22 WEEKS!!

Week 21

My how time seems to have flown!! It went kind of slow at first and now the weeks seem to be flying by. I just wanted to document some of my thoughts on being pregnant. Around week 8 I started getting really sick. I had hoped that I would be one of the lucky few who got to skip that part, and thankfully it only lasted 3 weeks, but I found myself running to the bathroom and dry-heaving over the toilet more than I would have liked to. Even though I never did actually throw-up, I was very nauseated and would have to run to the bathroom just in case. And the fatigue!!! Oh man, how did I make it through the first tri-mester? Thoughts of the outcome definitely helped. I had lots of advice from family and friends to help make it through as well. Some of the best remedies were lemonade, preggie pops, staying hydrated, sprite and sleep...lots and lots of sleep. The nausea eventually went completely away after about week 13 and even though the fatigue subsided, I still feel tired most of the time. I am told that growing a baby is hard work, like climbing a mountain every day. I certainly feel like I've climbed a mountain every day. Here are some ups and downs over the last few weeks:

My body: Well, my body is definitely changing. My belly is getting bigger, my boobs are huge, my hips are wider and my butt and thighs seem to have grown as well (boooo). I work-out here and there but definitely not as much as I thought I would. I come home from work exhausted and just sleep sleep sleep all day. Despite all of that, I have managed to only gain about 9 pounds so far. So, I feel pretty good about that...even though I know it's partly because I've lost muscle (which is heavy) and replaced that with fat. Oh well, still feels good to say that I've only gained 9 pounds!!!! I'm loving that I have a little bump now and look pregnant, as opposed to just looking fat.

The baby: I have several ultra-sound pictures to post as soon as I get around to scanning them in. It is awesome to see him...yes I said HIM...go from looking like just a tiny blur to looking like a real baby. We went in at 15 weeks and 3 days and had the gender determination done at which time we also got to see some really good pictures of his spine and full body shots. At 21 weeks, we went for the big ultrasound with my doctor. He showed us all the different parts of the baby, including the brain, all 4 chambers of the heart, diaphram, face, arms/hands, legs/feet and boy parts. It was AWESOME! He also reassured us that there are no signs of cleft palate or spina bifida...fwhew! At around week 19 I started feeling him move around and that has been the BEST feeling ever.

Austin: He has been amazing, truly amazing. He has to deal with my bigger than usual mood swings and he is always able to pull a smile and a laugh out of me. He has been great throughout, dealing with my fatigue. I will literally come home from work sometimes and lay down on the couch or bed and not get back up. He gets me to come on walks with him and our dog often which is good for me, baby and our relationship. Sometimes I feel myself getting a little emotional that he takes such good care of me and I know that he will be such a good father. I am so happy I could just die sometimes.

My favorite things about being pregnant: Feeling the baby move, thinking about when I get to meet him, people being a little nicer and more caring to me, and preparing the house.

Things I could do without: THE FATIGUE, lol. The fatigue has definitely been the worst part, but everyday I'm just plugging away. The other major thing I could do without is people's unwanted negative comments and advice. If I hear "just wait" one more time, I might kill that person. Just let me be happy and excited right now, in the moment. I KNOW that my life is going to change and it is going to be hard, but guess what...I WANT THIS BABY. I want a family and I'm not delusional to the fact that it is going to be hard work. So, keep the negativity to yourselves!!

I never thought I could love something so much before I even get to see it, but I do. What a miracle this has all been and each day that goes by it gets more real. Part of me can't wait and the other part wants it to drag out. I look forward to the next 4 months and what they can bring.

Around week 14



BABY ON BOARD!!!

After trying for about 4 1/2 years and being told we have a 2% chance of getting pregnant on our own, we beat the odds!!!!

THE STORY

Most of you know our struggles to get pregnant. After trying for a couple of years, we finally went to a fertility clinic and tried a few tx's there. After those failed, I ended up getting pregnant on my own, only to miscarry at 5 weeks. The whole experience was so heartbreaking and debilitating that I finally gave up trying about a year and a half ago and decided to just live my life and whatever happens...happens. I had a FABULOUS year last year. It is amazing what can happen when you just put your trust in the Lord and let go. I ran my first marathon, went on countless boating trips, got to know new people, did a couple of things that I've always wanted to do, traveled a little, GOT A PROMOTION (woo hoo), and many other happy things that I can't think of at this very moment. All in all, I've just been really happy and content.

Around my 34th birthday...about a week prior to be exact, I started thinking hard about trying to get pregnant again (not that we ever really stopped trying). I wasn't sure I would ever want to step foot in a fertility clinic again, but I finally made up my mind that I would do whatever it took. I decided to try everything that was available to me, so that one day I could look back with no regrets that I didn't try every avenue. I was referred to a fairly new fertility clinic in Pleasant Grove and a highly recommended fertility doctor (Dr. Foulk). I scheduled a consultation and they couldn't get me in till mid August because they were so booked out. When we finally did get to meet Dr. Foulk, we had a great consult and we both left there feeling like he would be the one to help us. He was very aggressive in his plan and we were already scheduled to do IUI in approximately 3 weeks (which would have been Labor Day weekend). I felt very happy and satisfied that we were on our way.

Needless to say, my monthly friend was late and I ended up taking a pregnancy test that I just happened to have left over from forever ago. I can't even describe the feeling when I watched those 2 lines pop up with no doubts that I was pregnant. I shared the news with Austin and we were both so excited and relieved. WHAT A BLESSING! I told my family the next day when we were all together for Sunday dinner. I love my family so much, I couldn't ask for anything more. They are so supportive and loving and I couldn't have gotten through it all without them. I am so excited to have their support and advice in the coming months.

Later that week (5 weeks along) I called a high risk pregnancy doctor who scheduled some blood work right away. The first test results showed that my progesterone levels were low, so they started me on a supplement right away. The second results showed that my HCG levels were doubling and everything was looking normal!!!! They scheduled me for an early ultrasound at 7 weeks and it felt like an eternity waiting for that time to go by. When we finally got to go in...once again, the feeling was indescribable. I didn't realize we would get to hear the heartbeat, but when she turned the sound on and we heard that little heart beating so fast, I began to cry for the miracle of it all. What a wonderful sound and feeling.

I'm now 7 weeks and feeling great. There are days, like today, that I don't physically feel very good, but I can't help but smile through it and feel excited regardless.  I sleep A LOT and have even had some crazy cravings already. The 5th week, it was all about fresh foods...fresh fruits, fresh vegetables...the fresher the better. Then, it changed to salt and vinegar. I don't think I've eaten a pickle since I was a kid, but I downed about 5 of them and ate almost an entire bag of salt and vinegar potato chips. Now, I can't even look at those things. My craving this week has been hamburgers. Every day I have to eat a hamburger. What a strange thing this is, I LOVE IT!

Well, that's my story up until now. I will probably be updating often as I want to document all the things and feelings that come up. I love you all, thanks for being there for me!