Feeling the kicks!

Last night Jon was able to feel baby girl kick for the first time! We were watching tv and I felt her move and told Jon to put his hand on my tummy. We waited for a few seconds and then she kicked! He was so surprised. He said that was a strong kick. It wasn't that strong to me but it was strong enough for him to feel it. I'm so happy he got to feel the kick.

Holidays 2008

Happy Holidays!!

We had a lovely time with family this holiday. Baby girl must have enjoyed it as well because she was so active! She moved and kicked a lot more. Sometimes when I drink cold water or juice she gets "excited" and starts moving. I like to think she's dancing inside.

I found that I am getting tired more easily. I still think I can do everything but I have to remind myself to take it easy or else I'll start feeling physically exhausted. I may have to let Jon take over some things like grocery shopping. Anyway, I'll be getting plenty of rest this week. The New Year is almost here and soon I'll be a mom! Hope your holidays were great. God bless!

Childbirth Class 5 and OB Appointment

Well last Thursday was our last childbirth class at Baylor. We discussed what happens to women postpartum and how the father can be helpful and supportive. We also did some breathing and relaxation exercises. Jon and I really enjoyed the class and are looking forward to the Basic Baby Care class.

Friday I had another OB appointment and things are looking good! The baby's heartbeat is normal and I'm still doing good with my weight gain. I don't have any swelling...yet. My next appointment will be in January and that's when I'll do the glucose screening and get another sonogram. Baby girl's been moving and fluttering more regularly so it's really funny to me when she's active. She stops when Jon puts his hand on my tummy but I think as the days go by he'll be able to feel what's going on inside me.

Don't think I'll blog much during Christmas so I hope all of you out there have a wonderful holiday season!

Childbirth Class 4

Last Thursday we learned about pain management during labor. We learned about the pros and cons of epidurals and other meds as well as C-sections. The videos we saw weren't too graphic but seemed painful to me. The nurse told us her personal experience with an epidural and without one. I think you kind of have to wait and see how things go to decide. We also learned about what should go into a birth plan. I found this information very useful. I'm going to work on one for us. Having a plan could be very useful. Another interesting thing we learned was the role of a doula or labor support person. I like the idea of having both a doula and Jon in the room with me. I'll just have to find out how much a doula costs.

My thoughts about labor are all over the place. Some days I think I should be able to do it naturally with breathing, changing positions and walking around. Then I think what if the pain's too overwhelming and I need that epidural. Either way my body will have to recover from the birthing experience and it'll be painful for awhile. I guess it really is a wait and see thing afterall.

I'd like to really try breastfeeding. Seems like a no-brainer but I've heard that for some women it can be difficult. The benefits of breastfeeding are great. Ofcourse if I just can't do it, I'll bottle feed. I'm definitely taking a breastfeeding class after the holidays.

Jon and I are planning to take a class on Basics of Baby Care and Infant/Child CPR after the holidays.

Oh, I received the crib bedding I ordered from Kmart.com. It's Winnie the Pooh - Let's Be Friends (girl). I like the image of Pooh and Piglet and I like the colors.

I'm 24 weeks prego and feeling pretty good! Thanks for checking my blog!

Childbirth Class 3

Last Thursday night was our third childbirth class. This time we all got to hear from a pediatrician. I didn't know you had to pick one before the baby's born. So far I've got two recommendations from friends. I'll have to schedule some interviews after the holidays. After pediatrician left we continued with learning about what happens after the baby is born - apgar scoring, jaundice, etc. All of us got to take a hospital tour. We went into the labor and delivery area, got to be in an actual labor room and a postpartum room. Went by the nursery and saw two babies in their bassinets. We also saw a couple of waiting rooms and the gift shop. Jon and I got so turned around that I think we'll need that tour again!
The labor rooms have tvs with DVD players and CD players, showers, and the most uncomfortable looking beds I've ever seen! I think Jon will have to pack an air mattress to sleep in the room with me because the "dad's chair" will not comfy to sleep in. It's all becoming real. I'm excited and nervous.

23 weeks

Yes, tomorrow I'll be 23 weeks pregnant! I'm kinda feeling anxious about a lot of things. First, my belly is growing and I am getting a little breathless. Although I seem to be sleeping better, I still toss and turn a few times which causes me to wake up. Second, I'm ready for the baby room to be done. We picked out a crib and changing table at Babies R Us. And I may have found the Winnie the Pooh crib set I was looking for at Kmart.com. I'm warming up to the idea of having some pink in the nursery. Third, I resigned from my job yesterday. My last day of work will be January 9. I know it'll be an adjustment not working for awhile and I think I'll definitely get cabin fever.

It's all becoming very real. We're going to be parents soon. I am focusing on the fun stuff - baby clothes, baths, naps, smiles, sounds, etc. I think we'll be ok.

Sonogram II

This morning I had another sonogram with Dr. Payne (maternal fetal medicine). It's still a girl! She was looking really comfy and moving her arms and legs. The doctor said everything was good. He took some measurements and I saw the heart beating. She's a real cutie! Jon couldn't be with me this morning and I know he really wanted to see her again. This will be my last appointment with Dr. Payne. I'm not sure if I'll have another sonogram with Dr. Kilianski, my OB, but I'll ask him at my next appointment in December. I feel so excited and happy and even a bit proud of my baby. I love looking at the sonogram pictures and I always wonder what she's doing, if she's moving around at certains times of the day or night. So far I've felt little flutters and they always make me smile. Can't wait to feel those kicks!

Childbirth Class #2

Last night we went to our second childbirth class at Baylor. This time there were plenty of snacks and a punch fountain! We learned about labor and watched a video with real mother's giving birth which was a shocker to some but since I've been watching Baby Story on TLC I knew what to expect to see. Jon said that it might be a good idea to get another person in the labor and delivery room since he might faint! After the video and break we all got on the floor with our pillows and blankets and did some breathing exercises. The husbands massaged the wives which felt really good! Jon kept making me laugh during the massage because the teacher told the husbands to talk to their wives to calm them down during labor. So Jon kept saying these funny things in my ear that made me crack up! He better not do that in the delivery room when I'm in active labor! The next class is Dec. 4 and that's when we'll get the hospital tour. I'm really looking forward to that. Oh, I'm 21 weeks along now! Yippee!

OB appointment

Today I had my OB appointment and everything's going well. I only gained 3 pounds and my doctor was happy about that. I heard the baby's heartbeat and she's doing well. I love hearing the heartbeat - it just makes it all real! My blood pressure was good too. Everytime I go for my OB appointment I have to do the urine sample and sometimes that's hard to do. So this time I loaded up on fluids before my appointment. I guess I'll be a pro at this by the time the baby's born. My next appointment will be in December. My doctor told me it's safe to travel during this trimester so that's good news for the holidays. I told him about my "insomnia" and he said I could take Benadryl to help me sleep. He said it's the pregnant woman's sleeping pill. I may try to fall asleep on my own but if I can't I might consider taking one. I'm just concerned about taking meds right now. Anyway, I'm so happy things are going well for baby!!

20 weeks

It's the halfway point in my pregnancy! I feel like celebrating! I'm so glad everything's gone well so far. I'm still waiting to feel the baby kick or move. Sometimes I think I feel her fluttering around for a moment when I'm really still. I'm really looking forward to all the baby things we'll get - furniture, clothes, keepsakes, etc. Today Jon and I went to Babies R Us to look at cribs, strollers, high chairs, bedding and everything else. It was fun! Plus, we saw a couple we met at our childbirth class. They were shopping around too.

I'm feeling better today. I'm still a little stuffy and I am so thirsty! The weather changed and it's cooler with lots of wind so my skin is getting drier and so are my lips. I'm beginning to use lots of body lotion and chapstick. Well, that's all for now. I'm going to get some more water!

First childbirth class

Tonight Jon and I attended our first childbirth class at Baylor Grapevine. Our receipt for the class said to bring two pillows and a blanket so we did. Jon also brought a notepad to take notes. We walked in the meeting room and signed in and got our name plate plus a goodie bag. There were 12 other couples there with their pillows and blankets. The tables were arranged in a U-shape and we each had a handout to read. We all were pretty quiet at the start but then the RN, Liz, made us do an ice breaker which turned out to be fun. We had to meet another couple and find three things we had in common that were not baby related. We met Curtis and Deanna and here's what we had in common: Cowboys fans, owned a truck and all four of us worked. After that we watched a powerpoint presentation and followed along in our books. Liz was very funny and we talked about a lot of things like what happens to a woman's body during pregnancy, hospital policies, labor and relaxation. We finally got on the floor to do some stretching and breathing exercises.

I think it went really well and we learned a lot. There are four more classes in this section. Each couple will be responsible for bringing snacks to class so our turn is December 4. During the third class meeting we'll hopefully get a hospital tour. It was pretty funny to me to see all the husbands carrying pillows and blankets. After class most of the women went straight to the bathroom while the husbands stood in the hallway with purses, pillows and blankets. It kinda made the men talk to each other so that was good.

Pregnant and sick

Yesterday I came down with a bit of a cold and sinus pressure. I really felt drained and thought about what I could do to get some relief! Ofcourse since I'm pregnant I really shouldn't take any meds unless I'm really uncomfortable. So I spoke to my doctor's nurse and she said that Benadryl at night would help me sleep better. I'm still leary about taking medicine but we'll see how tonight goes. Last night was just awful. I slept in spurts and kept drinking water and I had a lot of drainage and stuffiness. I think I may have had a few hours of sleep between 4AM and 7:30AM. I called a couple of friends who are also pregnant and they both went without meds when they were sick. Think I'll stick to green tea with lemon and honey, chicken soup (even though I don't like chicken), water, lots of fruit and some veggies. I need to keep eating healthy for the baby even though I'm sick. Hopefully this will pass quickly!

19 weeks

Well, it's true - I'm always thinking about food. Even if I'm not hungry, I'm thinking about food. I mostly crave things with cheese like enchiladas, pizza or grilled cheese sandwiches. I also crave sweet things like snickerdoodle cookies, scones, sweet/sour candy and cherry limeades. I am trying to eat healthy so I don't act on these cravings and most of the time it works. I especially like oranges and apples, whole wheat crackers, low fat cheese, jello, and water with lemon.

Oh, as I was trying to fall asleep last night, I thought I felt the baby move! It was weird, because it felt like a flutter. If it was the baby moving then that explains in part why I can't sleep at night! I was so excited that I lay really still to see if she'd move again but then I had dozed off.

Just found out that my good friend, Sandra, is also having a girl around the same time as me! I think we'll have lots of fun looking at baby girl things next week when we meet up for lunch.

Testing

Just thought I'd write about some testing that I've done during pregnancy so far. A few weeks ago I had a quad test aka maternal serum screening. With this blood test the risk of Down syndrome or trisomy 18 and neural tube defects can be determined. The test measures the amount of alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, unconjugated estriol and inhibin A.

Today I had an appointment with a genetics counselor at the perinatal office. We went over the quad test and ultrasound results. The results were good! I was so relieved. There is still some risk but it's very small. I was given the option to undergo amniocentesis which is an invasive procedure and I decided against it.

My next OB appointment is in a couple of weeks and I'll have another perinatal appointment after that. So far things are going really well and we're really happy about that!

Happy Halloween

Here's a couple of photos of our dress up day at school. I'm standing with Sarah, one of my students. Although I'm dressed in black, I think you can tell I'm showing a little of the baby bump!

Pregnancy Insomnia and dull headaches

Last night I just could not get to sleep! So I got up and went to the office to look up some info on insomnia on the Internet. According to Baby Center, 78% of pregnant women have insomnia. They listed some things to do in order to get to sleep such as having some milk, taking a bath, or having a cup of decaf tea. I tried having milk but it didn't work and earlier in the evening I had a cup of tea. I finally had a fitful sleep of changing from one to side to the other. According to another website, I'm supposed to be sleeping on my left side so that the placenta gets the nutrients to the baby. I may have to resort to sleeping sitting up or on the loveseat with my feet propped up. All day today I had a dull headache. I drank lots of fluids and ate small meals and even rested when I got home from work. I think I'll just have to keep trying different strategies for getting some quality sleep.

Aside from all that, I'm still so happy and excited about our baby girl! I can now refer to it as a "she" when I talk about my baby bump.

Getting used to it

Yesterday was such a long day for us so when I went to bed I had the best sleep ever!! I am just so excited about our "little lady" (that's what Jon calls her). We told our parents yesterday and they were very excited. I emailed a few people so far and they were really excited too. I'll be making phone calls to friends to tell them the good news. We are thinking of names but nothing's really jumped out. Jon said he's ecstatic about having a girl. Today I told some coworkers about our baby girl and I felt really proud. I am slowly getting used to the idea of being a mother. I bet it'll hit me for sure when she's born. It's weird but I have a sense of peace inside me that I haven't really felt until now. The baby looks good and is doing fine. I just want her to be healthy. I'm going to go put my feet up for awhile now. :-)

Big Announcement

Got some great news at today's sonogram - IT'S A GIRL!!!

We got to see the face, hands, legs, feet, heart and stomach on the monitor. The doctor asked us if we wanted to know the sex and ofcourse we said yes. Then he said, "I'll give you a hint: you'll need a bigger checkbook for this one!" Jon and I both laughed and said, "It's a girl!" My favorite view of the baby was the face. I mean, at first glance it looks like an alien but after awhile it was so cute looking back at us. She held up her hand at one point as if to say "Hi!" I cried a little and Jon held my hand. We are so happy!! Now we can plan the nursery and pick out some names.

Baylor Grapvine

This is me standing outside Baylor Grapevine Women's Center. As you can see it's a big hospital. Monday's perinatal appointment will be in the Professional Building. My OB is Dr. Joseph Kilianski and he's located in the Women's Center (middle building). These pictures were taken on October 8 by Jon. We had just seen Dr. Kilianski and had a sonogram. Now he knows where to go when it's time!

Pregnant Halloween Costumes

Hello! This morning Jon and I decided we'd better find some costumes for the party next Friday night. Last year I was a geisha and he was some sort of spooky purple thing. Anyhoo, we went to Party City and I kinda thought we'd have better luck finding him something to wear than me. As we looked around I spotted something that looked like it might fit. It was a "coffin bride" costume with a witch's hat. It was black velvet with gold and it fit perfectly. Jon found a knight's outfit he liked so we also bought him a sword. I had some other ideas for myself if I didn't find anything - a pregnant hippie, "Harriet Potter", or a clown.
Halloween has been fun ever since our friends Susie and Kirk started having costume parties at their house in Irving. Their house is like a haunted house inside and out.
This week at work, we are encouraged to dress up on Thursday as part of a department contest. But then the education department scheduled a training from 1-5 with reps from corporate and I will not be in costume the whole day!! I'll just wear all black plus my witch's hat. Jon said they were dressing up on Friday where he works so maybe he'll wear his knight outfit.

17 Weeks now

I think this week I'm starting to grow and show. At work I just layer my clothes and no one can really tell but I won't be able to do that for long. I wonder how big I'll get? Right now I've got two pairs of maternity pants, a pair of maternity jeans but only one or two maternity shirts. Shopping at Motherhood Maternity and Mimi Maternity is kinda neat but it can get expensive. I love looking online at all the maternity fashions.
Still having some problems sleeping. When I'm awake at 3AM I sometimes start thinking of things I should be doing the next day and then by the time I know it I am still awake at 4AM! I am now using at least 4 or 5 pillows to try to get comfortable but sometimes it just doesn't work. I am afraid to actually move to another part of the house because even though I'm awake, I'm still a bit groggy. One night while walking to the office I bumped into a storage bin with my foot.
Well, that's it for now. Think I'll start the day and maybe take a nap later on.

Dr. Appointment

Today I had a short visit with my OB, Dr. Kilianski, for a check up. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat! For awhile there it seemed like the baby was moving around a bit but then the MA found the heartbeat and it was normal. Dr. K said I am doing great with my blood pressure and weight. Before I left I had to get some lab work done which means another blood test. Next Monday I'll see a perinatal doctor for my level II sonogram. Lucky for me, they are located down the hall from my OB. Oh, my OB is located inside Baylor Hospital - Grapevine which is where we will be going to give birth in April. It's a big hospital and the staff is really wonderful. I feel really good about how things are going so far. Now if I could only sleep....

Sleep and Baby Registries

Well, it was another night of tossing and turning and trying to find a comfortable position. Even my body pillow was no help! I know I'll need a nap today. Maybe this is nature's way of preparing me for more sleepless nights with a baby? I thought by doing exercise yesterday I would fall asleep faster. So far I've been exercising at least 3 or 4 times a week and my sleep patterns vary. Sometimes hunger wakes me up and I try to ignore it but most of the time I can't so I get up and grab a snack in the kitchen.
I began a registry at Babies R Us which was loads of fun! I left some things off the list until we find out if we're having a boy or girl. We're thinking about registering at Target too later on. Oh, we've heard that two of our friends who are expecting are having boys. I wonder if this is a trend?

Back tracking a bit

Hi again! Thought I'd share some things from the first trimester. Back in July Jon and I decided to see a fertility specialist to get things going in the baby department. We didn't have to do any drugs or IVF - the doctor monitored my ovulation and pin pointed the days I was fertile. We were so lucky to "get lucky" and finally conceive. The news from the doctor's office really hit home when we began to tell our families we were pregnant. During the first trimester I was very tired and began to notice that a lot of foods I used to like were disgusting. I had mild morning sickness and I didn't gain any weight during this time. I could still wear my regular clothes and shoes so that was good. I had decided to wait until the 12th week to tell my boss at work and some coworkers that I was pregnant. I did a lot of reading in the first trimester. I bought the standard "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and some others. I also bought pregnancy magazines at Half Price Books and checked out more books at the library. And ofcourse I began surfing the Internet for more information on pregnancy. It got to the point where it was information overload! Even Jon read a book especially for Dads-to-be and began to understand what I was going through.

I'm looking forward to growing my baby bump during the second trimester and getting our home ready for our baby. My due date is April 8, 2009. We're going to find out the gender but for right now, let's keep guessing!

16 Weeks

I always said I'd journal during my pregnancy so here's my attempt to explain how I'm feeling. I am 16 weeks along and feeling pretty good. Up until now I haven't really shown. But this morning at church I happened to look down and there it was - the beginning of the baby bump! I was so surprised and nudged my husband and pointed to my tummy proudly sticking out. He smiled and touched my stomach. He said he really didn't notice me showing until this morning. It's like it happened overnight. And speaking of night, I really can't sleep through the night comfortably anymore. It's like I'm permanently bloated and can't get comfy.

We are very excited about this baby and appreciate all the love and prayers from friends and family.

This and That

Well, it's the start of a new blog and somehow I'm having writers block. I love to write and I even teach composition but when it comes to being on the spot, I am not so sure of myself. I live in Euless, Texas. I'm married and so far my career in education is going ok. I teach at a vocational post secondary school in Fort Worth. Although I'm not sure I'll stay in education, I am constantly learning about teaching methods and new subjects. One thing I have to say is that I can pick something up relatively fast and I can adapt really well. For example, in teaching composition for the first time, I am finding that it is just one big review for me. In other words, I've been there and done that. Well, I'll close this blog for today.