She’s Here!

On 2.18.14 J and I welcomed our beautiful baby girl Camryn Joann to the world. At 8 lbs 11 ou and 21″ long Cam is a perfectly healthy little girl and we are madly in love! ❤

Stay tuned for more pics, the birth story and more!

 

I’m not going to sugarcoat…

I’m 35 1/2 weeks and miserable.  I hurt, I’m tired, I’m swollen, I waddle when I walk and I’m uncomfortable.  I feel bad for J – good for him for putting up with me lately.  I don’t mean to sound like I’m not excited, or don’t feel lucky to have really had an uneventful pregnancy.  But I’m not good at feeling miserable.

My feet and ankles have started to swell throughout the day so by the end of the day it’s very difficult to put shoes on.  My right hand is swollen every morning (think blown up doctors glove), but luckily that goes down within an hour or two of waking up.  Although I do have sore joints in both hands constantly.

It appears I have sciatica so in addition to my back hurting, my right leg is numb all the time, getting worse with longer periods of walking or sitting.

I have a sharp, stabbing pain in my left rib cage that gets worse as the day progresses.  By the end of the day the only remotely comfortable way to sit is leaning back, so I’m not putting pressure on it.  But with every movement it feels like someone is digging the knife in deeper.

It’s a toss-up whether the ribs or this next one is the worst.  My pelvis / groin area hurts constantly.  It’s been hurting for a couple months, but it was really only after sitting for a long period, then standing.  But after a few steps it would loosen up. Now it hurts sitting, standing, laying.  Walking/standing is definitely worse.  I now walk like a 90 year old who just got off a horse.  Oh yeah… it’s hot. 😉

With all of this, and, of course, peeing every hour – sleep is obviously not going well.  Getting comfortable is next to impossible.  In an effort to help I have moved to the couch so that I can prop myself up.  The only way I can really fall asleep now is sitting up.

So there is my current list of woes.  End this week’s vent session. 🙂

Last week, on my 35 week mark, we began my weekly OB appointments.  Anyone who has been pregnant knows what ‘weekly’ appointments mean… not fun. : /  As of last Thursday, I was 1 cm dilated and my cervix was beginning to thin.  I know it means nothing in terms of when Murph can be here, but I guess it’s good my body has at least started the process.  I think I’m good for her arrival anytime after 2/1.  I’d say 1/30 (my 37 week mark), but we don’t have our hospital tour until 2/1, and I’d really like to do that before she gets here. 🙂

About a week ago I had a wonderful shower hosted by my sister, mom and great friend.  I’m so appreciative of them putting it together, and for everyone who was there or sent a gift for Murph.  She’s already a spoiled little girl. 🙂  The theme was ‘She’s Ready to Pop’.  Apparently there were some people who saw/heard the theme who thought I’d be offended thinking it’s because I look huge or something.  Well… I do look huge, but the theme really came about because I freakin’ love popcorn.  Really love it. 🙂  They had a popcorn station set up with all kinds of fun additions and seasonings to put on the popcorn.  Delicious.  In addition, they had popcorn chicken and shrimp, chicken poppyseed salad sandwiches, cake pops and ‘pop’ themed candies like lollipops and pop rocks (and more that I know I’m forgetting.

I wanted to forego games and the awkwardness of opening gifts, so we did a ‘naked’ shower where we asked guests not to wrap and displayed everything on a table.  And, in lieu of games, they set up 3 ‘activities’ – a onesie designing station, a name board (we still have no idea on that front) and an ‘Advice for Murph’ station for people to fill out cards with advice and wishes for Murph.  It was all a lot of fun to look at the next day.  And my sister bought a cute box to hold the advice cards so we can keep them for her to read when she’s older.  Love it!

This weekend we got most of her stuff put away, at least somewhat.  Her nursery is so close to being done!  We just have to hang the gutters (bookshelves) and get the new door put in.  Pics to come once we are done.

In addition, I spent all day yesterday cooking to stock our freezer.  We are now stocked with lasagna, enchiladas, Mexican soup, Korean beef and broccoli, and Applesauce Cinnamon and Banana Crumble muffins – all frozen in servings of 1 or 2 to make it easy for Jer and I.  Hopefully before Murph’s arrival I’ll have another chance at a marathon cooking session to put together some easy one-handed foods, like burritos, or anything baked in a muffin tin.

And, finally, I guess I owe you a belly pic. 🙂  It has been awhile.  Warning… I’m huge.  Stepping on the scale at my appointments is a very sad moment.

 

30 weeks… what?!?

Ummm.. what happened to the last 6 months of our lives?  I can’t believe we’re now only 10 (give or take 1 or 2) weeks away from meeting Murph!  It’s terrifying.

I’m so not ready.  All we have in her room is a crib (no mattress) covered up with a drop cloth.  I don’t think that’s going to cut it.  Luckily I have a good amount of days to use up before next year, so I’m able to take off the week of Christmas through the New Year.  Hopefully I find time to put her room together and get some pics up for you to see.

But, if you’re wondering, here’s my plan.  Gray walls with a thick coral stripe on one wall.  I refinished and painted a large dresser (one I had growing up) and a mirror (that I found at a consignment store) in a bright turquoise color.  The dresser just needs hardware, but I love how they turned out!!  I’d like to try to find another smaller 3-drawer dresser to place in there as well by the rocker/glider (which we don’t have yet, but maybe for the shower?).  I got this great fabric from Fabric.com (it’s brighter coral/turquoise than it looks here).  I’m going to use this for curtains and a crib skirt.

We’re going to do rain gutter bookshelves on one wall near the glider.  Trust me, they’ll look better than they sound. 🙂  I think I’m going to paint them coral as they’ll be on the opposite wall of the stripe.  And I have some ideas for some DIY artwork.  I think that’s it.  I thought about a mobile, and I may or may not make one.  We’ll see.

In other preparation – we did a baby care basics class this week at Mercy.  It was good info, a bit overwhelming, and a bit annoying because she tended to try to push her views instead of being neutral.  But I am glad we went.  Coming up next week we have a class with Animal Friends to go over how to best acclimate our dogs to the addition of a new baby.  Then we have a cloth diapering orientation class, the hospital tour and a breast feeding class.  Might be overkill, but oh well. 🙂

And, finally, a belly pic.  This is actually from Thanksgiving – but it’s only 2 weeks ago and I refuse to believe I’ve grown much in just two weeks. 🙂

 

21 Weeks

I obviously have not been keeping up on my weekly posts, but we’ve been busy!  We moved this weekend (more on that later), and work has been insanely busy.

But overall I’ve been feeling pretty good.  All of my appointments have gone smoothly, and she looked good in the ultrasound last week.  The biggest thing is I’m just tired.  I’m sure it’s a combination of the craziness of our life right now, combined with having a hard time getting comfortable.

I’m typically a stomach sleeper, and I’m to a point now where when I roll onto my stomach in my sleep (which I do even with one of those enormous pregnancy pillows to prop me up), I wake up because it’s not comfortable.

But… no other issues – so if tired is the worst thing, I guess I can deal. 🙂

I have a few ideas for the nursery, but nothing concrete.  I do know it will NOT include pink!!  It will end up fairly neutral, which I think would’ve happened boy or girl.

We had the ultrasound on Friday, and one of my regular appointments yesterday.  My next appointment will be the glucose screening test… ugh. Not looking forward to that one. 😦

And, finally, here are a few awful belly pics…

13 WEEKS

21 WEEKS

 

 

It’s a…

GIRL!  🙂

That’s right – Murph is a she. 

We had our ultrasound last Friday and it was very cool to see.  It’s amazing how developed she looks already, while still only being about a pound.  

Here she is…

She’s measuring about a week ahead, but no big deal.  Still EDD of 2.20.

I guess this means we need to start thinking about girl names. 🙂  No – we will not be sharing.  Everyone will find out when she is born.

 

13 Weeks!

Lots has happened in the last two weeks… NT scan, we told my family, and we heard the heartbeat!!  Plus, I’m officially entering the second trimester. 🙂

Let’s start with the NT.  We had this appointment last Wednesday, the 7th.  It was pretty amazing how much little Murph has grown and developed in just the 6 weeks since our dating u/s.  His features are developing, and we could even count his little fingers!  At one point he was waving to us, and he was super bouncy in there.  It’s amazing how much he moves and I don’t feel a thing.  The tech said that all looked good.  I have to go in for the blood work portion in a few weeks, but looks like no worries. 🙂

Check out Murph’s second picture!

Jer and I took the day off for this one, so we decided to walk around Target checking out some baby stuff.  We actually managed to walk out without buying anything… though I was tempted. 🙂  But it’s also overwhelming – the amount of stuff there is for babies.  You really have to weed through to figure out what you actually need, and then narrow down to what specific product will work best for your lifestyle and your budget, without jeopardizing safety.

On Friday we told my Sis and BIL.  My sister apparently figured me out on the Fourth of July, so she was not quite surprised… but still super happy for us!

Saturday we had my whole family over for a picnic, saying it was to celebrate our move (coming up soon!).  I drank water from a beer bottle for a while, until everyone arrived.  After dinner, Jer and I went to change our shirts… his said ‘She’s eating for two, And I’m drinking for three’ and mine said ‘The Baby Wants Chocolate’.

With a little nudge (okay, a big nudge) from my Sis, everyone finally caught on. 🙂  And happiness and hugs ensued. 🙂

Finally, on Monday, we heard the heartbeat!  It was another awesome moment.  Murph was around 150 bpm.  It was so great to see him or her last week, and hear his or her little HB this week.  It’s really starting to feel real!

So I think maybe some of my symptoms are starting to subside… or it’s wishful thinking.  I’m not really sure. 🙂  But, in place of the constant nausea, I’m now getting almost daily headaches.  I spoke with my doc on Monday and he recommended caffeine and Tylenol.  So we stocked up on Mt. Dew and picked up some Tylenol.  But I’m hesitant to take them every day, and wait until/if it gets really bad.

Weight?  I don’t know.  According to my scale I’m at my pre-pregnancy weight, but I think my scales broke.  Really… it’s said exactly the same weight to the ounce two days in a row.  I don’t think that’s right.  And I wasn’t really paying attention on Monday at the doctor, so I’m not sure where I am.  Some days I think I’m showing, other days I think not at all, and other days I think I’m just getting fat from crappy eating.  But, so far, I’ve had no issue fitting into my normal clothes.  The longer I can put off worrying about maternity clothes, the better!

Appointments?  My next appointment is scheduled for 9/9.  I’ll need to schedule my blood work for somewhere around there, and then the anatomy scan will be just a few weeks later!  I’m kind of feeling girl, though I catch myself saying ‘he’ all the time.

This week, Murph is the size of a peach!

 

Weeks 10 & 11

These weeks have been quite rough.  I’ve had a couple days where I had to either leave work early, or didn’t make it in at all.

I’m hoping hoping hoping that week 12 shows signs of these symptoms going away.  I’m so tired of being sick and tired all the time.

No appointments in these weeks, and no real change in appetite either.  I’m still eating a lot of fruit and carbs.  Still no major food aversions.  Some strong smells are a turn off.

Someone eats eggs every morning at work from the cafeteria, and that smell kills me.  It’s so, so strong!  I like eggs, and still eat them, but the smell of these is horrendous.

I’ve been getting restless lately.  I really want to go for a run, or at least a walk.  But I still can’t handle that much activity.  I feel slightly pathetic at this point.  I really haven’t gained any weight, maybe a pound or two, but I still just feel gross.

And I’m not showing yet, so no belly pics this week.  Maybe next week to celebrate getting through the first tri.  We’ll see. 🙂

Next week we will have our NT scan on Wednesday.  Then, if all is well, we finally will tell our families over the weekend!  🙂  I can’t wait to see their reactions!

This week, Murph is the size of a lime!

 

Weeks 8 & 9

Today marks week 9.  I know I forgot to post last week… oh, well. 🙂  You all have about another 3 weeks, at least, before you know anything.  Please don’t ask us to do anything in that time frame, K? 🙂

The last couple weeks have been rough.  The nausea is coming on full force and I’ve had a few very rough days.

Monday was our second prenatal appointment.  It was just a few questions, symptom check and pee in a cup.  Nothing exciting. 🙂  At our next appointment on August 12, we will hear the heartbeat!

But, before that, I scheduled our NT scan for August 7.  I’ll be just over 11 weeks at that point (and hopefully the nausea will be subsiding).  It will be nice to see Murph again, but this one makes me a little nervous. Chances are everything is going great, but it’s still a bit nerve-wracking to know how many things they could potentially find, and what kind of decisions we could potentially be forced to make.

At my appointment on Monday I requested a prescription for Zofran.  It does work, but it makes me sleepy(er).  I’m already exhausted, this basically makes me a walking zombie.  But there have been some days where I really need it to get through the day.

I’m not really showing yet, but I am so bloated.  I feel disgusting.  It doesn’t help that I still haven’t worked out.  Even the act of walking through a couple of houses has me throwing up, though – or close to it.  I don’t think I’m quite ready for a work out.

Speaking of houses, we put in an offer today.  Fingers crossed!!  I actually don’t have high expectations that this one will go our way, but I’m trying to think positive.  I really want to be done with this so we can focus on moving and getting house ready for February.  I feel a little bit in a state of limbo right now.  And we really love the house – great space with all of our must-haves. Trying not to think about it.

I may start taking some belly pics next week.  We’ll see how I feel.  At the moment I have no interest in being the object of a photograph, but I’m getting my hair cut next week, and maybe my skin will start to cooperate and I’ll start to feel a bit better about how I look. I hope.

My weight seems to be staying pretty steady, despite the lack of work outs.  I guess that’s what daily vomiting and lack of appetite will do for you.

All looks good so far with Murph!  As much as all of my symptoms are making me miserable, I know they are a good sign.  Jer and I are so excited to see him (or her) again on the 7th and hear the heartbeat!

This week, we have a green olive!

 

7 Weeks

Yesterday I entered Week 7.  Week 6 sucked.  On Monday, morning sickness officially started.  Prior to that, I had some minor nausea, but nothing bad.

Monday morning it came on FULL force!  Driving to work in the morning is ROUGH.  I feel like I’m battling morning sickness and car sickness.  I told my boss this week.  I’ve come in every day looking and feeling like I have a massive hangover, so I’d rather her know I’m pregnant than think I’m out drinking every night or something.  Good news is she is very happy and excited for us.

I’m living on saltines.  I try to keep some food in my stomach at all times.  Easier said than done.  But I eat a few saltines in the morning before I even sit up in bed… it seems to help a little bit.

With the worst of the nausea in the morning, I do spend the entire day feeling nauseous… it’s minor, but it’s there.

In addition – I’m TIRED!  It doesn’t seem to matter how much or little sleep I get, I’m exhausted and I have zero energy.  I really want to work out, but I can’t seem to make myself move.  It’s been about 2 weeks since I’ve done anything.

But… I have lost about 4-5 lbs.  I’m thinking it’s a mix of morning sickness and no more beer.  I miss beer.

Speaking of beer… not telling family is soooo tough!  My sister and BIL keep asking us to do stuff with them.  We love hanging out with them, but we are always doing something where we are at least having a couple of drinks.  Me not drinking = weird.  Yesterday (Fourth of July) I was able to get away with the migraine excuse, but that’s not going to fly every time.  On our way home from the picnic at their house, we literally thought up different excuses to not hang out with people the next few weekends.  I feel bad doing that, but I’m just not ready for everyone to know.

I know in post 1 I said we were waiting til 12 weeks, which is really my ideal, but if we can at least get to week 10, I’ll be happy.  That gives us just 3 more weeks to go, and at least one more appointment to make sure everything is going as it should be.

J has been great so far. He’s been reading some books on pregnancy… both a good and bad thing. 🙂  Good because he’s getting a good idea of what I’m feeling and has been good about being careful of strong smells, etc.  But he quotes the book at me.  Sometimes I just want to smack him… out of love, of course. 😉  You shouldn’t eat that many carbs, eat some veggies, you need to make sure you’re eating 5-6 times a day, and on and on.  Sometimes he just means well… sometimes he’s just saying things because he thinks he’s funny.  But he is super excited about this baby (from now on to be known as ‘Murph’… don’t ask). 🙂  So that’s been great.

Speaking of Murph, we’ll find out again how he/she is doing at our next appointment on the 15th.  Apparently, this week Murph is the size of a blueberry!

 

First Ultra Sound!

Today J and I went in for our first U/S.  It’s now seeming a bit more real!

Baby is doing well.  Heart beat of 112 bpm, with an estimated due date of February 20 – my doc guessed right!

So, today I am 6 weeks, 1 day pregnant.  Here’s our first pic of our ‘little grain of rice’… as our tech called it. 🙂

This week not much has changed with my symptoms I’m still SUPER tired.  Minor cramps.  I have occasionally had very minor nausea, but nothing bad.

I am definitely bloated, but no weight gain.

As for food, most of it is okay.  But this week I had to stop eating my usual salad at lunch.  I’m not sure if it was the vinegar dressing or something else, but it was not sitting well.  I’ll have to come up with something else for the time being.

And it looks like it will be another 6 weeks before anyone of you know any of this. 🙂