The First Belly Shot- 4 Months

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

There it is! The very first shot of the baby belly. Okay, it really isn't that exciting, seeing as how it isn't a full-on cute, round baby belly, but it is there nonetheless. Four months along and the belly is definitely poking. Yippee! Of course, for anyone who doesn't know I'm pregnant it still just looks like I've eaten a bit too much, but that's okay. Tommy loves telling me everyday, "Mumma! I can see your getting a big belly now!" Just wait, Tommy. You ain't seen nothing yet, kid.

We had our four month check up at the doctor's office yesterday and everything is looking well and good. Baby's heartbeat was a strong 151. Todd immediately said, "That definitely sounds like a heartbeat with a penis attached to it!" Hahaha. Silly guy. It definitely made the nurse and I crack up, which was his whole intent.

The ultrasound is now scheduled for March 16. I can't believe how fast it is all going. I remember with all of my other pregnancies that it felt as though time was moving in slow motion waiting to get to that appointment. Now I don't want it to come so quickly. The ultrasound marks the halfway point and everything always seems to speed up from there. Life is moving too fast.

For now I'm just going to do my best to move as little as possible to avoid further injuries. Today I tweaked my back climbing into the minivan. Yep. Ms. Graceful has turned into Ms. Clutz just like that. I was trying to quickly climb into the back of the minivan while the automatic door was still opening and underestimated my proximity to the door. Apparently there is a big metal nob that sticks out on the door. It caught my pants pocket and wouldn't let go. The door continued to open with me attached, and then sensing something dragging, began to close with me still attached. Here I am hanging by my pants in the doorway of the minivan, trying to reach the "open" button so I don't get squashed, while the door itself is slowing ripping my pants off of me. Now I have a big hole on the side of my favorite pants and a bruise the size of a plum on my hip. Yep. I'm cool. I can only imagine how the whole scene must have looked to our neighbors. Good grief.

Is this something I can blame on pregnancy too?

All Hail Yoga!

My neck and shoulders are still stiff and sore from last week's incident when I took on a door frame and lost. As a matter of fact, my neck and shoulders actually seem worse. Go figure this all happens during one of the busiest weeks I've had in a long time. A week full of birthdays, three doctors appointments, Joey's snack week for school (yes, a snack everyday!), more trips to the grocery store than I can count (blasted pregnancy induced memory loss!), mass for Ash Wednesday, an open house, and countless other things filling my days. Doesn't this kind of a thing always happen when you just don't have time for it?


It has been over a week and a half and I am not getting much sleep and I have had a constant head ache for the last three days. I did go to the chiropractor last Friday to make sure I didn't do major damage but my muscles are still all whacked out. Even Todd's super terrific backrubs are not doing the trick. It is craziness.


It has gotten to the point where I have started to dread bedtime. It seems the pain intensifies when I'm laying down for an extended period of time. I've tried just about everything. Oh, what I wouldn't give for some Ibuprofin!!!


Last night before bed my headache was getting pretty bad and I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep. I decided to get out my prenatal yoga DVD, since I could actually turn my head from side to side for once, and see if the stretches and relaxation would help at all. By the time I was done with the video (though I only did portions of it) my headache was much better. And last night I slept better than I have in over a week. It was so exciting.


And more than that, I woke up this morning without a headache! Yahoo!


All praise yoga! Maybe I'll start a new routine of a half hour of yoga before bedtime. It was awesome. Here's hoping it works again tonight!

And Then My Heart Exploded

Just yesterday you turned six. And I was perfectly fine with it. I did great all day long. Not one tear shed. I was just excited to see how much you loved your gifts and to watch you enjoy your day.

Then, when I saw you sitting with your class in church today you looked so big. You lined up to receive your ashes, hands folded, and completely focused on the task at hand. I was the one waving wildly. Acting inappropriately to try and get your attention. You were so mature. So solemn. And when you finally saw me you smiled that heart-stopping smile and nodded your head at me. My boy. My big boy.

I felt my heart explode against my chest. Tears immediately filled my eyes and I just couldn't stop them from flowing. Watching you grow, finding new aspects of your personality, discovering your likes and dislikes with you. It is all magic to me. And I can't believe how grown you are already.

Love and pride filled my entire body as I watched you walk back to your seat, turn around, and give me that smile again. I melted into a pool of goo. What on earth did I do to deserve such a boy?

Birthday Wishes

The kid has his own mind. No cake for him. Make it brownies, please. And a side of Stars Wars characters, if you don't mind.

Ya just gotta love that boy.

Happy Birthday, Joey!

Apparently, I Am A Masochist

What was I thinking?

I must be a masochist

Or just plain stupid

Yesterday I decided that since my nausea has finally slowed down and my neck and shoulders were feeling slightly better it might be a good idea to start an exercise routine again. You know, to make up for all the extra calories I've been eating.

When I was pregnant with Ben I continued running up until my 8th month. I would have run longer but I developed spider veins and the stinking things were actually pretty painful so I had to stop. And, if I'm being honest, I was pretty ready to stop at that point anyway. It really wasn't comfortable to run anymore and I kept picturing poor Ben bouncing around in my belly and maybe even getting tangled up in his umbilical cord.

Even so, I've really missed running these last four months. As soon as the first trimester was over, and the danger of migraines was gone, I was going to pick it up again. Well, the nausea held on longer than I thought so here I am going into the fourth month and still not running. Still, I was determined to give it a try.

You know how all the experts tell you to take it slow when you are exercising during pregnancy? Yeah. You should listen to them. Unfortunately, I didn't. I jumped on the treadmill and though I started off much slower than I have ever gone, I worked my way up to a decent speed and kept it up for a half an hour. I was so proud of myself being able to muscle through a half hour run after not having run for over 4 months.

Then later that night my muscles started to tense up. I started walking more slowly and by the time Todd came home I was sitting in the living room, not moving. He immediately said, "Now what did you do?"

It only got worse as the night went on. My whole pelvic region down to my thighs and on through my calves were so sore I could barely walk. By bedtime I was seriously considering having Todd carry me up to bed or even just sleeping on the couch. I did manage to get to bed but even rolling over to switch positions was terribly painful.

I'm an idiot.

Note to self: You are pregnant. Your muscles are more relaxed than they normally are. They are not used to running three miles anymore. Don't do this again.

I was pretty sore this morning when I got out of bed but it has gotten a little better as the day has worn on. I did some pretty good (and painful) stretches which seemed to help a bit.

Here is the funny thing. I don't even really believe the experts who say that working out during pregnancy keeps you fit or makes labor easier. Or even that it makes getting back into shape easier after you have the baby. I think that is all a load of crap. I didn't work out AT ALL when I was pregnant with Joey and I only gained 23 pounds and bounced right back into shape afterwards. I worked out all the time with Ben and gained about 40 pounds and had the longest labor of all three of my boys.

So why am I attempting to work out now? I guess I just really miss running. Every time I hear one of my running songs on the radio I can't wait to run again. I love getting my blood pumping and feeling strong and stress free after a workout. When I felt okay yesterday I thought it would be a good opportunity to try it out again. My problem is that I get so excited about running that I can't hold myself back. I need to learn my limitations. So I probably will run again, but MUCH SLOWER and for MUCH LESS time and only for a couple months. I don't feel like dealing with those spider veins again.

Then again. Maybe this was all a sign. I mean, this is my last pregnancy. Maybe I should just consider chasing after my boys exercise enough. That and maybe a lame workout DVD when the mood strikes. There will be plenty of reasons to run after the baby comes, right? Perhaps I should just ease up on myself and enjoy this slothfulness while I can. Hmm. That does sound infinitely more appealing. Yes, it does make sense. It's all coming together now...

Making Up For Lost Calories

I'm finally starting to feel better. No, not my neck and shoulders. They are still sore. I'm talking about my morning sickness. It is finally beginning to subside. I still have waves of nausea every once in a while, but they are becoming less and less. And I am not having such a difficult time eating anymore.

Well. That's putting it mildly. I think my body is trying to make up for all the lost calories over the last few months because I kinda want to eat everything I see.

I decided to treat myself for Valentine's Day and I bought some tulips and my all time favorite chocolate covered strawberries. Look at these bad boys.

There were six of them, but just opening the box to take a picture I had to eat one. Just couldn't wait. Oops.

It is hard to convey the size of these puppies. You can't tell from the pictures but they are almost the size of my fist. They are huge. And they were all gone in less than twenty four hours. Maybe I should have gotten myself a dozen. Or, maybe not.

Remember all the chocolate and potato chips and ice cream I had gotten to try and tempt myself to eat when I was feeling nauseous? Yeah. Those are all gone. Obviously I am on the mend. Now I just have to remind myself to ease up on the snacks and focus more on the healthy stuff. Which shouldn't be too hard considering my biggest craving right now is grapes. As long as I have my grapes everything will be a-okay.

Then again, a KitKat does sound pretty good right about now.

Next Time I'll Turn On A Light

Why do I always get injured when I can't take pain medication?

I walked into the wall the other night. No lie. I have the egg on my head to prove it. And no, I will not be posting pictures, thankyouverymuch.

Sunday night Tommy woke up at 10:00 because he had to go potty, and as I was ushering him back from the bathroom (in pitch darkness) I walked forcefully right into the door frame. Nice. It made such a loud smack that Todd thought maybe I'd broken something. Nope. Just my head. No need to worry.

Except that it has affected my neck and shoulders too. Last night after taking a shower to loosen up my muscles it actually got worse. I couldn't turn my head to the left side. Nice. But after a rough night's sleep I am feeling a bit better today. Which is great, considering I kinda need to be able to move my head.

I swear I'm not a clumsy person. Really. I guess I just don't have great night vision. Or the ability to judge spacial distances in an area I am very familiar with.

So, a bright side. Let's see. Umm, at least I missed hitting my nose on the door frame because it would have broken for sure. And this nose is already big enough as is. And at least I can arrange my bangs so that the egg doesn't show too much. How is that for a bright side?

Still, next time I think I'll worry less about waking Joey and just leave the damn light on.

Golden

I'm sure this is not what you imagined when you pictured your golden anniversary. Maybe you saw a big party with all of your closest friends and family. Maybe you thought of a wonderful, relaxing trip that you'd always dreamed of taking. Or maybe a romantic dinner for just the two of you.

Certainly you didn't imagine this. Your 50th wedding anniversary going by without so much of a card exchanged. You having to explain that the flowers he can't focus on were brought by his daughter he may not remember because it is your anniversary. He can not tell you he loves you on your anniversary, though maybe tomorrow he might be able to.

But he still lights up when you walk in the room. Though his mind might not always know who you are his heart certainly does. You can see it in his smile. You are still his world. And though he may not be able to form the words you want to hear we all know he is thinking them. He loves you best of all. And the words you have told me before still ring true, "No one could ever love me like he loves me." Yes, he still loves you like that.

I know that if he could Daddy would be smothering you with hugs and kisses. Dancing with you in the living room. Taking long walks with you through the woods. Packing up the car for another adventurous trip to anywhere. Buying you sentimental cards and boxes of chocolates. Singing you love songs. Making this day special for you the way he made everyday special.

And this anniversary is still special. It is not just fifty years that you put up with each other. It is fifty years you cherished each other. Respected each other. Stood by each other. Loved each other. Held each other up. Your marriage strengthened you and helped you through the death of a child, the passing of your parents, and the struggles of everyday life. Your marriage transcends Alzheimer's and cancer. And your marriage is more of a testiment to the sacrament of marriage than any other I've ever known. Your marriage has been appointed by God. Your marriage is an example to be followed. A marriage to strive for.

Though this may not be the anniversary you dreamed of this is an anniversary to be celebrated. A marriage to be celebrated. I am blessed just to have been a witness.

Happy 50th Anniversary, Mom and Dad.
I love you so much.

FYI

Okay, you've been asking but I haven't been answering. Here are some of your questions answered.

1- How is the house selling going? It's not. We put our house on the market at THE WRONG TIME. Right before the holidays is the worst time to try and sell your house, in case you were wondering. But now that spring is coming we are hopeful that it will sell. Our house has only been on the market for five months (the average for this area is 6-12 months) but it feels like a lot longer. Luckily, the house we want to buy is still on the market too. In truth, I think everything happens when it is supposed to. Timing is everything. Moving in winter would have been a pain considering all the snow and freezing temps we've had. Plus we were able to pay off some substantial bills we had. So we are in a better situation now. Hopefully it will all fall in line soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

2- Have you told the boys you are pregnant yet? Yes. It was so anti-climactic that I wasn't even going to write about it. We told them right after Christmas. I got out the video camera and lined them all up to tell them the exciting news. They just looked at me with blank expressions on their faces and said, "Mmm-hmm". I asked Joey if he already knew and he said "yes". So, I guess they are a lot more intuitive then we gave them credit for. hehe

3- How can you watch your old birth videos knowing you will have to do it again soon? First of all, my birth videos are not the scary kind. Basically, we film me having some contractions and then the next thing you know the baby magically appears and is being cleaned off by the nurses. Just as it should be, right? We don't have any graphic shots. I wouldn't want family and friends to be scarred for life seeing something they didn't want to see. Plus, Todd wants to be in the moment with me, not holding a camera to his face while his child is being born. Second, I don't really get scared watching birth videos. I'm kind of obsessed with it, actually. I watch A Baby Story and Maternity Ward and Bringing Home Baby shows all the time. I don't know what it is, but it is just so cool to me. Plus it feels like it helps to prepare me for every possible situation. Although all of my labors were so different I'm probably pretty well prepared by now.

4- How are you feeling? The nausea has let up a bit. It comes in waves but it is not all day anymore. And it is still really difficult to find anything to eat. Thinking about most foods kinda makes me sick. I can eat sub sandwiches and fruit. That's about it. I thought if I bought my old favorites like ice cream, potato chips, or chocolate I could eat some of that but it is a no go. They are all just sitting there lonely in my cupboards. Just sandwiches and fruit for me, please.

5- Is this pregnancy very different from your last pregnancies? I am much more nauseous than my last pregnancies but that is really the only difference. It seems my pregnancies got more difficult with each one. The first pregnancy I barely noticed I was pregnant except for being tired and one or two migraines. The second pregnancy I had major food aversions with the exhaustion and more migraines. The third pregnancy I had food aversions, waves of nausea, and migraines. Now this one I've only had one migraine (woohoo!), food aversions to just about everything, all day nausea, heartburn, major moodiness, and extreme exhaustion. It really is true that each pregnancy is different.

6- Are you showing yet? Nope. Not yet. I am still wearing my regular clothes though my pants feel a little tight when I sit down. My waist is starting to fill out slightly but my jeans are low waisted so I can still wear them. I just unbutton them when I sit down. MUST remember to rebutton them when I stand back up. It can cause embarrassment.

The minute I have a little belly I will post some pics for you. I love baby bellies. Right now, there is just nothing to see.

7- How is your dad doing? Hmm. Well, the Alzheimer's is progressing. He can not remember how to stand or walk. He does not say much anymore, though there are some moments that just take our breath away. The other day he looked right into my eyes (very rare) and said, "You are such a light to us. You are so special." Made me cry. We get little miracles like that every once in a while though they are few and far between. He will say the sweetest things to my mom. And just a few weeks ago, out of no where, he started singing (he hasn't been able to sing anything in so long) a song to her that they always loved. It really was a miracle. A gift to my mom. But that does not happen often. I know he is in that body somewhere, but we see him less and less these days. Still, he seems peaceful enough, and I guess that is all we can hope for right now.

So, I think that just about covers the most frequently asked questions. Sorry it has taken me a while to answer some of them. If I missed any let me know in the comments section and I'll answer them right away. :)

Cherishing

Here I am at fourteen weeks in this pregnancy. And though I have been sick much of the time I am also enjoying every minute of it. I want to cherish every second of this pregnancy because I know this will most likely be my last.

I could definitely see myself with five or six children, but I also know my hubby is stretching his limit of 4 kids for me. So 4 is our magic number. And it is a great number. A number I am so blessed to be able to have. No complaints out of me.

But this pregnancy is going too fast. I'm in the second trimester already. Soon I'll be feeling the baby's kicks on a regular basis. I'll start showing and I'll even find out the baby's gender. In just a little while my favorite time will be here. Right around 24 weeks when my belly is finally looking like a nice round baby belly and I start learning the baby's sleep/wake schedule. When the hubby can start feeling the kicks for himself. When my head starts filling with visions of nursery items yet to be purchased, and a tiny "going home from the hospital" outfit is sought out. Then all too soon that time will be gone and before you know it baby will be here. And my last pregnancy will be over and I will once again be writing a birthday post whining about how fast my baby is growing up.

*sigh*

Yes, it goes too fast. So I'm cherishing. Cherishing every minute of this pregnancy. Even the yucky ones. Because every moment is precious. And I want every second to be locked away in my memory.

Time Flies

My baby is not so baby anymore. As we watched the video of Ben's birth I realized just how fast the time had flown by. Two years ago this little man entered our lives and now look at him. Blowing out his candles. Opening his gifts. Playing with his brothers. Giving out hugs and kisses. My heart just swells with love and pride.I wish I could stop the clock. Hold him at this age for a bit longer. It all just goes so fast.

My baby is two.

Bunch Of Sickos

Friday afternoon Joey started wailing and crying that his ear hurt. Joey is not a complainer so I immediately took him in to the clinic and confirmed that he did indeed have a bad ear infection. We went to Walgreens, filled his prescription for Amoxicillin and began the healing process.

On Sunday evening Ben began covering his ear and whining. He would say "EAR!!! OWW!" and then cry and cry. I gave him Ibuprofin to get him through the night (and another dose in the middle of the night when he woke up in pain), and then scheduled the doctor appointment first thing Monday morning. And sure enough the doctor confirmed a double ear infection to my boy who has never had one ear infection. So, we again went to Walgreens and filled the prescription for Amoxicillin.

That brings us to this morning. Tommy woke up in the wee small hours of the morning crying and complaining of pain, but wasn't sure if it was his sore throat, his stuffy nose, or what it was. As of 8:00 this morning he is sure it is his ear even though the doctor checked his ears on Monday and gave him the "all clear". The crying is more and more constant as the morning wears on and he does indeed have a temperature. Another surprise ear infection for a boy who has never had one.

So for the third time in less than a week I will trudge my boys to the clinic to have some delicate ears checked. Then I will proceed to Walgreens (I swear I could drive there with my eyes closed by now) to fill out yet another prescription for Amoxicillin. When I return home my fridge will be filled with 6 bottles of the pink bubble gum flavored medicine. And, hopefully, that will be it. Spring will come, no more colds will be had, and peace will be restored in all the land.

Or at least no more ear infections.