Time is Flying

How has it been a month already? Work has kept me so busy. I'm not going to lie, I spend a lot of time shopping at night on my computer too. You'd think I'd just open Blogger and do an update.

Well, I have had a few appointments since my last post and low and behold, this Baby is still transverse. She literally is in the same position as she was at 16 weeks. I'm not worried about it. If she flips great. If not, then not. Many girls have told me to try different things to flip baby, but I'm kinda just  going to see what happens. I'm not trying to be lazy, but after my SIL experienced an awful birth, I'm fine if I have to have a c-section for this one. Not a popular opinion I know, but that's what it is.

At my MFM appointment they called me boring and dismissed me from their care:) Baby was weighing  a little over three pounds at that point (29 weeks) and everything looked great. After my MFM I went over to my first NST at my OB's office. I spend thirty minutes hooked to the contraction monitor and everything looked good too. It was a long appointment but I enjoyed the time on my phone while I browsed the internet.

Since then I have had another regular OB appointment. Starting this week I go to my OB every week for NSTs and regular checkups. You gotta love being 36. I've brought Miss B to several appointments too and she doesn't mind them. Every time though she does say, "They aren't going to work on me, right?" Ha!

So, I've been feeling pretty good for the most part. I'm lucky to be sleeping total normal still and only getting up once for a bathroom break, sometimes twice. At last check I'm up 19 pounds. That's how much I gained total with Miss B. I guess all of that ice cream and shakes really starts adding up. Either way, I'm enjoying them so I'll work really hard when this baby is born!

Today Brooklyn went to a sibling class at the hospital. They talked the kids (aged 3-6) about new babies and showed pictures of newborns. They even gave them a tour of the mother-baby unit. Brooklyn was a deer in the headlights for some parts and excited for others. At the class they said that your child will most likely act the same way he or she does now around babies. Luckily Brooklyn seems to enjoy little babies, so hopefully she stays that way.

On the shopping front.... yea, I've bought quite a bit! Well, I have my new double stroller all ready. I have my City Mini GT Double all set and I'm excited to use it. Brooklyn was very clear that she does not plan on walking because there is a new baby, so I made sure to get a double. I'll also keep my single so I have one ready for walks alone or what not. Let's see... I've also bought two new baby carriers this time around. I do have a Moby and an Ergo from when B was little. This time I bought a Baby K'Tan. I'm hoping to save myself from all of the fabric from the Moby. If the K'Tan works, I'll sell my Moby. I still love my Ergo so I'm keeping that. I have the newborn insert too but everyone says it's really hot. Then today I purchased my first ever ring sling from Sleeping Baby Productions. I'm so excited. Some girls on the Attachment Parenting board recommended that site. As I began to Google, I noticed that many people new about Sleeping Baby Productions. I'm for sure planning on wearing this baby a lot. I wore B quite a bit too, but not as much as I will this time. If my baby wearing works out, I'm already planning to buy a woven wrap from Little Frog. See, I kinda shop too much huh?

Here are some bump pictures!

30 Weeks

32 Weeks

I'm Ridiculous!

It's really taking me a long time to post! Once I forget to post in a week I kinda hesitate going back to it. There seems to be just too much to say!

Well, shortly after my last post, I ended up in labor and delivery. I actually ended up in labor and delivery for my last pregnancy too, but for completely different reasons. This time it was admitted for dehydration, having the stomach bug, and some major contractions. After having an IV for a while, my contractions team to end. Luckily I was discharged four hours later.

That was a pretty scary experience considering they were preparing me for preterm labor. In my mind I didn't think that's what was occurring, but everything crosses your mind when you're in the situation. That was four weeks ago now and I am doing great!

Since then it's  just been really busy. I'm just about to start going to doctors appointments every two weeks.  Because of my age, I will do the nonstress test every two weeks with a regular OB check up. This past Friday I did my glucose tolerance test so I'm waiting for the results to come back. My doctor also give me an ultrasound on that day.  Everything looked good. He checked for fluids the placenta and baby's  position. He pretty much confirmed what I've known for weeks, the baby is still transverse! I've only been feeling movements in my side so I knew that this was a possibility. I'm looking forward to my MFM ultrasound on April 25!

Ok, now that I've updated, I'll be better at keeping up!

24 Weeks

Half Baked and Level 2- MFM Ultrasound

Holy friggen crap, I'm half baked. Well, as of a week ago :) The time has really picked up and is just flying by. After our elective ultrasound I've been shopping away picking clothes for baby girl.

This week I had my 20 scan, which is a level two high risk scan at Maternal Fetal Medicine. My OB tends to send IVF patients to the MFM for extra scans just to be cautious, but also this time around I'm 35. Well, they thought I was 35. . .

So I get called back into the office at the MFM and the nurse asks me a ton of questions. I remember this from B's pregnancy. They want to know how healthy you are, if you have a safe home, and if anyone in your family has had an issue with birth defects. As she's reading the questions she says, "Well you are 35 and your egg donor was 32." Um, what? I tell her that there was no egg donor and that I'm carrying my own eggs that were in fact retrieved when I was 32. She then says it's confusing and moves on. OK!!!!!!! Holy shit! I'm at a high-risk appointment and she's confused by the simplicity of a frozen transfer? I actually didn't care, but wished I had a few minutes to school her on some information that would make her seem a little less insensitive. I didn't care though, I don't expect people to understand.

So I get my ultrasound and everything looks great. I will say I was a NERVOUS wreck. Gah! Seriously? Every measurement the tech made I watched the corner of the screen to make sure that the measurement registered around 20 weeks. Luckily, they all did. The tech had a really, really hard time get the heart measurements that she needed. She eventually gave up and told me that she was frustrated, but the doctor will have no problem getting it.

The doctor came in and remeasured everything. All of the measurements were perfect and once again, the MFM office calls me "boring," which I love. But then, the doctor tries to calculate my age and is all confused by me being 35 and the donor being 32. Um, ok, here we go again. So, I kindly explain to him that one can freeze her own eggs and use them later. Literally, it was hysterical.

After my appointment I literally walked across the hall to my OB appointment where the doctor was excited about my MFM scan and how boring they thought I was. He laughed when I explained the egg donor and age cluster to him. He told me I "threw a wrench in their day." Ha!

Well, well, well. . . Here is what you get dear reader:

18 weeks

19 Weeks

20 and 21 weeks!

***BIG Update*****

Last week I had a regular checkup and things looked good. The OB gave me another ultrasound (#7). I don't ask why, I just enjoy. The baby was transverse and moving all over. The transverse explains my sideways bump and not really "up and down" bump. Baby was kicking and moving all over! So cute.

So, in two weeks I have my MFM level two scan which will also tell the gender. We did not find out with Brooklyn and I loved that very much. This time around Mr. LTM wants to find out and I don't. What a pain. After thinking about it for a while I felt like I needed to give in because we've already experienced it "my" way. So a few days ago I decided to book an elective ultrasound at a botique. Mr. LTM will be out of town for my MFM gender scan and though it will be ultrasound #8, he hasn't been to one. It made sense to book an elective and keep it a secret. This would allow him to find out the sex and experience an ultrasound.

So this morning we drive to our surprise. I was very nervous. First because I hadn't convinced myself that finding out was even a good idea, but also because I was worried he changed his mind and now I have a $100 ultrasound that I'm only doing for him. When we pulled into the parking lot, I told him that we were having a surprise ultrasound to find out the sex because I know he wanted to. He looks at me and says, "I don't want to find out because you don't." Insert pregnancy tears because I started crying. Now he doesn't want to know and didn't tell me? What the hell? Why are we on such different pages?

I finally calmed myself so we could talk. We decided to get the ultrasound anyway. So we head up to the office and sit down for our appointment. All of the sudden I'm bawling my eyes out again. Deep down, I feel I didn't want to find out so it was emotional. Mr. LTM was feeling so bad and covered for me as I went to the restroom to compose myself. Finally I got myself together and went back to the waiting room. I told him that we should have the tech write it down for us so it doesn't consume our appointment. After all, we wanted to see the baby and not focus on the sex.

The ultrasound was great and the tech was great too. She laughed with us as we told her we wanted it written down. After 25 seconds of scanning she smiles and says, "I know what you are having!" Right then Mr. LTM was convinced it had to be a boy. How else could she know so quickly. He joked the whole time about it being a boy and this tech didn't crack once. She was really fun.

Before we left she gave us a DVD and extra pictures on a CD for free. Now we have a video of our new baby! When we checked out she wrote the sex down on a post it and stapled inside other sheets of paper. I swear it had 75 staples.

Mr. LTM and I drove for about 10 minutes as he explains that it has to be a boy and he can see on the pictures it's a boy. As he's driving we decide I will rip the paper open to find out! So I begin tearing the paper and getting staples stuck in my fingers. Finally the Post-It shows and so does the note...

It's a girl!

Horray! Miss B will have a sister to grow up with! Mr. LTM admits he was glad it was a girl. Having one of each is great, but he admitted to loving having just girls. I too am over the moon. Of course I would have been excited too with a boy, but I'm not a "one of each" person. I'm glad that my girl will have a sister as a friend.

What a fab day!

16 Weeks + Bump Pics

Ok, here I am! Wow, have I been that busy? Um no, it just took me forever to update. I haven't had any doctor's appointments lately and my next is not until January 27th for my regular OB checkup.

Each day I'm thankful that I have my own fetal heart monitor. The infertile mind never goes away and I check on that little baby every other day. I try not to do it too much but I know that I need to do it so I can be sane. I would say now-a-days it takes me about a minute or less to find the heartbeat and turn the monitor off. It's a great reassurance.

I feel really good now that I'm in the second tri. I have felt some movements the past two weeks, but they are really every few days. It also catches me off guard and I'm all, "Was that movement?" By the time I figure it out, it's gone! Hoping to feel the good stuff too.

At this point we've announced to everyone, including my third graders. I'm surprised they haven't asked me why I'm always out of breath during lessons!

Here is a few bump pictures to keep you entertained. Brooklyn does a great job!

12 Weeks

13 Weeks

14 Weeks

15 Weeks

16 Weeks

And yes I chopped my head-off on purpose. Gotta be internet safe!

A Week Without Check-ups

Man! By 13 weeks along I had 6 ultrasounds. Now. . . crickets. No appointments, nothing! Still have have stuff to say, lucky for you!

ASS SHOTS- all done! Yes, I made it about 14 weeks of doing ass shots almost every day. I'm not going to lie; my ass is in bad shape. Lumps, bumps, bruises and those holes itch! I've been done for a week now and I feel like I'm getting my life back!

NT Results- Remember that bitchy tech? Man, I'm still pissed at her. Anywho- they told me I would get my scan results in about 5 days. Well, we had some horribly cold weather, and New Year's Day was in there too. I waited two weeks and decided to call the MFMs office. Boy, were they surprised to hear from me. I called on January 13th and the nurse at the MFM told me that my OBs office has had my results since December 30. Um, come again? No one called me. Gah! That damn OB nurse is going to get an ear-full when I go in. This is the SECOND time they haven't called me with something. The good news is that my NT was great, great, great. DS risk was almost 1:9000 and Trisomy was 1:10,000. Good news all around.

Gender- I keep going back and fourth but I'm very, very sure that this is my final decision. . . TEAM GREEN. Sorry bitches, I don't want to find out!

Week 13: Checkup

On Friday I had my second OB appointment. All looked good. I seem to be up 2lbs total since the beginning (for sure all ice cream). I was wondering if the doctor would use the doppler or not to find the heartbeat but he didn't. He went straight to ultrasound! If you are counting, I'm 13 weeks and I've had 6 ultrasounds. It's almost a little embarrassing. Either way, who doesn't want to see their baby on an ultrasound. Baby was so cute again. Sleep away and then rolled over to face his/her back to us. The doctor was laughing. The heartbeat came in at 160 on the ultrasound.

I'm still waiting on my NT scan results. After some lurking on my birth month board, it seems my ultrasound results were normal. I should get my blood test results back this week.

We still are undecided as to find out the baby's sex. Now I'm leaning toward yes. My main reason is I feel like it will help Brooklyn know what to expect. She's old enough and would easily appreciate knowing if she will have a brother or a sister. We have not told her the news yet, but we keep asking her questions. This is what we get from her:

*She knows that newborns cry. She told me they cry because they don't speak words.

* When I asked her what she would do with a newborn baby she told me she would just "snuggle" them.

* In a conversation on where we would put a baby in this small house, her idea was a baby could share a room with her! Her words, "Then it would be like a sleepover every night."

Finally when asked if she wants a brother or a sister, her answers never changes. She wants a brother AND a sister. Um.... you are only getting one little lady! LOL

My level two and gender scan is schedule for February 21st with my next doctor appointment being January 27.

I HAVE ONLY THREE ASS SHOTS LEFT!!!! My ass is killing me, but I can handle three!