A Scare

It's been a while.  School started about a month ago and with it went all my free time.  No seriously, ALL my free time.  So anyway, I am 27 weeks and feeling great.  He was kicking like crazy, no swelling, no heartburn, everything was good.   A couple days ago his movement slowed way down, but that had happened before and within a day he was back to his normal self - so I forced myself to continue on with life and not worry about it.  However, the lack of movement continued yesterday and still today.  To further my worry I started having what I think were braxton hicks contractions and all the movements I did feel were lower than they had ever been.  Finally, we get to today and he would not move at all.  I ate and laid on my left side to see if that would get something out of him, but no.  I pushed and prodded and poked - nothing.  Finally we had to leave for the beach for a young men/young women beach trip and I told myself to just go and eventually he would move - wrong again.  I drank coke (and I hate coke) and laid down on a blanket - still nothing.  I ate more - again nothing.  So it had been three days of decreased movement and about half a day with none.  I was really starting to get worried.  I finally gave in and called Kaiser to see what I should do.  The labor and delivery nurse told me to go to the nearest Kaiser and get monitored which of course scared me even more.  I thought she might tell me to go eat or drink juice and lay down or something.  So I pretty much broke down right there on the beach and bawled like a baby while Mark and other wonderful friends got a GPS, some food, and a car for us.  I was also fortunate enough to be surrounded by men who could give me a blessing.  The nearest Kaiser happened to be the Bellflower medical center - a rather ghetto looking hospital.  It was about 30 minutes away and the whole ride over still no movement.  Anyway, ghetto or not, the labor and delivery people were great.  They got me right in, put on a fetal monitor and wouldn't you know it the kid starts moving like CRAZY!!  I felt like an idiot.  They kept saying things like, "Well, he's sure active now."  I promise this is the first time I've felt him all day!  I swear!  They did reassure me that I had done the right thing by coming in, but I still felt a bit embarrassed.  Anyway, embarrassed or not, I am glad I went in because it reassured me of many things - the baby was alive and moving, I had plenty of amniotic fluid, I was not having contractions, and I was not dilating (even though the doctor thought I might be because he was sitting extremely low - so I was right about that).  I think the blessing definitely helped.  I may never know to what extent, but I am sure it did.  So, the scare was averted and all is well.  The doctor said I have a very healthy pregnancy and all is as good as it possibly could be!  I am so grateful!  

So when I got home I googled the hospital trying to find pictures that would show its true ghettoness and lo and behold I find that Octomom had her babies there!  So ghetto or not - that hospital has quite the history!    

Half way!

I am officially past the halfway mark!!  I hit 20 weeks last Friday YAY!!  I am totally over feeling sick and even most food aversions - FINALLY.  I think I am finally starting to eat like a pregnant woman.  I have gained 10 lbs in the last 3 weeks - my doctor would be proud - and I don't seem to be slowing down any.  I also think I have finally joined the obviously pregnant club.  In the past couple days I have popped out a bit more than even my most recent belly bump shots.  Yes, ok, so I am still small comparatively, but for me it's big.  I have even had my fair share of unwelcome belly rubs.  I don't know - I never felt the need to touch another's belly, but to each their own I guess.  I have also started have back pain - not fun.  My new favorite pregnancy symptom is acid reflux - YUCK!!  If I lay down even 2 hours after I eat ANYTHING its up in my throat again within minutes and if I burp its one of those way way nasty throw up burps and sometimes I really think I just will puke.  Gross huh?  At least I don't have heartburn - I hear that hurts.  Baby movements come and go based on his position, I'm assuming.  Sometimes it feels like he is "hu-pa-choo"-ing (my brother's word for karate moves when he was a wee tike) in my body.  Other times I hardly feel him at all and I start to do the crazy paranoid thing and worry.        

Recently, Mark and I went to Babys'R'us and Target to check out baby stuff.  We pushed strollers and carried carseats- well more like hit, flipped over, ran into things, yanked around and threw strollers and carseats- to make sure they were sturdy.  I'm sure the employees of both Babys'R'us and Target loved us.  But hey I want to know that no matter what I put that stroller and carseat through - my baby will be safe and comfortable.  We also looked at play yards and swings and if I could I would have placed 50 lb weights in both and knocked those around a bit too, but I had to be satisfied with yanking, pushing, pulling and putting as much weight in them as possible with my arms.  However, I can say that I feel good about our selections - for the time being at least.  I did find the best, most comfortable glider ever invented and well worth every penny of the $400 it costs.  I am going to give Mark a heart attack.  But I say, if I have to be in that sucker at 3 am I want to be comfortable - got that!  I am still up in the air about cribs and nursery furniture.  The ones I want are all out of stock - boo!  Plus, Mark just doesn't understand that they all have to match.  If it were up to him our crib would be oak, our dresser would be cherry, and the changer would be espresso or something.  How can I explain to a man that the wood has to match?  He almost died when he saw how much a bedding set cost - I mean we paid FAR less for ours and it is twice if not three times as much material.  Dang stores know parents are suckers.  If I were any more domestic I would just make the thing.   

As far as names go, I am pretty sure we have narrowed it down to Tyler, Aidan, or Mason.  And more specifically Tyler and Aidan.  Personally, I think it will end up being Tyler, or Ty.  Mark is really set on having a name that can be shortened into a nickname and Tyler is really the only name that does that out of the names we picked.  It means tile layer...woo that's exciting.  I know name meanings don't mean much but how anticlimatic to be like 13 and look up your name meaning and find out it means tile layer.  Lame.  Mason means brick layer - so that's really not any better and Aidan means little fire, a little bit better, but not much.  We'll just have to give him a middle name that means something AWESOME!  I was thinking Wyatt - it means little warrior.  Tyler Wyatt Andreasen...what do you think?  Mark's cousin named her little boy Wyatt and he is adorable!  We'll see.  Just watch - we'll have 10 different names picked out over the next 5 months and then the baby will be born and we will pick out a completely different name.  When I was looking at girl names, way back when, I found one that meant husband slayer....can you imagine???

Anyway, those are my updates for my 2o week mark.  This is starting to feel really real and close!  YAY!!          

Movement!

Mark felt the baby move today!!  It was so fun and exciting!!  I've been feeling it move for a few weeks now, but mark finally felt it!!  We were just sitting on the couch and it felt like I could feel the movements stronger than usual so I put my hand over it to see if I could feel it and I could so I grabbed Mark's hand real quick to see if he could too and he did!  It was so fun I almost cried and laughed at the same time!  To quote Mark, "Is he trying to kick out of there?" Haha!!  This is one of the best moments of my pregnancy so far!!  

Belly Bump

Finally, the belly bump pictures are here!  This is me at about 18 1/2 weeks.  Strange thing is...I swear I look bigger when I look in the mirror, even my mom said so.  I thought the camera was supposed to add 10 lbs not take it away.  Hmmm.  Anyway, yes I am still small and all, but pants are getting too snug now and its about time to break down and buy maternity clothes.  Luckily for me, I have a very talented mother who made me three maternity skirts while she was here and bought me some maternity tops for a birthday present!  I have decided I love maternity clothes and I may never go back.  Flowy, stretchy, light fabric - it's the best!  

Looking at the belly shot... so sweet.

There's a baby in there!  A baby boy to be exact!

My awesome new skirts made by my mommy!

It's A . . .

BOY!!!!

We didn't get an actual picture of the boy parts, though I swear she printed one off...eh well.  Less to embarrass him with when he gets older I guess.  It was so fun! (well aside from having to drink 32 oz of water and hold it for an hour).  Luckily they called me in right when my appointment was supposed to start, so I didn't have to wait any longer - YES!!  So I laid there while she took all the exam pictures for the doctor and then I finally got to go to the bathroom, but only for 20 seconds, and though I thought there was no possible way I could pee for longer than 2o seconds... I guess with 32 oz of water in your bladder you can pee for way longer.  So 20 seconds was really just a tip off the ice berg.  (I know, you're really glad you know that now) and I was able to go get Mark and my mom (who is here to visit).  Up to this point she hadn't showed me anything so I was really excited.  So we all came back to the exam room and there it was..the baby!!  As with all past appointments and doctors, the lady commented on this baby's activeness.  I should have known it was a boy - so active and all.  It was so fun to see him move and to actually see a real looking baby.  We saw his face, his profile, his legs, arms, feet, hands, spine, heart (and heard it) everything!  And then she asked us if we wanted to know the gender...OF COURSE!!  So she moved and said, "Do you see?" and my mom and I instantaneously said..."BOY!"  It was really obvious!  She even pointed out all the little boy parts (I won't bother naming those...I'm sure you can figure it out).  It was definitely not a stray finger looking mysteriously like a boy part...it WAS a boy part.  My little boy!  My son!  Our Son!  CRAZY WE HAVE A SON!!  So here are some picture for your enjoyment.         

Profile shots.  You can see his leg in the picture above and Mark says he's smiling - which I think is so cute for Mark to notice and to think something like that.  I think he is too.  In the picture below up by his nose you can see a white blob, that's his hand.

This is a picture of the face... it is a bit blurry and still a bit alien looking.  The face is on the left.  You can see the eye sockets, a little nose and a circular open mouth.  He even has his little hand up under his chin...if you can see that.

It was so fun and I am so happy and grateful that everything looked good, strong, and healthy.  I am also feeling a lot better and hungrier!  YAY!!  They measured me at 18 weeks 5 days which is actually two days further along than originally thought.  And my doctor thought I was small... that'll show her.  They didn't change my due date since it was really close, but still.  Speaking of my doctor, I changed to an actual OB.  I think I mentioned before that the doctor I had was a family doctor and a resident at that which did make me a bit nervous, I admit.  And after the ultrasound they had me go speak to a nurse about a second trimester screening, which I declined, but anyway she was quite surprised that I had a resident family practitioner and suggested I switch, so I did.  End of story.  All in all it was a great appointment.  Everything went so smoothly and wonderfully!  What a great day!!  Now about names . . . . 

Ugh!

Ok.... I want to know why my morning sickness decided to return!  For a couple weeks there I was feeling great!  I even gained 4 pounds!  My doctor would have been so proud.  But this past week I am feeling sick again every night and if I don't eat.  What is up with that?  So, it's not as bad as the first trimester, but still!  I want to be pigging out.  The food aversions are even kind of back.  My What To Expect While You're Expecting book says that I should be getting hungrier.... not less hungry.  However, I do have this weird thing that I can eat a lot of what I don't make.  Weird?  If I make dinner I can hardly force down a moderate sized helping, but if Mark makes it or someone else I'm all about it.  I really don't get it.  Eh well, at least it is better than the first trimester and maybe it will be short lived.  

In other news, a week from today we find out what we're having!!!!!  YAY!!!!!     

Update

I still haven't taken any new pictures.  I have tried to take a picture of myself in the mirror, but it really hasn't worked, so I'll have to get Mark to take one someday here pretty soon.  Anyway, I will give a little update:

I am 15 weeks 3 days.  Yay!  I hardly ever feel sick anymore which is nice and I have hardly any food aversions.  However, I don't necessarily ever really feel hungry.  I am still waiting for the massive appetite to kick in.  I had my first craving: Mongolian BBQ.  I wanted it so bad but unfortunately the closest restaurant to our house was in San Diego!  I was about ready to hop in the car and make the drive down.  Why did my first craving have to be something I couldn't have?  How ironic.  I am getting more round ligament pains or growing pains now.  Sometimes they really hurt!  People keep asking me if I have felt the baby move yet and in reply I say, "I don't think so."  I feel all sorts of gurgles, pops, rumbles, flutters, and stretches.  But I still think I'm too early on and the baby is too small.  Who knows, maybe one of these days I will realize that all along some of those feelings was actually the baby.  I look generally unpregnant, although I have been unable to button my pants for a few weeks now.  I even went and bought a B band, or belly band.  They're wonderful inventions - seriously!  Just a piece of stretchy material placed over the waistline of your unbuttoned, unzipped pants, but wonderful nonetheless.  Friends have commented on my little pooch, but unless I'm wearing a tight shirt you would never know...and even then a stranger would never pick me out of a crowd as a pregnant lady.  I think I am growing wider before I grow out.  My hips are already expanding and my waist is nonexistent - so there ya have it.  I'll let the picture I'll post soon do most the talking.  

Today I had my 16 week appointment, a bit early, but close enough.  This was the magic appointment where I would get to hear the heartbeat!  However, Saturday night found me with a sore throat and by last night I was near death.  Stupid cold/flu.  I always wonder...how does your body create so much mucus?  And what nasty cells make muscles cramp and ache??  I want to breathe again!  I spent most my time last night blowing my nose or writhing in pain.  This morning I tried to call and reschedule but they had nothing.  So with 3 hours of sleep under my belt I took the advice of my mom to start practicing being a mom and suck it up.  I drove the hour long trip down to my doctor.  Fortunately, a hot shower and getting off my rear end took away a lot of the aches and pains and just left me with a minor headache (probably from lack of sleep) and a ridiculously stuffed nose.  Once at the appointment, my baby continued to be an acrobat.  The doctor could only grab little faint heartbeats for split seconds before the little booger moved and we lost it.  All I can say is this baby better cooperate on June 22 when we go in to find the gender.  So far he/she has been quite the evader.  At first I just thought she couldn't find it and I started to freak out a bit.  Especially after she said, "Hmmm I might have to do an ultrasound again if I can't get anything."  Ultrasounds are great...but I wanted to hear the lub dub!  Finally after 5 minutes (ok it was probably only 1 minute) she finally got a nice strong heartbeat!  This time I did almost cry!  I can't believe that that is inside me - living and growing!  She measured me too and said I measured in the norm, but I kind of caught on that I was on the small end of norm.  She told me my measurements were "ok" and that I would probably be getting a new due date come the 22nd.  Great - add more time.  Just keep your fingers crossed, maybe the baby will go through a growth spurt between now and then.  She also got on me for not gaining any weight yet, but said as long as I start gaining more by 20 weeks I'm ok.  I really don't understand how I could have a pooch, plus lose my waist and still have gained nothing.  Eh well.  I guess my goal is to pig out.  Now if only my appetite would cooperate.    

All in all, I feel pretty good (minus this ridiculous cold I currently have) and I am getting more and more excited!  Almost at the half way mark!