Cold Cuts

Week 6

This weekend was our Ladies’ Retreat at Lone Oak Ranch in Gainesville, Texas. My friend, Randi, and I had already planned on riding together and I started thinking about sharing our news with Randi. I knew that she would listen and I trusted that she would not tell anybody our news. It is so nice to have friends that you can trust. I also knew that she would be praying for us and I really wanted someone else to be praying for our pregnancy. I talked to Chris about it and he really was not ready to tell anyone. I explained that I really needed someone to confide in and that I had so many questions to ask. My friend had recently had a baby, so I knew that she would have answers. Chris agreed to let me tell Randi and was very understanding. When I told her, she was so excited for our baby news. I was able to tell our story, ask questions, and I felt like I now had someone I could talk to about my silly questions.

We had signed up for the bunkhouse because it was $40 cheaper. I remembered from the previous year that the bunks were not very comfortable, but I had forgotten that it was basically a thin mattress with chicken wire beneath. Picture a mattress in a hammock. Fortunately, nobody was sleeping above me. : ) It was quite entertaining to try and move to get comfortable. The metal squeaked like crazy and made me giggle every single time I moved. I was the first to bed and the first to rise. We had been doing a craft and the fumes were getting pretty strong. I also avoided the late night coffee. There are so many little changes already.  When I awoke super early, I got ready and then went to pet the horses. Then I went and had time alone with God and observed His creation. It was so nice to have some quiet time and to get to really absorb this new plan for us.

I have been really good about eating healthy and packing healthy snacks. I have avoided caffeine and anything on the forbidden food list. As a matter of fact, on the last day of the retreat, they were having sandwiches. I knew this would happen. You are not supposed to eat sandwich meat unless it is warmed up to avoid bacteria called Listeria. There was no way to make that happen. I wanted to avoid the line and wait to go last so nobody would see my plate. Randi saved the day and we went to check out a chapel and the wedding decorations to kill a little time. When we returned, the line was gone and I was able to make a bread, mayo, and cheese sandwich. Yum! Nobody noticed.

We had our first appointment on Monday, February 27th. Chris and I both took a half day and had lunch together at Z Pizza. We went to our appointment and did not have to wait long at all. We were in the room and Dr. Paroski walked in and gave us both a big hug. She asked me if I had been sick at all and I told her that I had been feeling good. She was a little surprised we were in so early, but that was when they scheduled us. She answered a ton of questions and Chris sat with his pen and paper ready to take notes on my questions and he added several of his own. I think we caught her a little off guard, even though she deals with pregnant couples every day. We were already feeling better and had a lot of our questions answered. The doctor took us into the sonogram room and we were able to see you for the first time. I thought that I would cry, but I just stared amazed at your tiny flickering heart beat. I can’t believe that you are the size of a bean and that you have a heartbeat at 6 weeks. Your father and I got our first picture of you today. You are beautiful! It was reassuring and wonderful to go in this early and get to see you. Our next appointment will be at about 10 weeks on March 23^rd.

Baby Size- lentil

Developments- Nose, mouth, and ears are developing this week!

Cravings- I had to go pick up pizza again on Wednesday night. I was eyeing everyone’s pizza in the teachers’ lounge this week. Ifratelli may have been the first official craving pick up. It did give me heartburn later, so I regretted it promptly.

Symptoms- I am feeling a little light headed at times and I need to sit a lot at work. My energy has vanished. I have also had frequent visits to the bathroom at work. This isn’t easy when you teach little munchkins!

New Eating Habits

Week 5

I have signed up for several weekly newsletters and installed two pregnancy apps on my phone. Half-Priced Books was my next stop. I got Chris The Expectant Father and bought a couple of books for myself. I gave this book to Chris for Valentine’s Day along with a Smelly Bear children’s book. The What to Expect books stress me out a little bit and I don’t like to ponder all of the things that could go wrong. Actually, it was quite fun to buy the books. The lady at the checkout told me that she bought the same book for her husband when they were pregnant. It felt good that somebody else knew we were pregnant, but that our secret was safe. This was the best Valentine’s Day ever. I also ordered Salerno’s pecan crusted chicken when Chris was out of town this week. This is normal for me and I wouldn’t consider this a pregnancy craving.  I had to ask about their homemade dressings, because you are not supposed to eat Caesar or dressings made with raw eggs. I asked this question when I called the order in and it felt so strange to say that I was pregnant and would opt for the vinaigrette instead. It was even fun to pick up the order and know that they knew I was pregnant. We can’t wait to tell the world, because we want to make sure that the baby and I are healthy before we tell everyone. I don’t know how people can possibly wait until the first trimester is over to share the news. I can’t believe we have made it this far without telling anyone (I guess I cheated a little with these two examples). I also had a baby shower this weekend for our friends Brent and Kristin. It was so great to see her joy and she had the most beautiful nursery for her little girl. I know that time will fly and before you know it, we will be having your shower. Our friends Christy and Tres also announced that they are having another baby in August. We were both avoiding the sandwich meat and soft cheeses, but I don’t think either of us really noticed. ;)  I did not spill the beans. Pregnancy is amazing already and I can’t believe that major organs are developing at the speed they are. There are times that I still can’t believe that we are pregnant. We are getting more and more excited and scared every day. We love you so much already and I wonder if you are a boy or a girl. Will you have your daddy’s curls or my huge feet? Your daddy and I do not have a lot of creativity to pass down, but who knows, you could be very artistic and an abstract thinker. No matter what, we will love you always. Thank you Lord, for our incredible blessing…

Baby Size- Sesame Seed

Cravings- I have wanted Italian food and carbs. 

Symptoms- Still very tired, but no sickness yet. I have felt a little off and not like myself. I am having really vivid dreams and I am having a hard time sleeping. I want to make sure I am laying just right for this sweet baby. Bathroom trips are more frequent, but I am drinking a lot of water.

Coming Soon on October 22nd…our little pumpkin!

Week 4 – February 12, 2012

Coming Soon…our little pumpkin! Due October 22, 2012. 

Boy, did our lives change today! We had come home from worship that morning and as I was finishing a load of laundry and picking up around the house, I thought, “Just another delayed start.”  The pregnancy test was negative two days ago and it is supposed to be 90% accurate at the time I took it. I decided to take a test again, but it was more to affirm that I was correct and that we were not pregnant. Don’t get me wrong, this was not unplanned. I wanted a positive test. We have been hoping and praying for this to happen and I can think of no greater joy than to find out you are on the way! So back to that little test… I took the test and then waited a couple of minutes for the result. I thought I was seeing things. It said “PREGNANT!” I looked again and couldn’t believe it. I mean that same test was negative two days before. “Oh my goodness, how should I tell Chris?” I thought. I had not even told him about taking the other test this week. I decided that I couldn’t wait to tell him and I wasn’t going to search Pinterest for a clever idea. I ran into the living room and with tears in my eyes and a stick in my hand said, “We are pregnant!” I don’t think Chris actually believed me. He then questioned the accuracy of the test and kept a real even tone. I think we were both in shock. He asked me, “So what now?” I explained that a pregnancy test is more sensitive than a blood test at the doctor, but that I would call tomorrow and set up an appointment. At this point, we were only 4 weeks and doctors usually won’t see you until 8-10 weeks. That seemed like an eternity. I was relieved when I called the next day and they wanted to see me at 6 weeks for a sonogram. What will I do the next two weeks and can I keep this a secret?

Baby Size- Poppy Seed

Cravings- Nothing. My eating habits are normal. I have been eating lots of fruits and vegetables for the last month and have continued the same eating habits.

Symptoms- Very tired, but that seems pretty normal for someone who works with kids all day. ; )