Friday, January 27, 2012

Getting Ready for Baby #2

Back in July I wrote a post about our journey to baby #2 and made a list of things I would like to have done or would like to do before she gets here. We weren't expecting to BE expecting as soon as we did so things have progressed quicker than I had planned and I wanted to give myself a reminder of things that are still lingering on that list.

1. Have our house finished - the trim is so close to being done that I can smell it (sawdust, stain and all!) However we still have the second bathroom, porch, and dining room to go.
2. Make a will - still procrastinating on this one as well
3. Continue to exercise and get to a more healthy weight - I do a lot of walking and some Wii fit and my weight has been making great progress in terms of keeping it under control during pregnancy. I'm afraid the loss will have to wait until after our little girl gets here, thank goodness she will also be a spring baby!
4. Transition Tray to his own bed Trayton has been sleeping through the night in his own bed for about 4 months!
5. Continue to educate myself about pregnancy, births, c-sections and postpartum options.
6. Discuss with Ryan and look in to hiring a postpartum doula Ryan is planning on taking time off with this baby, but should that change I have a few contacts saved.
7. Learn even more about and look for a specialist to have placenta encapsulated - I just need to contact and book her!
8. Have at least a two month grocery supply stocked up and meals frozen for two weeks after coming home
9. Learn more about cord blood banking - this has been eating at me because there are so many options out there and the more time I spend at the hospital for clinicals, the more I really want to do this and wish I had with Trayton.
10. Look for a birth education class that Trayton can attend - we found one for March!
11. Have all the necessary baby items stocked up - still working on my list for what I need
12. Take a babymoon before #2 arrives
13. Get more massages during pregnancy and a pedicure before my due date - I'm failing miserably in the massage department and have yet to get one, even though I have a gift card from my friend Gabbie to get one. Now the pedicure I got on the cruise, too bad it can't last until mid-May. I will find time to get to these! 
14. Update my birth plan.
15. Get a 3D ultrasound - it was amazing!
16. Get family maternity pictures and let Tray paint my belly - scheduled right after his second birthday in April!
17. Get a few more maternity clothes and nursing clothes - I'm good in the maternity department and now just need some nursing clothes.

To add to this list:
18. Have all baby clothes/linens washed a few weeks before the due date
19. Have all baby items/gear/necessities set up and ready to go before due date


Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading! 

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Pregnancy Week 22

Baby girl is 11 inches in length and weighs about 1 pound; think 1 inch less than a ruler and almost as skinny! She should now look like a miniature newborn complete with more distinct lips, eyebrows, eyelids and tooth buds under the gums. Her irises still lack pigment but lanugo covers her body and her pancreas is slowly maturing.  

22 Weeks - Mom: The lovely stretch marks I acquired with Trayton are slowly darkening in appearance as my belly grows, despite my use of BioOil and lotion. However, my hair and nails are thicker and seem to be growing at a much faster rate than I remember with Trayton. The heartburn is still present at different times of the day and I feel like I'm constantly eating something. Good news at our appointment on
January 10th was that I only gained 2lbs. putting me at 213 and a total gain of 8lbs. My OB was really excited about this, more than I was and I couldn't help but laugh to myself! I know watching your weight is important during pregnancy for a number of reasons (and when you're not pregnant) but I've never been that excited over it! Little girl's heartbeat was in the 150s and my thyroid levels were unchanged = good! We will have our anatomy scan at our next appointment during week 26 and while I already know the gender, I am excited to see our little girl again!
Week 22 Nassau, Bahamas
Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading! 

Pregnancy Week 21

During weeks 21-22 we traveled to the Bahamas for my brother's destination wedding - sea sickness wasn't bad until the last day and then WOW...all I have to say. Baby girl weighed about 3/4 of a pound and still measured at 10.5 inches. Her kicks definitely started getting stronger this week; not sure if I was just more in tune or it had something to do with being at sea. She was definitely more active in the afternoon/evening and more restful during the day. Her eyebrows and lids are now present and her vagina has begun to form.

21 Weeks-Mom: Aside from the trip, I've felt pretty well lately. The one day we got to swim in the ocean I felt amazing; weight free and very relaxed. My varicose veins weren't too unsightly and I could finally feel the little girl's kicks on the outside of my belly; Ryan has been waiting to feel them but trying to catch them when he's around has been hard! There really isn't much new to report this week and we have an appointment later in week 22; hoping I ate well enough and didn't splurge on the ship to keep my weight right on track. Trayton and Ryan had  blast swimming in the ocean (don't mind my goofy smile while trying to get  decent picture and keep Tray from jumping out of my arms to get to the water!)
Week 21 belly!

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!

20 Weeks: Halfway There!

This week marked the halfway point in our pregnancy (I'm still three weeks behind and trying to play catch-up!) Our little girl is about 6.5 inches long and weighs approximately 10.5 ounces; from this week forward she will be measured from head to toe, rather than crown to rump. I love this picture from Alpha Mom's Pregnancy Calendar! 
week by week pregnancy
She is swallowing more = practice for her digestive system and is also making meconium, the by-product of digestion which accumulates in her bowels and will be passed in her first diaper. Trayton passed some before delivery and I was very relieved when his APGAR score was high in the respiratory department and that he had no infection due to aspiration. I'm hoping she doesn't pass any until after birth.

20 Weeks: Mom: My uterus is about level with my belly button (and I do look rather pudgy in that region if I do say so.) I had an older gentleman staring at me one day while at the hospital paying a bill before asking me when I was due; I'm sure he was wondering "Is she pregnant or just pudgy?" I definitely think I have a smaller belly with this pregnancy than I had with Trayton. Trayton seemed to widen me out whereas this pregnancy seems to be staying pretty compact and straight out in front of me. My skin has been very dry lately despite lotioning efforts and the peripheral vein on the inside of my knee looks like a wonderful blue rope thanks to the relaxing effects of progesterone (say hello to the sexy compression stockings!) 
Week 20 family picture!

Weight: 211lbs (same as last week - really? I couldn't believe it since Christmas dinners were happening!)
Other symptoms: heartburn, always looming during my pregnancies and I don't foresee it getting better as this baby compresses my organs upward.
To Do: get ready for vacation and start looking for a childbirth class that we can take Trayton to so we can learn new ways to teach him about the upcoming arrival of his sister!

  
Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading! 

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

It's a .....

Girl! We had our 3D ultrasound at week 19 at Prenatal Vision in Des Moines to confirm baby's gender! It was amazing to see all of the detail with the 3D imaging! The tech used a combination of 2D and 3D to check out major structures and put the images on a CD for us as well as recording the entire session on a DVD set to music! Trayton was pretty unamused until he got to hear his sister's heartbeat, then he decided to watch the screen for a while before resuming play.

                                                        









We decided to announce the gender to family members at Christmas dinner with a 'Sugar & Spice' theme!





19 Weeks - Baby: It's soooo nice to refer to her as HER rather than just baby/it/they! Sensory areas in her brain are differentiating into smell, taste, hearing, vision and touch! She can hear my voice now, so hopefully she likes the stories that Trayton and I read, and my singing in the car! She is weighing in at about 8.5 ounces and measuring 6 inches from crown to rump so about the size of a large tomato. Her kidneys are continuing to make urine and she is sprouting hair on her scalp! I'm interested to see if she will have hair like Trayton or be bald forever like me.The vernix caseosa (a waxy protective covering) is forming on her skin so that she doesn't pickle in the amniotic fluid.
19 Weeks - Mom: This little girl is going to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming weeks and I've already experienced some of the sharp round ligament pain. I've also noticed redness in the palms of my hands from the extra estrogen. Not  whole lot of new things for mom this week. Getting ready for Christmas and my brother's wedding in the Bahamas.
Weight: 211lbs (+1 from last week, up 6 total)
Feeling: pretty well,very excited to do some shopping and crafting for our little girl!
Week 19 belly on Christmas morning! Opening gifts with my little boy!

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Baby Minnehan #2

Baby Minnehan #2 is currently 22 weeks and a lot has been going on in terms of development for both baby and myself! Baby conpleted it's embryonic period between fertilization and the 10th week of gestation (8th week by embryonic age; the first two weeks before ovulation are included in gestational age,) after which the fetal development period takes over. The embryonic stage is very important as most of the organ development happens during this time. To break it down a recap from BabyCenter's development:

4 Weeks - Baby: The embryo has developed from a few cells, to cluster of cells and to a ball of cells which then begins to give rise to layers called the epiblast and hypoblast (from which germinal layers and all organs and systems arise.) A primitive placenta has developed to provide oxygen and nutrients. The amniotic sac and fluid which protect and cushion the embryo are present and the yolk sac is in place to produce red blood cells and deliver nutrients until the placenta is mature enough to take over.
4 Weeks - Mom: We found out we were expecting this little one at the end of 4 weeks!
Current weight: 205lbs
Feeling: pretty normal except for the excessive peeing!
Taking: prenatal vitamin with DHA and thyroid medication

5 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about the size of a sesame seed and has a tail (imagine tadpole!) The embryo is composed of the ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm germinal layers. From the ectoderm forms the neural tube. Baby's brain, spinal cord, nerves and spine arise from this layer. Also arising from this layer are baby's nails, hair, skin, mammary & sweat glands and tooth enamel. The mesoderm forms the heart and circulatory system, muscle, cartilage, bone and subcutneous tissue. This week, the heart has divided into it's 4 chambers (2 atria and 2 ventricles,) and pump blood. From the innermost layer, endoderm, the lungs, intestines, urinary system, thyroid, liver and pancreas will develop. 
5 Weeks - Mom: We had our first prenatal appointment this week (found out possible twins!) Weight was still the same and I was still feeling pretty well.

6 Weeks - Baby: The embryo has tripled in size to about 3-4mm and is working on developing its nose, mouth and ears. Blood is pumping, intestines are forming, the pituitary gland, rest of the brain, muscles and bones are all forming. At our 5 week ultrsound, theembryo that was in front looked very similar to this picture, only in 2D imaging! Couldn't get a heartbeat yet, bummer!
6 Weeks - Mom: Fatigue started to set in this week and the frequent trips to the restroom continued. My sense of smell also intensified sometime this week. We were still under the impression we could be having twins and were anxiously lookinf forward to week 7!

7 Weeks - Baby: The small tadpole-like tail is still present and arm/legs buds sprouted paddle-like hands and feet. Baby is now the size of a blueberry! Eyelids are in place, both cerebral hemispheres are present, and the liver is producing RBCs until the bone marrow is able to synthesize. The appendix and pancreas are forming and a loop in the intestines is growing into the umbilical cord complete with blood vessels.
7 Weeks - Mom:  BabyCenter says eating may become a chore - my appetite was pretty sluggish due to the slow emergence of morning sickness (definitely not the case with my first pregnancy.) We had a follow-up appointment this week and found out that we were only having one baby instead of two due to the stop in development and absorption of one of the embryos.   
Weight: still 205lbs
Feeling: Mixed emotions sad and happy. A little worried about the extra bleeding from marginal previa.

8 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about the size of a gummy bear this week, complete with fingers and toes that are webbed just like a gummy! The trachea is formed and the tail has nearly disappeared. Nerve cells in the brain are branching out and connecting to form neural pathways.
8 Weeks - Mom: Progesterone increases dramatically this week contributing to fatigue but preserving the pregnancy. Still had no increase in appetite; super busy with school and super tired!

Week 8 Belly at Trayton's 18 Month Pics
   
9 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about the size of a grape and doesn't quite weigh an ounce. Heart valves and teeth start to form, tail is gone, external genitalia are present but not distinguishable, eyes are formed but eyelids are fused shut until 27 weeks. The placenta is mature enough to take over producing hormones.
9 Weeks - Mom: Uterus is the size of a grapefruit (rather than a fist!) Hair is thickening and growing rapidly - or maybe it was just my perception since I was so busy, it was cold and I slacked on shaving? Ha! My waist definitely started to thicken but I was able to wear my regular jeans - and I ordered a Belly Band to use down the road. And did someone turn the heat on or what it seems that with the more blood volume pumping I am hot all the time. We had an appointment on the 14th of October and baby is progressing well, we even heard the heartbeat on the ultrasound!
Weight: 207 lbs (up 2lbs)
Thyroid levels: no change, so same medication dose
Previa: improving with much less bleeding!

10 Weeks - Baby: Baby is a little over an inch long from crown to rump and weighs in at about a quarter of an ounce, about the size of a AA battery. This week marked the end of the embryonic period and the beginning of the fetal period; from here on out those tissues and organs that developed in the previous weeks will grow and mature. Baby is able to swallow and the kidneys, intestines, brain and liver are starting to function. Fingernails are growing as is fine hair all over the body, joints flex, the spine is visible and spinal nerves are beginning to span out.
10 Weeks - Mom:  Uterus is still the size of a grapefruit. I began to feel like I was hit by a truck and needed to carry a bucket with me at all times with a sign that said "caution, makes frequent stops to puke!" I tried teas and dramamine but found that Sea Bands and sleep worked the best for alleviating the symptoms. Cereal, green beans and fruit were about the only things that even sounded remotely appetizing (and my mom HAD to go and make chili that week and I couldn't eat it, boo!)
Weight: 205lbs (-2 from last week)

11 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about the size of a fig or small lemon this week and looking more like a little human than an alien, with defined fingers and toes. Aside from the acrobatic going on, baby's bones are hardening and tooth buds are forming and hiccuping may take place now that the diaphragm is beginning to function. Trayton had hiccups every day at nearly the same time, right after lunch and usually before bed. I'm interested to see if this one has them too once I can start to feel such movement!
11 Weeks - Mom: BabyCenter  claims I should have started to have more energy about now...I definitely did not and still had frequent bouts of sickness, heartburn and headaches. I still had virtually no appetite and felt like I was constantly drinking liquids and then going to the restroom. I napped in the afteroons after class and at night had crazy dreams that made no sense at all. Usually I'm a vivid dreamer and also dream in color and usually my dreams make some sort of sense...not these, they were just so random.
Weight: 204lbs (-1 from last week)
Feeling: nauseated, fatigued

11 Week belly, kind of hard to see. We took Trayton trick or treating at the zoo for Night Eyes and he loved it! The big cats were very active and I think his favorite part of the night.


12 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about the size of alime this week at just over two inches and weighs approximately an ounce. Reflexes are developing, intestines are moving into the abdominal cavity, kidneys are excreting urine into the bladder, nerve cells are multiplying and synapses in the brain are forming. The eyes have moved to the front of the head and the ears are in their appropriate place. This week was the last week of the first trimester!
12 Weeks - Mom: As the last week of the first trimester I was looking forward to feeling better soon! My appetite was still missing, so I ate small frequent meals of cereal, as bland of veggies as I could find and on occasion ice cream! I was still drinking lots of fluids and began to think about my first pregnancy and how I was constantly spilling glucose (sugar) in my urine. My next appointment was the 14th of November and I planned to ask my doctor how things were going or if it was just because of the extra bodily requirements.
Weight: 204lbs, same as last week
13 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about 3 inches long and weighs in at an ounce (think shrimp-like!) Fingerprints have formed, blood vessels are visible through the skin and the body is catching up in proportion to the head! If it's a girl, she has about 2 million eggs in her ovaries. The heartbeat was again in the 160s and the doctor made a speculation about the gender; he was 75% sure it's a girl! GIRL, omg, I had to know for sure! With the holidays coming up and things going on sale after Christmas, I just had to know! How was I supposed to keep that a secret unti at least Thanksgiving and how was I supposed to get through the rest of the semester without getting distracted?! I'll tell you it took both Ryan and I an incredible amount of discipline not to spill the beans and we decided to get a 3D ultrasound three days before Christmas so we could share with our families!
13 Week - Mom: We had an appointment this week and the heartbeat was in the 160s! The doctor asked if I had been feeling well (haha) because I had lost weight since the last appointment. He wasn't concerned since I could stnd to loose a few pounds anyway and was happy to hear that I wasn't afraid to eat when I actualy felt like it. Mid-day/lunch seemed to be the best meal for me because I felt the best at that time. I was able to expand past my cereal and bland veggies to yogurts, cottage cheese, pasta again, thank goodness (whole grain of course) and a few other things. I asked about glucose in my urine and he said up to this point I had not had any...REALLY? Yay! I would still be doing the glucose test later of course but maybe I wouldn't have to do the three hour test! And the extra fluid consumption was because of the increased blood volume and bodily need, thank goodness those nursing classes were paying off!
Weight: 203lbs (-4 since last appointment)
Thyroid: no change
Upcoming: Multiple marker screening in week 14, 3D ultrasound to confirm gender in week 19 (thanks in part to my parents who split the cost with us and were able to attend!) 
14 Weeks - Baby: This week baby measures about 3.5 inches and weighs about 1.5 ounces, approximately the size of my fist or a peach. Baby can now squint, grimace, pee and suck their thumb - which I'm pretty sure they were doing at the appointment last week based on a picture I have! Baby is able to form expressions, grasp, the arms are proportionate to the rest of the body and fine hair called lanugo covers the body. The liver starts making bile this week and the spleen starts to help make RBCs.
14 Weeks - Mom: I had a blood draw for the multiple marker screening, which is a test that assesses the probability of a potential genetic disorder. The results typically take about 10 days to return and although genetic disorders such as spina bifida, Down's syndrome etc do not run in our families, I always anxiously wait the 10 days hoping not to get a call - no call=good news! Although should the results have come back indicating the possibility of a disorder, we would not have made any different of a dicision about the pregnancy; we do the test just to have a heads up and time to prepare if needed. Thankfully we did not get a call! This was my biggest worry with both of my pregnancies. The nausea is still present in the mornings and evenings but was getting more tolerable as I not longer had to wear the Sea Bands 24/7; I did cough too hard one morning after drinking a glass of milk and couldn't believe THAT made me vomit - what a sissy I'd become lol. I was still fatigued but also starting to gain a little more energy and not have to take a nap every single afternoon. Most of the time I was able to take one when Trayton took his and I am very thankful for that snuggle time! 
Weight: 205lbs (+1, back to my pre-pregancy weight!) 

15 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about 4 inches long and weighs about 2.5 ounces, about the size of an apple. Baby is practicing breathing as amniotic fluid is moved in through the nose, and around the upper respiratory tract, helping the primitive air sacs develop. The legs are growing longer than the arms, the eyes can sese light even though the eyelids are still fused shut and taste buds are emerging. 
15 Weeks - Mom: We decided to officially annouce this pregnancy to our families at Thanksgiving this week! After the last appointment we felt as if things were going well enough that it was safe to share the news. Pregnancy brain kicked in some this week, thank gooddness I didn't have classes when it hit. I also started to get the stuffy nose associated with hormonal changes and increased blood volume - and then found out that I had strep throat! That took a few days out of me. Fatigue improved after I got rid of the strep and my nausea was also improving.
Weight: 206lbs (+1 from last week!) 

16 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about the size of an avocado, 4.5 inches in length and 3.5 ounces; in the next few weeks they will double their weight and add quite a few more inches. The legs are more developed, toenails are gorwing, the head is more erect, hair patterning has begun and the heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day.
16 Weeks - Mom: I think I felt the baby move a bit this week but it definitely could have beenmistaken for gas. My uterus had grown to about 3 nches below my umbilicus and I definitely had some pain from the round ligaments that support the uterus. My nausea was nearly gone and I had so much more energy, finally, just in time for finals!
Weight: 206lbs - same as last week
Feeling: Anxious about my comprehensive skills final, looking forward to confirming the gender on Dec. 22!

17 Weeks - Baby: Baby is 5 inches long and weighs 5 ounces this week, so about the size of a turnip! The skeleton continues to change from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord is groing stronger and thicker. Adipose tissue is forming (fat tissue) and sweat glands are emerging.
17 Weeks - Mom: I finally started to wear my Belly Band this week as my jeans just weren't comfortable - felt so good to just unzip them with the band and not have them fall down around my ankles. The Belly Band is a great accessory for anyone's wardrobe if you want to be able to wear your pre-pregnancy jeans while pregnant. In other good news, I felt the best this week than I had since the beginning of this pregnancy with no nausea, mild fatigue and what seemed to be a full return of my appetite! We had a regular appointment this week on the 13th of December with baby's heartbeat being in the 150s.

Weight: 208lbs(+2 from last week, 3lb total gain)
Thyroid: no change
New developments: I discussed taking motion sickness medication if needed for my brother's cruise wedding in January 2012 and my doctor gave me some just in case.
Feeling: great! Looking forward to finals being over, finishing up Christmas shopping decorating and spending time with my little boy! Also looking forward to our 3D ultrasound in 2 weeks!

18 Weeks - Baby: Baby is about 5.5 inches long this week and weighs 7 ounces (about the size of a bell pepper.) They are practicing flexing their arms and legs, ears are in their final position and myelin (the protective and conductive material around the nerves) is forming, which will continue until about a year after birth. In girls the uterus and fallopian tubes are in place and in boys the genitals are noticable now. The ears are also developed enough to hear sounds through the amniotic fluid!  
18 Weeks - Mom: Definitely an increase in appetite again and right in time for Christmas! Seriously though, I am trying to watch what I eat and eat more healthy this pregnancy. I started out about 15lbs heavier with my first pregnancy and though I didn't have many complications I can tell that I feel much better this time around. I've been trying to walk more and ride my stationary bike at home as well as doing some Wii Fit! Dizziness (orthostatic hypotension) when you make position changes too quickly to standing is common now due to changes in the cardiovascular system, including lowered blood pressure. I haven't experienced this yet from pregnancy but I am aware of what it feels like.
Weight: 210lbs (+2lbs from last week, 5 total)
Looking forward to: our 3D ultrasound!
   
The next post will confirm the gender and share some pictures and the video if I can figure out how to upload it!

Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!
 

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Another Baby!

After my last post I kind of left my blog hanging, due in part to the busy holiday season we had and in part to unwinding from classes (which I am happy to report went really well, 96% on both my final and skills exam!) Half way done to becoming an LPN!

....And we are expecting our second child in May 2012, the 16th to be exact which is right after finals! Ryan and I were planning on having another during the summer of 2012 or 2013 but didn't expect it to happen so fast (good fertility I guess!) We found out September 10, 2011 at our home after I had spent the last week making more frequent than usual trips to the restroom. I took two digital tests, the first of which didn't develop, so I took another one the next day. I was so excited and Ryan was home so there wasn't any special way I told him this time (and I think he already had a suspicion.) Trayton didn't quite understand what was going on at 17 months old - I think he thought I ate a baby from the strange look he gave me!

We had our first appointment with our OB on September 14, 2011, the same doctor I had for Trayton. This appointment about gave me a heart attack because after giving us an estimated due date, Dr. Lo told us he was 60% sure we were having twins! TWINS...taking care of one newborn is difficult enough, how am I supposed to take care of two at the same time? No sleep, that was my conclusion. The embryo had implanted very close to the cervix and split (identical twins); one was positioned behind the other but he could see the second amniotic sack he thought. We were told to come back in two weeks for a check-up. TWO WEEKS? Those were the longest two weeks of my life and because we were uncertain as to what exactly was going on, we decided to wait to announce our good news! Two weeks crept by and we had our second appointment. We found out we had one healthy embryo developing and one that was regressing (being absorbed). Our OB speculated that there was something wrong with this one and it had stopped developing. I was also having some bleeding due to the position of the placenta which he termed as partial previa because the placenta partially covered the cervix. This continued for a few weeks, so we had another appointment to check on the embryo that survived and how the position of the placenta was progressing (as the uterus grows upward, the placenta should grow with it, almost like when a balloon is inflated, and the placenta should move away from the cervix. This is exactly what was happening at its own slow rate, so we decided to wait until Thanksgiving at 15 weeks and after the first trimester to announce our news. I had mixed emotions as I was sad for the embryo that did not develop but happy and blessed to have one healthy embryo still going strong. We let Trayton be the center of attention and announce our big news with special "Big Brother" t-shirt from The Pecking Order by Zoey's Attic. He was quite sleepy that day and got carried around by daddy; uncle John and grandpa Mike were the first two to read the shirt and Ryan's family was very excited for the news as this was the fourth grandchild they were expecting, right after Pat & Whitney's second baby due in March of 2012! My parents were greeted with the same shirt and were also very excited, however I had a suspicion that they already suspected something was up as "sick" as I had been the past few weeks! 


Morning sickness and fatigue kicked in around  9 weeks and ran me through the ringer until somewhere around week 17. With Trayton I was fatigued but never experienced the all day sickness that I have with this little one. There were numerous occasions that I experienced nausea and vomiting in the morning, and in the evening. I used to have a pretty mild gag reflex when it came to taking vitamins, medications, rushing my teeth etc. This all went out the window with this pregnancy until around week 17; I had to start taking my vitamins one. at. a. time. with several swallows of water in between. I also had to be careful when brushing my teeth as if the tooth brush got too far back, I would get sick. On three different occasions I coughed too hard and vomited - it was ridiculous! I also had to take a few afternoon naps during that time because I didn't feel as though I could get through the day with the sickness without resting for a while (and I felt bad because I couldn't play or give Trayton the attention he needed - Ryan was a big help taking him out with him when I needed it during that time.) I tried Earth Mama Angel Baby's Morning Sickness tea, plain ginger tea, ginger drops and nothing worked. Less Drowsy Dramamine still made me tired to the point that I almost fell asleep in class one day, so I finally tried the accu-pressure Sea Bands and these worked the best for controlling the symptoms. The sickness eventually got to the point where it only bothered me in the evening and then disappeared altogether. I frequently told Ryan that had I been this sick with Trayton, he would have been an only child! 

Between school, Trayton & Ryan and being sick I was not able to start updating about this pregnancy as early as I would have liked to; with Trayton I took belly pictures from 9 weeks on and updated every week about his development. I plan to do a post about what has happened with this baby's development thus far, as well as some pictures I have to date and hopefully be more diligent from here on out so this one has a keepsake book too!      
Wishing you a pot o' gold, and all the joy your heart can hold. Thanks for reading!