**This story is very long and detailed (and might possibly be TMI), but I wrote it so that I can always remember the birth of my first baby!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The morning of Tuesday, October 19, 2010 started out a bit hectic for me. At some point in the night, my battery-operated alarm clock died. These sorts of things never seem to happen during the day! Tim woke me up at 7:00 a.m., which gave me 20 minutes to shower and get ready before needing to leave for work. I left for work with only part of my make-up on and my hair was still damp. Thankfully, I got to work right on time, but my students were already lined up at the door wondering if I’d gone to the hospital. The rest of the day flew by because I had so much teaching to do and I had to leave early for my 39 week OB appointment. At 2:15 I frantically tried to grab everything I needed for the evening (i.e., papers to grade, lessons to prepare for, grades to enter for progress reports) and I sent my students to the other teachers’ classrooms. I arrived at my Craig Ranch OBGYN right on time and they got me right in. My feet and legs were still extremely swollen and my blood pressure was high at 143/94. I told the nurse that I had been having a terrible headache off and on for 6 days and that over the weekend I had seen some tiny black spots in my vision. The nurse checked Jacob’s heartrate and he was doing great, as usual. When Dr. Robert came in, she examined me and determined that I was still only about 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. She told me that she was concerned about my symptoms of preeclampsyia and would like for me to go on to the hospital for some lab work and observation. If everything came back looking good, she wanted me to be on bed rest and if it didn’t look good, she suggested that we go ahead and induce. I was already scheduled to be induced on Monday, October 25 if Jacob didn’t arrive by then.
I was disappointed and a bit nervous that Dr. Shimer would be delivering him on that day. He’s an excellent doctor, but I definitely feel more comfortable with a female and especially with Dr. Robert. Dr. Robert told me that it was an option for me to decide to go ahead and induce that evening since I was already 39.5 weeks along and Jacob was measuring 40.5 weeks. She would be the one to deliver if he came between 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday and 8:00 a.m. on Thursday and if he came sooner, it would be Dr. Heather Sloan who I also really like. This was a lot to take in and I told her that I wanted to discuss my options with Tim. She completely agreed and told me to go on to the hospital and that Tim and I could let them know our decision once we arrived at the hospital. I knew that Jacob would be arriving soon, but the fact that we had a major decision to make and that I could potentially be having him that evening stunned me! As soon as I left the office, I immediately called Tim with the news. He said that he would wrap things up at work and would meet me at home so we could get everything packed, just in case we wouldn’t be coming home. I then called my mom to fill her in on what was about to happen. It was about 3:15 p.m. at this point and I was bummed that I was going to miss my 4:00 haircut appointment. When I mentioned this to my mom, she said she would go ahead and get the haircut since it wasn’t an emergency that I get to the hospital. The more I thought about it, the more I agreed with the idea! Tim was home shortly and as soon as we had everything packed, he drove me to get my haircut. A girl’s got to look good going into delivery! Laura, my stylist, loved that I came to my appointment on the way to the hospital. They couldn’t believe how calm I was, but I assured them that I was just in shock and denial! After I got my hair cut and styled, Tim and I discussed whether or not we should stop and get food on the way to the hospital. Since I was just going in for labs and observation, we decided that he could always run down the street and get us dinner, so we didn’t stop…bad decision! We arrived at Baylor Medical Center Frisco at around 5:15 and checked in at Labor and Delivery. A nurse escorted us to Labor and Delivery Room 3 and had me change into a hospital gown. She checked my vitals and also drew blood for lab work. Unfortunately, the hospital had not received any orders from my doctor’s office so they had to call to get further instructions. Without even waiting for the results of my lab work, Dr. Robert asked them to go ahead and admit me so they could get started with the induction. I’m not sure how this all happened, but I felt better knowing she would be my doctor. Of course, I kept asking if I was going to be able to get dinner…food is always a priority for me! The nurses said they didn’t think it would be a problem but that they would have to get back to me. Even though they had already drawn blood for lab work, they had to redraw blood and put in an IV lock. The nurses did a horrible job trying to locate my veins! No one has ever had trouble on me before, but they simply could not get the needle in. They kept saying that my veins were rolling or that they blew, which is possible since my blood pressure was so high, but eventually they had to call for the anesthesiologist to put in my IV lock because they had given up. They tried in 6 different places and several times in each of those places!! Thank goodness they were using Lidocaine so it wasn’t hurting me too much! Since the nurses were afraid that they would lose the line, they went ahead and started to give me fluids. I soon found out that I would not be getting any more food. I was going to be limited to ice chips and popsicles until baby Jacob was born (almost 41 hours after my peanut butter and jelly sandwich I’d eaten at school for lunch!)!
At 7:00 p.m., it was time to start the induction process. My nurse, Amanda, came in to start me on Cervidil. She had to place the Cervidil up next to my cervix and needless to say, it was an incredibly painful procedure. Once the Cervidil was in place, we had to wait 12 hours to see how my cervix would change. She checked on me throughout the evening and while visiting with her, we realized that we had a ton of friends in common! She and her husband went to Oklahoma Christian and graduated a year ahead of me so she knew a lot of people that I grew up with in OKC. What a small world! I felt like it was a God moment to put her there for me…just knowing our connection helped me relax a bit.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Before the shift change at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Amanda came in, removed the Cervidil, and checked my cervix. I was still dilated only 1cm, but had effaced quite significantly. Because the Cervidil had not helped me dilate, my doctor ordered for me to receive Cytotec, another “ripening agent.” Cytotec is a small pill that is placed next to the cervix and often, it can start contractions without even needing Pitocin. I must say, out of all the pain I felt through my entire labor and delivery process, the placement of this pill was by far the worst! Cervidil makes the cervix very sore and sensitive and the Cytotec has to be placed inside with very little gel. I was nearly screaming and was crying due to the pain I felt! I know Tim hated to watch me go through that. I told him that I just wanted to forget the whole induction and go home because I didn’t feel like I could go through with it after that. Luckily, the worst, as far as pain was concerned, was over! My nurse at this point was Jamie and she was awesome! I was so embarrassed and felt defeated, but she was very encouraging and helped me feel that what I was feeling and experiencing was very normal.
At noon, my doctor ordered for me to be put on Pitocin to get the contractions moving along. I definitely started feeling them more and more and was excited that things were getting going! Jamie came in shortly after starting the Pitocin to let me know that Dr. Robert would be coming within an hour or two to break my water. I asked her how painful that procedure was and she told me that to be truthful, it was one of the more painful procedures. I was really not looking forward to having another experience like I’d already had! Because Dr. Robert was extremely busy on this day, she did not make it within a few hours. In fact, it felt like I waited on her all day! Jamie checked with Dr. Robert to see if it was possible for me to receive my epidural before she came by to break my water and Dr. Robert agreed. Jamie had to check my cervix before the anesthesiologist could come and it was no longer painful since I had been making progress! When she checked it was around 5:00 p.m. and I was between 3 and 4cm dilated. The nurse anesthetist arrived and she was wonderful! She explained everything to me in great detail and I felt like that process was easy and painless. My biggest concern was that my epidural would wear off before time to push, but she explained that it wouldn’t because it was a drip through my IV. Within a few minutes, I was feeling great! I could still feel my legs and toes, but they were tingly and there was no pain. Everyone kept laughing because they were watching my monitor and telling me that I’d just had a huge contraction but I didn’t feel a thing!
I was very sad to see Jamie leave, especially after meeting my next nurse Jessica. She was terrible! She didn’t come in and introduce herself when she started her shift and after I finally met her, she would disappear for several hours even after telling me that she’d be right back with something. We were frustrated with her and also a bit frustrated that Dr. Robert still hadn’t arrived and it had been 7 hours! Shortly after 7:00 p.m., Dr. Robert arrived and came in to break my water. She told me that I was dilated to 7cm and almost to 8! She also discovered that there was meconium in the amniotic fluid. Dr. Robert had to leave again to go to another hospital, but was going to be back shortly. I’m sure Jessica checked my cervix several times before this, but I remember that around 10:00 p.m., I was almost to 10cm! She said that there was just a tiny bit of rim left to go. I slept a lot throughout the day due to some Flexeril I had been given for my headache and neck pain and this helped the time go by quicker. At some point in the evening, Jessica had me lying on my sides with one leg raised to get the epidural to spread evenly and also to make sure Jacob’s head was turned correctly. I woke up with significant pain in part of my back and was feeling contractions in that area, so the nurse anesthetist was called back in and she gave me a boost to help ensure the medicine was covering all areas. Unfortunately, that made me go completely numb from the waist down and I had no control over my legs! In fact, my leg kept sliding out of the raised part and my mom had to keep trying to lift the dead weight. Luckily, the complete numbness wore off before time to push so I could feel where the pressure was.
At 11:30 p.m., Jessica wanted me to do some pushing to see if that would help me get to a full 10cm. It didn’t seem to help. I had been hoping all along that Jacob would be born on 10-20-2010, but was starting to get discouraged that he wouldn’t make it in time and sure enough, he didn’t.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I continued to rest while my contractions got stronger and stronger. We started to think that he might be born in the 3:00 hour of the morning since both Tim and I were born at that time. Around 3:30 a.m. Jessica told me that it was time to start pushing. My mom, Tim and Val were all in the delivery room taking turns helping me with my legs. I never thought I would, but I decided to use the mirror and it was so cool watching him progress through the birth canal as I pushed my little heart out! I pushed for exactly one hour and on my last push, I almost pushed his head all the way out. Jessica had to put her hand on his head to keep him in place and she told me to hang on while she called for my doctor and the nursery staff to join us ASAP! My doctor had been in another room sleeping, so she had to put her contacts in and soon my room was filled with lots of hospital staff. I couldn’t believe that I just had to wait when I was feeling so much pressure and wanted to push! In the meantime, Dr. Robert talked to Tim and they both got ready for the grand finale. Finally, she had me push and once she got his head out, it was Tim’s turn to deliver the rest of him and cut the umbilical cord. He came out very calm and opened his eyes really big to check out the world! I was overcome with tears of joy! Jacob Ryan Kerby was born at 4:43 a.m. weighing 8lbs. 8.5oz. and was 21.75 in. long!
I had been told that he would be immediately put on my chest after delivery, but this wasn’t the case. As soon as his cord was cut, the nursery staff took him to get suctioned and checked out. I guess this was standard since the meconium was already in the fluid and they needed to get everything out so he didn’t get pneumonia. They were also a bit worried that he wasn’t crying, but his Apgar scores were good! While he was being attended to, Dr. Robert was working hard to help me deliver the placenta and this took a while. Finally, she had sown me up and was finished with me. Tim had been holding Jacob the whole time just like a proud Daddy would, but I was ready for my turn. I finally got to hold my baby at 5:15 a.m. and I thought (and still do!) that he was the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen, even with his major conehead! I had been asking when I could have food and a Dr. Pepper and she said as soon as she was finished with me. Val was standing ready with my Dr. Pepper and then she went on a food run to get me some biscuits from McDonald’s. Food had never tasted so good! My nurse Jessica had turned out to be a great help during the delivery process and she stayed with us past her shift to get us situated into our postpartum room (259) at around 7:30 a.m. The rest of our stay at the hospital was great. We had some excellent nurses, both for me and for Jacob!
Monday, November 01, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Just about 38 weeks...
The past few weeks have been extremely stressful and busy at work and I just keep thinking it could be any day now. While part of that sounds good, I am in no way prepared for someone else to take over my class! Last week I had my observation from my principal and it went really well, so I was glad to get that over and done with. In addition to my assessment, it was the end of the first six weeks grading period and I had a ton of grading to do, plus I got a new student last week! Just what I needed...another curveball (and another boy!). This week I've had Parent Teacher Conferences in the evening and on Monday, I just decided that I couldn't take another day of work since that's what I did ALL weekend!! Also, I found out Monday that the woman who was going to be my long-term sub could no longer do it! She's like the 6th or 7th person I've gone through! I will be attending 3 interviews this coming week with my principal to see if we can find someone to take over while I'm out. Because of the stress, I took Tuesday off to prep for conferences, run some errands, and go to my OB appointment. I felt so much better and only wished that I could have another day like that!
I forgot to mention that last week was my first appointment where my doctor checked my cervix. It was definitely uncomfortable, but not quite as bad as I expected. My doctor said that I was at either closed or just barely open. The swelling in my feet and legs are still a problem, but it looks like it is here to stay until Jacob arrives. My doctor said I probably have a good 10 pounds of water weight, which I'm hoping means I'll lose that part quickly :). At this week's appointment, not only was I still very swollen, but my blood pressure was 143/94! Not good! Since I'm not having any other symptoms (no protein in my urine, no blurred vision or headaches, etc.), they were not overly concerned. Plus, they thought it was probably high because of being nervous. Unfortunately, I've checked it every day since then and the diastolic number has not decreased. I'm sure my job has nothing to do with it :)!
My thoughts have been all over the place lately. For the most part, I cannot wait to be done with being pregnant and to have Jacob here in my arms. I can't wait to see what he looks like and to experience this new chapter. The other part of me is absolutely terrified! Yes, the delivery part is unknown and a bit scary, but the hardest part is that I just cannot grasp that within two weeks, this new life will be here and my world will be forever changed. I'm scared because I don't know how to be a mother and although I'm 31 (old to be a new mom), I still feel like a kid myself who is just trying to figure out life. I just want to be good at it and I'm scared that I won't make the right choices. It's not like other challenges I've had in life where I can tell myself, "Just stick it out for x amount of time...you can do it!" This is a forever thing! I know...I need to breathe and remind myself to take things one day at a time. Those of you who know me well know how hard that can be for me! Trust me, I really am SO excited and SO thankful for this blessing.
On a lighter note, Jacob's nursery is pretty much finished except for a few minor details. I just love it! My friend, Laura, did an incredible job painting a mural on the wall and everything just came together. I will get the pictures posted on here tonight. More to come...
I forgot to mention that last week was my first appointment where my doctor checked my cervix. It was definitely uncomfortable, but not quite as bad as I expected. My doctor said that I was at either closed or just barely open. The swelling in my feet and legs are still a problem, but it looks like it is here to stay until Jacob arrives. My doctor said I probably have a good 10 pounds of water weight, which I'm hoping means I'll lose that part quickly :). At this week's appointment, not only was I still very swollen, but my blood pressure was 143/94! Not good! Since I'm not having any other symptoms (no protein in my urine, no blurred vision or headaches, etc.), they were not overly concerned. Plus, they thought it was probably high because of being nervous. Unfortunately, I've checked it every day since then and the diastolic number has not decreased. I'm sure my job has nothing to do with it :)!
My thoughts have been all over the place lately. For the most part, I cannot wait to be done with being pregnant and to have Jacob here in my arms. I can't wait to see what he looks like and to experience this new chapter. The other part of me is absolutely terrified! Yes, the delivery part is unknown and a bit scary, but the hardest part is that I just cannot grasp that within two weeks, this new life will be here and my world will be forever changed. I'm scared because I don't know how to be a mother and although I'm 31 (old to be a new mom), I still feel like a kid myself who is just trying to figure out life. I just want to be good at it and I'm scared that I won't make the right choices. It's not like other challenges I've had in life where I can tell myself, "Just stick it out for x amount of time...you can do it!" This is a forever thing! I know...I need to breathe and remind myself to take things one day at a time. Those of you who know me well know how hard that can be for me! Trust me, I really am SO excited and SO thankful for this blessing.
On a lighter note, Jacob's nursery is pretty much finished except for a few minor details. I just love it! My friend, Laura, did an incredible job painting a mural on the wall and everything just came together. I will get the pictures posted on here tonight. More to come...
Friday, September 17, 2010
35 Weeks
Wow...I'm a bit frustrated that I haven't recorded my thoughts in the past 6 weeks, but then again that's what happens when school starts. It's like I'm two different people...there's "Summer Jill" and then there's "School Jill." Kind of like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde :). My life has beene extremely busy lately, but it has all been good!
On August 15, my dear friends at Greenville Oaks threw me an incredible shower for Jacob!! They thought of every detail, from having a boat out front saying "Sail-ebrate Jake" to vases filled with sand to go along with the beach theme of his bedroom. It was awesome! It was also great that Karin, Val, and Ian were able to come visit us that weekend. We had a great time! The shower was well attended and I felt so loved by my church home. The day couldn't have been more perfect. Hopefully, I will get pictures to post soon.
My dear friend, Kelli, also hosted a shower for me on August 28th. She really outdid herself!! She took on the shower by herself and you would have thought that someone catered it...she had excellent food and everything was just perfect! This shower was really special to me because a lot of close family friends were able to come down from Oklahoma to be there for me. It meant so much! My friend, Carrie, came down the day before the shower and stayed all weekend with us. We had such a good time together...shopping, talking, and just hanging out. She helped me go through all of my shower items and told me what I needed more of and what I had too much of. It was SO helpful! I wish we lived closer so we could do that more often, but it makes the times that we can be together special.
I officially reported back to work on August 16th and that evening Tim noticed that my ankles were "missing." They haven't returned since that day and now my feet are HUGE! I never knew swelling could hurt, but my skin feels so stretched and any pressure put on them hurts. I do my best to sit at work when I can, but that's not very easy to do when you teach elementary age students! Luckily, I do not have any other signs of preeclampsia (high blood pressure, protein in the urine, etc.), so my doctor is just keeping an eye on me. Since my last post, I have had my 32 week appointment and my 34 week appointment and have now gained around 28 pounds total. I was really hoping to stay under 30, but it looks like I'll gain closer to 35 when all is said and done. I think I'll blame some of it on all this swelling! They say I am right on track and he seems to still be head down, which is good news.
I always remember friends mentioning how uncomfortable they were at the end, but I don't remember anyone mentioning that it can be pretty painful (yes, I know more pain is coming)! Jacob is taking up so much space that I feel pressure all the way from my pelvic bone to the right side (and almost back) of my rib cage. Tim is always telling him to "be nice to your mommy!" I just feel sorry for him that I've run out of room! According to everything I've read, he is about 5 pounds now and somewhere around 17 inches or so long. Crazy!! Working all day and with the heat we've had has definitely taken a toll on me, but it also helps to make this time fly by.
I have a really great class this year...10 boys and 5 girls. I think God is trying to prepare me with all of these boys :). Although a few of them are rambunctious, some of them are the sweetest and most polite boys that I've ever met. I would love for Jacob to treat his teachers the way they treat me! The kids seem pretty excited that I'm having a baby and that they will get to meet him eventually. My sweet coworkers are in the midst of planning a shower for me at school and I know it will be great too! Even Tim got a shower recently :). His coworkers surprised him yesterday with balloons, cake, and some presents for Jacob, including a great gift card to Babies R Us! I think it's so sweet the way those ladies take care of Tim!
I know it seems that I am rambling, but I want to be sure to record some of these things before they slip from my memory :). I can't wait to post some pictures of the nursery. It is almost complete. My friend, Laura, who is very artistic, offered to paint a mural on the wall behind Jacob's crib. She came over last weekend and spent the day working hard on it. There are just a few final touches she wants to add this weekend before she's through. It looks AMAZING!!!
Well, I go back to the doctor a week from Tuesday and that will start my weekly visits of getting my cervix checked to see if I'm making progress. I'm nervous about that, but know that it means I'm almost to the finish line! More to come soon...
On August 15, my dear friends at Greenville Oaks threw me an incredible shower for Jacob!! They thought of every detail, from having a boat out front saying "Sail-ebrate Jake" to vases filled with sand to go along with the beach theme of his bedroom. It was awesome! It was also great that Karin, Val, and Ian were able to come visit us that weekend. We had a great time! The shower was well attended and I felt so loved by my church home. The day couldn't have been more perfect. Hopefully, I will get pictures to post soon.
My dear friend, Kelli, also hosted a shower for me on August 28th. She really outdid herself!! She took on the shower by herself and you would have thought that someone catered it...she had excellent food and everything was just perfect! This shower was really special to me because a lot of close family friends were able to come down from Oklahoma to be there for me. It meant so much! My friend, Carrie, came down the day before the shower and stayed all weekend with us. We had such a good time together...shopping, talking, and just hanging out. She helped me go through all of my shower items and told me what I needed more of and what I had too much of. It was SO helpful! I wish we lived closer so we could do that more often, but it makes the times that we can be together special.
I officially reported back to work on August 16th and that evening Tim noticed that my ankles were "missing." They haven't returned since that day and now my feet are HUGE! I never knew swelling could hurt, but my skin feels so stretched and any pressure put on them hurts. I do my best to sit at work when I can, but that's not very easy to do when you teach elementary age students! Luckily, I do not have any other signs of preeclampsia (high blood pressure, protein in the urine, etc.), so my doctor is just keeping an eye on me. Since my last post, I have had my 32 week appointment and my 34 week appointment and have now gained around 28 pounds total. I was really hoping to stay under 30, but it looks like I'll gain closer to 35 when all is said and done. I think I'll blame some of it on all this swelling! They say I am right on track and he seems to still be head down, which is good news.
I always remember friends mentioning how uncomfortable they were at the end, but I don't remember anyone mentioning that it can be pretty painful (yes, I know more pain is coming)! Jacob is taking up so much space that I feel pressure all the way from my pelvic bone to the right side (and almost back) of my rib cage. Tim is always telling him to "be nice to your mommy!" I just feel sorry for him that I've run out of room! According to everything I've read, he is about 5 pounds now and somewhere around 17 inches or so long. Crazy!! Working all day and with the heat we've had has definitely taken a toll on me, but it also helps to make this time fly by.
I have a really great class this year...10 boys and 5 girls. I think God is trying to prepare me with all of these boys :). Although a few of them are rambunctious, some of them are the sweetest and most polite boys that I've ever met. I would love for Jacob to treat his teachers the way they treat me! The kids seem pretty excited that I'm having a baby and that they will get to meet him eventually. My sweet coworkers are in the midst of planning a shower for me at school and I know it will be great too! Even Tim got a shower recently :). His coworkers surprised him yesterday with balloons, cake, and some presents for Jacob, including a great gift card to Babies R Us! I think it's so sweet the way those ladies take care of Tim!
I know it seems that I am rambling, but I want to be sure to record some of these things before they slip from my memory :). I can't wait to post some pictures of the nursery. It is almost complete. My friend, Laura, who is very artistic, offered to paint a mural on the wall behind Jacob's crib. She came over last weekend and spent the day working hard on it. There are just a few final touches she wants to add this weekend before she's through. It looks AMAZING!!!
Well, I go back to the doctor a week from Tuesday and that will start my weekly visits of getting my cervix checked to see if I'm making progress. I'm nervous about that, but know that it means I'm almost to the finish line! More to come soon...
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Week 29
Last week was my week 28 appointment where I was tested for gestational diabetes. After hearing how horrible the drink and testing were from so many friends, I was a little worried about how it would make me feel, especially since I had a full day of school meetings to go to. I must have had an unusual experience, but I thought the drink tasted pretty good (except for the aftertaste) and it didn't make me feel sick. Honestly, I was more worried about my doctor checking my cervix for signs of pre-term labor because I figured it would hurt.
Thankfully, this was not the case. It was a tad uncomfortable, but it didn't hurt. I got right in, met with my doctor, and had my blood work done in no time. So far, I have gained about 17 pounds and although I'm not worried that I'm gaining too much, I'm hoping that I don't gain more than 30 pounds altogether so I have less to lose after delivery. My blood pressure was good and when my doctor measured my fundal height, she said that I was measuring about 29.5 weeks, about a week or so ahead of schedule. I was told that if I didn't hear from them, that it was good news related to gestational diabetes, so I'm hoping that's the case. She also could tell that Jacob is already head down and I sure started to notice that this past week!!
Instead of his usual movements and kicks, it now seems that he enjoys kicking off the top of my uterus, which then pushes his head down low against my pelvic bone. I do not find this fun!! In fact, it is quite startling and painful. It also feels like I'm having muscle spasms/twitching low, but that could be Jacob's movement or his hiccups. I have to say that even though all of this is sometimes a bit painful, I know I will really miss feeling him inside of me once he's born. I think it is the most amazing thing and am thankful to God for letting me experience this!
On Saturday, Tim and I got up early to attend a three and a half hour class on breastfeeding...just what Tim wanted to do bright and early on a Saturday :)! We did learn some new things, but most of the class was not helpful. We have one more class that we signed up for called Child Care and it's all about how to take care of the baby once we bring him home. I'm really looking forward to this one!
On Wednesday of this week, Karin, Val, and Ian are coming to visit. We can't wait to see them! Unfortunately, I am back at work as of Thursday, but I'm hoping to cut out of some of our training early. This coming weekend is my Greenville Oaks shower and I'm beginning to feel like it's Christmas :)! I know my friends have been doing a great job planning it and I can't wait to see what all they've done! More updates and pictures to come...
Me on July 31, 2010 ~ Week 28
Thankfully, this was not the case. It was a tad uncomfortable, but it didn't hurt. I got right in, met with my doctor, and had my blood work done in no time. So far, I have gained about 17 pounds and although I'm not worried that I'm gaining too much, I'm hoping that I don't gain more than 30 pounds altogether so I have less to lose after delivery. My blood pressure was good and when my doctor measured my fundal height, she said that I was measuring about 29.5 weeks, about a week or so ahead of schedule. I was told that if I didn't hear from them, that it was good news related to gestational diabetes, so I'm hoping that's the case. She also could tell that Jacob is already head down and I sure started to notice that this past week!!
Instead of his usual movements and kicks, it now seems that he enjoys kicking off the top of my uterus, which then pushes his head down low against my pelvic bone. I do not find this fun!! In fact, it is quite startling and painful. It also feels like I'm having muscle spasms/twitching low, but that could be Jacob's movement or his hiccups. I have to say that even though all of this is sometimes a bit painful, I know I will really miss feeling him inside of me once he's born. I think it is the most amazing thing and am thankful to God for letting me experience this!
On Saturday, Tim and I got up early to attend a three and a half hour class on breastfeeding...just what Tim wanted to do bright and early on a Saturday :)! We did learn some new things, but most of the class was not helpful. We have one more class that we signed up for called Child Care and it's all about how to take care of the baby once we bring him home. I'm really looking forward to this one!
On Wednesday of this week, Karin, Val, and Ian are coming to visit. We can't wait to see them! Unfortunately, I am back at work as of Thursday, but I'm hoping to cut out of some of our training early. This coming weekend is my Greenville Oaks shower and I'm beginning to feel like it's Christmas :)! I know my friends have been doing a great job planning it and I can't wait to see what all they've done! More updates and pictures to come...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Over 25 Weeks
I have really enjoyed being out of school for the past 5 weeks! Unfortunately, I've spent quite a bit of that time in professional development classes, but it's not nearly as bad as grading papers and getting up so early! A few weeks ago, I got to see my sister and her husband when they came to visit some of his family. She is 7 weeks behind me in her pregnancy and this was the only time we were going to get to see each other pregnant. The crazy part is that she wasn't showing AT ALL!! She had told me that she had a pooch, but I certainly didn't see it. We took a picture to remember the occasion...she was 16 weeks and I was 23. I can't wait to find out if she's having a boy or a girl! We should know next Monday.
Last week was my latest OB appointment and everything is looking good. Jacob's heartrate was 149 and strong and my blood pressure was great. I was given the Glucola drink since my next appointment they will be checking me for gestational diabetes. They also warned me that they will be checking my cervix...I hope that's not painful! Tim and I started taking classes last week. We are currently attending Prepared Childbirth which is a 12-hour class split into 3 evening sessions. So far we learned about pre-labor and practiced some breathing and relaxation techniques. I have to say that the relaxation cd was pretty hokey! It told me to pretend that I was entering the womb and talking to my baby and then to tell my baby that I would come visit him again soon!! Next week we will be going through the stages of labor and at the last class, we will be discussing inducing, c-section, epidurals, etc. I have also signed up for a Breastfeeding class and a Child Care class that are held in August. On Monday night, Tim and I went to the Open House at the hospital where we think I will be delivering, Baylor Hospital in Frisco. It is a beautiful hospital that just celebrated its 3rd anniversary. I think one of the greatest things they offer is a 1:1 nurse-patient ratio. I will be the only patient that my nurse has, which is pretty awesome! We are going to check out one other hospital later this week just for comparison purposes, but we are pretty sure we will stick with Baylor. We also started working on Jacob's nursery last week, which is really a fun part for me! We had his room painted Harbor Fog and the next night, Tim put together his crib (with a little help from me). Below are a few pictures taken recently. Only one more month till my first baby shower! I'm excited that Karin, Val, and Ian are all going to be able to come!
Me with Joy
Our Baby Bellys
Me at 24 weeks taken on July 3, 2010
Tim Working Hard on the Crib
Last week was my latest OB appointment and everything is looking good. Jacob's heartrate was 149 and strong and my blood pressure was great. I was given the Glucola drink since my next appointment they will be checking me for gestational diabetes. They also warned me that they will be checking my cervix...I hope that's not painful! Tim and I started taking classes last week. We are currently attending Prepared Childbirth which is a 12-hour class split into 3 evening sessions. So far we learned about pre-labor and practiced some breathing and relaxation techniques. I have to say that the relaxation cd was pretty hokey! It told me to pretend that I was entering the womb and talking to my baby and then to tell my baby that I would come visit him again soon!! Next week we will be going through the stages of labor and at the last class, we will be discussing inducing, c-section, epidurals, etc. I have also signed up for a Breastfeeding class and a Child Care class that are held in August. On Monday night, Tim and I went to the Open House at the hospital where we think I will be delivering, Baylor Hospital in Frisco. It is a beautiful hospital that just celebrated its 3rd anniversary. I think one of the greatest things they offer is a 1:1 nurse-patient ratio. I will be the only patient that my nurse has, which is pretty awesome! We are going to check out one other hospital later this week just for comparison purposes, but we are pretty sure we will stick with Baylor. We also started working on Jacob's nursery last week, which is really a fun part for me! We had his room painted Harbor Fog and the next night, Tim put together his crib (with a little help from me). Below are a few pictures taken recently. Only one more month till my first baby shower! I'm excited that Karin, Val, and Ian are all going to be able to come!
Monday, June 07, 2010
Halfway There!
It has been a very busy 4 weeks for me. The last month of school is a brutal one with so many activities planned and trying to keep the students focused enough to still learn a little something! My belly has continued to grow and right now I'm thankful that I'm not growing too much anywhere else (except my chest, of course, which is an added bonus!)! At my 16-week appointment, the doctor told me that I should start feeling the baby move in the next few weeks. I was really anticipating that first feeling, but after 2 weeks, I still hadn't felt any movement. I wasn't really concerned, but was just a tad impatient (surprise, surprise)! Finally, on Friday night, May 28th, I felt the slightest movement in my lower abdomen that felt like a bubble. I really wasn't sure if I was feeling the baby or if it was just gas :), but when I felt it occasionally the next day, I was pretty certain that's what it was. It still isn't something I notice all the time, but when I'm still in the evenings, I tend to notice it more. It is such a cool feeling and although I'm sure I'll regret saying this, I'm looking forward to the movements being more clear and Tim being able to feel them too.
In a way, I am thankful that this last week was so hectic because it kept me from obsessing about my sonogram this morning. I had so many other things to keep up with that I just pushed it to the back of my mind until the weekend. On my first official day of summer (today), I had to set my alarm, but I didn't mind. I was so excited to find out whether this little life was a boy or a girl! My appointment was at 9:20 and we barely had to wait. Before I had a chance to weigh in or give a urine sample, the tech had me come back to the sonogram room. She asked if we wanted to find out and we didn't hesitate one bit to say "YES!" She was great. She showed us all of the anatomy and took measurements to make sure the baby was growing appropriately. She told us that everything looked great. The baby was moving a lot, so it was difficult to get a great profile shot like she wanted. She was pushing the instrument on my belly so hard, I didn't think it could go anymore. We ended up with some great pictures. When she moved to the baby's bottom, we both knew without a doubt...we are having a BOY!! There is no doubt on the sonogram! We were beaming and I haven't been able to stop smiling all day. It turns out that neither of us thought we were having a boy, so we were a bit surprised. It will take some getting used to, but I am very excited! The tech asked us if big babies run in our families and we told her no. She said that they won't change my due date, but that this boy is ahead of schedule. Instead of being 9 ounces as expected at this point, he is weighing in at 14 ounces! She said there's a possibility he'll be earlier than my due date. Let's hope he doesn't end up being a 10 pounder!
After the sonogram, we had a quick appointment with the doctor, this time with Dr. Heather Sloane. My blood pressure was good...126/78 and the baby's fetal heartrate was 147. When we left the appointment, I wanted to go to a maternity store to look for something that indicated I was having a boy. We went to Pickles and Ice Cream and I found some cute flip flops that say "It's a boy!" on them. We were starving at that point, so we went to Breadwinners for the first time and had some delicious pancakes. Although we wanted to surprise the Kerbys by having cookies decorated in baby blue at a local Leesburg bakery, it didn't work out. It would take a week for them to make 6 cookies!! Valerie called while we were eating and she begged for Tim to tell her. He couldn't resist, so he ended up calling the whole family. After brunch, we went to Tim's office and then to my mom's office to share the news. Crystal came by our house after that to bring me a little present...some OU booties, which I love!! It was great having so many people share in our joy :)! Here are some pictures to comemorate this event!
Me at 20 weeks taken on June 5, 2010
Baby K is looking toward you
His tiny feet are crossed
His arm is reaching up and he is touching his forehead
Baby K's blurry profile...he wouldn't stay still!
As you can see, there's no mistaking we're having a boy!
The fun flip flops I bought at Pickles and Ice Cream
Adorable OU baby booties from Crystal
In a way, I am thankful that this last week was so hectic because it kept me from obsessing about my sonogram this morning. I had so many other things to keep up with that I just pushed it to the back of my mind until the weekend. On my first official day of summer (today), I had to set my alarm, but I didn't mind. I was so excited to find out whether this little life was a boy or a girl! My appointment was at 9:20 and we barely had to wait. Before I had a chance to weigh in or give a urine sample, the tech had me come back to the sonogram room. She asked if we wanted to find out and we didn't hesitate one bit to say "YES!" She was great. She showed us all of the anatomy and took measurements to make sure the baby was growing appropriately. She told us that everything looked great. The baby was moving a lot, so it was difficult to get a great profile shot like she wanted. She was pushing the instrument on my belly so hard, I didn't think it could go anymore. We ended up with some great pictures. When she moved to the baby's bottom, we both knew without a doubt...we are having a BOY!! There is no doubt on the sonogram! We were beaming and I haven't been able to stop smiling all day. It turns out that neither of us thought we were having a boy, so we were a bit surprised. It will take some getting used to, but I am very excited! The tech asked us if big babies run in our families and we told her no. She said that they won't change my due date, but that this boy is ahead of schedule. Instead of being 9 ounces as expected at this point, he is weighing in at 14 ounces! She said there's a possibility he'll be earlier than my due date. Let's hope he doesn't end up being a 10 pounder!
After the sonogram, we had a quick appointment with the doctor, this time with Dr. Heather Sloane. My blood pressure was good...126/78 and the baby's fetal heartrate was 147. When we left the appointment, I wanted to go to a maternity store to look for something that indicated I was having a boy. We went to Pickles and Ice Cream and I found some cute flip flops that say "It's a boy!" on them. We were starving at that point, so we went to Breadwinners for the first time and had some delicious pancakes. Although we wanted to surprise the Kerbys by having cookies decorated in baby blue at a local Leesburg bakery, it didn't work out. It would take a week for them to make 6 cookies!! Valerie called while we were eating and she begged for Tim to tell her. He couldn't resist, so he ended up calling the whole family. After brunch, we went to Tim's office and then to my mom's office to share the news. Crystal came by our house after that to bring me a little present...some OU booties, which I love!! It was great having so many people share in our joy :)! Here are some pictures to comemorate this event!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
16 Weeks
Mother's Day was a special day this year, just anticipating what is to come. I got to spend it with my mom, Nana, Darren, and Tim. At church, they asked all mothers and those that serve as mothers to stand so they could receive some flowers. I definitely do not consider myself an official mother yet, so I was not about to stand. My friend, Amy, came up to me after church and made me take her flowers, saying she couldn't believe I didn't' stand up since I am taking care of my baby. Also, my friend, Katy, got me and some other girls a little emergency kit that holds 16 necessities in a tiny bag. She said it is for me to eventually put in my diaper bag, so that I always have these items on hand. My friend, Christine, mailed me a Mother's Day card which I will add to my scrapbook. All of these women are so thoughtful! At lunch, my mom gave me a very sweet Mom-to-Be card and a little gift she picked up in CA last week...some Pepperdine socks for the baby (see pic below). I love them! Still, I will consider next year my first Mother's Day.
The latest on the pregnancy...I honestly didn't think the nausea was ever going to end, but I finally started to feel much better after I reached the 14-week mark. I still feel it occasionally when I don't eat in time, but for the most part I am feeling great! I even have started getting more energy.
Yesterday was my 16-week appointment, which went really well. The nurse checked the typical stats and all things looked good. Surprisingly, I have only gained 4 pounds, which is hard to believe since my body is looks very different. She assured me that the weight would catch up :). My blood pressure was finally good too. She checked the fetal heartrate and this time it was 148. It sounded like the spin cycle on the washing machine!
At my OB's office, they have us rotate through the 3 doctors so we have met them all in case our particular OB isn't able to be there for the delivery. Yesterday, I got to meet Dr. Heather Sloan and really liked her. She told me that I should start feeling the baby move very soon...I can't wait! I have always wondered what that would feel like. I will keep you all posted. Only 4 more weeks till I know if I'm having a boy or a girl! Cannot wait!
Me at 15 weeks
My Mini Emergency Kit from Katy
Baby K's Cool Pepperdine Socks
Last, but not least, the beautiful roses Tim got me for Teacher Appreciation Week and a pre-Mother's Day gift
The latest on the pregnancy...I honestly didn't think the nausea was ever going to end, but I finally started to feel much better after I reached the 14-week mark. I still feel it occasionally when I don't eat in time, but for the most part I am feeling great! I even have started getting more energy.
Yesterday was my 16-week appointment, which went really well. The nurse checked the typical stats and all things looked good. Surprisingly, I have only gained 4 pounds, which is hard to believe since my body is looks very different. She assured me that the weight would catch up :). My blood pressure was finally good too. She checked the fetal heartrate and this time it was 148. It sounded like the spin cycle on the washing machine!
At my OB's office, they have us rotate through the 3 doctors so we have met them all in case our particular OB isn't able to be there for the delivery. Yesterday, I got to meet Dr. Heather Sloan and really liked her. She told me that I should start feeling the baby move very soon...I can't wait! I have always wondered what that would feel like. I will keep you all posted. Only 4 more weeks till I know if I'm having a boy or a girl! Cannot wait!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Baby K's Heartbeat
Yesterday was my 12-week OB appointment. Tim wasn’t able to make it, so I invited my mom to go with me. The nurse brought in the Doppler, put the cold gel on my lower abdomen, and instantly we could hear the baby’s heartbeat! I didn’t know what it would sound like, but it was very clear that the heart was beating strong. The nurse and the doctor said things were just perfect and the baby’s heartbeat was 160. Many friends are guessing that we’re having a girl…can’t wait to find out! My clothes started getting tight around the 9th week or so and I felt that I was “showing” even though I know a lot of it was just being extremely bloated. Well, I feel like I finally have a bump. I’m not able to wear several pairs of my regular pants, but I can still wear a pair of my regular jeans because they sit so low. I’m definitely wearing maternity tops (or regular ones with an empire-type waist), because my regular shirts are a tad tight. Thankfully, my friend Lisa gave me what she had left of her maternity clothes after having 4 boys and several other friends have told me I can borrow theirs! Here’s a picture of me taken at 12 weeks (boy do I need a haircut!).
My First Sonogram
I was extremely nervous again about our doctor’s appointment. My appointment was at 11:20, but we didn’t get called back until about 11:50. The nurse checked my weight and blood pressure (which was high again) and then showed me to the room. I put on the gown and waited there with Tim. The longer I waited, the more nervous I got. I was trying to relax and control my breathing, but it was rough. My doctor finally arrived at 12:30 and once she came in and started to talking to us, I felt calm again. The exam was not hard and it was just overwhelming to see our little baby with its heartbeat on the screen. I’ve seen many sonogram pictures before, but there’s something so different when it is your baby that you are looking at that’s growing inside of you…simply amazing! It was such a relief to hear from my doctor that the baby looked perfect and was measuring right on schedule. I absolutely love Dr. Robert and she even prescribed Zofran for me to take to help with the nausea, which was great!
After leaving the doctor’s office with our first baby pictures, I was headed to Plano to see Kelli Duhaney and meet Baby Elijah for the first time. I was really excited to share the news with her on her birthday and to meet her new little one (and see my buddy Isaac again!). Kelli had the reaction that I hoped everyone would have…pure excitement! It felt so good having such a dear friend enjoy this news with me! She even began planning my baby shower in her head while I was there. It was great getting to hold Elijah and to see Isaac again! They are precious and I’m so lucky to have Kelli as a friend (and many others) who I can call on if I have a question about anything! The rest of my Spring Break week was filled with me getting to share the news with friends and family…my aunt, cousins, Tim’s extended family, Beth, Sarah Swart, Kristin, etc. It was great! On Friday night, Tim and I decided to make our first “official” announcement on Facebook for the world to see (you know, nothing’s official until it’s posted on Facebook!)! We sat down to post at the same time and instantly we were flooded with congratulations from friends who have known us in many stages of our lives…so fun! Here's a picture of me holding Elijah and Kelli "holding" my baby!
After leaving the doctor’s office with our first baby pictures, I was headed to Plano to see Kelli Duhaney and meet Baby Elijah for the first time. I was really excited to share the news with her on her birthday and to meet her new little one (and see my buddy Isaac again!). Kelli had the reaction that I hoped everyone would have…pure excitement! It felt so good having such a dear friend enjoy this news with me! She even began planning my baby shower in her head while I was there. It was great getting to hold Elijah and to see Isaac again! They are precious and I’m so lucky to have Kelli as a friend (and many others) who I can call on if I have a question about anything! The rest of my Spring Break week was filled with me getting to share the news with friends and family…my aunt, cousins, Tim’s extended family, Beth, Sarah Swart, Kristin, etc. It was great! On Friday night, Tim and I decided to make our first “official” announcement on Facebook for the world to see (you know, nothing’s official until it’s posted on Facebook!)! We sat down to post at the same time and instantly we were flooded with congratulations from friends who have known us in many stages of our lives…so fun! Here's a picture of me holding Elijah and Kelli "holding" my baby!
Part 2
Tim and I had an awesome time in Austin that weekend, just soaking up the news. On our way back to Dallas, I called and scheduled an appointment with my doctor for Tuesday afternoon. I was dying to tell my family, but Tim and I decided to wait until after I had been to the doctor. The night we got into town, my whole family went out to celebrate my birthday at Maggiano’s. I really thought I gave it away when I turned down wine, but I covered it by saying I was just being overly cautious! Whew! I knew I couldn't keep this from my mom for very long.
The next day at school went by fast as I was counting down the time till I could go to the doctor. I was very excited about going, but also a nervous wreck. I had been told that I would be seeing Caroline, instead of my doctor, and I had no idea what they would do at this appointment. When she called me back, she checked my weight and my blood pressure. Because of my anxiety, my blood pressure was sky high! I told her I was nervous, so she took it again. Since it was still high, she decided that we would continue on with the appointment and come back to check my blood pressure at the end. It turned out that there was no exam as I had thought. The two of us just sat in a conference room and she explained how my appointments would work, when my due date was, how billing worked, etc. I was SO excited to hear that my due date was Saturday, October 23rd, my mom’s birthday! Then she had my blood drawn by the lab. At the end of all of this, I was feeling calm and relaxed. We went back to check my blood pressure and it was still so high for me…147 over 90! Caroline went to talk to my doctor and they decided, just as a precaution, to have me collect my urine for 24 hours, so they could make sure that I didn’t have Pregnancy Induced Hypertension. I was so annoyed because I knew it was just my nerves! I did it anyway, and didn’t get any bad news back. My next appointment was scheduled for Tuesday, March 16th when I would get my first sonogram. I couldn’t wait!
That evening, Tim and I decided to share our wonderful news with our families. The Kerbys had been emailing us about possible vacations this year, so we decided to send them an email suggesting that they save their vacation days for late October when we would be taking time off from work. We attached the pregnancy test picture and as soon as we hit “Send” we hopped in the car to drive to my mom’s. I had already told my mom that I wanted to come by to share some of my birthday cupcakes with her and Nana and I told her I had a little Valentine’s Day gift for her. Months ago I found a gift that I thought would be the perfect way to surprise my mom when I got pregnant. It was a hand painted wine glass that was decorated in pink and blue baby stuff and said, “Grandma’s Sippy Cup” on it! My mom loves these hand painted wine glasses and I knew she would love this! As soon as she opened it, she screamed and about scared Nana to death! They were both SO excited for us and about that time, Karin called and the Kerbys were thrilled too! Tim and I were on cloud nine! I, of course, was dying to share the news with good friends, but Tim was pretty adamant that we should wait a while longer, at least until our sonogram. I am excellent at keeping others’ secrets, but keeping this one was extremely difficult!!
I felt great in the beginning of the pregnancy, but by week 6, I started feeling extremely tired and nauseous. The nausea lasted all day and nothing I ate seemed to settle well. I also felt extremely bloated and had horrible acid reflux. The only good thing from all of this was that I knew it was because I was pregnant and that these were good signs. At work it seemed like every lunch conversation had something to do with pregnancy and it was all I could do to keep my mouth shut. I felt like I hardly contributed to conversation for a while for fear that I would leak the news. At the end of the seventh week, Tim agreed that I could tell my team. I was feeling awful and I felt that they could give me support, even if just moral support, while I was at work. They screamed they were so excited! It is so fun sharing this news!
On Sunday, March 14th we decided to share the news with our small group, mainly because I wanted prayers for the sonogram that was in 2 days. We waited until prayer requests and after all had been mentioned, Tim said that he would like to ask them to pray for us since we had a doctor’s appointment in 2 days where we would get to see our baby’s heartbeat for the first time ever. They were stunned and immediately so excited for us. They all knew how badly we wanted this.
The next day at school went by fast as I was counting down the time till I could go to the doctor. I was very excited about going, but also a nervous wreck. I had been told that I would be seeing Caroline, instead of my doctor, and I had no idea what they would do at this appointment. When she called me back, she checked my weight and my blood pressure. Because of my anxiety, my blood pressure was sky high! I told her I was nervous, so she took it again. Since it was still high, she decided that we would continue on with the appointment and come back to check my blood pressure at the end. It turned out that there was no exam as I had thought. The two of us just sat in a conference room and she explained how my appointments would work, when my due date was, how billing worked, etc. I was SO excited to hear that my due date was Saturday, October 23rd, my mom’s birthday! Then she had my blood drawn by the lab. At the end of all of this, I was feeling calm and relaxed. We went back to check my blood pressure and it was still so high for me…147 over 90! Caroline went to talk to my doctor and they decided, just as a precaution, to have me collect my urine for 24 hours, so they could make sure that I didn’t have Pregnancy Induced Hypertension. I was so annoyed because I knew it was just my nerves! I did it anyway, and didn’t get any bad news back. My next appointment was scheduled for Tuesday, March 16th when I would get my first sonogram. I couldn’t wait!
That evening, Tim and I decided to share our wonderful news with our families. The Kerbys had been emailing us about possible vacations this year, so we decided to send them an email suggesting that they save their vacation days for late October when we would be taking time off from work. We attached the pregnancy test picture and as soon as we hit “Send” we hopped in the car to drive to my mom’s. I had already told my mom that I wanted to come by to share some of my birthday cupcakes with her and Nana and I told her I had a little Valentine’s Day gift for her. Months ago I found a gift that I thought would be the perfect way to surprise my mom when I got pregnant. It was a hand painted wine glass that was decorated in pink and blue baby stuff and said, “Grandma’s Sippy Cup” on it! My mom loves these hand painted wine glasses and I knew she would love this! As soon as she opened it, she screamed and about scared Nana to death! They were both SO excited for us and about that time, Karin called and the Kerbys were thrilled too! Tim and I were on cloud nine! I, of course, was dying to share the news with good friends, but Tim was pretty adamant that we should wait a while longer, at least until our sonogram. I am excellent at keeping others’ secrets, but keeping this one was extremely difficult!!
I felt great in the beginning of the pregnancy, but by week 6, I started feeling extremely tired and nauseous. The nausea lasted all day and nothing I ate seemed to settle well. I also felt extremely bloated and had horrible acid reflux. The only good thing from all of this was that I knew it was because I was pregnant and that these were good signs. At work it seemed like every lunch conversation had something to do with pregnancy and it was all I could do to keep my mouth shut. I felt like I hardly contributed to conversation for a while for fear that I would leak the news. At the end of the seventh week, Tim agreed that I could tell my team. I was feeling awful and I felt that they could give me support, even if just moral support, while I was at work. They screamed they were so excited! It is so fun sharing this news!
On Sunday, March 14th we decided to share the news with our small group, mainly because I wanted prayers for the sonogram that was in 2 days. We waited until prayer requests and after all had been mentioned, Tim said that he would like to ask them to pray for us since we had a doctor’s appointment in 2 days where we would get to see our baby’s heartbeat for the first time ever. They were stunned and immediately so excited for us. They all knew how badly we wanted this.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The Story (Part 1)...
I have written this as a way to remember the details leading up to the birth of our first baby, so I apologize for the length. Tim and I are SO EXCITED about this chapter in our lives!
March of 2009 marked the official beginning of our journey to conceive. Tim and I had been wanting to start our family for quite some time (since around 2007), but due to some things happening in life that were out of our control (finding good jobs, buying our first home, etc.), we hadn’t been able to start. In fact, our most recent plan after buying our home was to start trying in December of 2008, but Tim lost his job in October and that set us back again. I was beginning to wonder why there were so many obstacles in our way. At the end of March, Tim was still without a job, but had a good prospect. I knew it would probably take us a while to get pregnant for reasons I won't go into, so we decided it was time to start.
I didn’t really expect anything to happen the first six months, but after that, I was starting to get a little impatient, especially since it seemed so easy for others. I’ve always had a feeling that this would be something I might struggle with since so many of my friends have dealt with fertility issues. There was one month in the fall when I thought I might be pregnant. I remember talking to my friend, Kristin, on the phone who was about to have her baby. I told her that I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but that there was a chance that I was pregnant. As soon as I got off the phone with her, I realized that I wasn't. I remember crying a bit and being mad at myself for believing that I could be.
In January of 2010, I decided to make an appointment to visit my OB-GYN to talk about fertility issues. Although it hadn’t quite been one year for us trying, I had already had 12 cycles. Throughout the month of January, I decided to be diligent about charting everything (thanks to a book that Katherine sent me!). This way, I would have something to show my doctor. My appointment with my doctor was scheduled for Thursday, February 4th. I couldn’t wait to get that appointment over with because I was ready to get some answers and to get “help” getting pregnant if that’s what was necessary. Our small group and several other friends of ours had been praying for us.
My appointment went very well. I was very encouraged by Dr. Robert’s attitude of “Let’s get you pregnant!” She really seemed to listen and she explained some of the options without getting ahead of ourselves. The first step was to check my progesterone levels, which required me to come in the next day to have my blood drawn. This would help us see if my luteal phase was as it should be or if it was too short. If it was too short, we talked about me starting to take Clomid to help regulate my cycle. In the meantime, Tim was going to have to get checked out too (lucky for him this never happened!).
Tim and I had planned a mini-vacation weekend to Austin for my birthday and Valentine's Day. I was a little bummed because I just knew that that's when I would find out I wasn't pregnant again. At my appointment I asked Dr. Robert how soon I would know if I did happen to be pregnant. She said it would take at least a week and a half after ovulating to know anything. Each day that I didn't get bad news I became more and more confident that we had a chance this month.
On Tuesday, February 9th I was sitting on the couch and I realized enough time had gone by to where there was a chance I could know if I were pregnant or not. I got the urge to take a pregnancy test, just to see. I took one in the bathroom and waited for the results. The results showed lines, but they were very faint. I wasn’t sure what that meant, so I threw it away and began to research online. Everything I read told me that faint lines typically meant that you were pregnant, but that it was just early. Everything said to retest in a few days, especially first thing in the morning. I was getting excited, but didn’t want to get my hopes up. I didn’t say a word to anyone, even Tim.
The next night I went out and bought more pregnancy tests. I wanted to buy the digital ones that said “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant” but at that point, I would rather see faint lines, which gave me some hope, than “Not Pregnant,” so I bought the cheaper ones. I could not wait until the next morning when I could test again. In fact, I woke up on Thursday at 5:30 due to night sweats and right before 6:00 my friend, Crystal, texted me to let me know that it was snowing outside. I decided to go ahead and get up to take the test. Although this was a different brand of test, the results came back very similar…seemed to be positive, but faint. This time my confidence level was up…I’d had 2 tests read positive. We had a beautiful snow come that day…the most in Dallas history in a very long time and I was super giddy! I couldn’t wait to tell Tim, but I wanted it to be a good surprise. Right after school I went to Hallmark to look for a good way to tell him…I thought it would be perfect as a Valentine’s Day gift! I found a small frame that said, “Look who loves Daddy!” I thought it would be awesome to put a picture of the pregnancy test in the frame and let him open it, along with some chocolate covered cherries. I also stopped at Walgreen’s and decided to splurge on the digital pregnancy test…this time I was ready.
That evening, Tim built a fire, we ordered pizza, and we watched our favorite shows. During one of the commercials, I snuck off to the bathroom, took the test, and took a picture of my “Pregnant” result!! Then I quickly went upstairs to print off the picture and put it in the frame. When I came downstairs, I told Tim that I really couldn’t wait for him to open his gift and that it might be something he wanted for the weekend. He’s used to me not being able to wait for people to open gifts, so he agreed. First, he pulled out the chocolate covered cherries and was very happy (they are his favorite)! I told him that there was more in the bag. I could tell he thought it was odd that I bought him a frame and when he unwrapped it, it took him a few seconds to figure it out. Once he did, he was thrilled beyond belief!!! We hugged, kissed, cried, and laughed for quite a while and then Tim led a very sweet prayer for us. I explained what had been going on and how I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. We cannot wait for this precious gift from God to come into our lives!
We decided that I needed to get in to confirm the results at the doctor’s office, but when I called the next day, they were closed due to the weather. There was nothing I could do until Monday. Tim and I had an awesome time in Austin that weekend, just soaking up the news. I remember feeling so worried that I was going to walk too hard or have someone bump into me and that it would end the pregnancy. I know it’s silly, but I felt so fragile!
March of 2009 marked the official beginning of our journey to conceive. Tim and I had been wanting to start our family for quite some time (since around 2007), but due to some things happening in life that were out of our control (finding good jobs, buying our first home, etc.), we hadn’t been able to start. In fact, our most recent plan after buying our home was to start trying in December of 2008, but Tim lost his job in October and that set us back again. I was beginning to wonder why there were so many obstacles in our way. At the end of March, Tim was still without a job, but had a good prospect. I knew it would probably take us a while to get pregnant for reasons I won't go into, so we decided it was time to start.
I didn’t really expect anything to happen the first six months, but after that, I was starting to get a little impatient, especially since it seemed so easy for others. I’ve always had a feeling that this would be something I might struggle with since so many of my friends have dealt with fertility issues. There was one month in the fall when I thought I might be pregnant. I remember talking to my friend, Kristin, on the phone who was about to have her baby. I told her that I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but that there was a chance that I was pregnant. As soon as I got off the phone with her, I realized that I wasn't. I remember crying a bit and being mad at myself for believing that I could be.
In January of 2010, I decided to make an appointment to visit my OB-GYN to talk about fertility issues. Although it hadn’t quite been one year for us trying, I had already had 12 cycles. Throughout the month of January, I decided to be diligent about charting everything (thanks to a book that Katherine sent me!). This way, I would have something to show my doctor. My appointment with my doctor was scheduled for Thursday, February 4th. I couldn’t wait to get that appointment over with because I was ready to get some answers and to get “help” getting pregnant if that’s what was necessary. Our small group and several other friends of ours had been praying for us.
My appointment went very well. I was very encouraged by Dr. Robert’s attitude of “Let’s get you pregnant!” She really seemed to listen and she explained some of the options without getting ahead of ourselves. The first step was to check my progesterone levels, which required me to come in the next day to have my blood drawn. This would help us see if my luteal phase was as it should be or if it was too short. If it was too short, we talked about me starting to take Clomid to help regulate my cycle. In the meantime, Tim was going to have to get checked out too (lucky for him this never happened!).
Tim and I had planned a mini-vacation weekend to Austin for my birthday and Valentine's Day. I was a little bummed because I just knew that that's when I would find out I wasn't pregnant again. At my appointment I asked Dr. Robert how soon I would know if I did happen to be pregnant. She said it would take at least a week and a half after ovulating to know anything. Each day that I didn't get bad news I became more and more confident that we had a chance this month.
On Tuesday, February 9th I was sitting on the couch and I realized enough time had gone by to where there was a chance I could know if I were pregnant or not. I got the urge to take a pregnancy test, just to see. I took one in the bathroom and waited for the results. The results showed lines, but they were very faint. I wasn’t sure what that meant, so I threw it away and began to research online. Everything I read told me that faint lines typically meant that you were pregnant, but that it was just early. Everything said to retest in a few days, especially first thing in the morning. I was getting excited, but didn’t want to get my hopes up. I didn’t say a word to anyone, even Tim.
The next night I went out and bought more pregnancy tests. I wanted to buy the digital ones that said “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant” but at that point, I would rather see faint lines, which gave me some hope, than “Not Pregnant,” so I bought the cheaper ones. I could not wait until the next morning when I could test again. In fact, I woke up on Thursday at 5:30 due to night sweats and right before 6:00 my friend, Crystal, texted me to let me know that it was snowing outside. I decided to go ahead and get up to take the test. Although this was a different brand of test, the results came back very similar…seemed to be positive, but faint. This time my confidence level was up…I’d had 2 tests read positive. We had a beautiful snow come that day…the most in Dallas history in a very long time and I was super giddy! I couldn’t wait to tell Tim, but I wanted it to be a good surprise. Right after school I went to Hallmark to look for a good way to tell him…I thought it would be perfect as a Valentine’s Day gift! I found a small frame that said, “Look who loves Daddy!” I thought it would be awesome to put a picture of the pregnancy test in the frame and let him open it, along with some chocolate covered cherries. I also stopped at Walgreen’s and decided to splurge on the digital pregnancy test…this time I was ready.
That evening, Tim built a fire, we ordered pizza, and we watched our favorite shows. During one of the commercials, I snuck off to the bathroom, took the test, and took a picture of my “Pregnant” result!! Then I quickly went upstairs to print off the picture and put it in the frame. When I came downstairs, I told Tim that I really couldn’t wait for him to open his gift and that it might be something he wanted for the weekend. He’s used to me not being able to wait for people to open gifts, so he agreed. First, he pulled out the chocolate covered cherries and was very happy (they are his favorite)! I told him that there was more in the bag. I could tell he thought it was odd that I bought him a frame and when he unwrapped it, it took him a few seconds to figure it out. Once he did, he was thrilled beyond belief!!! We hugged, kissed, cried, and laughed for quite a while and then Tim led a very sweet prayer for us. I explained what had been going on and how I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. We cannot wait for this precious gift from God to come into our lives!
We decided that I needed to get in to confirm the results at the doctor’s office, but when I called the next day, they were closed due to the weather. There was nothing I could do until Monday. Tim and I had an awesome time in Austin that weekend, just soaking up the news. I remember feeling so worried that I was going to walk too hard or have someone bump into me and that it would end the pregnancy. I know it’s silly, but I felt so fragile!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
