Relaxing Saturday

Today we went shopping for the baby for the first time! We checked out some "gently used" children/maternity stores in Fort Collins: Once Upon A Child and Harmony Kids. They had items and clothing for at least 50% less than new and in great condition. We purchased a baby bed ...it adjusts to an incline or lays flat and rocks or lays stable! Only $20!!! YAY! After about 3 months we'll probably need a crib but this is awesome and portable! Good for camping too! (The cat seems to think this is his new bed. He may very well be sleeping outside.) Barry also picked out these cute yellow jammies and...hehe...some blue soft Pumas! See style bear modeling them! He also chose a Snugli baby carrier-back/frontpack! Only $12! I highly recommend these stores!





Right now I am eating buffalo pot roast that I made yesterday. Yay for the crockpot!


Names we still both like are Giovanni and Adrian! I like both of them but can't seem to figure out what we'd do for nicknames. Barry is still in favor of Marley...and I like Finnigan!


As far as the baby goes...he's been more and more active...even when I'm up and about lately. He's most active at night and when I wake up in the morning. I finally convinced Barry that I can see him move sometimes...I had to video-record my belly for awhile before I could get anything. Now he believes me though!! HA..it's not all in my head! Our next doctor's visit is on the 7th of Jan. Just a routine checkup.


I love all my new Christmas presents! Besides the other stuff I already talked about, I got a shiatsu massage seat for my chair from my Judah! I got some massage neck pillows and comfy maternity sweat suits and clothes. Christie and Ty got us the 3 Kings for the Fontanini nativity set. We got gift cards to go out and eat at Old C's too.


Tomorrow Julie is bringing Ringo over for a doggy play date with Harley! He can't wait! We took him shopping with us today. We were going to take him to the new dog park again but decided against it since he would just get muddy and I had no towels to protect my car. Poor planning on my part but we're excited about tomorrow.


In case you don't know the Giants are playing tonight! Something about a wild card...? Barry's been waiting all week for today though, so he's out enjoying himself. I hope they win.

21 Weeks

Only 133 days to go...which is fine with me. It's going to be so different always having another life around depending on me than my own. I'm enjoying my time to myself while I still have it.

His kicks are getting stronger daily. I can see him move sometimes. Barry still hasn't seen my belly move...he lacks the patience to sit perfectly still for longer than a minute. He's felt him move more though.

Today I had heartburn...I don't think I've EVER experienced that before in my life. No fun!

It's been snowing like crazy all day long. I shoveled 3 times. It's fluffy powdery snow too. There's almost a foot on the ground..layered on top of old snow that wasn't quite melted.

Does anyone want a kitten? I have a lovely talkative gray stripey cat who gets along with other cats, and dogs too. He is very playful. Likes indoor cuddle time and outdoor roaming time. He's neutered and has his first shots. He'll be a year on Feb 14th. He's driving me crazy...but only b/c I have no patience or time to deal with him on top of our other 3 animals. Just wondering....Barry might want to keep him but I'm the cat person and he's the dog person.

Christmas

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! We went to my aunt's on xmas eve and got to see family. Yesterday we woke up late and then ate cinnamon rolls and coffee while we opened presents. Then we went to my brother's and his roommate cooked turkey dinner...yummy...and we opened presents. Then Judah came over to my house and helped Barry hook up his new Xbox 360 and our new (present from Santa) dvd/surround sound system. Yay! Then I baked stuffed peppers and rice and had deviled eggs that I prepped day before. The baby was kicking like crazy yesterday. Of course on Christmas he was very sleepy all day, even when I was resting. I've noticed a pattern this past week. He is pretty active one day and then sleepy the next. I guess he'll be sleepy today. And he's more active when I'm at rest and it's quiet. Barry got me an awesome present! He researched prenatal massages and got me a prenatal massage and a postnatal massage!!! And he also got a soothing sounds white noise maker...and a vibrating neck massage pillow. I also got some comfy clothes and gift certificates!!! YAY!!!

Kicking Baby

Last night Barry actually felt the baby move for the 1st time! And this morning I saw my belly move when the baby kicked or headbutted me! It's so cool. It still feels like little bubbles but stronger than before. Julie felt him too when I was hanging out with her today. We painted and shopped and cooked and sat around and ate a lot too. He wakes up when I'm sitting still and it's quiet...I think any noise or motion puts him to sleep..hehee.

I can't believe it's almost Christmas! Merry Eve of Christmas Eve's Eve!!

Today Barry and I went to see a movie with a gift card from last years Christmas party! We saw 'I Am Legend'. It was pretty good. Barry says the book was better though. The baby was kicking like crazy during the movie . (Maybe it was fromt he spicy dinner or maybe it was the loud speakers.) We tried out the restaurant: Wild Buffalo Wings...we think its a novelty place ...too loud to be a local bar/hangout and a little pricey for 'bar' food. It did have a large variety of yummy wing sauces though ranging from mild to garlicky to super hot.

<----Our Christmas Decorations This Year! Our tree has optical lights that change colors!!!

Pictures

A Christmas Duo!

Another Christmas Duo!

And the belly shot....at 5 months!

Halfway There

Today is our halfway mark...twenty weeks!

So our appointment for the Level II ultrasound is scheduled at PVH for January 22nd. That is the earliest they could get us in. I'm really not worried about the baby though. I have a good feeling he is a healthy little guy. I've been researching names now that we've narrowed them down to boy names. So far we both like Adrian...who knows if that will change though.

I had a good day! I went shopping with a friend Molly and got some new shirts and a new purse...on sale of course! Yeah for Old Navy coupons and sales...I got three shirts and a purse all for $8! Then I went to work....picked up some hours for tomorrow also. Julie, my cousin, came over after work and we played Scattergories and drank tea! My life is so thrilling!

I'm so excited about all the things we can start collecting now...I am going to keep my eye out for sales on baby clothes and toys now that we are past the halfway mark. I have lots of stuff so far...thank you to everyone who has donated toys and clothes to me so far. If we stay in this little house then I think I will have to rent a storage unit just so that we can have a baby room...right now it is the storage room/my dressing room/office/toy room (for babysitting)!

Wednesday Is Upon Us

The doctor called back this morning and said that the perinatologist is in Fort Collins on Tuesdays and that she would schedule me an appointment. I have read and shared lots of info and personal accounts with positive outcomes (i.e. cysts just as a normal process of development that disappear on their own) with Barry and he isn't as worried but he still definitely wants to get the second Level II ultrasound done just so he can stop worrying. Now that I've had more time to think about it...I still feel as though nothing is wrong with my baby but also have that annoying nagging open-ended what-if feeling. I think that the ultrasound will help displace that feeling.

I definitely am feeling the baby move a lot more now...it's so exciting! I can't wait till Barry can feel him too. Or even see him...hahaha...or maybe I can since my friend used to get obviously bruised ribs from her son kicking.

I had a dream that I was pregnant and trying to get into the hospital for a check-up but instead ended up taking care of children in protective custody with other caseworkers. I was given a boy who was 50 lbs to feed and was still a baby...he was really heavy. His dad came to pick up the three girls but left without him and it was icy so I couldn't run after him. We called the police on him. Later their mom came to get them again. I have had a couple of dreams (since not getting the job) where I got the caseworker job and went out on cases.

Ultrasound Results

The doctor called this morning and explained that the ultrasound showed Choroid Plexis cysts. The choroid plexis is in the brain and provides cerebral fluid to the spinal cord. Cysts may or may not indicate a genetic disorder: Trisomy 18/Edwards Syndrome. If found in conjunction with other indicators, determined by an intensive ultrasound by a perinatologist, then they could indicate Trisomy 18. The prognosis for Trisomy 18 is extremely negative, resulting in death. There however is only a weak association between the cysts and Trisomy 18. The cysts may dissapear on their own or last through adulthood without complications arising and are just a developmental variation of the norm (one site stated they occured in 1% of ultrasounds). For my age (25) there is a 1 in 4045 chance of having a baby with Trisomy 18 Syndrome and with the CPC's a 1 in 447 chance according to This Site. Also the cysts themselves DO NOT EVER cause any problems.

This sucks! So I don't think that the baby has Trisomy 18 because of what we saw on the ultrasound yesterday and what the symptoms are...for example the heart was healthy with four ventricles and beating strongly, the head measured the right size for the age of the fetus, the legs and arms and hands were active and limber, feet looked normal, and it had normal looking kidneys, his radius (arm bone), round head...everything looked normal and the feeling from the techs you could tell was very positive (that says a lot because even if they aren't allowed to diagnose anything, they know what they are looking at and it is hard for people to hide negative feelings about a baby even if just through their body language). So...of course we're worried and Barry especially wants to do the second ultrasound. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

I don't know about all of you but some of you know that I don't necessarily love doctors. I think that I know myself better than they ever could, I don't trust their knowledge over my own research capabilities. I believe that they are trained and know more about certain things than I do but I certainly don't ever go to the doctor if I'm sick. This is very hard for me to be seeing a doctor once a month, however nice she is, and to be inundated with all sorts of tests and check-ups that many people in the world don't even know about. I can't imagine if I was unhealthy or having a high risk pregnancy. Of course, if I needed a doctors expertise I of course would solicite it since ignorance is not helpful either.
I never went to doctors when I was a kid, I was born at home with help from midwives. Getting a hospital bracelet yesterday was a first for me. I never had any sort of tests done before I was born and I turned out healthy. If this was left up to me, I wouldn't get the second ultrasound but I know Barry really wants it and won't be satisfied until he can hear everything is ok from a doctor.
Of course, who's to say they won't come up with something else to scare us with next...That there is my attitude on doctors when it comes to my own healthcare.

ANYWAYS...I think now that I've seen the baby move and headbutt me I can actually feel it more. At least I think I know what I'm feeling now. He was very active last night and right now too..Maybe this one doesn't sleep. Should I be worried? I can't believe from those pictures that he's only about a 7th of the size he'll be at birth...the huge screen made him look so big!

Baby Boy Biss

The ultrasound went well...it lasted for about an hour and the baby wouldn't stop moving. He was making the technicians laugh. They kept saying 'how cute'! He was doing yoga stances with his feet over his head and kept flipping. His hands wouldn't stop moving and he headbutted me a couple of times! He even yawned. The placenta is between the baby and my belly so that's probably why I can't feel him that strongly. He is definitely a boy, they didn't even have to tell us! He's 10 oz! He has all his parts: a beating heart at 160 bpm, 2 legs with feet and toes, 2 arms with fingers, a nice spine, a little brain, nose, lips, jaw bones with teeth buds, eyes, kidneys, stomach, a bladder! It was amazing seeing him for the first time...its much easier to imagine whats going on now.

OF COURSE I DON'T LOOK BUSY... I DID IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!

Sunday

I just found this website: Earth Mama Angel Baby! I love it. I was researching organic teas and their safety during pregnancy! Very helpful...made me feel less scared about drinking a cup of Throat Coat tea since my throat is killing me and I don't usually take any other kind of drug when I'm sick with a cold. All I've ever done is use herbs and teas...and honey. My mom drank tons of tea when she was pregnant and I turned out just fine...however, everything I read says "Do not use if pregnant or breast-feeding (and sometimes "unless directed by your doctor")." I wish there was FDA testing on herbs b/c at least then some money would go towards testing something useful. I've asked my doctor about herbs and I get the feeling that she considers herbs/most things in moderation are ok.

Ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow!!!! Monday at 2:15. We're sooo stuck with names still....trying to narrow it down..I know we have tons of time but I think it will go by quickly anyways.

Made a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and dark chocolate chips inside! YUMMY!!!
Today I babysat, actually Friday, Saturday, and Today...I babysat! Busy weekend! Got to take kids to a birthday party today...they had a woman come (a business) and the kids got to stuff a bear, dress it, wish on a star that went inside it, and name it!! Very cute!!

So I heard back from the caseworker position...they offered it to someone else. I'm SO disappointed. I really thought I did well and that they liked me. What was nice was that the supervisor called me to give me some feedback on the interview. She said that I was in the final list and for not having any experience that was unheard of. She said that I should get some more experience working in RTC's or as a Case Aid. The interview was scored and I didn't score high enough on crisis intervention experience for such an intense job where I'd have to make extreme decisions on my own. They may hire again within the year so I'll just try again. So now I have to go find a full time job until May.
I think I have the flu today. My joints are all achy and my throat is sore and I feel yucky. I'm trying to eat though...that't the best thing to do with the flu.

So the thing that drives Barry crazy about me is that I am NEVER on time. Even if I try really hard it rarely happens. I think I have a fear of forgetting something, I don't even know. I'm used to it...and living with my family in Jersey...we were all late for events...it was a running joke. Anyways...since Barry hates it so much sometimes he tries to trick me...I'll ask him when we have to leave for his Christmas party, for example, and he'll tell me 6:15 when in fact it is 10 minutes away and we really don't have to leave until 6:45 the earliest. He, the always punctual man until he met me, doesn't mind showing up before everyone else...even if it's a party. I can understand a business meeting or something but really I feel akward being the first to show up at a party when it hasn't really started yet. So yes, we showed up before everyone else to his Christmas party. When its any other event than his work related events, I try not to ask what time he wants to leave. Then when he's ready, he gets flustered that I'm not and that only makes me go slower because I can't think about what I'm doing and when I rush I actually go much slower. AND usually when I say "I'm ready" the car isn't warmed or he remembers something he forgot so then I think I have more time than I really do. It's very hard to live together sometimes.
So this morning I am writing when I should be getting ready, I have work in 1/2 an hour. But I thought I'd take a break, write, and drink my blackberry banana yogurt blueberry/pomegranite juice shake!!!! YUM!!
Tomorrow is our doctor appointment. I hope we can set up the ultrasound for tomorrow instead of another day but the ultrasound office at PVHS closes down at 5:00 so I doubt it.

Happy Birthday Shane and Leanne

Happy Birthday Shane!!!! Happy Birthday Leanne!!!! Love you guys...Here's an updated picture of your niece or nephew! We were going to call you later and you beat us to it today!!! Hope you had (and have Leanne) a good birthday!!!

Pregnancy is going well. My back hurts a lot and at the end of the day the sciatic nerve shoots pain through my hips, back, and legs. Fun. Other than that not much new except that my belly is getting bigger...I feel huge of course. This is the biggest I've ever been in my life even though it may not look impressive to anyone else. Still can't consistently feel the baby move although once in awhile I think I feel. Soon enough I'll have bruised ribs from all the kicking.
So of course getting bigger and trying to fit into clothes that I've been wearing is fun...I've invested in some more maternity jeans. Tonight is Barry's Christmas Party for Vanworks and I have a stretchy red dress that will fit...my cousin is loaning me some fun shoes and jewelery!!! YAY for dressing up!

So...the interview went very well. They checked my references as well. I'm excited and I can't wait to hear from them!! I feel positively hopeful about it.

I subbed in Head Start the past two days!!! Makes me wish student teaching wasn't over and wish for my own classroom. Someday though.

So very interesting article on The Golden Compass...of course I don't take the same viewpoint as the author of the article. I think that it is natural and necessary to question and examine religion from all angles so that you really can make an informed decision...writing and film is just a medium for exploration in this case and people should be open-minded to examine their life decisions instead of blindly following anything. Article

The Fifth Month

The interview went well!! I really liked the the woman who interviewed me. She was very easy going and genuinely interested, she seems invested in her work and someone that I can relate to easily. She would be my boss if I get the position. She called me back that night for a second interview...it will be a panel interview and is this coming Tuesday. I'm nervous and excited!!! I need to find something professional to wear...and to think of some good things to say without rambling...I tend to ramble sometimes.

I have been recording what I've eaten for the entire past week and also tallied it into the recommended number of food groups suggested for the average BMI (body mass index) score. I am definitely on a fruit kick these days. And so far I've eaten yogurt every single day, which isn't abnormal in my diet. I also make sure to buy the real whole grain bread that doesn't use high fructose corn syrup...the only stuff I've found at the supermarket is the Sara Lee whole grain stuff (the way you can tell is by reading whole wheat/or other grain as the first ingredient...if it says enriched or fortified or white...it is not whole grain even if it is listed at the end of that list of ingredients)...good enough for me...they use brown sugar to sweeten instead. I also tend to eat at least 6-8 times throughout the day...with at least two bigger meals at lunch and dinner usually. I love eating healthy food and I'm definitely using pregnancy as a time to splurge energy and time on making delicious nutrious meals/snacks. For example...every day this week I've awoken and prepared a yogurt/juice/fruit shake...so good. Why I haven't done this every day of my life, I'm beginning to wonder. Of course I sneak tons of chocolate, an occasional cup of joe, and the necessary bowl of ice cream with crushed up oreas in there so don't go thinking I'm perfect or anything.

Beginning of each new month inclines me to read the next chapters in my 3-4 books conveniently categorized by month. Month five marks the change from baby's cartilage skeleton to bone, the baby will be 1/2 it's newborn weight by the end, and people in the street will no longer gawk at me wondering if I'm maybe pregnant or just sporting a beer gut. Hooray! Oh...and my changing center of balance may be characterized by falls. This is true...I know from experience...at work in the infant classroom, I was talking and cleaning up a child from lunch and went to sit on the stool which was quite visibly a foot to my left, forgetting I was sitting on a seat a foot lower than the stool...and fell onto the seat, which slipped leaving everyone in the room staring surprised (the infants...perhaps a little scared) as I bounced onto the hard linoleum floor. I was so surprised I couldn't help but laugh but by their expressions of disbelief the poor kids were not convinced until I got up and informed them I really was ok. I can't wait till I can no longer see my feet...I'm already the clumsiest person I know..I'm going to need lots of luck staying upright especially considering our leaky gutters leave ice patches immediately outside our front and back doors, or that my 3 cats and one dog consider their mission to always be about six inches in front of me at all times I am in motion and about a foot behind me while I am at rest on my feet. Maybe I should just consider self-diagnosed bed rest after the feet disappear from view.