26 Weeks 1 Day Quiz/Update

How far along: 26 weeks 1 day

 

Symptoms: Nausea (yes, I still have it off and on), heartburn (but I started to take Prilosec OTC and it works wonders), the need to pee frequently, a round belly, the kicking, sleeping like a baby and still needing more sleep, and stretch marks

Total weight gain: 15 lbs as of my OB appointment today. I stand corrected on how I gained before, it was 12 pounds. So I gained 3 this past month.

Maternity clothes: Pants and bermudas are all maternity. Half of my shirts are, but I can still get away with some of my pre-pregnancy clothes. As for my dresses, some of them are maternity, some are not. I LOVE my dresses.

Stretch marks: Ugh...my marks of pregnancy. Yes, I've got them. They are all vertical lines, too, almost like Baby Girl is in a jail cell. One of the marks vaguely looks like a chicken's foot.

Sleep: I've been sleeping like a baby. I haven't needed to pee in the middle of the night, although I know those nights are coming back soon. I sleep like a rock and yet I still feel like I need more sleep.
 

Best moment this week: Reading Baby Girl her first story. I read her "Guess How Much I Love You" and she kicked a bit when the story was finished, so I think she liked it.

Movement:Lots of dancing around and quite a bit if kicking! Hubby even felt her kick, though she really doesn't like to kick on demand. So if your hand is there, she won't kick.

Food cravings: Salads, fruit, and cereal. Yum!

Belly Button in or out: It's still an inny, but it's getting more and more shallow.

What I miss: My Victoria's Secret bras and underwear. They really need a maternity line. I would totally spend money on their stuff if they had maternity lingerie. It lasts forever. You know, I also miss being able to bend over without effort, especially when trying to paint my toe nails or shave my legs.

What I am looking forward to: Being able to feel the kicks from the outside more often. I have felt a few, and Hubby has felt it once (maybe twice). She stops kicking when a hand touches my belly.

 

Milestones: Entering the 3rd Trimester 

 

How is daddy? He is wonderful. He prays for Baby Girl and her health every night. He's always snuggling up to my belly and talking to her. So he's super excited.

How are the grandparents? They are still so excited. Hubby's mom is 4 hours away, so we don't see her often. But she's loving all the pictures and getting more and more excited. My parents are going to watch Baby Girl when I go back to work, so they are super excited.

 

The pictures are both from Sunday at 25 Weeks 4 Days.

 

 

Reflections Along the Journey

I was reflecting yesterday on my drive home. I was thinking about the journey I went on to get to this place of expecting my first child. Hubby and I had a long journey, not always paved with rainbows and sunshine. And I just wanted to share with you all that those feelings don't fade just because you get pregnant. I haven't forgotten the experience of finding a fertility medication that works. I haven't forgotten the day my OBGYN (Dr. H) told me that I would need to see a specialist. Those emotions are not ones that are quickly forgotten. I haven't forgotten how my heart just sank in October when Dr. S called me with the results of my baseline bloodwork, telling me that I had high FSH and therfore was in preovarian failure. I had a cyst. I had to take the cycle off with bcp. Believe me, those emotions don't fade. Those emotions are what increase the joy of knowing where I am now. 

In just the same respect, I haven't forgotten the feeling of seeing a positive pregnancy test, the tears that streamed down my face when I realized I was pregnant. I haven't forgotten the feeling of hearing the nurse at the RE's office tell me that I'm going to be a mom. There are no experiences that can take away the memory of the joy that flooded my heart and the tears that streamed down my face. I haven't forgotten the day Hubby and I first saw our Baby and the day we first heard her heartbeat. It doesn't matter how far along I am, those feelings are so fresh in my mind.

As I reflected, I realized that this is the common thread amongst us. We have experienced things that can help us encourage each other. We remember those feelings so we can help someone else along their journey. We can add sunshine and rainbows to someone else's day along their journey. Remember where you have been on your journey and help someone else as they walk along their path. That's our common thread-experience. Happy ICLW.

Busy as a Bee!

Goodness! Where does the time go? I feel like I've been running and running around. Busy as a bee this spring season. I did my baby registry on Saturday with my friend A. For those of you who have been following my blog, A. is my friend who lost her husband a month ago. She's doing well given the circumstances. She found out that she is having a baby girl in September. So she's excited to give her two year old daughter M. a little sister. Anyway, I went to Babies R Us with her. It was so much fun to have someone who knows everything BABY to help me. We're like two pregnant peas in a pod, too. We went to Fridays for lunch after deciding that neither one of us could decide. And then we couldn't decide on what to share for lunch. Of course, then it was off to Target for more registering. So I'm all registered. I'm so glad to be done that. 

Saturday night, the water ice store that I manage (when I'm not pregnant) had a fundraiser for A. and her babies. Her husband, J., was also a manager there. So we had a big event for that evening planned. It was amazing. With all the customers coming to the store, $5200 was added to the trust fund for A. and the kids. That's a great amount in four hours! It was one of those inspiring nights where you realize how people can still rally together to support a family and lift them up in their time of need. A. was definitely touched by everyone's love and generosity. 

It's just been non-stop since then. Tonight is the first night I've been able to be home, relaxing, catching up on blogging. I wanted to share a link with you, as another infertility blogger out there, Krissi, featured me on her blogging site, http://stressfreeinfertilityblog.com/. You'll have to check out the little post: http://stressfreeinfertilityblog.com/2010/04/18/meet-heather-2/

Oh, and here are my latest bumptastic pictures (and no, that's not a maternity dress and I love that I can still wear it): 

Spring...Allergies...No Relief!

I was and am still so excited about spring. I love this time of year. The flowers are just beautiful and the blossoms on the trees are wonderful to look at. No complaints from me about that. It's a beautiful time of year and there is much to be enjoyed in the spring. For example, Major League Baseball has started again, which means I can watch my Phillies. But . . .with spring has come the sudden onslaught of allergies. Don't misunderstand it, I KNOW I have allergies. I take Zyrtec. Apparently, it's not really working. But I'd hate to change it because it may work again after Baby Girl is born. It's terrible. I'll take the dog for a walk and feel great. But within a half hour of being back upstairs (I live on a second floor apartment) with the sliding glass door open, my head will start to get stuffy and I get a wee little headache. It's all sinus related. And it's awful. There's nothing I can really do about it. Even if I could take a decongestant, I wouldn't because I have blood pressure issues. Decongestants aren't good for that. So it seems there is no relief in sight until the pollen counts go back down. Things might be better if I could deal with tissues like a normal person. But...I still have a tissue aversion. I don't know if you all remember, but in the first trimester, I developed this aversion to the smell of tissues. So I started buying Vicks tissues. As long as I'm not too stuffy-headed, I can use them without a problem. But if the congestion is bad, I dry heave. Yep. Still. I'm praying for the pollen count to drop soon. Baby Girl is doing just fine, too bad Mommy isn't!

22 Week 5 Day Update/Quiz

How far along: 22 weeks 5 day

 

Symptoms: Nausea (yes, I still have it), heartburn (it's getting worse, but I'm taking Zantac twice a day), the need to pee frequently, a round belly, and the kicking....oh the kicking...

Total weight gain: 14 lbs since October, I think it's hanging around 11 since actually getting pregnant. But I include those extra pounds I seem to have gained on the bcp right before getting pregnant.

Maternity clothes: I can still wear some of my non-maternity tops and they still look pretty good. But otherwise, it's pretty much maternity pants, tights, dresses, pantyhose, skirts, and tops. Although, most of my dresses are not maternity dresses and they work pretty well! I'll post my Easter picture. Totally not a maternity dress. In fact, it's a regular Medium dress from Target from a few years back.

Stretch marks: Only on my chest, as it has have definitely grown already. But none on the tummy yet. I'm using TONS of Palmer's Cocoa Butter. I use the organic one specifically for stretch marks on my tummy.

Sleep: I've been sleeping like a baby. Most nights, I don't even change the side I'm sleeping on. I am a left side sleeper. I still have to get up to pee in the middle of the night, but it's been less times than in the first trimester. It's been a nice break from it all, I know those nights are coming back soon.
 

Best moment last week: Going in for my check up and listening to the baby kick the fetal doppler. Every time Dr. H would try to get her heartbeat, she would kick the doppler. Feisty little girl...

Movement: Lots of dancing around and quite a bit if kicking! So amazing! I felt her kick once, but for whatever reason, she'll kick the laptop, but she won't kick when my hand is there. It's almost like she knows it's me and it calms her down.

Food cravings: Fruit. Yep. So I bought plums today and fruit cups.

Belly Button in or out: In, of course, but it's getting more shallow!

What I miss: My Victoria's Secret bras actually fitting. I know, I know, I posted that last time. But seriously, I miss them! You know what else I miss? Sweet Tea. I've been really good with not having very much caffeine at all, so I've given that up. I miss it tons.

What I am looking forward to: Being able to feel the kicks from the outside more often. I have felt a few, but Hubby hasn't felt it at all. She stops kicking when a hand touches my belly.

 

Milestones: Feeling the baby kick for the first time.

How is daddy? He is wonderful. He's a little jealous because I've felt her kick a few times and he hasn't felt it at all yet. But I'm sure she'll kick more often when someone's hand is on my belly.

 

How are the grandparents? They are excited as can be. My mom is slowly stocking up on all things baby. I'm so excited for her to be a grandmom to my baby!