23w4d

I’m getting sick, but I am fighting it.

I went to Orlando for one night this weekend with my parents because it was my mom’s birthday last Saturday. We met up with my brother and my SIL and had a very nice time. We ate dinner at the Latin Quarter in City Walk. There were soooo many people there; I guess it was a combination of Mardi Gras and Spring Break. The restaurant turned into a club at 11PM and Nugget was not happy with the racket. She was startled and was kicking like crazy.

Poor Norman ended up staying home because of how sick he was feeling. You know he’s been fighting a nasty ear infection and I guess that turned into a really bad head cold. He missed work on Friday because of it and I felt terrible leaving him at home knowing how sick he was. But he was able to rest up and managed to get himself well enough to go back to work today.

I barely slept on Saturday night (I woke up with an awful leg cramp) and was exhausted last night. I felt really sick as soon as we got back home yesterday – swollen throat with a stuffy nose and head. I drove over to Jamba Juice and bought us both smoothies with Immunity boosts then took a nap that left me feeling worse than before. Don’t you hate when that happens? And I have hemorrhoids again.

I saw my Cardiologist last Thursday and he feels I am doing well. He wants to continue to monitor me and is going to give me an Event Monitor so that I can record the tachycardia I have been having. I called my Perinatologist this morning to see if he had sent the report over to her. I wonder if she will want to keep seeing me or not. They told me they were going to call me back and let me know. At my Cardiology appointment I had an Echo and EKG done. Right after the Echo, the radiologist put the wand on my belly and gave my mom and me a peek at the baby. She was sucking her thumb looking as cute as ever.

I am 6 months already, the last month in my second trimester. I am so thankful that things are going well.

22w6d

Today was our appointment with the Perinatologist. The appointment went very well. It was the first time I could actually feel the baby kicking while actually seeing her do it at the same time. She was kicking and punching harder than I have ever felt. It was making me laugh so hard because she was tickling me at the same time! Even the technician said she couldn’t believe how amped up she was and how hard she was kicking. She could feel the baby while she was scanning me.

It was a looooong scan. Right before we began the technician told me it was another Level II. This technician was awesome. She gathered all of the baby’s measurements and captured a bunch of great images for us:

Nugget is measuring 23 weeks, weighs 1 pound 5 ounces and her heart rate was 161 BPM.

She even stuck out her tongue! It was so cute. (We got 2 pictures of her doing this and although they are scary looking I think it’s adorable lol) She loves grabbing at her feet and is very squirmy. Every technician so far has noted how hyper the little rugrat is, this one was no different. She kept commenting how Nugget wouldn’t stay still.

I was basically discharged from the Perinatologist’s care. Since everything looks so good and I am doing so well, the Doctor felt that unless I begin feeling cardiac symptoms or if my Cardiologist notices a significant difference in my heart function, she no longer needs to monitor the baby.

I have an appointment with my Cardiologist tomorrow. I’ll be getting an EKG & Echo and the Doctor will compare it to my last exams from early October, right before I got pregnant. I am feeling great. The only thing I occasionally get is mild tachycardia, which I have been told is very normal in pregnant women given the large increase in the blood volume.

Without any further ado, I present the Nugster at 22 weeks and 6 days old:

Profile picture



Another profile



With her tongue out



Another



It's a Girl!

22w4d

Meet the Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow.

I’ll be receiving this bad boy sometime later this week or early next week. I have to say, I am in desperate need of lower back support. I am beginning to get bad lower back pain and it’s really uncomfortable. Plus I need to stay put on my sides, preferably my left side. I also need some kind of foot stool or something makeshift to keep my feet elevated throughout the day while I’m here at work.

I’m beginning to feel my pregnancy strongly affect me physically in other ways besides the nausea and heartburn. Don’t get me wrong, I can bend over and pick things up if I drop them on the floor, my wedding rings still fit, I can get in and out of bed relatively easily and I can still see my feet when standing (well sort of…I have to lean forward a little bit, but still!). These are just a few of the precious things I used to take for granted pre-pregnancy. They are now delicious treats because I know that given a month or 2 more I will be big(ger) and a lot more uncomfortable. Everything in perspective, right?

Nugget is a gymnast in the making. She kicked so hard on Friday afternoon that I almost jumped out of my skin (a cervix kick?) it was such a weird sensation! I can’t believe we still can’t see movement from the outside. They say that usually begins at 28 weeks and if that’s the case we have about 5 weeks to go before my belly comes to life. I am desperate for Norman to start feeling her. So far it feels as though it’s been my little secret because I don’t verbalize every single time I feel her since it is too constant now. He does talk to my belly, though. It’s the sweetest thing. She can hear now and react to loud noises. We are going to start playing music for her.

Our next scan is on Wednesday and I promise to ask for good pictures so that I can post them here. I actually have video of the Level 2, the only thing is that it’s on a VHS so I have to figure out a way to get it online.

Updates Wednesday!

22w0d

I think I really do have more energy these days than I give myself credit for. Take yesterday for example:

Norman’s been sick with a nasty ear infection. I got him an appointment to see a specialist at 1PM. I took him to his appointment, drove him to the Design District for a meeting he was having afterwards, drove myself all the way back to my office to pick up my computer because I left it and had work I had to finish, drove back to the Design District to pick Norman up, dropped Norman’s prescriptions off at Walgreens, made dinner, went back to Walgreens to pick up the medicine, ETC, ETC.

If it weren’t for my aching boobs and huge belly with Nugget squirming around in there (and heartburn, acid reflux, forgetfulness, leg cramps, nausea, huge appetite, emotional instability, and fabulous nails and hair) I wouldn’t even remember I was pregnant!

In all honesty though, I have been feeling great.

Speaking of leg cramps, I have always been prone to getting them – even as a child. I would wake up screaming in the middle of the night because of the pain and my dad would have to run in and massage it away. In fact, I would get them so bad that I would literally walk with a limp for days. Well Norman wasn’t having any of that waking up in the middle of the night to my wailing. Soon after I got married I learned how to avoid them. Since I would always get them in the middle of the night, usually while lying in bed stretching, I would make sure to stretch with my toes pointing up and towards my head. This completely eliminated the cramping. I would only get them every once in a blue moon anyways, and after I discovered the secret I rarely every got them again.

Well as you know, leg cramps are one of the many joys of pregnancy and I have just recently begun to be affected. So of course now you know I already have a tendency to cramp up. I started getting them again in the beginning of my second trimester. But last night I got leg cramps in BOTH LEGS AT ONCE. oh.my.god. Seriously now. It happened so fast and was so intense. I jumped out of bed so fast I almost feel into my closet. I was able to stretch them out before they got really bad but I have never had such bad pain in my poor calves before. I wanted to scream. Thankfully I’m not limping today. I’ll do some research on how to maybe avoid them or ease them. I already know that one tip is to always sleep on your left side. Believe you me, I try to do this but somehow always end up on my back. People. I feel awful when I wake up after sleeping on my back. My heartburn kicks in to full force and I just feel bad overall. I am going to have to cave in and buy a humongo pregnancy pillow to keep me positioned properly.

My 5 month OB appointment went well last Friday. I got to hear the baby’s heartbeat and my Doctor changed my prenatals. He told me again he expected smooth sailing and that I was doing great. He also asked me if I could believe I was already 5 months. NO. I cannot believe it!

21w0d

21 weeks today!

Today was a much better day for me. The event went well. We were much better organized after learning from yesterday’s mistakes and everything went off without a hitch. I am less tired but no less nauseated. I think the acid reflux contributes to that.

I have my monthly OB appointment tomorrow and am honestly dreading the weigh in. UGHHHHHHHH. I am trying not to think about it but it’s the only thing on my mind. That and trying to make a mental note of all the questions I have for the doctor: childbirth classes, medication for the acid reflux, changing of my prenatals…I’ll think of more.

Everyone is telling me how fantastic I look, how I really do have a glow. My parents say I look the prettiest I have ever looked. Today, a co-worked who hadn’t seen me in ages walked in and saw me sitting behind me desk and said I looked awesome and asked me what I was doing differently. LOL I stood up and she almost keeled over. We had a good laugh. I’ll be sure to post some pictures soon.

I am debating whether to have a 3D Ultrasound done or not. I will wait until after I have my Level I on March 12 to make the decision. I know they have the 3D Ultrasound machine at my Perinatologist’s office; I’ll ask and see if they can hook me up with some 3D pictures. Otherwise I’ll make the appointment and pay for it out of my own pocket. I think it will be way cool and worth it.

In other news, we’re having dinner tonight at my good friend and co-worker Marcia’s house. She had her baby girl almost 4 months ago and I still haven’t met her. I am really looking forward to it.

20w6d

Today has been the most hectic and busy work day of my pregnant life so far. Thursday will be just as bad.

I have wretched acid reflux, am insanely fatigued and feel nauseated beyond belief.

Needless to say, I am not a happy camper. I have been in tears for most of the afternoon since I got home just feeling pathetically sorry for myself and dreading tomorrow.

I have been running around all day like a mad woman, playing host and trying to accommodate and charm almost 150 people. I have never had a harder time than I had today and am amazed at how well I did. For those of you who know me well, you know I am in a constant state of what Norman likes to call "A Social Frenzy". I just can't help myself. And now I'm paying the price.

I'm afraid to nap since I figure I'll either sleep until tomorrow or sleep until it's too late for me to wake up and get back to bed at a decent time.

And poor Nugget is not a happy camper either I can just tell. She is giving mommy lots of extra boob pain and lower back pain for good measure.

I plan on taking it very easy tonight and am guaranteeing you right now that I'll be siting with my feet up for most of tomorrow.

20w4d

And so it begins…

We knew buying preconstruction would mean no guarantees as to when our move in date would be. We gave our down payment on December 1, 2006 and were given an estimated move in date of December 2007 – February 2008. I called in mid-January and asked when they thought we’d be moving in and they said 60 days. A few days later, Norman and I went to view the models which were finally up and furnished. Well, 60 days is almost here and I am too embarrassed to keep calling and asking when they think we’ll be moving in so my cousin Karla called them for me last week.

[Karla was the Maid of Honor at my wedding. She, along with my cousin Allie, has always been nothing but the very best to me. They are throwing my baby shower. They are both my sisters and I am sooooo thankful to have them in my life and by my side always!!!!!]

Guess what they told her? 60 days. Mind you, it had already been about 45 days since they had told me 60 days. I just about had an attack. Norman and I thought we’d have to rent a place in the meantime because we are busting out of my parents house as it is. My parents are so great. Instead, they suggested we start cleaning out my brother’s old room in order to make extra space (OMG that room was a disaster of a storage area). The last thing I wanted to have to do was start renting somewhere to just have to move very soon thereafter so this is a small relief. I am really hoping that we are moved into our new home before the baby arrives in July but it is good to know that if we aren't, we have a clean empty space for all the baby's stuff. I mentioned to Norman that I don't want to assemble anything we get at the baby shower until after the baby is born, just in case we can move into our house in June or closer to the baby’s due date.

It’s frustrating but we’ll survive it. In the meantime hopefully we can save some money!