonely at home while Shaun is sleeping. Yes, there is plenty of laundry, cleaning and other things to do, but who wants to do that every day! And it's just nice to have some adult interaction...besides the ones that live with me.

A little bit of catch-up

2010-03-19T06:32:00.002-04:00

Well...Mr. Shaun is two months old already! :-o crazy how fast the time has gone by. As you can tell by the lack of blogging, he keeps me very busy! I have returned to work this week. It's been a little difficult, but Joe is home caring for him and is home until mid-afternoon so I can sleep after my overnight shifts. I was able to get my schedule shifted around a bit, so I am only working 2 (sometimes 3) nights a week. I work Sunday and Monday first shift now, so I feel like that's better.

You may remember my post Gone Crunchy. In there I declared that we would use cloth diapers, I would breast feed and I was even considering "wearing" Shaun. I'd like to say that I have stuck to those proclimations and we're loving every minute! There was only one "sposie" incident. Since Shaun came unexpectedly via c-section, we didn't have the cloth readily available...so from the OR room, back to our room- he wore a disposable diaper. After his first bath however, Joe did make sure he was put into a soft and swquishy cloth dipe and there was no looking back from that point on! There were mixed feelings from the nursing staff, but I didn't let that (nor recovery from a c-section) deter me.

We started out using prefolds and covers. While in the hospital I did have a few "easier" diapers available for if a nurse had to change him and for those middle of the night changes when I just couldn't function quite right! These diapers were designed to be as close to disposable as possible. There was no extra folding or layers to add, you just put the baby on top, folded it up and velcroed the sides in. Because I was a little bit worried about the meconium staining things and I knew there would be some sort of ointment applied after his circumcision, I had brought along some liners that I had made from an old receiving blanket. Those worked great because it kept that stuff off of the diapers and I as able to just toss them. Joe watched intent on learning for the first few days, but he has picked up the art of diaper changing very well. He has mastered the prefold and actually prefers it to some of the other types we have. It's been great not having to apply the nasty, messy diaper rash creams! We had one scare where we thought he was getting a rash, but we just changed him more frequently and let him "air out" every now and then!

Breastfeeding has been great! From day one Shaun latched like a champ and was really chowing down. My milk came in on day 3 (which they expect some delay with c-sections) and he continues to nurse well! I did have some soreness and even a few cracks, but with persistence, patience and practice we were able to perservere and break through that 2 week mark. Since then nursing has been a breeze. Supply is good and I was even able to start pumping in February to start building my freezer stash. Shaun practiced with a bottle (given by Daddy, cousin Brandon, Auntie Amy, and Grammie...anyone but Mama) and seems to have taken pretty well to it. I nurse him whenever I'm home, though. Since my return to work, Joe has noted that he takes a little less than he would at the breast and eats more often throughout the night, but I'm sure they'll work out the kinks and everything will be fine!

And as for the babywearing...Yep I've done it and I'm in love! It's great to not feel trapped. In the beginning, I felt like I couldn't leave the room, even when Shaun was sleeping. Now I leave him if he's asleep (with the monitor of course), but if he's awake and I have to do something like make some lunch or put a load of laundry in, I'll bring him along. I have two options - the stretchy wrap, which I made myself with some jersey cotton fabric; or the mei tai, which is kind of like a pouch. In both he is strapped to the front of me (although when he gets bigger he can go on the back) and I'm able to go hands-free to do what I need to do. Shaun loves to be worn. It brings him in close and hugs him to me, but it also gives him that feeling of being back in the womb. It's also great because when I'm washing dishes or even out for a walk, I can nurse and keep right on doin' what I'm doin'.

There has been some bad press about babywearing as of late. I just have a few things to say about this and then I'll move on. First... No, neither of my baby carriers are the type that were "causing" the suffocation. And Second...If people would educate themselves about the proper use of these slings before just popping their child in there, there wouldn't be a problem. Just because you're able to go on about your day without having to hold your baby, doesn't mean you don't have to pay attention. Baby wearing has been going on since...well I would have to guess forever. When done properly it can be such a welcomed advantage. Okay, I've said my piece on that...now, moving on!

Needless to say Shaun is thriving and growing so fast! :o) He's a happy, healthy and loved baby! I should probably blog a bit more often to save from having to pour everything out at once...I'll see what I can do about that. Anyway, Thanks for reading! :o)

March for Babies!

2010-03-12T18:14:00.002-05:00

Click here to help me reach my goal!

Announcing his arrival!

2010-02-17T15:01:00.001-05:00

Well, I know it's been almost a month already, but...SHAUN IS HERE! :o) He was born on Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 6:46pm. He weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 20.5 inches long.

I had to have an emergency c-section because his heart rate kept dropping every time I had a contraction (during the later stages of my labor...6-7cms). The doctor didn't want to put the extra pressure of pushing on the baby's heart so, he opted for the c-section. I will admit that I was scared and didn't really want to have surgery, but I knew that it was what was going to be the best option to ensure my baby came out okay.
They brought me into the OR, but left Joe out in the hallway. They prepped me for surgery and then started prepping me for the needle. The anesthesiologist told me he "THOUGHT" he had a good spot for it! ugh thanks...that's reassuring!!! Then he poked me and my left leg spazzed out...it twitched and twinged and then went numb. Ugh let's just say it was an awkward experience. Then they brought Joe in and he sat by my head, joking with me and trying to keep me calm. I kept telling him I was so scared.
When they finally pulled that baby out and he cried...I cried! :o) Tears rolled down my cheeks, I had a huge smile on my face and I was happy! They stitched and stapled me back together and then took me back to my room where I fed the lil monster and then welcomed some flood of guests into the room! I plan to add a slide show of all Shaun's guests later so keep an eye out for that! Until then here's a few of his first pictures...

37 weeks!

2010-01-11T06:05:00.003-05:00

**On Saturday I received an unexpected call from my grandparents! They were just calling to check up on me...awwww they're cute! hehe But Grampa said he wanted to read about it so here you go Gramps...you got your mention in my blog! :o) You're famous now! Love you both**

Today I'm 37 weeks! w00t that means we're almost done. Today I have a regular appointment directly after work, and then later this afternoon I have another ultrasound. Hopefully Shaun is cooperative today and maybe we'll get a picture or two! Well...I guess that's really all I have to say right now...it's still early! hehe I'll come back and update after the appointments...or maybe tonight while I'm at work.

ETA:
Nothing new at the appointments! Dr's office was done and over with within 20minutes! Seriously, it took longer to get weighed in, give a urine sample and have my bp taken! The Dr didn't check because I haven't been having contractions (doh! I guess I'll have to say 'yes' next time), so all he did was listen to the heartbeat and say "we're just waiting, Veronica." DUH!!!!
And at the U/S...nope no pictures! LOL Fluid levels are good though, we're at about an 11, so that's good. Dr O'Grady says if it gets to 5 or lower then we'll have to do something. He says there are not abnormalities present that they can detect so we're obviously just waiting for something to happen or my OB/GYN to decide it's time. Dr. O'Grady suggests that if I'm inducable at 38weeks 6 days...I should be admitted and induced that way we get him out before the 39week mark. I like him! :o) But hopefully, Shaun will come on his own in the next couple of weeks! Besides what the dr's said today, we saw/heard Shaun's strong heartbeat, saw him "practice breathing", and he moved pretty much unprompted today - so he was cooperative! :o) It's weird having so many u/s though, he's so big at this point that it's kinda hard to make things out because he's taking up so much space and is cramped in there. No face shots today, I think he's making everyone wait for his big debut! :o) He's gonna be the cutest baby ever!!!
That's all I have to say today! :o) I'll be back if anything exciting happens!

Happy Anniversary to...

2010-01-05T02:16:00.002-05:00

...my Mommy and Daddy! :o) Since today is January 5th, 2010...and I'm 25...they've been married for 24 years! :o)

That is all I wanted to say! :o) Love you guys!!!

Taking the Good with the Bad

2010-01-05T01:40:00.005-05:00

So today I am 36 weeks (and 1 day, technically since it's now the 5th)! I'm really gonna have to take some new pictures...but I've basically been in bed any time I'm home! I know L-A-Z-Y right?! LOL yeah right! Anyway...pregnancy is starting to become a pain at this point. I'm not getting a whole lot of sleep due to the inability to get comfortable and I'm just really excited so my mind is going a mile a minute sometimes! There literally has been some pain lately too. It seems that Shaun has started his decent and is really resting on my pelvis these days (but, somehow, he still manages to get up under my ribs at the same time???)! I've started to waddle and when I am able to sleep, it seems to be in a funky position that throws my back outta wack! LOL niiice!
Now don't think I'm all spoiled on the idea of being pregnant! There are so many things that I love! When I rest my hand on my belly and he seems to "snuggle" into it. When I get home from work and he greets his daddy by kicking him in the back until Joe rubs the belly...then we can all (try) to drift off to sleep. When he gets the hiccups...lol this one is really quite amusing! TG it hasn't happened when I'm trying to sleep. I absolutely looooove when I go to the doctor or for an u/s and can hear/see his little heart beating away! :o) These are all things that amaze me about pregnancy. That our bodies are meant to do this! These are things only a mother can truly experience and words can never accurately describe the feelings these moments bring!
That being said...there is soooooooooo much I look forward to after the arrival of Baby Shaun! (Notice how I just skip right over the laboring part! LOL) I can't wait to hold him and breathe in his baby-ness. Hold his hand while staring at his nose trying to figure out if it's mine or Joe's. Our first attempt at breastfeeding...hopefully that goes well (and every time after that...I'm determined!!!). And of course all the cute diapers that are waiting patiently for his bum! LOL There's so much more, but I'm sure you're bored reading all this hormonal, momma rambling!
Moving on...
Well the downstairs (our living space) isn't going to be finished on time...so for now we'll be staying put upstairs and using Chevy's room for Shaun's nursery. There is definitely some disappointment for me in this, as I would really love to be in OUR space and be able to set his room up just the way I had envisioned. Also, I just feel a little more out of the way and private in our area downstairs. What's even more...frustrating I guess would be the word I'd use here...is that there is still a lot of stuff in Chevy's room that kinda has no where to go. I know the plan is for Jess to come get the stuff and move it to their apartment, but IDK how well that's going to work. Maybe I'll suggest moving some stuff to the attic.
Since this post is titled "Taking the Good with the Bad" I guess I should talk about the good that I see in this. First and foremost, I am very greatful to Uncle Ray and Amy for allowing us to move in with them and expecting us to continue living with them after announcing this pregnancy! Things would have been a lot more difficult (I think) had we been trying to afford rent and save for the baby. Thankfully, we have been able to pad our accounts nicely and I will be able to take a good 2 months off without stressing about bills being paid, or any of the other everyday stuff. The thing that I keep telling myself is that, once the space is completely finished, its going to be awesome! Seriously though, Uncle Ray is really making it a great space for us and I can't wait to finish painting/decorating etc.
I think that's about all that's going on here in our world. The wait continues!!! Oh yeah and at my Dr. appointment today they said "nothing exciting" was happening yet (aka no dialation), so here I sit...finishing out my last two weeks of work and waiting...COME ON SHAUN! hehe
Thanks for reading! :o)

Resolutions for a New Year

2009-12-29T04:26:00.004-05:00

Well...seeing as we're at the end of the month and I'm bored at work I figure I'd check out the list of Top Ten New Year's Resolutions.

But first a little update on Mr. Shaun. We had an ultrasound on 12/28. Everything is going well, he's got a good/strong heartbeat, he's still a boy (yes they check pretty much every time) and he's "practice breathing." Today was a measurements ultrasound so it took a little longer. They measured his femur, his humerus and his head. They looked at his spine, his kidneys and tummy. They also measured the amniotic fluid. For those who have never had this done, it's simple, they look at each of the four (4) quadrants where the fluid collects. As the baby gets bigger, these quadrants get smaller. Then they put makers at the top and bottom of the picture and that's the measurement. After measuring all four, the numbers get added together and that is your total "AFI." Today Shaun's was 17.5cm which is great. We're keeping a very close eye on this number. They also told me he's weighing 6lbs 5oz., which is up about a pound from 2 weeks ago. That's about it.
As for me, I've been very tired lately and am considering giving up a shift until I am out for maternity leave. I know, I know...you're probably thinking 1 shift isn't going to do much. But believe me, that second shift of Sundays is getting harder and harder. I work the morning shift, go home to make dinner, eat and by the time I lay down it's about 6:30-7p (if I'm lucky). Then I have to get up and head in for the overnight. So if I could give up the overnight on Sundays, I think I'd be able to recoup a little bit of rest.

Anyway, on to the Top Ten New Year's Resolutions. These are supposedly the most commonly proposed time and time again. I believe this list was found on About.com:

1. Stop smoking
2. Get Fit
3. Lose Weight
4. Enjoy Life More
5. Quit Drinking
6. Get Organized
7. Learn Something New
8. Get Out of Debt
9. Spend more time with the Family
10. Help Others

In years past I've forgone the tradition of committing to a resolution, but I think my life is about to change regardless of whether or not I plan for it. So, this year I have been thinking of things I want to play an active roll in changing and believe it or not, a few are on this list.
1. Quit Smoking - Not so much seeing as I don't smoke to begin with. But I will pledge not to pick up the habit! lol
2. Get Fit - Well actually, yes this is on my list. I had been doing WeightWatchers and going to our local gym for probably 6 months before I got pregnant. I have continued to monitor my eating and do try to exercise when I have the energy. In the new year, after having the baby, I would like to get back in the routine of going to the gym. I even plan to add some exercise DVDs to my routine so that on days when I don't feel like trekking to the gym, or have no one to babysit Shaun, I can still feel the burn!
3. Lose Weight - This one goes with the previous one. I want to lose the 10lbs I've gained this pregnancy and I want to keep going!
4. Enjoy Life More - This one is really open to interpretation. I'm sure once Shaun gets here I will learn to appreciate and enjoy much smaller, seemingly meaningless details. I think for the most part I do enjoy life, but a little more couldn't hurt. I guess I can add this to my list.
5. Quit Drinking - Well, I've already gone 9 months without drinking and I plan to breastfeed so that makes this one a lot easier. This doesn't make it on my list...its a necessity.
6. Get Organized - This is always a goal of mine. Seeing as we'll be moving into a new space in the new year, yes this is on my list. Right now things are so chaotic and I know where nothing is. I plan to get some new shelving units and try my best to keep things neat.
7. Learn Something New - yes, this is on my list and I know I will. With a new baby, I'll be learning new things practically everyday. I don't have anything specific in mind right now, but I've always got my eyes open.
8. Get Out of Debt - I know this isn't completely possible, but our credit cards are paid off. We still have student loans, car payment and medical bills to pay. My resolution is to keep from accumulating more debt and pay on the things we do owe.
9. Spend More Time With Family - I would like to add "and Friends." This is always something I strive for and yep this is on my list, although I think family will be trying to spend more time with me. It's hard living in another state, with different job schedules and just life in general, but I would like to try and see family at least once a month and make some time to get together with friends.
10. Help Others - This is on my list. I have always been one to participate in community service. I have also recently started to donate to charities/causes. This year I've already set up plans to donate all of my disposable diapers to the MSPCC, a program here in MA that looks out for the well being of children. I'm sure I'll have more clothes to donate and I'll be keeping my eye out for other opportunities to help others.

How about you? What New Year's Resolution are you making this year? Any of these on your list?

Christmas

2009-12-26T04:56:00.002-05:00

Well it's "a day late," but Merry Christmas to everyone! :o) hehe Joe and I had a busy two days (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) between family in MA and family in NY. Lots of running around and stressing out about what to get this one and that one...but all in all I feel like we did a good job and things were good. I'm happy we did end up going to NY on Christmas day because I'm a traditionalist and IDK how I would have handled not being with my family. Granted we would still have been surrounded by family if we stayed home, but it's just not the same as what I've always done for the past 24 years of my life. Next year, however, I'll have all year to prepare myself for the fact that Christmas day will be spent in the comfort of my pjs and slippers. That's right, we've decided that any travelling for the holidays (especially Christmas) should be done before/after the actual day! Shaun will be almost 1 by that time and do you know how long it takes for a 1y.o. to open presents?! lol
Well, that's what the plan is for now...who knows, it's a whole year away and things could change. But for right now, I'm planning on starting my own traditions with my own little family.
Anyway...Hope everyone had a good Holiday and enjoyed the company of whomever they were with!

Bring on 2010!!!!

Gone Crunchy?

2009-12-15T00:40:00.004-05:00

It seems I have been neglecting this blog of mine?! Really though, with all that's been going on, nothing has been going on! It's the holiday season, so there's lots of hustle and bustle. Shopping, baking, decorating...but nothing interesting enough to blog about. I am 34weeks (or 8 months and 2 weeks) pregnant, but again nothing you didn't already know. It's not like I can tell you about the cute faces he makes when he's sleeping or how when he scrunches his nose he looks just like his momma! LOL But seriously, all is clear on the baby front. No concerns. At the last ultrasound on 12/17 he was head down and "in the shoot" as my dad said! I did ask the tech if it was possible for him to flip around some more and she said, "it's possible...but not likely, due to the size of his head!" Mind you we had just been joking that the kid has a mondo head and it really does throw off his growth measurements! I am still getting weekly ultrasounds and the Maternal and Fetal Specialist is keeping a very close eye on me...so for now...all is right on track and a-OK!

Now, on to the original intent of my post today. There has been a few nay-sayers and people questioning my sanity over some of the decisions that Joe and I have made in terms of caring for our baby. Ha, and I don't even think all of our decisions have been voiced to others, but still. We decided together, we're both on the same page and we really don't need the approval of others in order to proceed.

I remember when I first started talking to Joe about cloth diapering! He kind of chuckled and asked if we would be moving to Northampton as well?! But in all reality, he had been the one to plant the idea in my head and get me researching. Eventually, after seeing how much money we can save by not having to by disposables constantly, the health benefits of using cloth (ie, decreased number of rashes and allergic reactions), and of course seeing all the cute and easy options out there...He was in agreement. In fact the other day he kind of "complained" that I didn't let him pick out any diapers!!! 8-0 oops
We've gotten some comments about how "gross" it's going to be, how it "won't last long", and I think some people have even thought that we couldn't "afford real diapers." But of course that last one hasn't been voiced. I've explained, and I think I've even heard Joe explain, how really cloth is no "gross-er" than disposable. And then you get, "what do you do after he poops?" Com'on...really?

I can't really say I've gotten any negative feedback about breastfeeding...just a lot of "good luck with that." But again, WE chose to do this because it's what's best/healthiest for baby. And when I return to work, I will be pumping enough so Joe can bottle-feed while I'm at work and I'll resume breastfeeding after I catch some shut eye in the mornings. Here's where I may get some weird looks or even comments. I do plan to breastfeed my baby where ever we happen to be. Granted, I will not sit in the food court of the mall and whip out my boob, but I won't necessarily get up and hide. I have purchased a nursing cover...but not one that hides my baby and covers his head. It's called a Slurp & Burp. I feel like this one calls a little less attention to the fact that I'm feeding him, so hopefully I won't be so controversial! hehe

Now you may be thinking...have they "Gone Crunchy"? The answer is no...well not necessarily! haha I don't consider these decisions to be "crunchy," but for me it just seems like the natural course of action...the way its supposed to be. What is "crunchy" some might ask. Well here's the definition from urbandictionary.com:

crunchy: [adjective] Used to describe persons who have
adjusted or altered their lifestyle for environmental reasons. Crunchy persons tend to be politically strongly left-leaning and may be additionally but not exclusively categorized as vegetarians, vegans, eco-tarians, conservationists, environmentalists, neo-hippies, tree huggers, nature enthusiasts, etc.

Now...after reading that, do you think THAT describes Joe and I? Yes using cloth is keeping disposables out of landfills and reducing pollution, but that is not the main reason we chose to do this. I don't think we're strongly left-leaning, we tend to pick and choose what works from both sides. And we are most definitely NOT vegetarians, vegans or any of the other things used to describe "crunchy" people! And now, while Northampton is an awesome place to visit (lots of cool things to do and see), I don't think we have plans to be moving there any time soon.

So in conclusion, to all who question my sanity at this point in time...I hope you are not offended when I say "who u?" Haha like I said before, Joe and I are on the same page so far when it comes to our parenting styles and that's all that matters to me! Oh and BTW, I am also considering babywearing! :o) I'm a busy woman and don't think for one second that I'm gonna let having a baby change that...too much! :o)

Thanks for hanging in there and reading along with me! :o)

Pictures

2009-11-28T06:28:00.004-05:00

So tonight when I was getting ready for work, I took a look in the mirror and discovered I had a rather large bump under my shirt! OMG you wouldn't believe it! Well I had Joe take some pictures so here they are! :o)

30 weeks! WoooooHooooo 9 more to go (at most)!!!!!!

2009-11-24T01:22:00.004-05:00

Yep that's right...we're really rounding third base now! Had my latest check up today! It was a super quickie! LOL The doc came in, said "lay back and we'll listen to the H/B", "good H/B", "sit up and I'll see you in two weeks!" Literally I had to quickly say, "I have a question" because he was already almost out the door! DAMN I know it was just a routine check-up, but come on...you should have at least asked if I had any questions or concerns! Boy...there's another one on my list of "I hope that Doctor's not on call!!!"
So I got my H1N1 vaccine today. I wasn't gonna do it, but while I was waiting in the office for the Dr, I convinced myself that it would be best to play it safe. A few of my reasons were: a few people at work have had it, handling money is just nasty, and I don't want to get sick AFTER I have Shaun (which would most likely happen because that's just my luck) and not be able to breastfeed or take care of him. Ah well, so I got it anyway. Still no regular flu vaccine, but my primary doc can't see me for another month and a half and there's no guarantee that there will be vaccine available. Oh well, I'm not really thrilled about getting those anyway...never have before and I've been fine.
Anyway, that's about it on the baby front. We have an U/S next Tuesday (12/1...can you believe it'll be December already?) and a regular check up the week after that. I think I'm going to start monitoring/recording in my planner Shaun's movements daily, just so I have an idea, and I'm pretty sure they said they were going to have me do that starting at 32weeks anyway. I have noticed there have been more lazy days and days where I can feel him inside my tummy, but not outside. I think that means he's more toward my back then. IDK
Plans for Thanksgiving are...we're heading to NY tomorrow (well today, but tomorrow because I will go home and sleep before we leave), we're going to spend some time with Rob and Adriana and then head on to our families' houses (Joe's parents, my parents and probably a family dinner or two). It's always so busy when we go to NY, now even more so since it's the holiday season. It really is hard to see everyone because generally we're only there for a few days. Ugh...hopefully everything goes smoothly.

Ok, that's it for now...I've got to go find something else to entertain myself! Bleh...so looking forward to the next few days off! :o) Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Cute lil poem for the upcoming holiday! :o)

2009-11-23T03:39:00.000-05:00

Black November
When I was a young turkey, new to the coop,My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop.
Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow,And he told me there was something that I had to know.
His look and his tone I will always remember,When he told me of the horrors of . . . Black November."Come about August, now listen to me,Each day you'll get six meals instead of just three.
And soon you'll be thick, where once you were thin,And you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin.
And then one morning when you're warm in your bed,In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head.
Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald'n pink,And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink.
"And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing,"She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing".Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat,I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat,
And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked,I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked.
I began a new diet of nuts and granola,High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola.
And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes,I stayed in my room doing Richard Simmonds tapes.I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half,And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed,
But 'twas I who was laughing, when under my breath,As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death.
And sure enough when Black November rolled around,I was the last turkey left in the entire compound.So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap,I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap.
She held me today, while sewing and humming,And smiled at me and said, "Christmas is coming . . ."

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Long time, No see!

2009-11-14T05:30:00.009-05:00

Hello there, those of you who have been on the edge of your seat, biting your nails in anticipation for my next post! LOL Hah like it's that exciting!
Not much has been going on really, the paint is on the walls in the nursery, next Joe and I will be moving upstairs for a few weeks while the basement is finished...there will be new floors (carpeting in our rooms and the "living room" area), a bathroom, new lighting in the "living room" and our room will be repainted! w00t sounds like a lot of work :-/
Pregnancy related news: well I still don't have a definite plan as to what's going to happen as far as the induction is concerned. The doctor this time says that it all depends on how my body progresses (uh...duh) and if things aren't far enough along at 39 weeks, I'll probably end up with a C-Section...definitely not the way I'd like to see things go. At my next appointment maybe I can get some more answers as to what they can do to help me progress in time to deliver as naturally as possible. Ugh...that is just the worst case scenario (sorta), but it's been bugging me out since he said that! I really don't wanna be cut and drugged! :-/ Other than that, the check up went well. Dr says Shaun is on schedule growth wise and his heartbeat is strong. He asked about movement...ahaha...yes Dr, there is lots of movement and sometimes he can really throw me off the way he flops around in there! :o) But it's all good I know he's ok when he's moving! So anyway, the Dr said I should really start keeping track of movement and record it so I can tell if there is any decrease. So I will be doing this, it's just a little bit hard because I don't really notice I time when he's regularly active...ya know, the same time every day...I'll just shoot for around the same time!
In other baby related news...hehe we have decided to cloth diaper! :o) And no...that doesn't just mean plain white diapers with safety pins anymore! Let me tell you, there are so many different types...and OH THE PRINTS!!! :o) hehe I am totally obsessed now and that's all I really do...search for super cute boyish diapers! LOL That's part of the downside to this whole thing, I need to limit how many I buy just because the inital cost of cloth diapering can be pretty high...especially if you get addicted! LOL We basically decided to go this route to save money by not having to buy diapers every couple of weeks, and to reduce the amount of trash we produce. I mean, the trash pick up is only once a week and we (meaning everyone in the house) produce like 4-5 bags every week... and when we put it out the crows and squirrels attack it and litter the street! Ugh...could you imagine going out and finding poopy diapers strewn about...or worse, trying to keep them inside until trash day! BLEH talk about nasty! Yes I know, most people say "ugh thats nasty, I couldn't do it" when I tell them about cloth diapers, but you know what...having a regular wash routine will really keep the smell down and being that I plan to breastfeed Shaun, that should keep the stench to a minimum as well...seriously...breastfed poo is not nearly as smelly as formula! Here's a few pictures of ones I love:

well I guess that's all for now...if you have any questions for me, leave me a comment! :o)

Another option for all you Placentophagists

2009-11-03T12:50:00.004-05:00

Hehe yes...we've all heard that eating your placenta after birth can help with many things...from increasing milk supply, fighting iron deficiency and even helping with the hormone influx that can cause Postpartum Depression in some women. I posted once before the newest option I had found...the Placenta Teddy Bear; so I only thought it appropriate that I share my new findings! :o) hehe don't worry I don't think this one is nearly as gross as the thought of dehydrating it and sewing it into a teddy bear!
The newest discovery, that I've made in my internet roaming, is Placenta Pills! Basically the placenta is dried, ground up and then put into pill capsules for easier consumption "without" the ick-factor and WITH all the benefits. Now...This sounds like an OKAY idea if you're really after the health benefits it can provide, but I have a question...do you send the placenta away to be dried, ground up and encapsulated...or is this a DIY project for the whole fam? I mean seriously you can buy empty capsules at any pharmacy counter.
Also in this article I learned another new way to preserve the amazing-ness of this life giving organ that doesn't involve ingesting it - Placenta Prints! Now this does not sound like something I'd like to do...I don't imagine handling a "thawed out" placenta is all that aesthetically pleasing, although the artwork sounds like it would be pretty cool...we're just not that into it!
So there you go...that's FIVE (5) options for honoring the Placenta and all it's greatness. [Don't forget the Eat-It option and the Plant-it-Under-a Tree option.

The Nursery Progress...thus far

2009-10-30T14:40:00.006-04:00

Included in this entry you should see a photobucket slideshow of the changes that have been made to accommodate Shaun's arrival.
Originally this room was a "Shop Room" for tools, paint cans, etc. You'll see the demolition of that, and the progress toward a new room. Unfortunately, I seem to have lost some of the pictures I took. I had ones of the men repairing the brick walls and I had a few of the framed walls as well...but I think I deleted them by accident :o( Now keep in mind we're not quite done yet...but I'm told I should be able to get the paint on next week! :o) Sooooo exciting! Our room will be painted again as well and we'll be getting a new carpet for both rooms.
I've ordered some jungle animal pictures to hang and some little things for the room so I can't wait to start decorating (nesting...lol). Seriously in the past few weeks I've just been wishing it was January already and Shaun was here, I wanna be a Mommy!!!

Anyway...enjoy the pictures and I'll add more as we go! :o) Thanks for reading!!

its all those little things

2009-10-27T17:05:00.002-04:00

The other night Joe and I were sitting on the couch watching TV before I had to go to work. Shaun usually gets pretty active around 10-10:30...PM! lol Well this time, he was kicking pretty hard, so I put Joe's hand where I felt him and he finally got to feel Shaun move! OH man...you should have seen his face! :o) Pure amazement and mixed in with some pride! He'd been waiting for a while, so I was glad he finally got to feel the baby!
In other news, we went to NY on Sunday to visit the family! Got to spend a good amount of time with my nephews and my niece (never enough though)! Grammy and Pa still haven't felt Shaun move...I think it's mostly because he's only REALLY awake the few hours before and after I go to work. Oh well...I'm sure they'll feel him soon enough.
Anyway...guess that's it for today...nothing really going on. Thanks for reading.

25 week Ultrasound

2009-10-21T17:09:00.008-04:00

okay! we had the ultrasound yesterday and everything looks good! Shaun is up to 2lbs 2oz and is considered to be in the 80% percentile for growth at this stage. In other words, he's above average. The size scared me at first and I thought it might mean that I have gestational diabetes, but my test results showed that I don't. He's just a big boy. And we're both healthy so I feel like everything is okay. I have also started to think that since he's so big and ahead of the growth curve, that maybe he'll be ready to come early on his own...without labor augmentation treatments. That would be awesome since none of the options sound pleasant! <3

Unfortunately, we had a different U/S tech than normal this time and she didn't seem as meticulous as the other. She measured the head, belly and femur bones. She also looked at his bladder, kidneys and heart, but other than that she didn't try very hard to get clear pictures for us. I did ask this time for a picture of the hands and feet if she could get them, but like I said she didn't seem like she wanted to be scanning me so the pictures she did print didn't come out well and I will not be posting them here...maybe we'll have better luck next time. We did, however, get to see a really good picture of his face (kinda like he was looking at us)! It was amazing how clear the bone structure and features came out! :o) Sadly though, she didn't hit print on that screen and the image I have to show you is not a clear as the one we saw. :-/ Just let me tell you though...from the picture I saw, he is going to be beautiful! <3
I don't go back for another u/s until 31wks...DECEMBER 1st...6wks away! wowza that sounds far...but to look at the calendar, not really! I can't wait to see how much he's grown in that time! He seems to be growing pretty fast and this pregnancy is really flying by...good and bad! Good because I can't wait meet him, but bad because there's just something about feeling the amazing changes your body goes through that I will definitely miss once I'm no longer pregnant. Regardless, I am doing all that I can to enjoy it while it lasts! <3

Hoping to take some more belly pictures in the next couple of weeks since I seem to be popping out a bit more. And I really love to get some professional pictures done with Joe...that would be fun and it would be great to have for the scrapbook! Thanks for reading and be sure to check back often! <3

So now I'M the crazy one???!!!

2009-10-20T00:18:00.004-04:00

Just a quick update...had a regular prenatal visit today, just a tummy check and check-in with the doctor. Everything is still on schedule! Although I was a lil crazed to find that I had gained 4 pounds since my last visit about a month ago...technically this is correct because typically women gain 1 pound per week starting now...but damn! I still got a ways to go! I have been burning to go out walking...I think I'm gonna have to push myself to get out there!
I passed my one hour glucose screening test with no problems! I didn't think there would be, but I did start to worry when the U/S tech told me how much the baby weighed last time...just made me think it was possible that I could have GD...but I don't so no need to worry about that! Doctor did a tummy measurement and it seems he's right on track and she listened to the heartbeat...still strong at the 150 range. HAHA it was funny though because he kept moving while she was trying to get a clear sound...she's like, "this baby likes to move." Yes, yes he does! :o)
Then she asked me how my "mood" was, to which I replied that I'm feeling fine. I have some moments of anxiety...but it has been my understanding that it's normal considering my past pregnancy and loss. She then goes on to say, "I guess what I'm trying to ask is, do you think you need to be on some kind of anti-anxiety or anti-depression meds to help you through this?" Ummmm no! Wholly crap! I said I have some anxiety. I worry from time to time about whether my baby is okay, but I know that no matter what tests they run and what ever they plan to do...that will never guarantee that my baby will be fine. I put my trust in a higher power and just believe with my very core that things will turn out right this time. I have never had an issue controlling my anxiety or feeling like it's so overwhelming that I can't go on. I am completely functional in my day to day life and if anything...I'm excited more than I am ever anxious!
I explained this to her and she said, "well you look great and you're doing great, but sometimes that can just be a front. Be sure to let us know if anything becomes unbearable for you." Now I understand that depression and anxiety are serious issues and left on treated can be very detrimental to self and others...but come on...I work in the field, I know my limits and I've been dealing with the loss of my son for over a year now...I know that asking for help can be the hardest, but MOST IMPORTANT thing I could ever do.
IDK why I am so bothered by this. I guess it's just the feeling that I can't talk to my doctor (or at least this one) about my worries or concerns about this pregnancy, without them trying to throw meds down my throat. :-/ Don't get me wrong, if medication is needed then by all means it's needed, but I just feel it would be helpful if my doctors could clue me in to what their plans are. I still have no definitive answers as to the layout of my next 10-14 weeks and that makes me anxious as well...mainly because I'm excited and I want to know exactly what to expect and when I can bring my baby home! I know I should relax and take it easy...but anyone who knows me knows how badly I want to be a mother.

IDK I guess that's really all I have to say right now...More tomorrow when I get the pictures from the ultrasound! :o) Oh and thanks for reading...lol turned out to be a longer post than expected!

things

2009-10-17T19:20:00.002-04:00

OH! so I totally forgot to tell you about my adventures yesterday! LOL well I woke up around 12pm (worked the night before so didn't go bed until after 8am) and couldn't sleep anymore. I decided I wanted to go walk around the mall [aka buy BABY STUFF]!!! Joe didn't come...dangerous move! No not really, I did show some tremendous restraint. I bought a mobile, a lamp shade, a "stuff" bin and a cute little shelf! I really wanted the mirror too, but...hehe maybe next trip! :o)

Well, we still haven't decided on colors yet, but I think I'm getting closer. But Joe thinks I'm going overboard right now because we still have 3 months...but I keep saying, we have to paint BEFORE the baby gets here! LOL ah well...it will happen! I'm just super excited because it's only three, short months away! :o)

meh I guess that's it for now...hehe it doesn't seem as exciting now, here on the page. :-/ but trust me, I had a great time! :o)

What do you think?

2009-10-17T11:15:00.002-04:00

So...I've been thinking for a couple days now that I am finally starting to look pregnant! 6 months and I think there's a bit of a belly there! hehe It's still a "B" and not a perfect "D", but we've got time and I think Shaun will push it out into the "D"esired shape! hahah I'm hilarious today! lol

Anyway...so here's a picture to show what I'm seeing.

SO...what do you think? Sorry It's a crappy picture, but the batteries in my camera are dead so I used my cell phone. Maybe I'll have Joe take a couple pictures later!

I WIIIIIIN!!!!

2009-10-17T10:27:00.004-04:00

I got my first blogger award!!! :o) woohoo!!! Thanks so much Love, Marriage, And (Someday) A Baby Carriage!!! The writer is a RL friend from college and I really enjoy reading her blog! She also has a recipe blog that I check out from time to time...she really should keep adding to that one! :o)

Anyway...getting this award made me happy because I've seen a lot of people getting them in the past few days...and I hadn't gotten one...granted I'm fairly new to the whole blogging thing and I don't have many followers...maybe someday! :o) Thanks again Love, Marriage, And (Someday) A Baby Carriage!!

The rules of the One Lovely Blog Award are:

Accept the award, post it on your blog, along with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Be sure to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Unfortunately, I don't have 15 people to pass this on to...but the ones I do have surely deserve it! :o)

1) I'm losing it...
2) Life Happens During Naptime
3) Today I saw
4) Uncanny Adventures in Comic Costume Creations
5) Melissa's Adventures in Kids, Knitting and Weight Loss (not necessarily in that order)
6) Ex Hot Girl
7) Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
8) Melissa's Recipes

Candle Lighting

2009-10-14T16:42:00.002-04:00

Here's a link to light a virtual candle for those Angel Babies you may be missing...you can even light on in honor of friends/family who have lost a LO. This goes along with the banner at the top of my page...October 15th (tomorrow) is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=MSIL

'it’s like placenta jerky'....

2009-10-13T16:43:00.003-04:00

OMG so I log into Babycenter.com and there's little news blurbs/blogs at the top. The headline read -Don't eat your Placenta, Cuddle with it! LOL so of course I click on it...here's the link to the story: http://blogs.babycenter.com/momformation/2009/10/11/turn-your-placenta-into-a-teddy-bear/?intcmp=promoslice_pos1&pn=BC%20Homepage

My favorite comment from the comments below the story! --"Sounds like the same way they make Proscuitto or Volpi salami. They cure it over time with sea salt. Maybe over time, you can eat the teddy bear, it’s like placenta jerky. hahaha (: I’m making jokes so I don’t throw up in my mouth right now. Gross, Gross, Gross!"

This is just nasty! LOL I can understand wanted to honor the connection that this organ provides between mother and child...but this...no thank you! I've heard of planting it beneath a tree to watch its continuous nurturing power. I don't think I'll be ordering this service thank you!

Sorry! I had to share this craziness! LOL

2 years and 6 months...

2009-10-13T04:54:00.008-04:00

WOW! So today is our Wedding Anniversary...2 years ago we laughed our way through our vows! hehe Not that we didn't take the day seriously, but I know I was nervous (and Joe was too) and rather than cry...we tend to make each other laugh! Anyone who was there though, could tell you it was the perfect wedding for us...we're just wacky people! Wouldn't change it for the world! <3 It was at our wedding that we told the WHOLE family (parents were a little sooner) that I was pregnant with Kaiden...and by then, I was already 3-4 months along. I never would have thought that two years later, I'd be missing him so much and on the way to having another. I never in any way expected my life to be a fairy tale, but I certainly wouldn't have expected this. Another thing though, that I wouldn't change for the world! Kaiden is my child and always will be. I carried him for 9 whole months and 1 full day. We bonded in a way that only a mother can bond with her child. The whole experience has helped me to find a whole new appreciation for life, love and family. Family has always been important to me, but it now even more so. I understand now that love can never be based on material things and that once it's there...NOTHING can erase that feeling! And I've always known that life is fragile, and our time is totally borrowed, but I've never lost anyone so close to my heart! I never knew the pain it can bring and the size of the whole someone so tiny can leave in a person's heart. Don't get me wrong, I haven't turned into a total mush pot. I still get very pissed at people for being ignorant and negligant...but I just realize that "life" can take us up and bring us down in the time it takes for us to blink. Sorry for all the heavy stuff right in the beginning, but it's been on my mind for a few days now. On to the lighter faire...
I got my email from Babycenter.com today, telling me that I am now 24 weeks (DUH like I didn't know that)...that's 6 MONTHS!!!!!!!!! :o) 3 more to go!!! Anyway, it says that Shaun is about the length of an ear of corn and should weigh just over a pound...I'd be interested to see exactly what he's at right now! LOL We have another U/S next Tuesday so I guess we'll find out then. The thing went on to tell me about how my baby's brain is still developing and how the skin is saggy and translucent. Now, I got all these emails...or atleast read about this stuff, when I was pregnant with Kaiden...but it's still fun to get weekly reminders of the cool things going on inside! :o)
Shaun has definitely been active in there! I think he may be fully adapted to my crazy work schedule (or atleast the night time hours)! Oh boy, breaking that habit should be tons of fun! Hehe...anyway, he's moving a lot. The other day when I was visiting my parents and my sister, Miranda saw the movement...exciting...but when someone (other than me) puts their hand there, he gets all shy and chills out! Even Daddy has yet to be sure he felt the movement! Oh and Grammy and Pa both tried to get him moving, but no luck! The cutest thing though was DeAnna...my sister's daughter! She's been saying 'Baby Shaun' for a while now, but someone decided it was time she learned his middle name...she came out with 'Baby Shaundrew' lol very cute! Later she stood on her mother's lap, lifted my shirt, put her mouth to my belly button and said 'Baby Shaun, This Nana' and gave him a kiss! Made my heart melt I tell ya! :o)
In other news...the nursery should be back in the works this weekend. Uncle Ray took a break to take care of other house things and told me yesterday we need to get the new windows so the rest of the sheetrocking can be done and then we can paint, etc. That made me super excited because I so want to get things set up this time! :o) We didn't want to last time because we were afraid of getting dog hair all over everything...but IDC this time, I'll leave the vacuum on to filter the air and make sure to keep the dog outta the baby's room...but I wanna see a finished product!
Guess that's it for now! Glucose Challenge this week, Doctor's appointment on Monday the 19th and U/S Tuesday the 20th! They better be ready with the plan this week...I WANNA KNOW!!! I so excited...can you tell?! HAHA anyway...thanks for reading along! I'll keep ya posted!

Okay, okay!!!

2009-10-08T05:14:00.006-04:00

Geez, my Dad has been pressuring me to get the newest ultrasound pictures up...so here they are! It took so long because I never got a chance to scan them, so I ended up taking pictures of the pictures with my cellphone, emailing them to myself, just so I can post them here...for all of you! haha :o)

I don't know, to me it doesn't seem like much of a change...I do know the porker weighed in at 1lb 5oz that day! haha That is a significant gain from the 10oz he weighed at 18wks!! I don't know why, it just seems like they could have achieved the same image at 18wks by just zooming in some. Don't get me wrong...I love going more often to see my growing baby! I really should have spoken up and asked the technician to take/print some pictures of his hands and feet for me...I think I'll have to woman up and do it next time (which will be 10/20)!!

In other news (well not really other, still baby related)...Shaun has been really active lately :o) My only complaint is that sometimes it's at really inopportune times! lol Like when I'm trying to nap for work! After dinner and everything, I usually get to lay down around 6pm and try to sleep until 11pm, but the past few days, I've woken to a sudden energy surge! I swear he's done a few somersaults in there! And then, after all the movement (which I love), my belly is hard and its just uncomfortable to lay down...so I'm up! All this usually occurs by my 2nd hour of napping, so I'm out like 3 good hours (important hours).
Ahh the joys of being pregnant! :o) hehe In addition to my random awakenings, I have started to experience my bizarre nightmares again! The other night Joe had to wake me up TWO times in a matter of 10-20 minutes because I was "breathing hard/weird" and I screamed! Now I remember with Kaiden I had some pretty weird dreams too...ones where Joe was totally freaked out...and most of the time they involved animals. This time, I was being chased by a man with a gun (a different one each time)! Oye! It was like I was in a Lifetime movie or something! Now I don't know if this has anything to do with being pregnant, but I don't think my nightmares have been this intense when not pregnant.

Anyway! I think that's about all I have to update about for now...nothing really is going on. So, until next time...Thanks for reading! :o)

Bored at work...nothing fancy!

2009-10-03T05:39:00.003-04:00

First
First Job- off the books: babysitter on the books: cashier
First Screen Name: - airV453 (yep I still have that one)
First pet- a Beagle named Buster
First Credit Card- uhhh it was a MasterCard...why?

Last
Last Car Ride- to work
Last Movie Watched- Ghost Rider
Last Beverage Drank- Water...nice cold water!
Last food consumed- apple
Last website visited- www.babycenter.com

Now
Birthday (no need to give year!)- September 1
Siblings- younger brother and younger sister...one sister-in-law
Hair Color- Dark brown
Eye Color- Dark brown
Shoe Size- 12 :-( can never find shoes!
Wearing- maternity jeans, grey/white/pink striped longsleeve tee from Old Navy and a grey hoody
Thinking about- My boys! <3

sorry I still haven't gotten a chance to get new u/s pics up or ones of the nursery...I'll get to it...promise! :o)

Hooray for Pregnancy Hormones!

2009-09-25T05:01:00.002-04:00

LOL yeah right!!! Oh and don't forget to add in the lack of good sleep! Yeah I've had a rough couple of days these last few...and it's really gotten to me! Hopefully when I get home from work, I can get some much needed uninterrupted sleep!
Well, to start, Joe left on Tuesday to help out a friend, so I was home by myself! I've grown fond of snuggling up next to him at night...if only for his body heat (the man is a furnace I tell ya)! :o) Anyway...so Tuesday I spent most of my day in bed as I had worked the night before and had a pounding headache that wouldn't go away. That night of course, it took a while for me to fall asleep. Then Wednesday I was up pretty early, but didn't have much to do so I kinda loafed around, did my "chores", homework for my spanish class and then went to class...I know...EXCITING! lol Well Shaun kicked the entire time I was in class and I figured it was cuz I hadn't eaten dinner before hand. Also, earlier in the day I had a craving for chocolate...but of course did nothing about it! :-/ Anyway...I went and got some french bread pizza for dinner and a piece of triple chocolate cheesecake for dessert. :-P Oh and I rented a movie that we hadn't seen yet because it was more of a chick flick.
HAHAH anyway so on to the raging hormones! LOL so Wednesday night, my sister texted me to tell me that Joe was on his way home! This immediately brought my mood sky high! :o) I know he'd only been gone two days and a night, but GD I missed him! But pretty much as soon as he got home, my mood plumetted again. I don't even know why. I mean I was happy to see him, but I felt like he didn't give me the attention I was looking for. He wasn't as happy to see me as I was him...or at least that's what I was thinking...:-/ But...my rational mind told me this wasn't true and his tired, defeated affect was just a result of his rough two days with his friend...but this really didn't make me feel better! LOL now that's sick...I can analyze myself! lol
Then...today I woke up via a phone call from Jessica asking me to bring Chevy to daycare. Which of course I agreed to do...he's a good lil guy and she had some thing at work...ANYWAY...I was pretty upbeat after that and didn't go back to bed. Well I mean, I did crawl back in bed, but got a bunch of txts and things that kept my phone buzzing so I just got up and started doing stuff. Joe and Uncle Ray got our new fridge hooked up, so that made me extra happy cuz now I can go grocery shopping and get a supply of various things so I can cook! :o) (There was a lil sarcasim there...but mostly, I'm happy about this! LOL)
After that, we went to Wal-Mart to return movies and pick up a few things. Well this is where my mood started to delve into negativity! Ugh I know Wal-Mart sends out those bad vibes...but I just became so irritated over the littlest things! Joe was rushing me, but he wanted to go certain places too so it was kinda annoying. Then we get to the check out line and he's like, "I'll meet you at the car." Now that pissed me off, bc why do I have to stand in line for 10+ minutes and you can just run off??? Well he had his computer in the car, so that was his excuse. I told him to pull up to the front of the store, but when I got outside he was no where in sight...not even in the spot we had parked at...W-T-F!!!!!???? Ugggggggggh by this point I am heated so naturally I start bitching and then he pulls up! Oh boy did he get a few tounge lashes! lol I laugh now...but I was most definitely pissed! His response was, "I was pulling around." WHATEVER...ugh!
Then, I went to pick Chevy up from daycare with Jessica and when I got back...Joe was sleeping!!! So I played on the computer for a bit and then he woke up. I had decided it was time to make dinner so that I could try and get some sleep before work (which didn't end up happening). We ate dinner and watched a movie. It was 9pm by the time the movie got over, so I figured no sleep was better than 2 hrs because when I do that...I am waaaaaaaaaaay moody and Lord knows...I didn't need anymore of that! So I watched some regular TV, or should I say I tried to! Uggggh there was nothing on. Joe and I talked a little bit about how our belongings needed to be rearranged and also about plans for our own place. During this conversation, he would randomly comment about the game he was playing...grrr this irritated me! But also, I was getting bummed out because we just can't seem to get ahead. Just when we start making some progress...we get knocked on our asses by some insane universal force that keeps pushing us back!
When 11 o'clock finally rolled around I got up and went to the bedroom to get ready for work. As I got up I musta hit a button on my phone and it started talking...this really annoying message that tells me "Say a Command" Well everytime that damn thing goes off I get pissed and tell it no! Well this time...LOL...I went on this whole rant (talking to the phone mind you) about how "she" always tells me to say a command, and I don't wanna say a command so stop bullying me! LOL I know...crazy right?! Well Joe chimes in from the living room..."are you okay? Sounded like you were about to cry?!" HAHA little did he know...I was seriously on the verge of tears! Whyyyyy you might ask?! well At that point I was over-tired and of course I was throwing my little tantrum about having to go to work! I laid on the bed for a few minutes then continued on about my business...gave Joe a kiss and left for work!

Ugh...I know, I know...that was a lot of ranting and raving about nothing...but seriously the past few days I have felt myself go from one extreme to the next! I know it's just hormones, because while the things I mention are normal to get upset about...I don't usually. I hate when I feel like this and I really, really hope that Joe will help me out and let me sleep for a while today! Another plus...I don't have to work tonight! :o)

THANKS for reading...sorry that was a pointless post...but it made me feel a little better! :o)

Week 21, an update...

2009-09-22T02:58:00.002-04:00

Monday started week 21 of my pregnancy! wowza...this is going by incredibly fast!!! Anyway...babycenter.com says Shaun is now the length of a carrot and weighs about 12 ounces. Guess he still needs to cook a little longer! I'm feeling daily movement now and I've noticed that he is definitely more active during the nighttime hours when Mommy is at work! Besides that, the pregnancy hasn't changed much. Some nights/days I find it hard to get comfortable in bed...just before I got pregnant I had become accustomed to sleeping on my stomach, so making the switch to my left side has been a little rough. Some days a feel like my belly is popping out more and others, I feel like there's really no difference! The "type" of shirt I'm wearing seems to have a dramatic effect on this as well. Oh and I've been wearing my maternity pants or a belly band with my regular pants because I have definitely felt some "thickening"!!! lol

We had a doctor's appointment today...all is well! She said the growth is good, my blood pressure has been great and my weight is great! I've only gained 2.5 pounds! w00t! Now mind you, I am over weight...I'm not trying to lose weight or "diet" while pregnant. I eat 3-4 meals a day and snack when I'm hungry...so I'm eating right and making appropriate choices. So 2.5 pounds is good so far. With Kaiden I gained a total of 12 pounds I believe, and the doctors were very pleased. They say an overweight woman should plan to gain between 10 and 15 pounds...so I've got plenty of room if the pounds decide to pile on in the last 3 months of my pregnancy!

Also today at the doctors I asked about a plan for the remaining time. She said they hadn't had a formal meeting to discuss the monitoring and induction yet, but it should be in the next few weeks (before my next appointment). She gave me a rough outline of what they usually recommend for situations like mine. She said that I'll be seen 2x per week starting at 30 weeks, I'll have to report Shaun's movement, and they would plan to induce me between 38 and 39 weeks. Of course she reminded me that this is just their usual recommendation and it could change at any point if needed due to any issues that may arise. I'm still feeling very confident in my team of doctors and I think things are going to be fine this time around.

I guess that's all for now. If anything interesting crops up, I'll be sure to pop back over here and let you all know about it! :o) Thanks for reading!!!

The Nursery

2009-09-08T05:26:00.003-04:00

Joe's Uncle loves working on his house! When we moved in, he told us all sorts of plans for the space we're in and has slowly been making progress. The room next to ours used to be the "shop" type area where old paint cans, tools and just a whole bunch of junk got stored. A few months ago, he rented a dumpster and that room got emptied out and gutted. At that point I wasn't pregnant yet, so there were no specific plans as to what that room would become.
Well once everyone found out I was pregnant, work started being done on the nursery and I have to say, things are really starting to come together! The walls got framed and the insulation was put in place. Uncle Ray is even going to change our windows so they're not basement sized anymore, but they'll be the size of regular windows (pictures will show you what I mean). Then today, sheetrock was hung and it really looks like a room! :o) I'm so excited I can't wait till it's ready for paint! :o) I know there's still a few steps that need to be done before we get there (like there's still a couple of spots missing on the cieling that need sheet rock and then the tape and mud stage, followed by the beloved sanding), but it's so exciting to see my baby's room materializing before my eyes!
I didn't get to take any pictures today because I worked the night before and was actually trying to sleep upstairs on the couch while they worked, but I will take some more (I took pictures during the demolition of the original room) and I'll post them...I'll post the progression from junk room/workshop to Shaun's nursery!

So that's the nursery! Just a few things I wanna say about my pregnancy...
Things are going well...I'm starting to feel a lot more movement and we've even started to be able to feel him on the outside! HEHE it's funny because now I can say him and use his name...it's still so amazing that I'm that far along already! Before we know it it will be January and Shaun will be here! :o) I can't wait!
According to my little newsletter that I get everyweek from babycenter.com, he is "about the size of an hierloom tomato" and can hear sounds outside of the womb at 19weeks or so. I talk to him and I even sang a song my Mommy sang to me and still sings to me sometimes! LOL :o) The other day when I got home from work, Shaun was really moving around, but I had to lay down for a nap because I had to go back to work, so I sang "I love you Sha-aun, oh yes I do, I love you Sha-aun and I'll be true, When you're not near me, I'm blue...oh Sha-aun I Love You!" LOL and then I sang the same song to Kaiden and was able to get comfortable and fall asleep! :o)
I've had a few aches and pains here and there, but just like last time, this seems to be going smoothly. You know...if the pillow slips out from between my legs, my hips get sore, if I sit/stand/lay for too long in one position my back starts to hurt...the normal stuff.
I had bought a fetal heart monitor at the beginning of my pregnancy, but it doesn't say on the package that it's not garunteed to work until the 3rd trimester...I found that info in the instructions which are inside! Grrrrrrr so it's been in the closet...waiting! hehe I love hearing the heartbeat and I figure it's just another way for me to monitor what's going on in there. So anyway...the other day after the U/S, I took it out and decided to try, even though its still technically early. Well...it didn't work for the heartbeat, but I'm pretty sure I could hear him moving around...swimming through the amnionic fluid. Its not like the one at the doctors, its just a microphone sorta thing...hard to explain, but it says you can hear movement, heartbeat, and hiccups! LOL Joe was like "hiccups? they get hiccups in there?!" LOL I told him yes and that everytime I got hiccups, Kaiden got hiccups! But anyway, so that's another thing we are both looking forward too, relaxing and lisening to Shaun's heartbeat together! :o) Time is flying though and D-Day will be here before we know it! :o) Its exciting!
A couple of weeks ago, I was feeling nervous...but right now...at this present time...I'm feeling okay. The doctors seem to know what to say to keep me calm, but its the waiting in between visits where I drive myself nuts! LOL I try not to though. Well luckily...they'll be starting weekly monitoring in about 3-4 weeks, so that will cut down on my worry time!

I guess that's it for now...the only other thing that I have to report is that I've really been missing my NY family and hope to see them all for the few days we'll be up there next week. It sucks that I'm so limited in the time I have...:-/ oh well...I'll get to see them! And I've basically called my Mom and Dad everyday for like the past two weeks now...they've probably figured out that I'm homesick! LOL
Oh well...Thanks for reading! :o) And I'll try and get those pictures posted asap!

Shaun Andrew Underwood

2009-09-04T17:59:00.003-04:00

IT'S A BOY!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY we found out yesterday, via a very very clear ultrasound! Well...it was clear to me...heheh I had to point things out for Joe as he said he had no orientation. And a few other people needed me to walk them through it as well! I was excited at how clear things were showing up. Like on Kaiden's ultrasounds, I was never able to clearly identify the heart...but this time I saw all four chambers...pumping away! It was great and I was so happy! When she said it was a boy...Joe didn't jump for joy, but he said he was happy! Later during the night he posted on the numerous comments I got on FB that the baby's name would be Shaun Andrew and today, I saw that he made his status as "Make way for Shaun Andrew Underwood, and bring a gift!" hahah That's more like it! I'm excited...yes it stinks that I have to return the cute little girl outfit that I bought a couple weeks ago, but I know I'll get some super cute boy outfits soon! :o)It's a relief to know, even though I think I would really enjoy a surprise some day! But for now this makes it easier to set up the room, paint it etc, AND...the other thing that was weighing on my mind...all those clothes and things we have in storage for a little boy will actually get used this time around! :o)
So a little background about the name...When Joe and I first started talking about having another baby he asked what I thought of the name Shaun. I told him I liked it only if it was spelled this way...lol. Then he later came up with the middle name Gabriel which I loved! However, Joe lost a good friend from school in a motorcycle accident at the beginning of August. At the memorial service, Joe turned to me and asked how I would feel if we changed the middle name to Andrew, which I took to mean he wanted to do it in honor of his friend Andy. Of course I was all for it! So that's how this lil groundhog got his name! :o)

We went to see a specialist for the ultrasound bc of my history and things looked good. They asked me to come back for another scan in 4 weeks (sure why not? LOL more pictures) and by then he should have had time to look at my records and talk with my doctors about a specific plan on how to go about the rest of my pregnancy. So we should know in a month or so when I'll actually be induced! I can't believe how far along I am (18wks 4d) and he'll be here in NO TIME!!!! :O) I'm so excited I can't wait to meet him...but I'm also getting a little nervous as we're getting closer to the end...but all I can do is try and calm myself and remind myself that getting worked up is not good for me OR Shaun!
Thanks for stopping by again! :o)

We've got movement!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)

2009-08-13T13:39:00.005-04:00

I'm kinda bad at the blogging thing! LOL I look at my "recently visited sites" and it's always there...but I feel like I never have a whole lot to say. I'm really trying for 1 update/week...but sometime it takes longer than that! LOL Oh well, I'm doin the best I can!

It's August already! Can't believe the year has flown by so fast and I'm already 3+ months preggo! Wowzer! I have another appointment on the 24th which is just the routine "belly check" where we listen to the heartbeat, the dr measures my uterus and asks me if I have any questions. They might have me do the 1 hour glucose test...I'm not quite sure. They also said about the "Swine flu" vaccine that when it comes in I should have it...so that may be on the list of things to do too. But...the one other thing I know for sure that will happen that day is...they will schedule me for my next ultrasound! You know...the one where they tell you what yer having! I know, I know! I always said I didn't want to know, but I know everyone else does! LOL Like I've said before though, as long as it's a healthy baby IDC if its a boy or girl! :o)

So for a week or two now I've been feeling a little bit of movement off and on...nothing steady! :o) That's exciting because I don't remember when I felt Kaiden move for the first time...but I know it was later than this! I don't think the movement can be felt on the outside of my tummy yet, but Joe still puts his hand there, just in case! :o)
"They" also say that the baby can hear now, so talking to it helps with recognizing the parents! :o) So yes, I talk to my baby! :o) I don't say a whole lot right now...basically just saying "Hi" and "Keep growing big and strong" when I feel the baby moving! But soon enough I will probably be sharing my hopes and dreams with this baby just like I did with Kaiden! :o)

~I'm so happy to be pregnant again and can't wait to be the Mommy I've been wanting to be!~

well, that's all for now! I've gotta get back to cleaning up! LOL And keep checking back...I'll do my best to keep up with the postings!

Baby's First Picture!

2009-07-25T04:18:00.004-04:00

So...you may have noticed that our little groundhog is growing and lookin like a lil baby at this point. We had our first ultrasound on Wednes day 7/22. Originally the appointment was scheduled to do some early prenatal testing for Down Syndrome...but the baby didn't want to cooperate. LOL he/she was moving around quite a bit in the beginning and then settled as the U/S went on. Then when it was time for the U/S tech to take a look at the back of his/her neck, the baby didn't want to "bounce up" like it was supposed to. Joe got a little worried about that, but I said that I wasn't too concerned about getting the testing since I wouldn't abort anyway. The tech told us, from what she could see there were no signs of "thickness" which would indicate Down Syndrome. She printed out a whole 4ft of pictures and gave us the best four, then sent us on our way! :o) I was so happy to see a growing baby and see/hear the strong heart beat! <3>

Thanks for stopping by! :o)

My Psychic Reading on 7/17

2009-07-20T16:32:00.002-04:00

So let me just start by saying that I was a total skeptic before walking into that place today, but I walked out feeling like I definitely experienced something real. It may have just been because I wanted to believe the things she was saying...but it may have also been because Kaiden really came through to her. Either way, my reading made me feel pretty good!

I went with my Aunt to a group reading at the public library a few towns over on Friday evening. At first I sat and listened quietly, I listened to the way the Psychic talked with the person she was reading and the spirit they were trying to contact...and decided she wasn't really asking vague questions, but telling the person things only they would understand. It's kind of hard to explain, but if anyone has ever been to a psychic reading before they can kind of understand what I'm talking about...I hope! lol

Anyway, finally after much prompting and prodding by my Aunt, I raised my hand (and kind of interrupted an attempt at someone else's reading...oops). I asked her to contact my son and immediately she got chills and looked a little worried. First she came up with the number 10 and I got a little upset because that was clearly not my son. But another couple had also lost a child who would be 10 at this point in his life and they were able to get in contact with him briefly. She came back to me by saying she was now seeing a little one of about my complexion and with curly dark hair, lots of it! When she said he had dimples I smiled because I have dimples and I remember my husband always saying he hoped that our children had dimples like me.

She then went on to state that it was a sudden loss, that Kaiden didn't suffer. The guide, the spirit communicating with her for Kaiden because he was a baby and couldn't "talk" to her, kept telling her it was something in his head. She asked if we had an autopsy, we did, but it didn't show anything. Talking with her after and also talking with my husband when I got home, we came to the conclusion that if it was an anyurism (sp), it would be pretty small in a baby's brain and possibly the Dr.s were unable to detect it. It's possible. She told me that it wasn't his choice, but that he was okay with it because his passing helped to further medical knowlege. She also told me that I don't feel Kaiden's presence around me. There are times when I feel like a terrible mother because I just don't think I "miss him enough" or don't cry out for him. I do feel like bunches of daisies and rainbows are signs of him, but at times I do feel like it's me telling myself to believe those things...not that I just feel it.

So the freaky part...she tells me that I feel this "loss of connection" mainly becuase my current pregnancy is the "same entity"...in other words...Kaiden has come back. He left too soon and was able to come back to us. I was a little freaked out by this and immediatly thought of all those scary movies where a child dies and then is reincarnated as a demon child! LOL f*d up I know...but that's where my mind goes! LOL And then after the whole thing is over, this guy comes up to me and says, "she's right you know, about your son coming back...my BIL came back as my nephew. When I saw the baby in the hospital, I looked in his eyes and said, 'I know who you are', and the baby winked at me!" LOL now if I wasn't creeped out enough by the thought of my son reincarnated as his sibling, this guy made it worse! LOL The Psychic said I would have a special bond with this child...well duh! I think this bond would be different no matter what because of the loss of Kaiden, If I hadn't lost a child I would have my own special bond with each of my children, but I think the bond with any living child born after the death of another child will be significantly different.

This is my skeptic mind at work, analyzing everything so it makes logical sense...but I do feel like it was Kaiden...I want to believe it was. The psychic told me also, that there was a strong relative with him and he/she was telling me that it was nothing I did, I told the psychic that while I did question it in the beginning of my grieving period, I do not have that feeling/thought anymore. I know that I cared for myself and Kaiden to the best of my abilities. She then said, "you didn't pass on a gene". THIS was my husband's biggest fear and he still probably holds some guilt and doubt that he somehow caused Kaiden's death. When the Psychic said this, I immediately thought the "Strong Relative" with Kaiden must be DH's "Pappy" or grandfather.

I shared all of this with my husband. While I thought he would be unreceptive to the thought of a psychic medium, he really seemed interested in the reading and didn't dismiss any aspect of it. He said he himself may never attempt at a reading, but he can agree that my reading was pretty accurate. The psychic also told me that this pregnancy was going to be just fine and not to worry...DH said that he has been feeling like this pg will be fine and it just feels different to him. :-) While my skeptic brain goes other places with that, I too feel like this is a different pregnancy and that with all of the percautions my dr's and I are taking, things will be fine...but still praying and asking that I hear screaming on D-day!

Thanks for reading! I know it was super long, but I really wanted to write all this stuff down before it went completely foggy in my pg brain! LOL

7/2 - the day after my Inital Dr. appointment

2009-07-20T16:23:00.002-04:00

This is a journal I posted on BabyCenter.com on 7/2 and never got uploaded here...

I've been bombarded with everyday things...and PLUS being pregnant...I'm sooo wiped by the end of the day! Even laundry day sucks ass in my mind! LOL Mostly bc I hate folding, but hey...gotta do it. Oh...and the weather has been so sucky here! OMG It's been raining a lot and usually that keeps things cool, but its been hot still so it ends up muggy! :o( Bleh that does not help my fatigue or nausea!!!!! Annnnnd I can't even straighten my hair bc the humidity just frizzes it out! :o( ooooh and then sleeping at night?! Ohh man...its sooo hot in our room we've been trying to find a small, stand up A/C bc none will fit in the basement window of our room :o( But it looks like that is gonna run us $300 and we can't really afford that atm! Meh...we'll make due I guess.

Sorry for the ranting and raving...but there's been a lot going on and I've been meaning to write this for a couple of weeks now! LOL As far as my pregnancy goes...things are going well. I don't have morning sickness everyday...basically I get really nauseated when we're out (like at the store or something) and gets really hot. Bleh I hate that feeling. There are days when I sleep in longer than usual, but I can generally keep going at my normal speed. I've been taking my prenates and of course I can be constipated for 2-3 days. I do keep a rather high fiber diet so it usually works itself out within that time. LOL Maybe TMI, but I think everyone knows this happens during pg! I went to the Dr yesterday for my inital visit with the DR. He seemed very nice. He started out by asking some of the basic questions...age, where ya from..etc. Then he asked what pg # it was for me. I said 2nd and he asked if I had a baby at home...I told him no that my son was stillborn last April. From there I described Kaiden's story, talked about some of the tests they had done after, some of their recommendations and expressed some of my concerns. The Dr was great. He was very open to my questions, really wants to take a look at my records. He explained that he would place me on the high risk list, but only so they could be sure that certain tests and other things were being done at the appropriate times. He said we'd start the Non-Stress testing at about 30 wks and that I would def not go past my due date. I walked in the office feeling a little nervous...but I walked out feeling totally confident that this pg will be well managed and I will feel safe. Now...don't get me wrong...there is definitely some fear going on and I'm sure it will get worse as I get closer to my due date...but I feel confident that any concern I raise will be fully examined by the team of Dr's and they will provide the best care possible. I am not saying that didn't happen before...because I felt totally safe there too and they even explored things I had no idea about...but this new team of Dr's has the advantage of batting second. They know what happened last time, even though it's not explained...but they are going to be performing a combination of reactive and proactive treatments...they're gonna try and keep it from happening again! I just feel good after seeing the Dr yesterday. :o) He scheduled a 12 wk ultrasound! :o) I'm really excited about that because last time, the earliest I had an US was like 18 wks or so bc that's when I finally started my prenatal care. Anyway...enough rambling...I gotta go jump in the shower and start my day! :o) hehehe

THANKS FOR READING ALL OF THAT!!! LOL

As long as it comes out kicking and screaming and healthy...

2009-06-11T23:03:00.006-04:00

welp...so we told our parents this past weekend...gotta tell ya...things didn't really go as planned! Joe's parents were no fun because they basically already knew. Yes they were excited, but we didn't get the look of surprise on their faces for the awesome pictures I was hoping for! :-/ then My parents...well they were surprised and all...but the pictures weren't exactly what I was hoping for either! LOL IDK what I had envisioned...but apparently my expectations were WAY too high! LOL anyway...my dad claims to have had an inkling too. Just things that were said, like 'Veronica doesn't want to be pregnant (huge) during the summer' which I did say and apparently he had remembered.
Dad claims we're going to have a girl (he's been right with predicting the sex of all his grandchildren so far) and that's okay with me! like I've said before and will continue to say...As long as it comes out kicking and screaming and healthy...I don't care if it's a hermafradite! But anyway...I tried to explain to both parents that because I was so early in my pregnancy still that I would like to try and keep this underwraps for a little longer. Apparently my mom didn't hear that and the next day she told Gramma and Grampa Mead...ahaha and Aunt Donna was there too...boy does word travel fast because not 2 hours later, I got a call from Aunt Amanda telling me congratualtions...and she wasn't even in the county! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr so much for that! Oh...and my MIL did exactly what we said she would do...she told her mom...probably as soon as we walked out of the door. What do people not get about keeping it underwraps or even letting US...the proud parents-to-be, do the talking???!!! I mean how selfish of us to want to be the one's to spread the news! Grrrrrrrrrrr OMG I was soooooooo upset when I found out there was no one left for us to tell other than our friends who we won't be telling for a while due to the sensitivity and earliness of my pregnancy...
I mean I understand that they're excited too...but come on...you can't respect our wishes and let us have a little bit of glory in spreading the news?! IDK maybe its just me being a bitch...but this happened with Kaiden too...pretty much our parents told EVERYONE before we even finished telling them :-/ I wanted to tell the parents early so if the unthinkable happened again, they would have atleast had more time to know this baby...I kinda felt guilty about not telling until about 5 months last time...but I knew my risk of M/C was seriously decreased and I thought I was in the clear...I learned though that it's never 100% safe so I tried to do things differently this time. I guess next time it will have to be at a gathering where everyone we want to know can be told at once...by US!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I'm just so frustrated and can't believe the ability people have to piss me off! It just seems common sense to me to let the new excited parents be the one's to spread the news...

Sorry, but it's been a few day and it's really been weighing on my mind! Ahhhhh and now a sigh of relief after having let it all out...thanks for being there!

"I'm tellin yah...My family has ESPN..." ~ Joe

2009-06-05T19:40:00.006-04:00

So I called my mother-in-law (MIL) yesterday just to say hi...it had been a couple of weeks since I last talked to her. She opens with, 'so how ya feeling kiddo?' I say that I've been working a lot so I've been kinda tired...but I feel good. That's as far as it goes...or so I thought! So we're talking' for like 20 minutes and then all of a sudden she goes, 'so how ya feeling? I've been sick...throwing up every morning!' Now, let me just tell you that when I was pregnant with Kaiden, MIL was sick all the time and throwing up every morning...she kept hassling me telling me I was pregnant...I was! So now this time she's getting sick again. Needless to say...in not so many words she's asking me if I'm pregnant again. Now I didn't wanna tell her over the phone and we plan to tell them this weekend so I played it off like I didn't know. I told her that I'd have to go pick up a test and find out. THEEEEN she starts with the personal questions...'well are ya due for your period yet?' 'have you been feeling sick?' 'have your boobs been sore?' OMG this woman...Never in my life will I be able to be pregnant without her knowing! LOL

So anyway...I made these cute cards to tell the In-Laws and my parents! I'll post pictures of the cards and their reactions after this weekend! :o) I'm so excited to spill...but I'm also worried about it because there are some people I don't want to find out just yet. I also want us be able to tell Uncle Ray and Amy on our own and not have then hear it through the grapevine. I know they said they'd be really happy about us having a baby and had no problem with us living here when it happened...but sometimes I think the added stress would make things crazy around here...IDK though...its the reality and I'm gonna have to tell them soon...they always say you show sooner with the second pregnancy.

Anyway...today has been a pretty good day. I got called in to work last night and I couldn't say no because I hadn't worked much this week and we need all the money we can get! Then I came home, rested for a bit then went to Jessica's HS Graduation! :o) YAY for her! There were lots of people who doubted her and there were definitely obstacles...but she did it! :o)

As far as pregnancy symptoms go...well I've been having some nausea...but its not 'morning' sickness since I get it at night. Also I've been having this weird cramping here and there...I'm sure it's just implantation stuff and everything's fine...but I really need to be getting to the doctor and get everything checked out! Waiting on a response from MassHealth, but I've been doing some research and may have my Dr. picked out! :o) I'm a little nervous...but I know that I just have to speak up and make sure I feel at ease...tell the doctors all of my concerns and request any additional testing I may want. I'm pretty confident in our ability to do this...:o)

Anyway...that's it for now...I have to get some rest before work tonight! Tomorrow is Jessica's party and then we're going home to tell the parents!!! :o) Gotta charge the batteries!!!! :o)

BFP!!!!!!!

2009-06-03T11:18:00.002-04:00

For those of you who are a little slow like I was...that stands for BIG...FAT...POSITIVE!!!!!! Yep We're preggos! Officially we found out on May 30th...but I had a feeling a week or two before that because I had started charting and my O-date was somewhere around the 9th, 10th, and 11th...ahaha so I guess renting that hotel room for the night was perfect timing!! :o) (and not planned since I didn't start charting until after)
So anyway...we haven't told anyone as of yet because we're gonna tell our parents face-to-face and at the same time...and we can't really tell anyone before them! :o) Hopefully this weekend we can spill the beans!!!! I'm sooooo excited!
I'm not hoping for either sex...just a happy and healthy 9 months followed by a screaming entrance into the world! I really don't want to find out at 20wks...but Joe does and lots of people think we should...IDK what we'll do...we'll see...it's still really early!
Anyway, we've got some errands to run so that's all for now! :O)