Little Mama Week 14

I am doing this post a day early since we had a doctor's appointment this morning. It was a really quick appointment. One funny that might be a little gross that I want to share is this. Last appointment they didn't say anything about needing an urine sample, but I gave one anyway. So this time I was not prepared, but I gave a small one. Well I spilled it while putting it in the little window. My first thought was, great I am going to have to stay here and drink water and give another sample. But they were able to use what little was left.

Anyway enough about me. Baby A is doing good. Good strong heart beat. My doctor kinda scared me when we first started to hear the heart beat. Right when she started to say, "If we don't hear a heart beat don't worry, we can do an ultrasound," the heart beat was loud and strong. Don't scare me! My weight is the same plus my blood pressure is good. So far...so good! We go back at the end of April to maybe see what Baby A is!

My acne has been crazy this week. Plus I got my first cold sore on my bottom lip. Plus my gums have been some what irritated. Everything else is the same. I measured 34 3/4 so I am growing slowly right now. I can't wait until I can't see my feet!

I went dress shopping yesterday, but I didn't find anything that I liked. Today has been warm enough so I can wear my leggings and a summer dress. I really hope it stays this way. People are just going to have to get used to seeing my white legs.

So lets see what Baby A is up to this week and how big he/she is.

Hungry much? Now that you’re not feeling so queasy, you’re probably enjoying eating. A lot. Plus, you’re fueling baby’s growth -- which is happening at super speed at 14 weeks. Be sure to keep plenty of healthy snacks by your side just in case you get the munchies. It’s important -- for you and for baby -- that you don’t indulge in too many greasy, fatty foods, so you’re both getting the right nutrients. (Of course, the occasional bowl of ice cream is totally okay.) And we just wanted to remind you: eating for two doesn’t mean doubling your calorie intake. Not only have you gotten your appetite back at week 14, but you’ve probably also gotten some of your energy back, too. If you found yourself shying away from exercise during trimester one, it’s time to get back on track. Go take a walk!

Baby A is 3.4 inches and 1.5 ounces, he's almost doubled in weight since last week and keeps on growing.

He's probably sucking his thumb and wiggling his toes in there! His kidneys are making urine, and his liver and spleen are doing their jobs, too. And he's growing lanugo, a thin, peach-fuzz-like hair, all over 

his body -- it will help him keep warm!

thebump.com

Little Mama Week 13

Where has the time gone? Most of it has been spent making sure Baby A is growing and healthy with a strong heart beat. I have been scared, nervous and excited all at the same time. I believe when I start showing, the excitement will get bigger. Also when I go back to the doctor next Thursday and see Baby A move and hear a heart beat, I will feel comfortable.

So what has Baby A been up to? Lets see.....

Yay! It’s the last week of the first trimester and you did it. We’re not just talking about getting through those work meetings without falling asleep (or puking!), we’re talking about how you’ve completed one whole third of your pregnancy -- and the reputed toughest one at that. You’ve grown a fetus that has vocal cords, teeth and even fingerprints (wow!) and you probably kept this incredible news (mostly) secret while you constantly wished you could shout it from the rooftops -- or, at the very least, use it as an excuse for getting to work late. It’s about this time that many parents-to-be start spreading the word (to more people than just close family and friends) that there’s a baby on the way. But know that there are no hard and fast rules about when you should divulge your secret. It could be after your next prenatal doctor visit, once you start showing or at a big family event where everyone will be gathered. Or maybe everyone already knows! That’s totally your call.

Baby A is about 2.9 inches long and weighs about .81 ounces, and -- proportion-wise -- her head's now about 1/3 the size of her body (remember? It used to be bigger!).  Can you believe she's forming vocal cords and teeth?! And even though she's still teeny, she already has fingerprints. Her intestines are moving from the umbilical cord to their more permanent place, in her tummy.

www.thebump.com

The pains in my right side have gone away! So I am going to assume it was due to the spicy foods that I had ate. I have tried not to eat any this week to see if that is the issue.

•The acne is still here! Not as bad.

•Getting up once or twice during the night to pee!

•My hands have been dry, so I have kept Lubriderm lotion on them during the day.

•Still eating like a horse. Healthy food that is.

•Clothes are starting to not fasten at all. Maternity clothes are getting closer. I have been looking and the prices are crazy!

•I have started to pray each morning to Baby A. I read my Bible verse and then talk about it with Baby A.

•Sneezing is common these days. I sneezed the other night five times in a row.

•Bras are starting to get smaller and hurt under my breast.

Over all I have been very blessed to have it easy. Sometimes I look pregnant and sometimes I don't. I guess it is just how much I eat. I have been measuring my belly every Thursday and yesterday I was 34 1/2 in the waist. Not sure if that is how you measure, but that is how I am measuring. I know the doctor does it differently.

Monday night we had a storm to come through. Our power was off for over 12 hours. So I ate a PB&J sandwich and chips for supper. Not the best supper, but what can you do?

Just looking forward to next Thursday. I should be right at 14 weeks. I can't wait to see Baby A and hear its heartbeat!

Little Mama Week 12

Things are changing fast. You’re reaching the home stretch of the first trimester (we know, finally!) at 12 weeks which means your hormones are likely to tone things down a bit -- which might make you feel a little less emotional! And it will probably help the symptoms subside a bit, too. One warning though: your morning sickness and fatigue might get replaced by headaches and dizziness. But we think that’s a reasonable trade-off. The other big change? Baby’s almost done developing her body’s important systems and parts, which means, it’s mostly about getting bigger and more mature from here on out. Around week 12, you might want to know more about baby, so you’re probably having genetic testing done to determine her risk of birth defects or other problems. This can be a little scary -- and confusing -- so be sure to ask your OB plenty of questions, and know that it’s much more likely baby’s A-OK than anything else.

Baby A is about 2.1 inches long and .49 ounces. Now that she's got pretty much all her parts, her main job is to keep on growing. Most of her critical systems are fully formed! She's about to enter the growth and maturation stage, in which her organs and tissues will grow and develop rapidly. She's now developing her reflexes -- if you poke her body, she'll likely move. She's opening and closing her fingers and curling her toes, too. Her brain is developing fast!

thebump.com

The hunger is still about the same. Just trying to eat bigger meals to keep the hunger down some. Then eat small snacks at other times.

My neck has started to breakout more and the bumps stay longer. Some people have thought I have a rash. Chris asked me Sunday what was wrong with my neck. I told him it was my hormones.

Clothes are about the same. If I had maternity clothes, I would wear them. But right now I can get by with what I have with a few small fixes. I will be glad when the weather warms up and I can wear my dresses more. I feel much more comfortable in them than I do in pants.

I have been trying to sleep on my left side for the most part. I do wake up sometimes on my back and quickly change positions. I am just paranoid that I will hurt Baby A.

Still doing a lot of resting in the evenings. I did get out and help Chris in the yard Saturday. 

Two nights last week I woke up with a pain in my right side. It kinda scared me, but then they would go away.
Friday night as I was grocery shopping, I started getting them again. I let Chris know and he came home. We came to the conclusion that I might need to stay away from spicy food for a little bit to see if that is the cause. If not, I will be calling my doctor to let her know.

And we're cooking!

Our stove finally came in Sunday.

I went out to meet the delivery people and to make sure the stove was in good condition. Well....it had a small dent on it! UGH!!!!!! It is at the bottom on the right side in the back. Chris didn't want to accept it, but called and talked with the store manager and he said we could do one of two things. Return it and order a new one or use this one until a new one arrived. Which I thought was nice, since we have been without a stove for about 6 weeks now.

So we decided to keep this one and order a new one. Chris and his dad worked hard getting this one in and working. When they got finished Chris called back and asked the store manager if we kept this one would he take $ off. Sure enough he took another $100 off and we are KEEPING this stove. THANK YOU LORD!

I CAN COOK NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We turned the oven part on and let it burn off some of the yucky smell.

Later on I fixed a good meal of hamburger steak, potatoes and navy beans! Let the cooking continue!

Little Mama Week 11

So I have decided to call my weekly post "Little Mama". I tried to think of something clever, but this is what I liked. I thought of Preggie Kimmie, but that sounded weird. So I hope to keep you updated each week on how Baby A is growing and how mama is doing.

Week 11!

Around 11 weeks, you’ll probably notice some subtle changes, like an increase in vaginal discharge and a dark, vertical line appearing down the center of your belly (known as the linea nigra). It’s probably tough to feel calm right now, since your hormones are still haywire and you may still be feeling pretty nauseated. But know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel -- just two more weeks left in trimester one! Week 11 is a great time to start planning a babymoon: a romantic getaway with your partner. Just about everyone recommends you do this in the second trimester, since that’s when you’ll likely feel most energized (and we doubt you’ll want to do a lot of traveling once you hit trimester three). A babymoon isn’t just a cool way to celebrate your anticipation for baby’s arrival; it’s a great way to bond with your partner before baby starts taking up a ton of your time and attention. Hey, maybe you’ll also get to relax a little! So take your mind off your queasiness and start scouting some babymoon destinations. And if you need another diversion, imagine your growing baby, doing just fine in there, becoming more and more mature every day.

Baby A is the size of a lime, about 1.6 inches long, and she's got about a 1:1 head to body ratio. She now weighs in at about .25 ounces. You can't see it, but she's moving fluidly and gracefully in there.
Her skin is see-through, but she's on her way to looking more like a baby. Her fingers and toes aren't webbed anymore. Tooth buds, hair follicles and nail beds are forming.

All information above is from thebump.com.

I have been sooooo hungry! Still craving hamburgers and fries, but I am trying to eat healthy and save money. Acne has officially taken over my neck, chest and face. I have heard that you are having a little girl if she steels your beauty...well if that is the case...then I will say right now that we have a little girl in the making!

Clothes are becoming uncomfortable. If I could wear my pj's to work I would LOVE it. So I know a trip to buy maternity clothes is coming soon. If the weather would hurry up and get warm, I can start wearing my dresses.

I am sneezing several times a day and having some stuffiness, but nothing bad. Not sure if I have mentioned it or not, but when I went back to the doctor I had gained 7lbs in 4 weeks!

I am just loving this time in my life. Feeling blessed to carry and have this child is beyond words and I thank the Lord several times a day for it. I don't want to sound like I complain about pregnancy hormones or anything, I just want to document them for future reading.

On another note. Our stove is supposed to be delivered Sunday. I am praying that it will not be damaged and will work great.

Water, Water, Water!

I have never been much of a drinker (not the alcohol kind). Whether it was cola, tea, water or whatever...I just never drank much during the day. A can drink could last me lunch and supper. I have tried over the last year to at least finish my glass of sweet tea at supper, but I have failed many times. My dad does the same thing. He can go a whole meal and not take a drink.

Since I am expecting, water is a must! I try to drink two bottles of water a day, a cup of apple juice in the morning and Ginger Ale or Sprite for supper. Let me just say that is A LOT of fluids for me. I don't mind since I have a very important job I am doing.

Not sure if the 6 bathroom breaks during the day and 2 at night having anything to do with the fluids or just things pressing on my bladder. It is probably a little of both and other girl friends have told me it will get worse!

One thing that has helped me drink more water, is my mouth being dry. I have read so much about how you will have extra saliva during pregnancy...well mine has been the other way. I feel like I need to guzzle a gallon of water to keep from having a dry mouth. I can take a drink of water and as soon as I swallow it feels dry again.

I recently got some Dasani Water Drops that I can add to my water. Maybe that will give it a little more flavor.

Not sure about drinking water from the tap. Several articles have said it is okay. Some dentist prefer you to drink from the tap due to the Fluoride in it. It really doesn't taste bad, I am just worried it may have some crazy fungus in it.

Our Newest Family Addition :)

Baby Ashley is due September 27, 2013.

We found out on January 18th that we were having a baby.

I knew mother nature had not visited in a while so I needed to check. I had went and bought groceries that night and took the test when I got home. I was no where as nervous this time as I was last time. It was almost like I knew it was positive and knew what was to come. So I took the test and of course it was positive. We didn't want to tell anyone, so I had to sit at home by myself knowing our good news. I decided to call my mom and just talk. I need to talk to someone. She never caught on :)

Chris was still at work, so I had to wait until he got home around 1:00am to tell him. I let him get his stuff in and we had talked for a little bit when I told him I had some good news to tell him. I said, "I am pregnant". He was like, "That's good".  We talked for a little bit more and went to bed. We were excited, we just didn't want to get too excited. We didn't want to set ourselves up for disappointment.

We waited a week or so to tell our parents, Chris' sister and other family members. They were all excited and told us congratulations. My dad screamed so loud, Wilson started barking!

I waited a little while longer before I told my co-workers. They were excited also!

So how have the last 10 weeks been. Well I will try and tell.

4 weeks 1 day

First doctor's appointment went good. I got to see a sac, which I was glad to see. She did more blood work and an urine sample. Told me to come back in a week.

I felt good. Symptoms: sore breast and very hungry.

5 weeks 5 days

Did another ultrasound and saw a small embryo with a heartbeat! :) My first words were, "Thank You Lord". Man did she do some blood work. 4 things of blood, which tested me for everything. She gave me the book, "What To Expect When You Are Expecting" and a lot of papers to look over. Most of it covers classes that are offered through the hospital and her office. My next appointment is in 4 weeks.

Symptoms: They come and go, but the sore breast stay. Also the hunger is CRAZY! I have been having a little acne on different parts of my chest and face., bathroom breaks. It is like the symptoms will stay for a day or two and then a new one would come. I have not thrown up (TMI...but sorry) I have been a little nauseated at different times, but nothing major. Mostly it occurs in the evening after supper. I have been tired, so coming home and eating and laying down have been great!

10 weeks
Man was I ready for this appointment. I was nervous, scared and excited! Four weeks is just too long to wait. Seeing and hearing a heartbeat was my main concern. When I heard the heartbeat I was so, so thankful. She let me have another ultrasound so I could see and hear everything. As soon as she started the ultrasound Baby Ashley was moving around. And yes I got video! Next she let me listen to the heartbeat, which was strong! :) :) Again, I thanked the Lord....it is a blessing! After the ultrasound we went over my medical coverage...and I am not happy about what my insurance will not cover. But I am thankful for what it does, it could be worse.

So I go back in another four long weeks. I should be about 14 weeks. Not sure when we will find out the sex, but I can't wait. Every time I go back my days have changed. I know they will continue to, so I am not worried about that.

My clothes have started to be tight. So maternity clothes are in the near future.