Half Way There!

I am now officially 21 weeks and 3 day pregnant today! So here is my "half way there" update!

I got sick AGAIN! My vomitting is back! I cant believe it! I threw up on myself while driving on my way to work! I had to stop and pull over really quick! I found an empty McDonalds cup to throw up in! LOL It was NOT pretty! I was soooo mad! I was over 20 weeks this time! COME ON! The morning sickness should SO be over by now! OMG!

What else? Well the physical therapy is going well. They did my initial measurements...like how far I can bend over and back and side to side...at my first appointment. Then today after 4 appointments we did it again and he said I had majorly improved! YAY! And all I've been doing is stretches. He said thats basically all I CAN do while pregnant. So I will most likely have 2 more appointments and then stop. I will just continue the stretches on my own. No big deal! Maybe do some more appointments later on if I cant do the ones I'm doing now when my belly gets bigger...not sure.

So as far as movement goes...I'm very jealous of others. I am not getting any big kicks or big noticeable movements. Every now and then I feel something move like he's rolling over or something...but it really just feels like gas. It's not, but it doesnt feel much different from gas. So I am REALLY hoping that I will start feeling Eli SOON! Although after I watch the U/S dvd over and over I am realizing that my son is not much of a mover. He's very relaxed. So I'm not too worried.

I also had to change my drs appointment around a little bit because I found out I'm having training one week from 8-2 instead of my normal 12-6 schedule. So I now have my gestational diabetes testing on August 7th and my U/S on August 11th....which just happens to be our 2 year anniversary! I dont expect us to be doing anything exciting since we have NO money...but it's still an exciting milestone!

And please please please continue to pray for my DH! He finally got in to the first of the three weeks of training he needs! Thank God! Unfortunately there have been complications for applying for unemployment because his last employer is saying he quit! That is NOT true! They laid him off. He would not qualify for benefits if he quit! He would NEVER do that! So we are living off of MY paycheck which is NOT enough and we are really struggling! I just keep telling myself that after this week he only has 2 WEEKS of training left. We can make it 2 weeks! I am so proud of my hubby and I just keep reassuring him that we took this risk TOGETHER for him to get a better job and that I'm behind hims 100%! He is just feeling so down on himself and he hates having to rely on my money because neither of us know how much longer I will be able to work!

So now I will show a new belly pic! This is my 20 week...I have yet to upload my 19 week one from my camera cuz it takes too long. But this ones from my cell phone! Here it is! I'm getting bigger!!!

Oh My Goodness...

Man, I have had a lot going on! Whew! Well...as of today...I am officially half way through my pregnancy! 20 weeks! yay!

I am also 22 and 2 days old! lol My birthday was Wednesday. It was not a very fun day! I had a horrible day at work...and DH did...well, nothing. :( But that's ok because he made up for it by letting me buy a butt load of maternity clothes last night! I had to buy new tennis shoes for work (we have to wear tennis shoes and my feet are swollen so I cant wear mine) so I was in the mood to shop and I was able to buy 2 new skirts, 2 shirts, and 2 tank tops at Motherhood Maternity. I already have 4 shirts right now, and about 4 skirts already. BUT..I bought some of them big, so I cant wear them yet. The clothes I got last night...I cant wear AND expand!

So lets see. Yesterday was my first physical therapy appointment. OMG. Someone finally thinks they know what has been causing my back pain! She agreed with me that she thought it was muscular. She also said I am not very flexible in my hamstrings. She thinks that it actually might be so bad that THAT is whats been causing all my back pain! Because my back is trying to make up for the work and stretching that my legs should be doing! So she has me doing hamstring stretches 3 times a day and I go back 2 times a week. She also taped my back...with athletic tape...to hold my muscles together? And she gave me a cozi back pillow to use for the curve in my back and it even fits on my seat in my car when I drive! So I told her I would use it in my car instead of in bed because I use lots of pillows in bed anyway and I actually LOVE my bed!

I was SOOOO scared all day yesterday that my back was going to go out on me. I was so stiff and sore! But I made it through the day just fine...I just laid down last night and couldnt get up. I had to lay down and stay there. Now that Ive slept through the night...I feel better.

So what other updates do I have? Well..nothing really! My next appointment is not until August 10th. OH!!!!!!! I didnt mention this! This was REALLY scary! On Sunday morning DH and I made our way to church. It was hot in there! I was just sitting there and I leaned forward. I took DH's lesson sheet and started fanning myself. I started to feel better and I went to sit back up. The second I sat up I felt very nauseous. So nauseous that I actually thought to myself "Ok, if I puke I can catch it in my skirt and then run to the bathroom." Then all of a sudden I started to get really light headed. Keep in mind I'm sitting this whole time. I look up at the preacher and everything around him starts shining and getting blurry and all different colors sparkling. I grabbed DH by the leg because it was only getting worse. Then my ears started ringing. So loud I couldn't hear anything. It was kind of like that feeling of having water in your ears. Plus ringing. Anyway...I grabbed DHs leg rather hard I guess...because he grabbed me and I couldnt talk. I was afraid I would puke. I just stared straight ahead and held on to his leg. When it finally passed and I just said "We need to leave." And I got up and walked out and he was not far behind because he thought I was going to pass out. My ears were still ringing and it took a good 5 minutes for my hearing to come back. And I broke out in a sweat and went extremely pale. DH was freaking out. I was too! He even had my uncle help him walk me to the car. When I finally got my hearing back I started explaining to DH what happened. My uncle asked me if I had eaten. Yes, DH had made me 2 eggs and 2 waffles with jelly for breakfast. It wasnt my blood sugar. I thought it had to be my blood pressure. DH took me out to my BIL and SILs house to use their blood pressure machine. The down side was they were 30 minutes away and by the time I got there I was feeling better. I went to get out of the car I felt sooooo weak. I seriously felt like I had ran the whole way. BIL took my blood pressure and it was 117/70 which is great. But my pulse was 110! Wow! He said "Um, have you been running a marathon?!"

So I called my Obs emergency line and talked to the same doctor that I saw that day for my stomach virus. She said it was totally normal (WHAT?!). She said I blacked out. What most likely happened was the blood pooled in my legs from sitting too long (I had only been sitting for 20 minutes) and that when I leaned back up it gave me a head rush. Now, dont get me wrong, I'm not saying shes wrong, but Ive had black outs before like when you stand up too fast out of bed in the morning...this was NOTHING like that. I've also passed out before...and again, this was NOTHING like that. DH actually contemplated taking me to the ER. I told him if it happened again I would go, but I think I'm fine.

So that's my scare for the week! It hasnt happened again, so I guess that doctor was right...I dunno!

It's A......

BOY!!!!!

We are SO SO SO excited! His name will be Elijah Joel. Joel after his daddy :). He will go by Eli. YAY! No more having to stress over girl's names now! LOL!

So here's the crazy story....My MIL wanted to come to the U/S. I told her that was fine. Especially when I found out that DH might not be able to go because of work. My mom and sister offered to come because DH might not be there. Ok....then my SIL wanted to come! Alright...so now we have a full house! And it turns out...DH DID get to come! Oh my! Well...it turns out my mom couldnt make it...so it ended up being me, DH, my sister, MIL, and SIL....and my 2 nephews! OMG!

Needless to say it was very hectic! I had told DH that if he got to be there I wanted him to find out first and then he could bring in the rest of them to find out. MIL did NOT like this idea at all! But oh well! But it turns out our little guy was being very stubborn and showed us his back practically the whole time! So after DH and I were in there alone for about 5 minutes I told him to just go ahead and go get everyone. I didnt want them waiting for a really long time...and I wanted them to be able to see the U/S!

It all turned out just fine because there were 2 chairs in there where my MIL and SIL ended up sitting to take care of my nephews. My sister came right to my side...which was good...because...lets face it...I would prefer my own family over my in laws to be all up in my...well, you know! So it turned out great. My MIL and SIL could still the U/S screen and DH and my sister stayed by my side.

After about 10 minutes the U/S tech said she still couldnt see anything! That little bugger had his legs bent up and he was grabbing his foot! She kept wiggling my belly to try to get him to move around. I, of course, didnt mind at all just watching my little one on the screen! Finally out of no where the tech says "Oh, its a boy!" And who heard her?? Just me and my sister! LOLOLOL Everyone was chatting and not really paying attention because it was taking so long and so it ended up being a special moment for me and my sister. It was awesome! I started crying a little bit seeing a little winky on the screen! LOL DH came over and gave me a kiss :) It was a very nice moment. No amount of people in the room would have bothered me right then. Right after we found out, Abby said "Ok...who can I tell?!" I said "Go ahead and tell whoever you want!" So she called mom up right away and had my DH yell it into the phone! Then she started texting all her friends! It was really funny.

My MIL was so so so desperately wanting a girl. Deep down I think she knew it would be a boy...but she so wanted a grand-daughter! As soon as the U/S was over, my MIL and SIL left. They didnt even say goodbye to me! But they were in a rush with the 2 little ones...so I understand. Then I had to wait around to see the doctor and go over the results and all that jazz. Everything is measuring just fine! The tech said she didnt get good pictures of his heart like she was hoping and she wanted better measurements of the legs. So what does this mean? I get to go back in 3 weeks for another U/S! YAY!

So here are the "money" shots! LOL


And here's one of his cute little alien face!

We also got some cute pics of his foot, but my camera is being stubborn and stopped taking good pics of the U/S pics! grrr. I need a scanner! LOL

Our little man was measuring 10 inches long...approximately because she couldnt get a good measurement of his legs...and he weighs 10 oz! It is amazing how much more connected you feel to you little one when you can call them by a name! :) I LOVE BEING PREGNANT!

Some Belly Pics!

Ok....here are some belly pics...

16 weeks


17 weeks...




18 weeks...


So now that that has been taken care of...what can I update about? Well...this coming Friday is our BIG U/S! I cannot WAIT to find out what we're having!!! I am soooo ready to be set on a name and start looking at specific designs for the nursery, etc. This must be the fun part of having children! LOL

Now for some not so good news...I dont want to give away too much information...but I DO want to ask for prayer for my husband and I. Ever since he lost his job again we have not been able to keep up with our house payment. We are now almost 3 months behind. It is a very scary time. A job opportunity has been made available for DH that would pay almost 3 times what he is making at his current job. That's great, but he would have to quit his current job for 3 weeks of unpaid training. This is just unfathomable to us right now to go 3 weeks without a pay check. My job barely pays anything. He thinking about going back on unemployment for those 3 weeks to help us get by...but that just won't cut it. It's even come so far that my husband has asked me to see if I can get my inheritance from my grandmother early. I am not suppose to get it until I'm 25...I'm almost 22 now. I don't even want to talk to my mom about it...but my husband is insisting. I don't know what to do. So all I ask is that whatever decision we make...that God is at the center of it. He will look out for us. Just pray for us that whatever happens we will be alright.

I guess thats about all that we have going on right now. I'm still sick: nausea and vomiting...and it sucks. I will be 19 weeks on Friday for our U/S. Also please pray that the anatomy scan comes back perfect :) I will update Friday with the news!!!

Sickness Update with Dr Appointment

Well....as I'm sure most of you know...I am still very sick. Vomiting is just NO FUN! So it had been 3 weeks since I had vomited, but Wednesday night I had another episode. I thought "Great, it's back." But a few hours later...when DH got sick too...I knew it wasn't regular morning sickness.

On a side note...I have to say how HILARIOUS my DH was being sick. I threw up the second I took my last bite of dinner. I got up to pee and thought "Hmm...I dont feel so good..." and the rest is history. DH jumped up and ran to the bathroom to hold my hair :) What a sweetie. When I was finally done I just thought somehow my body didn't want that food. We had Captain D's, which is really greasy...so I chalked it up to that. But then about 4 hours after eating my DH got sick too!!! He was sooooo pitiful! When I finished throwing up, I didnt necessarily feel "bad." In fact, I felt better after throwing up. DH was the EXACT OPPOSITE. lol. When he was finished he climbed in the bed with his "oooooh" "uuuuuuugh." LOL! Then the next thing I know he's talking about calling in to work!!! I was like "What?!?!" I have thrown up so many times being pregnant and have been forced to "bounce back." Now poor hubby gets sick and he's going to call in! And sure enough...he did!

Since I thought we both must have a bug I called the next day to make a doctor's appointment before I went to work. My appointment was at 10 and I have to work by 12. I called to tell them that I was right about having a fever the day before (I had a 101 degree temp at work the day before) and I may be late because I was going to the doctor. Well I went to the doctor and she let us hear the heart beat! :) 149 bpm. Our little one also kicked the doppler! yay! But anyway...she said I definitely have a virus! But I can't take anything but Tylenol for the fever! So that was that...she also said not to go to work that day and that generally if you are sick you should not work for 24 hours. So if I throw up again, I probably shouldn't work Friday either.

Well...on the way home I was struggling. DH still did not want food...but being pregnant and sick is very weird. You're sick and dont want food, but your stomach is growling and starving! So DH stopped and got me some food and I ate it when I got home...it was SO GOOD! I called work again to let them know I wouldn't be in that day. DH and I just sat around all day. But lo and behold, after I woke up from a nice 3 hour nap...I felt WORSE! omg....and what happens?? I threw up again! It completely snuck up on me! I was laying down...had a headache...coughed and covered my mouth and there it was! I jumped up and leaned over the trash can! I dropped my cell phone right in it! (LOLOLOLOL) and my hand was covered! My sweet DH felt SO bad! I hardly had anything left in me! I was throwing up pure liquid acid. It was probably the WORST sickness experience I have had. The acid taste and acid reflux stayed the rest of the day up until bedtime and Tums were just not helping. I ended up finally eating some soup at the end of the day that my sweet hubbs got for me. I munched on crackers the rest of the evening to try to curve the hunger pains.

So I had to call in to work again today. They couldnt get me a sub. That means they're understaffed today. Thats NOT good...and I know I'm going to be blamed. But I cant help it. Being sick (and pregnant!) is really hard...and we're not suppose to work if we have a fever anyway because if a parent noticed that a staff member was sick and wanted to get us in trouble...they could. So I'm just sitting here dreading going back to work on Monday...I'm still feeling icky today...but I haven't thrown up yet. DH only threw up the once. That second time really hit me hard. DH actually started feeling sorry for me after that instead of feeling like we were both sick :) I love him!

The good news that came out of all this is that we got to hear the heart beat again and I got to meet a VERY SWEET new doctor. I may just stick with her! I didnt feel rushed with her at all...and she was the on-call doctor! My appointment was last minute! She was very nice! She took the time to show me where my uterus is up to now and where I could probably feel the baby the most. My uterus is up to my belly button now! Our little one is way down there...if I press where my belly starts to curve back in (where I'm all squishy! lol) I could feel a little bump! It was SO cool! So anywho...she also asked about my lower back pain (that Ive had for 2 years now) and she up and took me to the schedule lady to start looking for a physical therapist! It's been a week since my last appointment and apparently it hadnt even been taken to the schedule lady! She even suggested a PT that she loves and wants me to see her if at all possible! So I should be getting a call soon about scheduling these appointments! All in all...even though it was a last minute appointment...I felt so much more comfortable with this doctor! I think she's a keeper! :)

So today I am officially 17 weeks pregnant! I have exactly 2 weeks before our next appointment and BIG gender U/S! I can't believe how big my belly is getting. At my last appointment it looked like I had gained 4 pounds...and then yesterday it looked like I have only gained 2. I think it changes with the clothes I'm wearing and stuff like that. I'm going more by my scale at home and it looks like I've gained 2-3. I wear the same night gown when I weigh and at about the same time each week.

I'll add a belly pic when I actually get enough energy to get dressed and take one! :)

Doctor's Appointment Update :)

I had my monthly OB appointment yesterday...finally with a doctor instead of a nurse. It was at 4pm...so I really felt rushed...but all my questions were answered. And everything looked fine...so I guess I have no complaints.

The heart rate was in the 150s. And I had to ask the nurse for that...the doctor didnt give me that information. I'm a little upset by that because I have been keeping a pregnancy journal...and I have written down every little thing from each appointment and I've known the exact heart rate at every appointment but this one. :( Oh well.

She told me the cramps and low pain were totally normal and checked my cervix and everything is fine. She also told me she will check with my insurance to see if PT is covered...and if it is...then I'm totally taking it. I'm really not wanting to stop taking care of this back pain after 2 years just because I'm pregnant. So hopefully that will work out.

I also asked about my blood pressure increasing when I have an "episode" with my back and that I'm afraid that I'm stressing the baby. She said we'll talk more about it at my next appointment if PT doesnt work out. I'm ok with that.

So the BIG U/S is not until July 10th! I swear I feel like EVERYONE on my DDC Board on BZ already knows the gender. And I'm due at the BEGINNING of the month...so I should be one of the first to know! Grrrrrr. I'm going crazy!

Well...I'm pretty sure that's it...I'll go ahead and attach the 15 week belly pic I finally uploaded :)

Week 12-14 :)

This pregnancy is flying by!!! Where do I start with an update??

Let's see....my sickness has not subsided! I am still nauseous now...if not worse...than before. I am still throwing up and having a hard time if I go too long without eating. Work is hard. As I've told you about in previous postings, I have SEVERE back pain...and I've had it for 2 years now and they still don't know what's wrong. Going to the doctors and getting more tests was just not feasible for awhile because....well, it costs an arm and a leg!!! And now I'm afraid I won't be able to go to the pain specialist because I'm on Medicaid for pregnancy only. So anywho...it's killing me. Work is REALLY hard right now because of it. We go on a field trip every Friday and this past week's field trip was torture. We hiked 3 miles. NOT a good idea! I was miserable...and no one at work understands...

My DH is predicting that I will not be able to work by the end of the summer. I'm really afraid of this...because we really need the money! But I don't want to hurt myself or especially the baby...so I'd rather be safe than sorry! The other night my back was hurting so bad I thought I was going to have to go to the ER. I asked DH if my back pain could cause trouble for the baby. He said...only if my blood pressure gets really high. Well, when I get REALLY bad bouts of pain...my blood pressure does increase. So my first question at my next appointment will be about my back pain and the baby. If it's a problem...I'll quit work...and that's that.

Let's see what else...oh oh oh! Good news!!! I felt the baby for the first time Wednesday night!!! I was laying in bed on my back and I felt this thing like waves...on my left side. I knew it wasnt gas because I had had gas all evening (LOL) and this was different. Little bit was going crazy in there! I told DH and he put his hand on my belly where I felt it and I held my breath and BAM! He got to feel a great deal of movement! He got all teary eyed and I said "Did you feel it?!" and he was like "OMG! I think so!" lol...so that was amazing! I haven't really felt it since...but now that I have...I know exactly what to look for! I'm so excited!

I have been eating considerably less these days. I have been really sick and I haven't even realized that I wasnt eating. Its very hard for me to find anything that I actually want to eat. Its been tough. I have also been coming home and getting straight in the bed and laying down the entire evening. Only to fall asleep about 11 or 12 and not get up til about 9am! Its been good to have that time with DH because he has to go to bed early...and get up at 5am. It's funny because I have been peeing every 2-3 hours in the night and I always end up getting up to pee when he's getting up for work. I thought the peeing in the middle of the night was supposed to go away in the 2nd trimester too...but nope! It actually increased for me! I was going about twice a night and now I'm going about 4 times a night! LOL

So my next appointment is this coming Wednesday! I will be 15weeks 5 days. I am seriously considering asking for an U/S even though it's not scheduled because I have been having some SEVERE cramps lately. No joke. It hurts like heck!!! And since my back pain has me wondering if I am stressing the baby...I think they'll let me! I really just want to see little bit healthy! But I also may just ask the gender! LOL I am about to crazy! I want to know SO bad! Mainly because I want to be abe to start picking out stuff...and I want to call little baby by their name! :)

So I'll update some pics now! Here's week 13 and week 14...I'm going to take a pic today for week 15. I'll let you know how the appointment goes Wednesday! If I dont get an U/S that day I am planning on scheduling the gender U/S for July 3rd when I am 18 weeks. I don't want to wait that long...but I guess I might have to!!!


Week 13...
Week 14...any bigger??