Sound of Silence at a Stand-Off

The 12 day blog withdrawal is officially over. So today I applied for a blog job, and only after doing so did I fail to remember that I don't bother editing, spellchecking, and correcting my errors in my current blog! Wow, when they look at this I'm sure going to look uhnedukayted.
Anyway! My friend is doing well, all things considered. She lost her baby to heaven last week and I think my hormone fits are in direct connection to her situation. That, or this lack of school and job is getting the better of me. Anyone have any suggestions? So far I have the idea to scrapbook, quilt, clean the house to perfection, attempt to find small writing jobs which will pay me enough to buy lunch every day, and I might even take another class in order to keep my brain running!
Here's a good story! (Pregnancy related even!) So upon my doctor's desperate attempt to get me to gain weight, I agreed to see a dietitian. We sat there for an hour going over all the obvious food ideas that I already knew. Then, upon completion of seeing my 'food journal'  she suggested the following: "You should increase your calories by your beverages. Since you already drink milk and juice, you should add soda pop to your diet." Umm,  really!?!?!? Did you read that!? Yes, my dietitian suggested soda to a pregnant lady! You know, the sugary, caffeinated carbon bubblies that take away from calcium absorption in the bones! Pregnant women are to limit their caffeine intake, sugar is a door opener for gestational diabetes, and the carbonated bubblies eat calcium from my bones! I tell you what! Unless I GET diabetes, I may never step foot into a dietitian's office again!
So, yes, I have not gained the weight they are looking for me to gain. I am trying though still!! I have gained weight though! 13 pounds since the beginning. Baby Beaner is 2 oz. below his necessary weight so I am feeding him more milk and peanut butter. The joys of being a navy housewife with nothing better to do (or required) than to take hand to mouth and stuff face over and over.
Aside from the every day eating frenzy, I work on small tasks. For example, right now I am currently fighting tooth and nail with my school so that, just maybe, I will get my degree this weekend! Yes, that's right, graduation is upon me. However, a $150.30 late fee that they absolutely insist is my fault for tuition, it looms over me like the messenger of death. I am stubborn and upset and absolutely refuse to pay this ridiculous trivial penny ripping scheme. Long story short, the military account that paid for my tuition paid later than should be and I am stuck with the bill. Because I did not certify mail a letter sent back in April, they have no proof the letter was ever sent and therefore, I am a liar and must pay. Lesson: Never trust a company, business, corporation, administration, or the like. You MUST learn that people screw people and there is no longer this thing called forgiveness and mercy. Amen.
See what happens when I don't write for a long time? All the entrapment spews forth and you are left to read the gloriousness of it all.
I do have a positive note though! My sister and brother in law and two nephews came to visit last week. They spent two days at our house and we spent two days camping with them in La Push, Washington, aka Twilight Jacob's werewolf abode. The ocean at La Push is gorgeous. We drove to Cape Flattery, WA, the most northwest point of the United States. Absolutely breathtaking! If I decide not to be lazy later on, I may just post a picture or two of the spectacular views!
Next doctor's appointment: Thursday. Next ultrasound: approximately three weeks. Next snack time: Now. So see you later!

Today's Plans

As you can see, the ultrasound went very well. Apparently I had a few people fooled with the ultrasound pics, as it says 'twin a' and 'twin b' on the bottom. No, there are not twins. One singleton Beaner only. But a healthy Beaner at that!
So today I am going to try on every dress in my closest to see if I have one fitting and that fits! for an outdoor wedding we are going to today. A fellow officer on the boat is getting married. I am not really sure what I have that fits. I plan on getting all dolled up, as of lately, my husband thinks it is quite hillarious to point out all my flaws which come with pregnancy. So, in order to 'knock him off his feet' I plan on playing dress up today and spending the maximum amount of time getting ready. If all goes well and I feel like I did the trick, I will post for you a picture of my efforts! If all does not go well, well then I am not going to let you see!
Apparently I have missed some very important people in the inclusion of this website. In other words, this site is open to the public and if you know of someone who cares to know the ins and outs of my pregnancy, please pass this site along. In the beginning I was more hush hush, but now the market is open! Other than a few immediate relatives, I'm not really sure if you're reading unless you leave me a comment every once in a while! Maybe, if I get really creative and motivated, I will attempt to post a short video of the ultrasound.
We are due December 22nd. My nephew gets married shortly after and there is most likely no way I will be able to travel across the country to make it. December is a big month! Dave will leave and upon his return, we will move out. Still, we do not know where we are going to be sent. Maybe in another month or two. This actually makes things more exciting because everything will be happening at once!
 No doctor has mentioned bed rest to me for several weeks, so maybe I'm in the clear!? Still not sure, but it seems like up to this point, things are going way better than anyone projected them to be. So I will hold up my end of the deal and continue to eat all the time, regardless of my hunger level. Apparently that's the only thing I am pointed out on, so yes, the grocery bill will continue to rise and I will continue to eat. I think I am eating double what I am used to eating and the weight is still coming very slowly. It is almost as if I have quadrupled my metabolism over night! Tomorrow I make pot roast. :) If my Grandma and Mom were here, I would have them help me make cabbage burgers, which is the most amazing thing ever and something I seem to want all the time and don't know how to make. I have been trying to talk my brother into coming over to make me eggrolls. He is either really busy or has since begun to ignore my texts! :) I will keep working on him though.
Please continue to keep my dear friend in your prayers, as her, her baby, and her family is always on my heart.

Back from trip!

Our visit to Orlando was fantastic. I had a few pregnancy issues while there. First off, in the airplane as soon as we touched down in Orlando after an overnight flight, I dashed to the plane's bathroom and motion/hungry/pregnancy/thirsty? sickness set in. As soon as I was finished puking, my nose started to bleed! Helloooooooooo ORLANDOOOO!!!

So anyway, then we got to our resort and instead of taking naps, decided to venture out in the blazing sun and play 18 hole Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf! Although I had four holes in one, Dave still beat me! The rest of the week continued with Walt Disney World, one day at each park. We then spent an entire day at Clearwater Beach and went on a dolphin touring boat which was amazing! Then we drove to Cape Canaveral Florida and spent the day at Kennedy Space Center. Our final day we spent at Downtown Disney. We ate lunch at the T-Rex restaurant (similar to Rainforest Cafe). Prior to eating though, I drank my entire glass of iced tea. Having nothing else in my stomach and already an hour over my hunger point, this did not last long! Back to the bathroom and super sick again! Once I sat down though and my food came (lasagna and bread) I was able to not only eat, but polish off the entire meal! This, I must say, is extremely impressive for my small and repulsive appetite! I think, ladies and gentemen, that I may just be getting my appetite back!

When we got home I stepped on the scale to see if the number would please my ever  concerned doc! I believe he will be happy the next time he sees me, as that week alone I gained two pounds! And THAT is on top of ALL THAT WALKING!!!

Tomorrow morning is the ultra sound. This will be daddy Dave's first Beaner debut. We are very excited. And yes, I will, in fact, assuming I figure out how.... post the ultrasound picture for all my inquiring Beaner fans (yes, all, seven of you?!)

This week's posts will be brief, as Friday is my final day of school for my Bachelor's Degree! August grad!! YAY!

Short blurb

Super duper tired. Went to submarine picnic this morning. Trying to stay awake, not sure why. Have class right now but too distracted, as we are packing and getting ready for our trip. Sleeping on an airplane is not my best night's rest. Yuck! Back hurts. Not sure why I'm posting today with nothing to say, I guess I wanted to let you know I'm attempting to continue to post :)

Beaner is moving more every day. I think he has perfected the sommersault!

Ugh

Ugh is the best word to describe how I feel right now.  I spent the morning watching TV. Then, I cleaned the bathroom and organized my bedroom. Then, I went to the store and bought snacks for our trip. Now I am once again hungry and thirsty, my back is sore from store and cleaning, and I have no motivation to do anything else, yet, feel too lazy to do nothing. Therefore, I've considered writing one more blog before our trip as doing something. I had the worst nightmare ever the other night. It was so terrible I don't think you want to know, but it was about someone breaking in to kill Beaner while still in my belly. Not fun. Yesterday after the dream, Beaner didn't move barely at all. It freaked me out. But this morning he's been kicking like crazy and continuing to do so! In fact, I'm so surprised by his movement that I want to type faster to get this over with so I can just sit here and feel her move! (Like how I transitioned with him and her? :) )
Tonight we hail the new captain of the boat. This means we welcome him to the crew and go to dinner at his house. I'm kind of looking forward to this. This new captain has done a lot for Dave and I to help us out with baby and my back and I am very thankful for him.
Some people have assumed which sex of baby I want. I actually haven't told anyone if I have a preference. Nor do I intend to now. But what I will say is that not even Dave knows if I have a preference or not. And people cannot tell me that I cannot say "a  healthy one" because YES I CAN. and YES I WILL. And, especially, with my history, I am entirely in the right to be able to say that. In fact, anyone is really. But if I must, I will give one cliche, I want a cute baby. :)
I better end this now so I can go start my "online diet journal" which is mandatory homework assigned to me by my doctor! YAY.... (sacrasm drips...) It's a pain in the butt enough finding things I will eat, let alone having to log in every day to record it all! Oh well, it's all for the Bean!

Doctor Appointment

Yesterday I saw my doctor. My blood pressure was low, lower than last time. According to my doctor, I have not gained weight in six weeks. I think that's inaccurate, because I have weighed myself same time once a week at home and I have gained a few pounds. I have to see a dietician now and figure out a new eating plan, plus I'm now required to count all of my calories because my doctor is very concerned I am not getting enough. Oh, the good part, we heard Beaner's heartbeat and it was a healthy 156 beats per minute. He was kicking the whole time during listening, so we could 'hear' the kicks too, and actually see them. Doctor seemed surprised at how active the Bean was being. :)
Our trip is fine to go on, he didn't seem very concerned about any of our upcoming adventures. He said to take it easy on the rollercoasters and jerky rides and upside down rides, but otherwise use my judgment.
Yesterday was an amazing festivity of food stuffing. I really tried so after the appointment we ate at the hospital cafeteria. I had mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, a baked chicken leg (GROSS!) cottage cheese (GROSS) lemon cake (GROSS) milk and cranberry juice. This is like, amazing for me. Then, for dinner, it gets even more amazing because I ate the most repulsive piece of fried chicken breast ever! Dave laughed at me the whole time because he said I looked in pain as I was eating it. I hate chicken. But I'm trying, so Beaner, you better be happy! :) The only protein foods that do not gross me out are South Beach Diet protein bars. I think I am going to have to stock up because if I have to eat chicken again... well, I just hope I can find an alternative.
Other than chicken, things are going well. Beaner kicks a lot now. Even though he can't see anything, I think he's excited for his first trip to Disney World. :)

Fast food frenzy

I love you too Alex! And yes, mom, I will ask lots of questions!

This morning I woke up and drove straight to McDonalds. Yes, the place I hate, the place I dread, the place my in-laws think is the greatest thing ever, the place I cannot even stand to think about or else I will feel sick. However, I give them props for three things: 1. Orange Hi-C. There is no limit to how much I can drink! 2. smoothies, although, I have not been able to try them yet because everytime I go there for a smoothie their machine is broken, and 3. sausage burritos. For someone who really doesn't like any 'real' food, eggs and sausage and cheese really sound terrible. But, for some reason, I not only tolerate them but at times crave them. So this morning I bought four, thinking I could eat them throughout the day eventually. After church today, we went to Arby's and got junior roast beefs. Another completely nasty not on the list food. However, in the five seconds I saw Arby's and decided I could tolerate it, Dave spun in there so fast, there was no going back! So I ate it in the car on the way home before I changed my mind. This is all in an attempt to gain weight and eat protein and fat. This whole drinking 2 plus quarts of water a day is starting to get to me. I spend more time in the bathroom than anywhere else throughout the day! It's bad enough to have constant pressure on your bladder from baby, but then having a bladder always full! UGH!
I am very worn out and it is only 6:30PM and I have not done much except go to church, eat, and watch movies today. I have yet to pack for our trip and I still have a few chapters to read before I take off, but reading and packing both seem like too much work. I would like to get some fresh air and loosen up my back and go on a walk but I fear having to pee the minute I step out the door. Wow, I'm going to be great fun to my husband in Orlando! :)
My nephew took off for marine basic training today. He plans to visit in November after he graduates, at which time I will be very much bigger. I'm excited for him and to see him after his butt kicking.
As much as I wish Dave would read more baby books (aka pamper pregnant mom books) he does a pretty decent job when he wants too. Today he cleaned the kitchen and living room practically by himself, as I puttered around. I'm happy I have him! Tomorrow is the doctor's appointment! I'm thinking of chugging a gallon of water so we don't have to talk about my inability to gain weight! Oh well, we'll see. If only they made a tasteless pill for that!

Kicking Bean

Beaner moves around, quite a bit actually. Most of the movements I can only feel with my fingertips, but lately, I can feel kicking or movement just from within! My husband is too impatient to hold his hand there long enough to feel, but soon enough and he won't have to wait too long!
Today was a good day. I got a lot of reading and notetaking done, cleaned house a bit, and scored some free concert tickets for a concert I'm not sure I'll even go too. (Toby Keith and Trace Atkins). There is a tiny chance that we might have family visit this week, assuming they can come see the submarine. But with such a last minute notice this might not all come together. We are busily getting our house in order and working on the very beginnings of packing, as in, we are thinking about it! We pull out of Washington in January and I obviously won't be of much use to pack beginning in November and especially December, so we are trying to get everything ready to go before I become too 'incapable'. :)
Doctor appointment is on Monday. Still attempting to regain my appetite!
And, now, for all this demand to post a blog everyday, how come I no longer receive comments?? Readers! Start typing back :)

Back to class now. Had a great day!

Celebrating with a Coke

Very seldom do I drink caffeine. As in, maybe seven caffeinated beverages in the last 18 weeks. But today called for a Coca Cola. So, I called the doctor today. My lab results are in for the quad screen. The result: NEGATIVE. Which, is positive! Confused? Basically the screen tested for downs, trisnomy two types, and something called afp, (I think). Well, the result is that based on this test, Beaner does not have any of it, so he/she is healthy as far as we know.
Once again, celebrating is worthwhile yes, but still difficult to fully enjoy with my friend knowing her baby is not so fortunate. That is still rough and maybe why I haven't written as much. However, she has told me time and again to continue to share my news and be joyful about it and let her know what is going on.
So here's some new news. We are officially moving from Washington. We have no idea to where yet, as nothing is finalized, but we will be moving the first of February, just one short month after Beaner's debut into the world. This will be quite interesting!!! There will be A LOT to do!
If you didn't know, we also go to Disney World soon. Which means, I better start catching up on my reading for class so I do not slack too much! I still have half of a class to finish in order to graduate and don't want to get behind! Starting at the end of August I should be able to focus more on preparing the house for the move and the baby.
More to come, but I just wanted to give a quick update for my small handful of readers! Oh, and, if you want to share this blog with anyone, I am open and up for that at this point. (Yes mom, you can officially spill the Beaner to the world!)

Tests

In a way, it almost feels wrong to continue writing about my journey and joys of this pregnancy when I know my friend is going through so much. However, after finally being able to speak to her on the phone, she has assured me that she wants to hear about me, is happy for me, etc. etc. etc. I know this very position because last year after I lost my baby, everyone and their dog got pregnant. She is positive and handling things very well. By the way, she is pregnant with a little girl. Other details than that I still don't feel are mine to tell at this time.

Today is kind of gloomy, both literal and figuratively. I went to the hospital today to get my quad screen run. For those of you who do not know, this is the test where they find out if the baby has any chromosomal abnormalities, such as downs syndrome, AFP is measured, and a few other things. I have been putting this test off because I never wanted to have it done in the first place. Yet, my doctor and husband talked me into it because they say if something is wrong, then during labor they can have the appropriate staff available to immediately care for the baby. With all of my research and experience on this, usually if you are under 35, healthy, no family history of such abnormalities...then the tests are generally negative. I suppose I'm not in high spirits because my best friend fits this category and yet, on the rare occurance things happen, she did not get a clear quad screen, which led to her high risk ultra sound, which led to the knowledge that her baby 99% will not survive, if baby even makes it to birth. I know that everyone tells me things will go fine, but that's what I said to my friend. And now I feel really bad for being so optimistic. But some things are completely out of our control, and in fact, what happened to her is something that happens literally at the time of conception and so nothing could have ever been done to prevent it in the first place.

So here I am, finally getting the screening done. It takes a week to get results. I know my chances are very low to have anything wrong, but having experienced the worst of things in my pregnancy last year, it only makes me wonder if my 'bad things happening to me streak' is over. Then again, they also say that most women who experience a miscarriage go on to have a healthy normal baby. So maybe by experiencing this loss already, my slate is clean and ready for something good. But still, it makes me wonder.

Weight gain.... here's an issue that my doctor continually taps on me for. I looked up the average weight gain at 17 weeks, and it said between five and ten pounds. Then, I did a pregnancy weight gain calculator which determined pre pregnancy I was underweight, and currently I am like, 1.6 pounds off on the low end. In other words, the 'calculator' found on thebabycenter.com has determined that I will have to gain 2 pounds a week the rest of pregnancy to weight the proper amount. If you don't know what that means, it means that every other pregnant woman out there has only been told to gain one pound a week from here on out. Now, let me be perfectly clear for my critics out there. I am not afraid to gain weight, it does not bother me to gain weight. It is simply that I either am not eating enough or cannot eat enough to make this happen. I have tried but I guess I have to try harder. I have not gained a pound for the last three weeks when I should have been, but I have lost a pound. This scares me, as I am actually trying. I think just in the last couple of days I may be getting my appetite back. Most foods not only smell bad or sound bad, but they absolutely repulse me. However, as I said, I think this is getting better, as for the last two days I have had a steak and cheese subway sandwich for lunch. This is my effort to get protein, wheat and carbs, and tons of veggies. For the past well, entire pregnancy, chicken was completely out of the question, salad was a no go, hamburgers, french fries or anything greasy I wouldn't even look at, and most meats had to be seriously considered before gagging down. Last night we had spaghetti and it was very good. Tonight I am making tacos. I switched my milk products and am really trying to gain weight. If I could eat tuna everyday I would, except leave it to me to find something I want to eat and cannot eat in such quantities ( mercury in tuna, limited to pregnant women).

In my last several posts I have quit bothering to spell check. So I'm sorry if that bothers you. :) It is time to go make lunch and study for the first test of my last class ever!

Rollercoaster of Emotions

Before I begin what I really want to say, let me tell you how my weekend went. Dave and I went to my brother's house across the water. We stayed up late grocery shopping and talking. (Okay brother, yes, 10 is late for me!) Saturday morning we headed to Pacific Raceways, where the NHRA race car association? had top fuel, funny car, and alcohol car drag races. If you're like me, you probably have no idea what that all means. Basically, top fuel and funny car race the loudest things on the planet! I think Dave said they run 7,000 horsepower. When you are in the stands and pregnant, this is an interesting experience! My seat was rattling and I'm sure Beaner thought we were launching to outer space with all the crazy noises and vibrations. I had ear plugs in and still have to cover my ears tightly! My whole body shook as the cars whizzed by. I think the best comparison would be to stand in front of a 747 jet engine prior to take off. Even that, I'm not sure, would compare! I was scared I was hurting Beaner, but the doctor said it would be safe and okay. Although race cars are not my thing, it was definitely an experience! Aside it being hot and me being thirsty all day and having to pee every ten minutes, it was a good weekend!

Today I got the worst news ever. And since it is not my news to tell, I will do my best to guard the privacy of the situation. But I cannot help but write about it because it is so near and dear to my heart. My miscarriage last year was probably the hardest thing I have ever been through. But, the sadness I am feeling now for a loved one is even heavier than my own loss. For those concerned, my Beaner is healthy as far as I know and things are going well. However, another little Beaner out there will not be so fortunate. My heart breaks for my dear loved one and there is nothing any of us can do to prevent this upcoming loss. The purpose of sadness like this does not make sense and I don't think it ever will. However, I do know with faith and certainty, through experience, that even when the darkness rises and hope seems lost, the sun always seems to make its way back out again, and hope rides its radiant beams in the midst of the storm, to clear up the rain. It took nearly one year after my loss for the rain to clear and the sun to start beaming again, but the sun did come out. Even the most hopeless situation can turn itself around through time, faith, and hope.

I will leave that as it is for now. But your thoughts and prayers for my friend are all much appreciated. I'm not sure when I will write again, as it is hard to be joyful in your own situation when someone so loved suffers so much.

Catch-Up

Okay okay, I'm slacking on the writing! I'll try to do better! Really!
So Fourth of July was a truly great day. We went to a parade, the same one we went to last year. In fact, last year at this same parade, it was shortly after my miscarriage. A little girl stood next to us the whole time, she must have been about four. I caught a frisbee that just happened to be flying toward me, and the little girl went to her daddy and cried that she did not get one. I immediately crouched to her level and handed her the frisbee. She was so excited she came up to me and wrapped her little arms around my knees, with her little tears, and told me thank you. It was that moment that made me keep fighting on my desire to have children. And so, this year going to the parade, it was really a happy time because this time around, I am pregnant!

After the parade, we went to Central Market. For those who do not know, this is a large grocery store that carries specialty items. We picked a lot of different things out, including maple syrup, figs, prunes, dried cherries, habernero almonds, and honey sticks. Then we ate outside where they were serving bbq pork sandwiches. After this, we headed toward an RV dealership and looked around on the lot in our hopes of future purchases.

The evening of the fourth I spent napping and watching movies with Dave. Then, at 10 PM we went to the top of a very tall parking garage to watch the fireworks over the bay. After half an hour of waiting, we were tired and decided to walk back home. As we neared our house, the fireworks began. We quickly went down the street, and, peering through a hole in the trees, we found the most perfect view of the fireworks going off over the ships. Apparently they started so late because it was downpouring around the area they were going to light from.

Now, up to date. Yesterday Dave had his change of command ceremony on the sub base. The old captain was out and the new captain came in. The ceremony was nice but the sun was blazing! It was a hot day! Yesterday evening we walked down to Sam Adams, where my fellow coworkers met us for a good bye party for me from work. I was so thrilled to see that actually, every single coworker but one showed up! It really made me feel great! They gave me a baby gift card and we all had food and drinks. It was a good night, good week, good times.

As I am sitting here supposedly paying attention to my class which is currently going on, I am also thinking about how wonderful it is that my house is mostly clean! We spent hours today getting things nice around here. Tonight we take off for my brothers house across the water, for the weekend. Tomorrow we go to something I am dreading and Dave is thrilled about.... NHRA drag racing. Ugh! It is going to be hot, loud, and stinky. I hope Beaner packed his ear plugs. :)

Worn Out!

I have officially quit my job. However, I am still in the last week of the two week notice. Every day at work gets longer and harder. My back is not enjoying anything lately. I think my spine is moving away from my bar. Ligaments loosen and hormones rage during pregnancy...not helping. Then again, I knew what I was in for and so it's not necessarily complaining, I just need a place to vent the inevitable.
So for those who are curious, we will not be finding out the sex of the baby. We want to be surprised (and torture you all in the process!). I'm not sure if I have mentioned this, but a week or two ago I received three large boxes full of baby goodies! So EXCITING! My sister in law went to rummage sales with my niece and they spoiled me with little boy and little girl clothes, a bath, and other goodies.
Nearly 15 weeks (Sunday) and still sick! Still cannot stand the thought of eating most foods. I think it might be time to buy carnation, ensure, and supplements! Cuz this baby is not getting its protein! Chicken is out of the question, and all other meat is pretty much disgusting. Working on it though! Yogurt, milk, fruit-no problem :)
I'm tired. I'm sick. I hurt. But here I am writing, because I know you want to know! More to come later.
OH WAIT! Dave got to hear heart beat for the first time on Monday! Maybe I already said that? Well, he was excited and it was cool to have him be there with me.

Milestone

June 26th I woke up, looked in the mirror, and officially have the baby bump! Dave noticed first actually, which makes it even more real to me, knowing someone else can see it. I can definitely feel the baby inside of me when I place my hand on my abdomen. Today we go see the doctor. Everything is going really well. Nausea has still been very much a part of things. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Mornings suck because I wake up starving, thirsty, and sick. I think the worst thing lately has been my back, as expected. For those who know what I'm talking about, my 'bump' in my back is the area that gives me the worst time. I have a lot of trouble bending down, picking things off the ground, etc. Sometimes even the smallest amount of weight to carry gives me a hard time. I have decided carrying baby in a front chest carrier is the way for me to go!
Last night we cooked ribs on our charcoal grill for the first time. I actually felt like eating them too, which made it all the more enjoyable! Dave laughs at me because I told him I have a big appetite but then he came home to me right after my hospital visit, so I definitely took a while to get my appetite back. This morning we made blueberry pancakes. :) I will update again after the doctor! Oh, and Happy Anniversary my dear pregnant friend!

Oranges

Oranges are the best thing. Unfortunately, orange preparation can be the worst. So yesterday morning I decided to watch the world cup USA play. But of course, mornings are the hungry nauseus time, so food prep was hurried. In this case, I decided to slice an orange...with a saw like bread knife! Three quarters of the way through, the tip of my thumb also came three quarters of the way off! So I ran to my bedroom to throw real clothes on, (tough to do one handed!), ran upstairs to raid the neighbors of their car keys (yup, found them!), and drove myself to the ER for stitches. Where everybody knows my name :) Yes indeed.
So after two hours of sitting in the ER, I was able to walk away with skin glue and bandages, no stitches. Then, to be on the safe side, I also got a tetanus shot. Which, KILLED MY ARM! So yay me. One thing right after another. Then, I went home, finished the soccer game where the USA FINALLY scored at the very final moments of the game, and then, I had to go to work :(  The first five hours of work was terrible, I couldn't move my left arm at all. The last two hours after I came home for dinner, well, they went better. Faster anyway. I came home for dinner and my wonderful husband made me peanut butter toast, cut a peach for me (wouldn't let me touch the knife!) and made me some tea. It's really nice to haev him back and not be going through this alone anymore!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name....

Some places it is not a good thing that people recognize you. Church, yes. The bar, for some people. Your neighborhood, okay. But the EMERGENCY ROOM!?!? . . .  Only me.

So yes, last night was spent in the emergency room. No, last evening, I didn't actually spend the whole night. Nearly five hours though. I decided this time, with Beaner in tow, I was NOT taking chances. So here's the story...

At 3:45AM on Wednesday morning I woke up with a bloody nose. I showed up to work at 4:30 AM. I suffered through the morning with nausea and morning sickness. It never got better. By 10 AM I took a break and went home and made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then, I went back to work. By noon, my coworker (after trying to get me to go home all morning) told me to go take another break and lay down for a  while. He said I looked terrible. No, horrible. He said, "No offense, but you look really horrible." So I went and laid down. Then, at 12:30 I came back to cash out of my drawer. By 12:55 I had had enough and took off for home. By two PM the nausea was intense and I began throwing up. Too much detail but that wasn't the only place I was losing fluids from. The cable guy came around 4:30 and took one look at me and asked if I was okay. I told him I'm working on it, trying to decide if I should go in. He worked on my cable and I spent the majority of the time throwing up in the back. My neighbor Alissa gave me a phone line Dr. number to call. I called. By 5:30 I still did not get a call back, which, I thought the point was to hear back quickly. I got sick of throwing up, sick of waiting, and by now, truly concerned I was hurting Beaner. So, Alissa drove me to the ER. I visited the restroom in the ER twice before I even made it into my own room.

A nurse came in to do the Doppler to hear a heartbeat. Before I started, I told him the last time a Dr. did a doppler on me, there was no heartbeat and a few days later I had a miscarriage. He said, "Don't worry, I'm a nurse not a doctor!" So he went ahead and began searching, but found nothing. So now of course, I'm freaking out. The doctor walks in then and tells th nurse to ge the ultrasound machine. The doctor does the ultrasound and we immediately saw a jumping bean! Literally, it almost looked like Beaner did a flip! He was VERY active. We saw the heart beating and so, RELIEF hit.

The rest of the evening was spent getting liquid zofran, pecid, and IV fluids pumped into me...inbetween my bathroom trips. The doctor came in and told me I either had food poisoning or stomach flu (same as six weeks ago!) Plus, a UTI, dehydration, and blood in my urine. Yay me, but I was discharged on medications, fluids,and rest. Last night, I slept in my own bed and got a pretty good night's sleep. The crud has not left yet but I have not thrown up today so far. I think rest and fluids will get me well today.

The homework is not done and the house is a mess! The hubby is in soon. BUT.... Beaner is safe and I'm getting better and that's all that matters.

Aversions

Most food lately seems to absolutely repulse me. Especially chicken. And seafood. And vegetables. And salad. So tonight, I went to a Japanese Steakhouse with my navy wife group for our "final fling" prior to the guys' return, and had to sit in front of the food preparation right at our table. Given the time frame and circumstance, I think it was the worst dinner ever! My company was great, but the environment and the actual food, although usually great, was pretty terrible tonight. I ate a third of my white rice, about four bites of vegetables and three tiny bites of steak. The best thing there was the sprite :) So, I boxed it all up to go and brought it to my neighbor :)

I worked today. Only four hours but  I was TOTALLY worn out! I have to work eight hours tomorrow!! I'm not sure how I'm going to make it through. Maybe I'll get to go home in the middle of the day and take a nap! I took a nap today after I got off work and did not want to get out of bed when the alarm clock went off, but I had to take an exam! So, it has been a busy day. The exam went well, especially considering my lack of actual studying lately. I got an A :)

Bed time, and well past!

The Working Life

To quit or not to quit, that is the question. I worked my first full day since being back, yesterday. It was hard! I was very worn out but made it through. Come July, there are so many things Dave wants to do with me that I don't want a work schedule to be in the way. What I don't think Dave realizes is that  I am already three months pregnant :) Which means I could only work another three months anyway, based on the two different reasoned possibilities for a later bed rest. So, next week  plan on discussing with my boss my pregnancy and probable resignation. My manager knows of my pregnancy and is really happy for me. He said there is a posssbility of short term as needed. I will be discussing with my boss if I can work through September as a fill in for others, instead of working several times a week. And that is all the time I have for today, as I once again, have to go back to work!

12 week ULTRASOUND!!!

Today is my anniversary. Today is also when I got the best present ever! Beaner is alive and thriving! (Okay okay, alive might be a bit much, but I did have to prepare myself to see a black hole! So when I saw a wiggly bean, alive is the proper word!)
Beaner is a wiggly, moving, kicking, wailing of arms bundle of joy! I watched the monitor quietly, with tears streaming down my face. I was able to hear the heartbeat, 176 beats per minute, and watch little Beaner move move move! He was VERY active! I think it was the best thing I have ever seen! Becca, my neighbor and friend, (I believe I might start actually using names in my posts now!) she recorded for me so I can show Dave when he returns. I am so happy, I cannot explain how happy I am. I am also very excited and my worry has dropped significantly. My lmp due date is only off by three days, as today according to that, I am 12 weeks and one day, but according to the ultra sound, I am 11 weeks and 5 days, so that is very good!
I cannot stop staring at my photos and viewing the video. I know I know, I need to post a picture here! Maybe I will!
The rain may be pouring, the husband is gone, I'm tired and sick but, this is at the top of the list for the best day ever! Here came love, here came marriage, here comes the baby in the baby carriage! How can today not be great?!? :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Flying Home!

Go free wifi in the Rapid City, SD airport! By the way, for the uneducated, wifi stands for wireless fidelity, meaning clear signal available. :) Yes, pregnant by day, sleeping by night, and attempting to finish the second to last class of my bachelor's degree in communication! This poor blog has been neglected!
Anyway, so I just got through security and of course, I set the metal detector off! Oh no, it's not because I have two bars and like 20 some screws in my back, it's actually because my baby is going to be the next ironman! You just wait and see, I'm bakin one tough cookie :)
So the last few days have been spent seeing the family for the last time, and a lot of 'wishing, hoping and wanting to go home!' I am closer, as I am already in the airport! I cannot wait! My neighbor and friend will be getting me and I cannot wait to see her! Plus, tomorrow is Beaner's big debut! We get to see his cute little face for the first time via 12 week ultrasound. so of course I'm tired of being on vacation and ready go home! Beaner is probably jumping around waiting to smile for mom.
Although I have definitely changed shape, it's not the cute pregnant belly shape! It is the added padding and extra cushioning necessary for the end in mind! Because of this, I have had to buy new tops and make do with bottoms other than my favorite jeans, all of which do not fit! My friend is buying me a belly band today before she comes and picks me up! I also have to work tomorrow and I doubt I can hide my news for much longer, as I know my small work shirts will be tight! I've had a few headaches lately and less sickness, but the tiredness seems here to stay! I'm good during the day...as long as I sleep at least ten hours a night! :)
Well, we are close to bording so I need to visit the bathroom again, for the third time!
The next post will be from home :)

Family Reunion Weekend

The week went well. I spent time with my niece and nephew, and all of my nephew's friends. This weekend I am in Nebraska attending a family reunionn for my Grandma's 'side' so to speak. Today my mom and niece went to the zoo. I felt like a little kid because my mom bought my ticket and bought me a snow cone. :) Beaner likes anything slushie like, so it was a good day. My skin however, did not have a good day as sun has conquered once again to turn me red, dry, and a tad bit blistery!
I have been less and less sick. Last night my back hurt a lot so I took my first vicoden in weeks. My doctor claims it to be safe, but I know if I take too many my baby can become a vicoden addicted baby. So, I limit myself as much as possible!
I feel pretty good about my pregnancy so far. Although I miss my bed, my home, my own place--traveling has been okay and I've taken care of myself pretty well, all things considered. I lack the proper amount of vegetables, but some things are not as important as others :)
I am sitting in the pool area at the family reunion typing this, and wishing greatly that I can get into the hot tub! I had prime rib tonight which was pretty good. We watched a slide show of a bunch of people I don't know and a bunch I do! My Uncles took a picture with me and said it is so I will see where my babies get their looks from! Yeah... umm....right.... :)
My good friend, who is a month from giving birth, gave me two wonderful books. One is about a bunny that I will read to my baby someday and the other is a really neat book about birth through the first five years of my child's life in which I can record all the mile stones, including pictures and even a place for a lock of hair!
I am excited to be pregnant and to know that time is going by, so my safety zone is feeling better and better.
Beaner is growing daily and depending on who you listen too, Beaner is between the size of a lime and a peach at this point. I'm really excited for my ultrasound in five days!! To be continued!