27 Weeks

I'm now finally in my third trimester and at the beginning of my 7th month of pregnancy! It hasn't been easy but it's gone by really fast! Here is a little info and a picture from babycenter.com:

How your baby's growing: This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Chicago and Ellie's Wedding!

Two weekends ago I went to Chicago with my sisters and step mom. It is definitely my new favorite city but I will never again take it on while pregnant! Friday night was long, after work we went to the airport where I left my ID at the security checkpoint and even though our flight was delayed they were not able to find it before we left. When we got to Chicago we checked into our hotel the Omni right in the middle of the magnificent mile and walked to Gino's East to enjoy some Chicago deep dish pizza and catch up with our friends Adam and Elise who live there. Saturday morning we woke up and after a wonderful buffet breakfast at the hotel we went shopping. I must have been in one of those moods to shop because I didn't stop until we had to meet up for dinner! We took a cab up to Hugo's Frog Bar for dinner where the food and the atmosphere were amazing! Sunday we started the day off with an excellent breakfast buffet on the 95th floor of the John Handcock center. It was really cool to be able to see the whole city! Then I shopped literally until we had to leave for the airport. I just couldn't get enough! I had a ton of coupons and the stores were all having great sales!

Well I paid for that weekend on my feet the whole next week! I knew I shouldn't of done it but I couldn't stop myself! I had a horrible case of planters fisciatis and my feet were very swollen for the next 5 days. Monday night Craig's parents came over for dinner to celebrate his mothers birthday and I started having what I think were Braxton Hicks contractions. A little worried I called my doctor and went in the next morning. She said everything looked alright but I took Tuesday off work to relax. Putting my feet up really helped and I got to be there when our crib and dresser were delivered! Craig's parents came back over to help get it in the room and unpack everything. Then Thursday night when I taking my last final Craig put the crib together! It is so beautiful! We haven't made any other decisions on the room yet though, one step at a time. Being done with school is a big relief now though and now we can concentrate a little more on getting the house baby ready!

Friday I went to see my primary care physician because the swelling had gone down in my feet but my big toe still hurt really bad. He said he thought I had Gout! I went in there thinking I had a broken toe and here it is more like arthritis. I did a little research and drank a ton of water to flush the build up out of my system. Then magically the next morning my toe didn't hurt nearly as bad!

Saturday night we went to Mary Ann's niece Ellie's wedding in Cleveland. It was really nice but we didn't eat until 8pm. Craig and I were literally the last ones in the whole place to get served salads and I was a little upset. I voiced my frustration to the waitress and we were the first table to get served dinner!

Little one has been moving around like crazy! My feet have definitely been taking a beating but UGG shoes have helped. The contractions were scary but thankfully everything is okay and looks normal. He is still craving dairy and especially loves chocolate milkshakes now! My emotions have been by far the biggest side effect this week, for some reason I just can't stop crying over nothing! There has just been a lot going on and hopefully now that school is done I will start to relax a little bit more. The next time I post we'll be in the third trimester, it is really flying by!

Long Overdue Update! Weeks 17-25

I should probably start where I left off and go from there since it has been so long! It has been a long couple months with weddings, trips, concerts, football and school! I have been posting a lot more updates on Facebook since most all of my family and friends are on there. I don't believe I have anyone still reading this but it will be nice for our little one to look at one day and me to refer to in any future pregnancy!

Our first mini trip came with my cousin Joey and his new wife Jami's wedding in Columbus October 10th when I was 17 weeks along. It was really nice to see a lot of my mothers side of the family together and my mom even with us for a couple days after. That Monday night laying in bed with my mom I felt little one for the first time moving around! I was 17 weeks 5 days along and it really did feel like I swallowed butterflies!

We then spent time getting ready for Craig's brother Todd's wedding in Boston. We arrived in Boston on Wednesday, October 21st spending our first day with the bride and groom around the city and had the rehersal dinner that evening. Thursday they got married and Friday we took a tour in a Duck land/water vehicle with Craig's family that came in for the trip. We had a great time but the train system was not very fun and I think that will be the last we see of Boston!

We returned on Saturday morning and went out to dinner that evening with my sister Abbey and her boyfriend Brian to celebrate my birthday at Trumbull Country Club. It was a very nice time! On Sunday, my step mom Mary Ann made us stuffed shells for dinner (my favorite!) and we had cake. Then I got the best birthday present ever on Tuesday, October 27th we had a full fetal evaluation with Dr. Stewert in Akron. Craig, Sarah, and little Brody came to see the very detailed ultrasound and we even got them to switch over to 3D for a minute! Our 3D picture is to the right. Another milestone in this week 20 Craig felt the baby kick for the first time!

The next week we prepared for Todd and Nikki's at home reception the following Saturday on Halloween! It was a lot of fun and everyone dressed up.They had a photobooth too! Pictures to come!

On November 4th little one had his first concert experience. Mary Ann, Sarah, Lory and I went to see Daughtry and Theory of a Deadman opened for him. It was a great show and we even randomly sat next to my Aunt Fifi and her daughters!

Then came the month of trips for me! I traveled to Dallas for the weekend November 6th-8th to see my girlfriend Katie and her family. We had a great weekend! I got to see her very pregnant sister Carrie who is due mid December, we did a little shopping and went to see The Christmas Carol in 3D IMAX! Very good but very fast trip and definitely bittersweet since it might be the last time I get to go down there for a very long time.

On November 10th, Craig and I went to see Bruce Springsteen in Cleveland. It was the best concert ever! He played all of his oldies and little one loved it too! We had a really great time and were so happy we went! The next weekend Abbey came home and decided we need to start taking more maternity pictures. This one to the left is my favorite, belly at 22 weeks! She is now my new photographer everytime she comes home!

The trips continued with a weekend in Naples November 19th to the Sunday the 22nd. A very nice but quick trip! Craig and Jeremy drove down Tuesday night and spent 2 days at Universal Orlando then picked Lory and I up at the airport in Naples on Thursday. It was so nice to just relax and lay out in the warm sun! We stayed at my dads house down there and it was just beautiful! One night we ate crab legs then the next we shopped at the Waterfront Shops and at dinner on the beach. Here is a picture of us at dinner! The trip back home was a little rough, thankfully the trips are almost over!

Then we got to come home to a short week for Thanksgiving! We ate at my Aunt Fifi's and then went to his parents to play cards. Friday some massive house cleaning took place after Holly and I destroyed the kitchen making the mashed potatoes and then we went shopping for Black Friday! Saturday we decorated to house for Christmas and Abbey came over to help us put up the tree. Pictures of Thanksgiving and Tree Decorating to come!

I am now 25 weeks along as of today! Only 105 days to go! With all that has been going on the time has flown by and now with the holidays coming and baby shower January 23rd I don't expect it to stop! I went through a bad spell with heartburn a few weeks back but now my main symptoms are mood swings (sorry Craig!) and being tired all the time. This past week my feet have really started to hurt like my heels feel like I have shin splints in them!

We are starting to get the nursery ready too! Thanks to Sarah and Mary Ann for cleaning my house and clearing out most of the nursery and spare room when I was in Dallas! Craig finished clearing everything out yesterday and they are starting on refinishing the hardwood tomorrow. Then we will paint the nursery, thinking a eggshell white right now. The furniture will be here in a couple weeks and I already have the bedding in! It won't be long before it is all together, hopefully by Christmas! I will post some progress pictures! I promise it won't be so long until the next time I post, it has just been a crazy couple months!

15 Weeks

Only 25 more weeks to go! I feel like this is flying by!

According to thebump.com:

Baby's now the size of a naval orange! Continuing the march toward normal proportions, baby's legs now out-measure his arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably can't feel the movements just yet.

Doctors Appt Update

Hello!! Last Monday I had another doctors appointment. It was a really short one but I got to hear little ones heartbeat! I recorded it so Craig could hear and if I figure out someway to I want to put it on here. I listen to it over and over! :) I also scheduled our gender determination ultrasound for next Friday, October 2nd! Everything is just so exciting right now!

I started to get really nervous last week that I am not going to be a good mom and scared of labor (which I never was before) but luckily most of my worries were put to rest Saturday night when Craig and I babysat my 8 month old nephew and Godson Brody! He is just so good! We played for a couple of hours then I rocked him to sleep and it was the best feeling ever. I can not wait until our little one is here and I can rock him or her to sleep every night!

How far along? 14 weeks 6 days
Total weight gain/loss: 5 pounds at last Dr's apt
Maternity clothes? This week the hair tie button extender has been it!
Stretch marks? No, thankfully!
Sleep: Back to normal for now! I am hoping to get the snoggle maternity pillow soon though!
Best moment this week: Watching Brody! I am now addicted! :)
Movement: Not yet, patiently waiting
Food cravings: Fruit cups, peanut butter, apple juice, and chocolate cherry cordial ice cream!Gender: Will find out soon! Oct 2nd hopefully!
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Still... Beer, it just smells so good! oh and my memory as I have been extremely forgetful!
What I am looking forward to: Finding out if we're having a boy or girl!
Weekly Wisdom: Don't stress, it hurts the baby and everything will be fine so there is no point! Maternal instinct is amazing!
Milestones: Less than six months until our little one is here! Time is going to fly!

2nd Trimester is here!

So happy to reach this milestone. Luckily as everyone told me it should, morning sickness is gone and most of my energy is back! We had a very lazy weekend and got nothing that we planned to done but relaxing felt great. Football is finally here, little one will soon figure out that they are a Buckeyes and 49ers fan! I decided to start answering these questions to see how they change each week! I have finally posted a belly pic!

How far along? 13 weeks 4 day

Total weight gain/loss: 2 pounds at last drs appt 2 weeks ago so probably more now

Maternity clothes? Yes since my sister gave me a ton I started early! They are comfortable and my pants definitely don't button!

Stretch marks? nope

Sleep: Getting much better, wake up once or twice to go to the bathroom but fall back o sleep pretty easily

Best moment this week: Watching football! So happy the season is finally here!

Movement: nope

Food cravings: Fruit cups, peanut butter, apple juice, and chocolate cherry cordial ice cream!

Gender: Not sure

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Beer, it just smells so good! oh and my memory as I have been extremly forgetful!

What I am looking forward to: Hearing little ones heartbeat with a doppler at my next appointment next Monday on Sept 21st!

Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy every minute even the uncomfortable moments.

Milestones: Finally reached the 2nd Tri!

2nd Ultrasound Pictures

Here are the ultrasound pictures I promised last week. Sorry it took so long! Our little one actually looks like a baby now! My next appointment is Sept. 21st but I don't get an ultrasound. After 15 or 16 weeks they should be able to tell the sex of the baby so we will schedule that appointment then yay!

Here is a picture of the front side where you can see the head to the right then body with little arms coming off and legs!

We were lucky to have a very active baby so here's a view from the side-

This one didn't come out as well but you can kind of make out the baby's hand and little fingers waving at us!

I can't believe at that time little one was the size of a lime and now has grown to a peach! I'm 13 weeks along already and moving on into the second trimester! It really is amazing how much my symptoms have changed. I'm no longer nauseous and have been starting to get a little but of energy back to the point I don't need frequent naps anymore. Good thing because school has started again so along with working 40 hours a week and trying to keep up with the house, I am going to school 2 nights a week.

Our house is really coming along trying to get ready for baby. The tile in the kitchen, dining area and halls is pretty much done, just waiting on the pieces to transition the tile into the other rooms with hardwood. It looks really good, opens everything up and makes it looks a lot bigger! Our basement is all waterproofed and painted, looks amazing! Now we can start moving things down there and clearing out the old computer room for a nursery. Piece by piece we are getting there!

199 Days to go!

This time is really flying by now! Less than 200 days until our little one is here! I have been so busy with other things that I haven't had time to just relax and be pregnant! We are doing a lot of remodeling right now in our home to make room for baby so once that is done I think we will really start to feel ready!

We have had a very unfortunate last couple of weeks. Friday, August 15th my dads Uncle Joe passed away. He had cancer and the last few weeks were really bad so it is good that he is in a better place where he is much more comfortable and not suffering but we will still miss him dearly, especially at Sunday dinners. Then Saturday, August 22nd my step mom Mary Ann's dad passed away. He had held on for a long time and always seemed to pull through when he got sick so his passing was really hard. We really miss him, family get togethers will just never be the same. So 2 funerals in 2 weeks was no fun!

With our schedules changing we also had to push back our 2nd ultrasound appointment to today! It has been 5 weeks since our last one so I can't wait to see how much the little one has grown! I will be posting tomorrow with pictures!

11 Weeks

This is crazy, I mean I'm really popping out but a lime! Little one is growing fast!

Baby's now the size of a lime!
Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through it. But fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds, and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future.

So I celebrated my 11 weeks by moving my little sister Abbey into her freshman year of college. Well I mostly pointed my finger and put my two cents in where it wasn't asked! I truly felt like her mother, so proud and can't believe my baby is all grow up! Now my other sis Holly tomorrow! At least she'll only be in Cleveland now and not in California! It will be so nice to have her in driving distance! I love all my babies! :)

Emergency Room Scare

So I have been feeling really dehydrated lately but I thought it was just a pregnancy symptom. Well as I was traveling home to make myself some lunch yesterday, I call my mother and who asks how I have been feeling and I tell her about the ridiculous hangover feeling. She then scares the crap out of me saying constant thirst is a sign of high sugar and that I might have developed gestational diabetes. So I then go to my grandmas to have her take my sugar and sure enough its a little high at 156 (it should be between 80 and 100) .

I got scared but my grandma and Aunt Missy calmed me down saying it would be alright I might just have to watch what I eat. So then I'm calm again and I go back to work and tell my coworker what happened. He suggests I call my doctor just to make sure everything is alright and I figure they're just going to say you'll be fine, see you Monday. Nope, they tell me to go straight to the emergency room and get an IV. Of course I freak out because to me, you're only suppose to go to the ER when something is really wrong. I guess dehydration is serious! So my coworker then takes me to the hospital since I'm in no condition to drive and they fix me all up! My sister Holly and Dad came in to make sure I was okay and lucky by that time my sugar had dropped to 88 and everything looked completely normal! Just a little scare!

Note to self: 64 ounces of water a day is not enough, you must drink more!

Week 9

Aw The Bump says: "Your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!"

We have our next ultrasound Monday morning and I can't wait to hear the heartbeat with a Doppler! I really thought I felt it last night but couldn't tell if it was just mine. Definitely have a little bump now though! I will have to take a picture tonight and post it to see my belly growing progress.

This morning I woke up really dehydrated which just felt like I had a horrible hangover! It's not fun waking up with a hangover feeling knowing you haven't drank in a long time! Then drinking water made me want to puke so I drank the strawberry-banana smoothie I made last night. Very good!

Updates in Week 8

Bloating or maybe a little baby belly, nausea mainly in the evenings, lower back pain, and irregular sleep patterns are all with us now! I'm not sleeping very good at night, waking up a couple of times a night without being able to go back to sleep but I do love my afternoon naps. When I get home from work I like to lay down for a couple of hours but if I sleep too long my tummy hates me for it! I'm nauseous and can't really eat but I know I need to. Not a fun feeling so crackers and peppermint tea have been getting me through it. Then I drink a cup of chamomile tea to go to sleep which works for a few hours.

To help with the back pain I started to do a prenatal yoga video (which reminds me I need to do again tonight) and I think after I get used to it I will feel much better. Last Saturday morning Nikki, my future sister-in-law came over to help me through it for the first time since she is very experienced at yoga and boy am I glad she was there! She really helped me a lot with positioning!

I am getting excited about nursery stuff now! My dad and stepmom have offered to buy our crib so now we just need to figure out what color we are painting the room and start looking! I want to actually play around with the cribs in store to make sure they are good (having an experienced new mom like my stepsister will really help here!) but I think it's going to be a dark wood like expresso or chocolate color. I really like these nursery designs below so far, tell me what you think by leaving a comment!

Possibilities for a girl

Dwell Studio Garden

CoCaLo Serene

Favorite so far if we have a boy

CoCaLo Sports Fan

A couple gender neutral favorites

CoCaLo Moremi

Potterty Barn Kids Sweet Lamb

First Ultrasound

It was truly amazing seeing that there really is something growing in me! We were also able to see the heartbeat at a 112 beats per minute heart rate! Our little bean or "bump" as Craig likes to call him is right about where they thought measuring 6 weeks 3 days on Monday, July 27th. At first I was worried because that seemed low but I guess this early on that is very normal.

You really can not see much in the picture but that is from the internal ultrasound. By the way getting an ultrasound at 7:30 in the morning was not a good idea. They told me to drink six 8oz glasses of water and I almost lost it! Drinking so much so early made me extremely nauseous! Then when I get there she said I could have drank anything and I really don't need to drink that much. Oh by the way its too early to see anything from on top of the belly anyway so empty your bladder and we'll do an internal ultrasound. All of that was for nothing! Oh well now I know for next time.

Some more symptoms have definitely shown up. I am nauseous every morning, it gag really bad to the point of almost throwing up when I brush my teeth, and I've had really bad restless legs at night. Well my Uncle Joe gave me a sort of Old Wives Tale about putting a bar of soap under the sheets by your legs to cure the restless legs and it really works! I don't know why but I google it and a lot of people have had luck with it. Now if I could just find a cure for brushing my teeth!

My Little Sweet Pea

According to thebump.com:

Baby's now the size of a sweet pea!
Growing like crazy, baby is starting to sprout eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, and chin. Those little hands and feet -- still webbed like paddles -- might wiggle by week's end, the heart is beating (almost twice as fast as yours!), and blood is starting to circulate.

Already at 6 weeks with only 34 more to go! I hope it continues like this, not too many symptoms so far. (Knock on wood) Just tired a lot but that's not too unusual and I can't stand up for too long or my lower back hurts. Anything to keep the nausea away because I don't deal with that too well!

First Appointment

Monday was it and all I can say about it is wow! I am so happy with my OBGYN! Since the last time I was there they completely remodeled and their waiting room was much bigger! Which was great since that was my only complaint before. It probably had something to do about me being in a good mood to be there but everyone was just so nice and friendly! From the minute I checked in the receptionist was great, then went back and the nurse was so sweet! I peed in a cup (probably for them to confirm I'm preggo!) and gave them a little bit on information like my last period date and such. Since I had my last pap in September they are going to wait until then to do another one so all we did was talk. The nurse also gave me a few magazines they had in and a list of suggestions for common problems in pregnancy. The list pretty much answered anything I had thought about in the last week, is it okay to do this, what can I do to help with this, etc. Its great! Then Dr. Mondary came in my room, can I say she is just a huge ball of joy! Everytime I see her she is really bubbly and sweet and this was no different. She is 28 weeks pregnant herself with her second set of twins! So she said I will be going back and forth between Dr. Cairns and her which is no problem! Then came the bast part about the whole appointment, she said they do frequent ultrasounds so I get to see the baby progress! She said she wants my first one in my 6th week so I scheduled it for next Monday morning!! Yay! Dr. Cairns will be doing it right in their office (there's actually a seperate waiting room for ultrasounds!) and doing it this early they will be able to measure the baby to give a more accurate due date! Not to mention for my piece of mind that I'm not just imagining all this and by week 6 we should be able to see the heart beat!! Yay! I can not wait so until then I am one happy momma to be! Here is their information if any Warren/Youngstown Ohio area nesties or bumpies need a good gyno-

Cairns & Mondary Obgyn Inc
1651 E Market Street,Warren, OH 44483
(330) 394-4900

5 Weeks

It really amazes me that there is actually a little one growing inside of me! If I am right at being 5 weeks along, he is the size of a sesame seed and looks more like a tadpole than a baby. This week his tiny heart divides into chambers, beats for the first time and starts pumping blood!

Now that I don't have just me to think about I really have been trying to become healthier. I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner (with healthy snacks in between) everyday and am on a prenatal vitamin (when I remember to take it!) Not that Craig would let me skip a meal but I used to just forget to eat or if I wasn't hungry I wouldn't worry about it. I've never been very good about exercising regularly either but now I guess is the time. I'm all for anything that will help the baby and make this pregnancy easier! I looked into prenatal yoga classes today but haven't had any luck so far. I think I am just going to just start walking at lunch time for now.

Welcome to my pregnancy journal!

I decided since I am 5 weeks today, it would be a good time to start blogging my pregnancy! I have gone back and forth about if I should do a journal or blog and I decided this would be the best way to let everyone know what's going on!

Well on the beautiful day of May 23, 2009 I married my wonderful husband Craig. We both knew that as soon as we got married we wanted to try to have a baby. So we stopped any preventative measures and got lucky the very first month! On Monday, July 6, 2009 I woke up nauseous and was so excited (probably that first and last time I will be excited to have this feeling!) I couldn't sit up or walk 5 steps without feeling like I was going to throw up everywhere! That evening I went to my step-sister Sarah's house (who just had a beautiful baby boy in January) and she gave me a pregnancy test to take. Once Craig and I got home I took the test, so nerve wrecking! We went and looked after a couple minutes and there was one solid line and a faint line. Freaking out not knowing what it meant since Sarah didn't save the directions I call her and go get another test. She instantly tells me I'm definitely pregnant but of course I don't believe her. The next test was a clear blue easy that was suppose to have a - if your not and + if you are, well the vertical line was faint again! The directions say the best time to take it is the morning so I wait and try again then. Let's just say I'm not a morning person and have no idea how but the test didn't take. We decided we should go to the doctors and make sure before giving our hopes up. So Tuesday at 1:30pm we go to see Dr. Malvasi, our family doctor and good friend of the family. He tells us the test came back faint (urgh!) so he wants to do a blood test. On Wednesday morning at 9:22 am I get the call, yep you're pregnant! I'm not sure exactly when it all set in for me or maybe it hasn't yet but I never jumped up and down screaming joyful words like I thought I would.

I have wanted babies since I was 17 years old in high school and have tried to be smart saying I have to wait until I'm married, own a home, and have a steady job. Well I guess the time has come and it really just feels natural. Don't get me wrong Craig and I have had a lot of wow, really, we're having a baby, yay!, moments but its not like I dreamed it would be. At first I had some different symptoms like bloating, headaches, really thirsty all the time, lack of energy, and acne has been worse for a while now but most everything has stopped for now. I keep saying I don't feel pregnant! Not that I want morning sickness but it's like a sign that things are going good! It's still really early so hopefully nothing goes wrong, we are praying for a healthy and happy 9 months!