Less than 60 days!!

Wow...I can hardly believe how FAST time is flying! Maybe it's just the busyness of the holidays...but whatever it is...I am LOVING it! I am between 7 and 8 months, and I still LOVE being pregnant!! :o) I think I'm actually going to miss having this little guy inside me. Ask me again a month from now and we'll see if I still feel the same. Hehe.

We still have A LOT to get done before he comes, though. Today is my LAST day of work (paid work, that is) for a LONG time! It'll be so nice not having to wake up to an alarm every morning at 5:31am!! Woo hoo! Once the baby is here, he will be my alarm clock...every few hours! :o) After we get back from visiting with family over the holiday, we have to get serious about making preparations for Isaac's arrival. It's crazy how much we still need to do!

Well...I wish you all a WONDERFUL Christmas and a very blessed New Year!

Sneak Peek...

Here is one of many maternity photos that our friend, Heather, took. She does a GREAT job, doesn't she?

I heart carbs...

So I had another Dr.'s appointment today. Overall, it went very well. Weight gain...right on track. Blood pressure...nice and low. Belly size...perfect. So far, everything seems to be going wonderfully and I really am feeling GREAT! The only small uh-oh is that I have continued to have sugar in my urine each visit. So they did a random blood draw today to check on my blood sugar levels and then I have to do ANOTHER fasting glucose test for my next visit. It's not horrible...just kind of annoying.

I have to admit...that I have not been eating very well. I love, love, love carbs. Pasta, cereal, bagels, bread...you name it...I love it! While it's okay to eat carbohydrates (the baby needs them too) I need to get better about off-setting them with more protein and non-sugary foods. After the holidays, I plan to get serious about eating healthier for little Isaac. Until then...happy holidays for me!! :o)

Baby Shower #2

Wow...once again, I am amazed at the generosity of my friends and family! We had our second baby shower this weekend...and I had a BLAST! I wish I would have had more time to hang out and catch up with many of the women who were there. It made me realize that I need to get better at keeping in touch with friends and family in the Indy area! We were SO blessed to receive a TON of gifts. I'd say that we are nearly set and ready for little Isaac to make his entry! (Okay...so maybe not quite yet!!)

We also had our maternity photo shoot with friend and photographer, Heather Burdette. She rocks...and I will post some photos from that as soon as we get them! We got a sneak peek at some of them this weekend...and they really do look amazing. I can't WAIT to see the rest! Below are a couple of pictures from the shower:

Here, we're looking at some of the pictures from the photo shoot.

Baby Shower #1

So I had my first baby shower this weekend! It was AWESOME! It was so much fun to hang out with friends here in Cincinnati and celebrate this new little life that will come into this world before we know it!! I was amazed at everyone's generosity. We came home with A LOT of wonderful gifts! We are so blessed. :o)

Here I am with four of the women who got together and threw me this shower.

Some new pics...

Here are my 28-week belly shots! Enjoy!! :o)

chugging along

So I realize it's been a little while since I've posted. There isn't a whole lot to report on right now. I am getting bigger and bigger, as Isaac gets bigger and bigger. He has been kicking me SO much, and sometimes it's even painful. He's an active little thing! (Maybe we have a future all-star athlete in there!) Hehe. Last night Mona was laying her head on my belly and he kicked her two or three times, making her head bob up and down. She didn't seem to care at all. :o) It was very funny to watch. Here's a picture from last night. For some reason, I keep looking HUGE in photos, and this one is no exception. I really am not that big.

A little something for you to watch and HEAR...

I had a doctor's appointment today and everything is FANTASTIC! He continues measuring right on (and a little ahead). My weight gain is perfect so far. And with the exception of your typical pregnancy-related complaints (heartburn, fatigue, shortness of breath, etc), I am feeling GREAT! The doctor said that Isaac is in the head-down position, which is a good sign that he knows what he's doing in there. Below is a short clip from the appointment. I thought you might get a kick out of hearing his little heart! (Make sure your volume is on)

99 days to go!!

Woo-hoo! Less than 100 days left! That's just craziness. And what's even crazier is that Thanksgiving is next week, and then Christmas just four short weeks after that! Where is time going? I have been REALLY itching to get moving on the nursery. Our swivel/glider/recliner just came in yesterday. It'll stay in the living room until we have somewhere to put it. :o)

I have been feeling GREAT. I started a prenatal water aerobics class last week...and I LOVED it! I can hardly believe that next week will mark the beginning of my third trimester. I cannot wait to meet this little guy, who by the way, has been VERY active lately. I can feel his kicks and punches all day long and they are inching higher and higher (slightly below my ribs).

We have decided on a name and are so excited about it...Isaac Michael Ober. "Isaac" means "laughter" and is found in the Bible. After not being able to have children for so many years, Sarah (Abraham's wife) laughed when she found out that she was pregnant, as she could hardly believe it! Many of you know of our journey with trying to start a family, and in some ways we feel similar to Sarah. This little guy, kicking me throughout the day, brings so much joy and laughter to our hearts. We'll get to meet him in a few short months!! Praise God!

25 Weeks...

From www.babygaga.com: Your little grower’s physical proportions are evening out at this point and most of their remaining development will largely be weight gain and lots and lots of nervous system development. The good news is: if your child is born premature now they’ll be more likely to survive without too much trauma as their lungs began to produce “surfactant” last week, which means their tiny respiratory system is getting stronger with each passing day. Yes, now’s a good time for a minor sigh of relief and a quick pat on the back. All that hard work and conscientious living is really getting your child prepared for a healthy delivery. Keep up the fabulous work mama! This week they’ll be scootching slowly out of the old breech position and start rotating (already!) into a better position for exit during their birth. Their head and feet are slowly rotating so that the head is pointed down towards the birth canal. Time is short (or really long, depending on who you ask)—just (still!) 14 weeks left before you can go back to being a single-resident human.

Here's me at 25 weeks (with my NEW haircut)!!

Happy Halloween!

So this year, I am dressing up as a blue-haired hippie punk (whatever that is). :o) I had some fun with the camera...and here are some of my recent belly shots and Halloween pictures. For those of you who don't see me regularly, I'm not as huge as I may look in the photos. People who don't know me continue to accurately guess how far along I am (5-6 months). Some have said that I look like I just have a soccer ball in my belly. In case you were wondering, I take that as a compliment. Hehe. So here they are...

Hello BLUE!

Whoa belly! There's a baby in there!!

So far so good...

Well, things continue to go quite smoothly for us! I haven't really blogged recently, because there isn't a whole lot to blog about. :o) This little guy is moving around A TON and we can feel him kick from the outside! That has been a lot of fun! I am right around 24 weeks along now, and here's what that means for the baby's development:

Your baby now weighs around 1.5 lbs (700g), and measures about 13 inches, but this varies from baby to baby. Your doctor should be able to hear your baby's heartbeat, using a stethoscope or Doppler ultrasound device. If your partner puts his ear right on your belly in the right position, he might even be able to hear it unaided if there is no background noise. Your baby sleeps and wakes in a more regular pattern now. You may notice that your baby is particularly active when you are resting. The center of your baby's bones are beginning to harden. If your baby is a boy, the testes will start to descend into the scrotum now. Your baby can make a fist now and may already have a preference for the right or left hand. By the end of this week, your baby will be weighing around 2 lbs and 14 inches long. Your cutie-patootie may even be a little more plump, but isn't anywhere near their full baby-fatted cute-self. Most of the “filling out” is coming up in that long awaited (and slightly dreaded?) third trimester. Woo-hoo! Get ready! With modern medical technology, your baby would have a chance to survive if it were born now.

Fun idea...

A friend of mine asked all of her family to send her their wishes for her new baby, and she wrote them onto the walls of her baby's room as a border. I love this idea, and have modified it a little. I will be taking the matte inside this frame (below) and have everyone at my baby shower/s write their wishes for our little guy themselves (with a silver sharpie). It will be so fun to have the entire matte filled with wishes from all of our family and friends! The picture that's in it right now is just some random stock photo...obviously when our little one gets here...his cute picture will go inside! The frame is 14x18, with a 4x6 cut-out. We'll put the finished piece in the nursery. I'm so excited about this idea...I just had to share it!

updates...

The baby and I seem to be doing well. I can definitely feel the little guy moving throughout the day (and night!). I have been feeling great up until this past weekend, when I began to experience some pretty awful lower back pain. It isn't constant (thank God)...but when I feel the pain...it's really bad. I just have to be more careful about how I bend to pick things up...or watch how I get up from a laying or sitting position. Aside from this, I am still doing very well. Although I am looking bigger and bigger, my weight gain is still very slow and steady (I haven't gained anything in two weeks). I still need to be better about making healthy food choices. I LOVE ice cream and I have also been craving Indian food like crazy. :o)

Below are some pics from this week. The outfit that I am holding up is probably going to be the coming home outfit for our little guy. It says, "All aboard..." on it. Very cute...and really soft. I say "probably" because it is quite possible that it may change between now and February. :o) We'll see!

Utah Canyon...

Have you ever been in a situation where the amount of work you have to do far outweighs the amount of time you have to do it? What stress this creates in one's life! We (or I should speak for myself really)...I am experiencing this right now! We have so much to do in our home before this little guy gets here, and it seems as though with each project, new ones arise due to unexpected problems. In the end, when all the work is finished, our house will look and feel beautiful. This will be wonderful. But right now, it's just in the pits. Being pregnant, my nesting instincts have kicked in, and there is nothing I can really do about it. Enter stress. :o)

On quite a happier note, Kevin and I went away for an overnight getaway for his birthday this week! It was awesome! It felt so good to just get away from day-to-day life and enjoy time together. We are really working on cherishing our last few months together before our life makes a HUGE change. Here are some pictures of our exotic Utah Canyon themed hotel room:

Kevin is checking out the big-screen tv...you can see the king bed behind him.

This is the view from our bed.

Behind the tv, you can see the jacuzzi. You can't tell here, but it was HUGE!!

20 weeks...

At our appointment yesterday, our little guy was measuring at 20 weeks, 2 days (a few days ahead), and weighs in at 12 ounces. Here's what I'm looking like these days:

WOO HOO!!!

Introducing our baby BOY!

No mistaking that little thing between those legs!! ;o)

Mommy already thinks I look like Daddy!!

I'm scratching my head...I'm already a deep thinker!

And here's me smiling at the camera!

Wow...What a TOTAL surprise!! We're having a little BOY! We couldn't be more excited!! Tears welled up in my eyes throughout the entire ultrasound. He is ADORABLE...and we love him SO much already! He was kicking and moving around a lot, playing with his toes and scratching his forehead. Personally, I thought his profile looked a lot like Kevin. SO cute!! Everything was measuring right on track and he appears to be in perfect health! (PRAISE GOD!) It is just still so surreal. WE'RE HAVING A BABY! AND WE'RE HALFWAY THERE!! :o) My cheeks are awfully sore from smiling all morning. I am absolutely giddy with joy. We have a SON! YAY!! Now we just have to come up with a name. This may take some time, but that's okay. We have a little more time 'til he's here!

Confession...

I am SO scared. Our BIG ultrasound is TOMORROW!! Yes, part of me is SUPER excited!! But the other half of me (and the part that's dominating right now) is filled with fear. What if something goes wrong? What if we go to see our baby and s/he has died in the past two weeks and we never knew it? What if it's missing arms or legs? What if....what if....what if?? I need to stop this insane thinking. This fear is NOT from the Lord. And the stress from worrying so much can't be good for the baby. I have literally been worried to the point of crying! UGH.

Part of my worry for the past day or two has been because for the first time in many weeks, I feel a bit crampy. I've been having intense shooting pains in my abdomen and don't know what they are. However, they could be completely normal, stretching-type pains. I just don't know...and not knowing is driving me crazy. I want this to be a joyful time...not a fearful one! I think I just need to curl up with my Bible and remind myself of His promises. He is good. He has a plan for me. He knows my fear and wants to help me overcome it! And with His help, I will!

Strange dreams...

So I had a couple of strange dreams last night. One was that we were at the ultrasound (which is in less than one week, by the way). We were sure that it was going to be a girl, but then we saw "boy parts!" We were surprised but WAY excited! :o) I wonder if that dream is prophetic at all?? We'll see!! The other dream was a half-awake dream in which I opened my eyes and thought I saw something right beside our bed. It was a venus fly-trap with it's mouth open like it was going to eat me. I literally threw the covers over my head and ducked down for a few seconds (until I realized that it was only a dream). Very strange.

18 weeks!!

Whose got a belly? I do, I do! Woo hoo! :o) I am LOVING my pregnant body. It is so fun that people now assume that I am pregnant (instead of wondering...pregnant or ate too much?). And I love that after eating a nice, big meal, I don't feel like I need to unbutton my pants or suck in to squeeze into what I'm wearing. I just let it all out! And it's BEAUTIFUL! I've had people ask if they may touch my belly. And so far, I'm totally fine with that. I'm sure as it gets bigger and bigger, more people will be drawn to touching the mysterious growing belly. :o)

Anyway...only two more weeks until I will be half-way through this pregnancy! Can you believe it?? I can't! Time is flying by!! I can't WAIT to hold this little one in my arms. It'll be here before we know it!

In 13 days...

In 13 days, we'll know if this little one is a boy or girl!! :o) Our ultrasound appointment is scheduled for Wednesday, October 3rd! And I can hardly wait! Everyone (myself included) is so certain that this baby is a girl. As I have thought about nursery colors or anything else, I keep picturing PINK. Hehe. We'll find out soon.

And I got to hear the heartbeat again yesterday. Everything sounds great. I am right on track with my weight gain too...so that's good. The midwife patiently answered all of my gazillion questions and now I am feeling much better. :o) Although I think I've felt the baby moving a few times, I shouldn't really start feeling it regularly until 20-22 weeks. Whew!

So I am doing great (energy getting better and better) and baby is doing great! Couldn't ask for more! Praise God!

Baby STUFF!!

I have gone into crazy-mode with thinking about baby stuff lately. I'm thinking about it when I wake up...all throughout the day...and as I go to sleep at night. I am just dreaming about all the possibilities for our nursery. And I LOVE it! :o) Today we ordered and purchased the furniture for the nursery!! It won't be here for another 3 months or so. But it feels SO good to have that out of the way. :o) Here's a picture of it:

The piece on the top left is a dresser/changing table combo with a hutch. The crib will transition into a toddler bed, day bed, and also into a full bed down the road. The whole set was quite affordable and yet very beautiful. We ordered the set in a cherry finish, however, seem to really like the oak finish (above). We keep going back and forth and need to make a decision very soon!

On another note, I am beginning to really look pregnant! YAY! The things that people say are so cute and sometimes quite funny. I'm just thrilled with my growing pregnant body. I LOVE BEING PREGNANT!! :o)

Maternity clothes

My newest maternity shirt.

Kevin says it makes me really look pregnant. :o)

16 weeks

So I'm feeling pretty good. And definitely starting to really feel and even look pregnant! :o) I found this photo of a 16-week-old fetus online. It is so crazy to see how detailed everything is ALREADY!! And here's a picture of my growing belly:

I'm BACK!!

So I spent this past weekend with my sisters and mom in New York City. I had a pretty good time (especially LOVED the musical GREASE)! And I came away with a couple of conclusions: One is that I am very different from my sisters...and that's okay. It's just not a very fun thing to figure out while on a vacation with someone. Hehe. My second conclusion is that I don't really like NYC. I am NOT a big-city gal. It was all quite overwhelming. I didn't enjoy the subways or the crowded streets or the constant honking or the rude workers or the insanely high menu prices. New York and Leslie Ober are like oil and water. But hey...now I know! :o) Aside from that, I did enjoy seeing some important things, like the World Trade Center memorial and the Statue of Liberty, and dining at some famous New York eateries, like John's Pizzeria and the Carnegie Deli. And although we butted heads some (okay, a lot), I did enjoy spending time with my family. :o)

On another note...I *think* I felt the baby move for the first time last night!! I was at a meeting, and felt a very strange flutter-type feeling in my lower abdomen (lasted about 3 minutes). I'm not really sure what it was, but it was definitely something I hadn't felt before. GO, baby, GO!

3 notes...

1. I decided it would be a good idea to go play in the rain this past weekend. I ran out on my deck, not realizing how slippery it was, and my feet came out from under me. I fell pretty hard and am left with some bruising and soreness. To give me some peace of mind, I went to the doctor yesterday just to make sure everything was fine with baby. I got to hear the heartbeat again (what a beautiful sound), but she had a hard time keeping it, because the baby was dancing all over the place! :o)

2. I'm going to NYC this weekend (Friday-Monday) with my mom and sisters!! I am SO excited, and am really hoping that I am feeling well. The weather forecast looks perfect.

3. Although I have already purchased maternity bottoms, I didn't think I would need maternity shirts for awhile yet. But it's becoming more and more difficult to fit into my nicer shirts (T-shirts still fit just fine). Here's what I'm talking about:

(For those who don't know me well, I am not the type who shows my mid-drift...unless I'm at the pool.)

I'm SHOWING!

Guess who just had a complete STRANGER notice that she was pregnant!!?!!?!! This lady that worked at Starbucks said, "Let me guess...3-4 months??" I looked around and was like, "Who me?" She repeated herself, to which I answered: "I'm exactly between 3 and 4 months! You could tell??" She nodded and said..."Yeah...definitely." And I said, "So it doesn't look like I'm just fat?" She sweetly answered: "No way...there's a difference between fat and pregnant...and you can definitely tell that that's a pregnant belly!"

I thanked her and went on my way. This was a first for me...and I am giddy with excitement about it. People are starting to really notice!! It's REAL. I'm REALLY pregnant!! AHHHH!! :o)

Here's a picture to prove it:

I think it's a...

I have had so much fun gradually telling people that we are expecting. We have told everyone differently and have had a variety of responses. It is a most wonderful feeling to share this good news with people and have them literally jump up and down, screaming, and even crying! So many people have known about our losses and then struggles with getting pregnant. And it feels so good to know that we have so many people rooting for us...and for this little one growing inside!! :o) When I run into people that I don't see very often (or at work)...I am beginning to notice them looking down at my belly. It doesn't scream "I'M PREGNANT" but it's getting close. I'm still in that, "Is she pregnant or has she just gained some weight...all in her gut?" phase right now. But I bet people are starting to notice a little.

Soon, people will begin asking if I think it's a boy or girl. And oddly, I DO have a feeling. It's so unlike me to make a guess at something, because I hate being wrong. And truly, there really is no way to tell (yet). My initial hCG levels were pretty high, which I have read tends to be true of female babies. Also, there is a wives tale (with a tiny bit of truth to it) that says if the heart rate is above 140, then it's a girl...below means boy. Our baby's heart rate has been measuring in the 150-160's!! I have only had two baby dreams so far throughout this pregnancy, and both times, the baby was a little girl. I also just came across a study which claimed this: "Conception cycles with short follicular phases (early ovulation) tended to produce boys, while those with long follicular phases tended to produce girls." I ovulated late, thus making it more likely that we'd have a girl. Two of my friends have told me that they feel like it's going to be a girl. SO, as of right now...all signs are pointing to GIRL. Of course, I will be absolutely in love with either a boy or a girl. It truly makes no difference to me. But it is definitely fun to daydream about.

What do YOU think I'm having? Any guesses/feelings/inklings? Please share them in the comments!! I would LOVE to see what you think! :o)

Feeling Good (well...sort of)

So I had a doctor's appointment this morning...and...everything is GREAT!! She found the heartbeat very quickly and said it sounds nice and strong. She said that I am right on track and everything looks great. :o) YAY!!! It was SUCH a relief. My chances of miscarriage at this point are less than 3%. Whew! So I am feeling much better after today's appointment.

However, I have come down with a terrible cold/sinus infection. It has hit me with a vengeance. Sore throat, nasal congestion, ear ache, coughing, sneezing, headache, sinus pressure and pain, extreme fatigue, and feeling feverish and nauseated. Not too fun. And the worst part is that there really isn't a whole lot that I can take for it. Just suffer. That's it. The doctor said that it's typical for common cold to last about 14 days for a pregnant woman. Has something to do with my immune system being compromised. Fun times.

I am also still experiencing lots of nausea and some vomiting. I was told today that it can last up until 18-19 weeks. UGH!! But hey...I'll take it...roll with the punches. It's all worth it...I wouldn't trade it for the world! :o)

13 weeks!!

Time seems to be flying by! (Which I'm pretty sure is a GOOD thing.) :o) So I am supposedly in that "safe" zone for sharing our news with others. But I am still quite apprehensive about it. All of the horrible "what ifs" keep swirling around in my head. I thought maybe it would be fun for people to gradually find out...or have it be obvious as they keep an eye on my growing belly. Oftentimes when I tell someone I'm pregnant (especially someone who knows our history) I can sense their hesitation. They are elated...but hesitant. I hear a lot of, "third time's the charm." And "we'll definitely be praying for you guys." Which is good. We can use all the prayer we can get. :o) I just wish this stupid fear would not be so present in my heart. I am still waiting to experience the unbridled joy that is waiting to explode out of me. When will it come? Maybe when I first begin to feel the baby move? Or perhaps at our next ultrasound, when we find out the sex of the baby? I hope it is sooner than later!

Despite my fears, I have enjoyed day-dreaming about this little one. Will they have my eyes or Kevin's? Will they be tall? Will they be fair-skinned with freckles? And will they get any bit of this crazy red hair that I have? Will they be super-intelligent? ;o) It is definitely fun to think about. And in just six short months, I will get to meet him/her. I have also been looking at bedding and decorating a nursery. I think I have found my favorite so far. And I say so far, because I seem to change my mind every other week. Hehe. What I like about the set below is that it can work for either a boy OR girl! Not to mention that it's super cute and super affordable. :o)

Wedding fun...

So we went to my cousin's wedding yesterday. It was a lot of fun! It's always great to see family that we don't get to see very often. And it was my dad's side of the family, which didn't know that we were pregnant yet (except my dad and stepmom). I thought it was pretty dang obvious that I had a preggers belly. But no one said anything!! However, I did notice several of my cousins and aunts glancing down toward my belly. So maybe they noticed, but were afraid to mention anything. :o) We shared the news at the reception (with just our two small tables) and got a round of applause. It was very fun. The dress I wore to the wedding (left) is my newest addition of maternity clothes!!

Hello 2nd Trimester!!!

So beginning tomorrow, I will be into my second trimester. (BIG smiles over here) Things are going well. Aside from the exhaustion and mild nausea, I'm feeling GREAT! I will be going to a pregnancy nutrition class tomorrow morning. I'm really hoping to get some good ideas. :o) So here are my belly shots....can you tell a difference??

200 days to go!!

Two-hundred more days until my expected due date! Woo hoo! :o) So we had a GREAT time camping this weekend! We went with our friends, Martin and Sally, and their daughter Kaitelyn brought a friend too. The weather was great for the most part...not too hot, that is. We got quite a bit of rain Saturday night through Sunday morning (when it was time to pack up and leave). Other than that, the weather was perfect!

Martin, Sally, and Kevin

Me and my hubby!

So now that we're back, and into the full swing of things, wouldn't you know that I'm back to feeling sick! I was feeling GREAT all weekend. Now, back at home, I don't feel so well. And do you know what's worse than throwing up?? Throwing up with an empty stomach! ACK! I think I must have waited too long to eat breakfast this morning, and ended up over the toilet. The only problem: there was nothing in my stomach. So I was mostly dry-heaving, with the occasional upheaval of stomach acid. Man...does that stuff sting! I thought I was past this phase of pregnancy (since I have had a good streak of feeling so well). Oh well...guess not. But I'll role with it. I love being pregnant! Praise God! :o)

11 weeks!!

I am 11 weeks today! Woo hoo! Only one more week until I'm finished with this first trimester. Yay! Not much to report today. Been dealing with some pretty bad lower back pain. Hopefully it'll subside soon and is not an indication of what this whole pregnancy will be like!

One of the nice perks of pregnancy: glowing skin and hair. Well, my skin is glowing, but unfortunately is also accompanied by some lovely acne. Oh joy! And my hair...well, it's growing fast...and I'd have to say it's pretty nice to wake up, get out of bed, and have my hair look like this (without brushing):

This is what I like to call "pregnancy bedhead." And it is definitely a nice perk to being pregnant. It is a welcomed change, considering the rest of me just feels like I'm getting fat. ;o) My clothes are getting tighter by the week (although the average person would still never guess that I was pregnant). And I still haven't technically gained a single pound. BUT...trust me...I definitely feel bigger. :o)

Randomness on this Thursday...

So I have been searching and searching for what type of furniture I'd like to have in our nursery, and I'm simply overwhelmed with the many choices. There are SO many different colors and styles to choose from. It's crazy. I always thought I would do white furniture...until more recently. I've been thinking more along the lines of a maple or chestnut finish. Oh...and then there's the beautiful ebony (black) distressed look. I think a friend of mine has offered to give me her rocking chair (it's black). So do I need that to match the rest of the furniture? Or do I nix the rocker and go for a more comfy glider/ottoman? UGH! SO many ideas. Don't get me wrong...it's very fun to dream about this all. It's just difficult to actually make a decision. :o)

Here is a picture of my original idea for a possible layout of nursery furniture. Everything is to scale. As it is here, there is a small 3-drawer dresser on the left wall, under the window. The bigger dresser-type thing on the opposite wall is a changing table/dresser combo with a hutch. The smaller rectangle to the right of the rocker is a bookcase. The door in the upper right of the picture is the closet, the other is the door to the hallway. I just threw this together today. I think I like it...but I'm sure it'll change. :o)

Other news in the crazy lives of the Obers: We are going camping this weekend! I think we may be absolutely out of our minds. The temperatures throughout the day will be in the 90's! Yikes!! And I've been averaging getting up 3 times each night to use the restroom. This won't be so fun at a campground. Should be interesting. We are planning to go for two nights...I may only last one. :o) But we'll see!

Glucose Challenge...

Woo hoo! Only ten more days of this daunting first trimester!! Kind of hard to believe, isn't it? So this morning I had to do a glucose blood test. When I first got to the Dr.'s office, they gave me a little paper cup filled with a glucose drink. I went to sit down with it, and as I sat down, I spilled it all over me. UGH. For those of you who don't know what glucose is...it's basically SUGAR. So I had this gooey sugar-water type stuff ALL over me: on my shirt, all over my shorts, down my legs, on both hands and wrists, covering my watch, soaking my book...you get the picture. It was a total MESS. (Not to mention that it looked like I just peed my pants) :o)

Once I finished the drink, I had to wait for an hour to have them test my blood. I spent part of that time cleaning up in the bathroom. I still feel sticky. I better get used to this clumsiness. I hear it only gets worse. :o)

On another note, I bought my first maternity clothes today. Pretty fun. I definitely don't look preggers yet, but my normal clothes (mostly pants/shorts) are beginning to feel just a bit too tight for comfort. I just bought a pair of capris and a pair of corduroy pants. Fun times.

10 weeks

I am 10 weeks today!! Yay! Here's what one website says about little bean this week:

"Your astonishingly tiny baby has been hard at work growing as fast as possible—almost doubling in size in the past three weeks! Amazingly, you’re in for a repeat size doubling performance within the next three weeks! Your tiny champion still weighs less than a quarter of an ounce but has already completed the most critical stage of their development. Using Doppler technology, your doctor or gynecologist can let you hear their tiny rapid fetal heartbeats this week (145-165 beats per minute!). Chances for miscarriage are greatly reduced when the heartbeat can be detected, so take a sigh of relief if you’ve been needing one—it hasn’t been an easy ten weeks! What’s more, they’re getting ready to make their first baby poop! Your little one’s major organ systems are developing, including a functioning digestive tract capable of moving food all the way through their bowels. The final shiny gold star on their fetal behavior chart for the week: your little scrapper has already developed defense mechanisms to protect them on reflex!"

And here's my latest belly shot! Can you tell a difference in just two weeks??
Most of that belly is simply my digestive system (aka bowels) being pushed out. I've had quite a bit of bloating, giving me the appearance of having a preggers belly. My true baby bump probably won't "pop" for another month or two! I can't wait!! :o) Despite the difference in appearance, I still have not gained even a single pound. And my blood pressure is still low. So things are good. And I continually praise God for this miracle!!

YAY!!!

So we didn't get to see the baby today, because miraculously, the doppler picked up the baby's heartbeat without a problem!! YAY! I am SO excited!! And we are officially past BOTH of our previous losses (8 1/2 and 9 1/2 weeks). It almost seems like things are going to good to be true. :o) But I'll take it! We only have two more weeks until the second trimester! Woo hoo!

All smiles over here.

Not much going on...

Nothing much to report on today. My morning sickness has gotten better!! Praise God! Don't get me wrong, though...it's still there...just mostly in the mornings and not too terribly bad. I am thankful for that!! My net weight gain/loss is ZERO lbs. (I did lose about 3 lbs at first, but I think I may have slowly re-gained them). My next OB appointment is THIS Thursday (IN TWO DAYS)!! They will try to listen to the baby's heartbeat with a doppler. But since I have a retroverted uterus, it may be difficult. If they can't find it, then they will do an ultrasound. I'm secretly hoping for the ultrasound. :o)

So far, everything feels like it's going as planned. And although a bit exhausted, I feel GREAT!

Third Month...

So I am 9 weeks today, putting me in my third month!! My little bean is actually starting to look like a baby!! Here's what one website says about the baby's development this week:

Congratulations! Your amazing growing baby has been accepted into to the fetus-club, a very exclusive and exiting new stage in their prenatal development. Basically, this means the little sweet pea has graduated from swimming embryo creature to a recognizable human being! This week in particular, the irises of their little eyes can function, but (frustratingly for them?) their eyelids remain fused shut for a while yet. Their external ears are formed and their inner ears are now filled with fluid—so your little one is already developing their sense of balance. Your baby's little swimmer legs are still relatively, although other bodily developments are going forward at a nice pace: their kidney is actually functioning now, which means they’ve started urinating (this might seem charming now but wait till you have to start buying diapers!).

So much for Sea-bands...

I've been wearing these wrist bands that put pressure on an acupressure point that is supposed to help with nausea. Yesterday, I thought they were working alright. It was still early to tell. I put them on around 4am this morning, as I was starting to feel sick again. I managed to go back to sleep, and felt pretty good. So I was pretty confident that these things might actually work.

Fast forward a few more hours, after breakfast. Around 10:00ish, I began feeling sick again. I thought maybe I needed to eat again (not uncommon). But as I started putting food in my mouth, I felt even more sick. Sea-bands on wrists, I ran to the bathroom just in time to lose my entire breakfast. It was awful. I'm not sure if there is a worse feeling on earth than vomiting. I should feel blessed that this was just the first time this pregnancy that I've actually gotten sick. And I definitely hope that it is the last. As for these Sea-bands that are supposed to help with this...well...call me a skeptic. :o)

222

Today must be a lucky day. My tickers say that I have 222 more days to go until my due date of 2/22. Fun times. I love two's! So I bought sea-bands today to help with the nausea. I'm really hoping that they work. We'll see. :o) Other than that, not too much going on here. Oh...I have been having the craziest dreams lately. Extremely vivid...and just weird. Last night, I had the funniest dream I have ever had. In fact, I woke up laughing hysterically (out-loud). I will try to relay it in writing...

So I am in this bedroom with my sister-in-law and her 8-month-old baby. I think I was trying to help get the baby to sleep or something. The bedroom door was open, and when I looked out into the hallway, I saw a horse and a camel walking side-by-side past the door. I asked my sister-in-law if she saw what I saw, and she smiled and nodded. And then the horse and camel turned around and walked by again. But this time, the camel veered into our room. The animal was HUGE, and we were a little scared. So we went to the corners of the room. The camel kept backing up toward me, and finally pinned me (with it's rear-end) into a sitting position on the bed. At this point, I look up to find that my face is just below the camel's rear. As I notice this, he lifts his tail. I put my hands out in a helpless effort to try to guard my face against anything that may spew out at any moment. I was certain the dumb animal was getting ready to poop on me. But rest-assured, he didn't poop. Oh no. With his tail lifted, the camel let out a force of wind so ranxiously loud and strong that it literally blew my hair back for like 5 seconds straight!! A camel farted in my face!! I fell back on the bed and belted in laughter. Only to wake up and find myself laughing in real life. I couldn't believe what I had just experienced. I realized immediately that it was a dream, gave myself a little giggle and went back to sleep.

I think I would PAY someone to translate this dream for me! What kind of person dreams about something like this? How did my mind even concieve of this? Either way, it gave me a darn good laugh. And still does even when I re-tell my crazy dream. But what I wanna know is...what does it mean? :o)

false alarm!!

What a rollercoaster ride!! *HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF* Everything is OKAY!! The doctor got me in pretty quickly. He did a quick exam and then an ultrasound. Apparently everything is fine. Baby is measuring exactly 8 weeks to-the-day. We saw it's little heart beating too! He said that everything looks great. His guess is that the bleeding from the pap smear on Monday may have formed a scab. This morning the scab may have broken off, thus causing a gush of red blood. Crazy. Second time this pregnancy in which I was sure it was over...only to be overwhelming wrong. He did say that any time there's bleeding like that during a pregnancy, it's a good idea to give him a call. You just never know. After seeing me today, and the little bean inside, he feels more optimistic...and so do I! Whew! Praise God! It seems like this one's here to stay!! Now I'm going to go take a much-needed nap. :o)

unbelievable...

Just when I begin feeling good about things, something happens. UGH. Not too long after posting my previous blog, I went to the bathroom. My underwear was saturated with blood. NO! Please no. Not again. I have called the doctor, and I'm just waiting to hear back to see what they want me to do. I can't believe this. I was feeling so good about everything. Now I'm back to being a complete and total emotional wreck. Kevin is on his way home from work to be with me this afternoon. Why can't I just have a drama-free, healthy pregnancy? Lord, HELP ME!!

8-weeks and going strong...

As of today, I am 8-weeks. (Which means that I am entering into my 9th week.) These next two weeks are going to be nerve-racking for me. I woke up this morning with the worst morning sickness I've had yet (with crackers by the bed and all). Let's hope this is a great sign. :o) Here is a fascinating photo of what the baby looks like at 8 weeks.

And here is my latest belly shot. :o) This was taken in the morning. If I were to take one at night, my belly looks bigger because I've been having a lot of bloating in the evenings. Very strange...but normal. I'm planning to take a belly shot every 4 weeks. Let's hope I see these next 4 weeks this time!! After that, we will all take a HUGE sigh of relief, as I will be past this daunting first trimester!

First OB appointment...

We had our first official OB appointment today. Everything went well, although it wasn't the most pleasant of visits. I had to get a pap smear (sorry if TMI) and the doctor said I will be bleeding from that for a couple of days. Then I had to have four viles of blood drawn. UGH. They seem pretty optimistic that everything is going well this time. I am not even considered high-risk at this doctor's office (not until after 3 miscarriages).

The nausea has been in full-swing...and it lasts most of the day. I never had anything like this with my previous pregnancies, so hopefully that's a GOOD sign! :o) I have good days and bad days with the sickness. On the good days, I almost start to worry that my symptoms are fading (which could mean that something is wrong). And on the days with lots of nausea, I praise God, but hope for it to subside for just a time. Either way, I'm an emotional wreck. :o) But I'm getting through it.

Just two and half weeks to go until we pass both of our previous losses (8 1/2 and 10 weeks). Our next OB appointment is scheduled for July 26th. (I will be 10 weeks.) They hope to be able to hear the baby's heartbeat with a doppler. If that doesn't work, then they'll do another ultra-sound (which I would be okay with). I welcome any opportunity to see my little bean growing inside!! As I continue reading about how this baby is developing, I am more and more in awe of God and how He has chosen to create human life. It is truly amazing.

That's all for now. I'll update when anything new develops.

A new mother's prayer...

So I have been feeling really good about being pregnant. I think seeing and hearing that little heartbeat helped fight off a lot of fear. Praise God!! I am also thankful that I have not vomited with morning sickness yet. However, throughout each day, I feel like I could at any given moment. I am not showing yet, but I am a little bloated. I am thankful for all of my pregnancy symptoms!! :o)

Lord, I praise You for blessing me...us...with child! I praise You for this baby growing within my womb. You are hard at work, creating a most beautiful creation within me. Lord, as You continue knitting together this precious child, may You have favor on them. Create in them a pure heart...and an eager spirit that wants to honor You! May this child be healthy and this whole pregnancy without complications. You are so faithful to me. And I am filled with love for You. You are my God, and I love You! Amen.

We have a heartbeat!!!

So the doctor got me in for an emergency ultrasound. I can't even begin to explain how nervous I was. Everything was pointing me to believe that this was it...that this pregnancy had come to an early end. But it hasn't!! As we watched the images on the screen, we saw a little flicker where the heart was beating. Then she turned on the sound. "This is your baby's heartbeat." I thought that I might have cried, but I didn't. (I think my tears were all dried up from earlier.) I just sat there in amazement. It was confirmed that we are exactly 6 weeks along, and gave us an estimated due date of 02/22/08. After the ultrasound, we spoke with the doctor. Hearing a heartbeat is a major step in a pregnancy and lowers the risk of miscarriage to less than 10%. This is comforting. So for now, I can relax and know that we are right on track. Phew!

So this is our ultrasound picture. Our little bean is there in the circle. It's not exactly clear; kind of looks like a little blob. But that's the baby!! And it's little heart is beating away! YAY!! Praise God!!