Had my 12 week appointment today...and I'm happy to say that everything went well. There is in fact a baby in my tummy, so I'm relieved. These early weeks are so hard - I don't know why I had so many doubts, you'd think the overwhelming nauseau, ridiculous fatigue, and already expanding waistline would make me feel pretty confident about the whole thing. Despite all the obvious symptoms, hearing the heartbeat today was a huge relief. Though it took a really LONG time for my doctor to find it. But then we heard it loud and clear and it was nice and fast, in the 160s. So all is well with the world. Well, with the baby anyway. Yay baby. And she didn't THINK she heard 2 heartbeats either. Phew.
When I went in for lab work a few weeks ago, I found out I'm anemic so I've been taking extra iron. I was the same with Ava so it wasn't too surprising...and I think it's helped my energy level quite a bit already. Haven't felt nauseaus for about 2 weeks either, which has been huge. I'm looking forward to the second trimester and feeling like myself again...
Here's what baby is up to this week:
Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.
She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Busy, Busy, Busy
Ava and I had a busy weekend while Scot was at Guard. On Saturday morning we visited my good friend Angie in the hospital - she had her baby boy (very) early at 36 weeks! She wasn't due until July 13th, so it was quite a surprise when she called (though I imagine she was a little more surprised than I was). Despite being so early, baby boy GRANT DAVIS was perfectly healthy at 5lbs, 2oz and 19 inches long. It was great to see them both - he is a beautiful baby and Angie was doing great. Ava wanted to hold him, but when I told her she couldn't she quickly got bored so we only stayed for about an hour. Angie is actually happy with the way things turned out - she is a teacher so now she will get more time home with her baby before she has to go back to school. If she had the baby around her due date, she would have been pressed to get even her 6 weeks in.
After leaving the hospital, we stopped at McDonald's and had a picnic in the backyard when we got home. After that, it was naptime for both of us :-)
When Scot got home, we all went to the Oakdale Fair and indulged in corndogs, fried cheese curds, mini donuts, and lemonade...AHHH...nutritious indeed. Ava had a blast riding some rides and playing on the playground equipment nearby.
Ava and I had another busy morning on Sunday - we had signed up to do the annual walk for the Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund. Unfortunately, since Scot had Guard he was not able to join us...I DID write an email inquiring about their choice to schedule the walk on the MN Air National Guard weekend (kind of a funny way to appreciate the military) and I received a nice email back, explaining that they had unique scheduling conflicts this year with the Republican National Convention and the Twins games. Sigh...I guess that is understandable. So, I decided to do it anyway and dragged Ava along with me. Yeah, it didn't really go all that well, from an Ava perspective anyway. The event itself was wonderful - it was great to see so many people rallying for MN troops. There were lots of speakers and there were several families of fallen soldiers in attendance. Before the walk/5K run started, the Patriot motorcycle riders drove down the street with flags - it was pretty moving. But anyway, it didn't go well for us in particular for a few reasons. Ava was crabby before we even left the house. The walk started in downtown Minneapolis by the Metrodome - because there was a Twins game that afternoon, all the parking was jacked up so I ended up paying $10 for a spot in a lot after driving around and around. The gathering spot was in another parking lot and there wasn't anything for kids to do. I was fairly disappointed - on a side note, the three of us did a walk/5K last year called the Pacemaker 5000 that is sponsored by Medtronic, which was also in downtown Mpls but on the riverbank. There was a lot of space to move around there and they had lots of activities for kids (bounce houses, face painting, etc). I kind of assumed this event would have the same kinds of offerings but it didn't. So Ava basically had to stay in her stroller because I really didn't want her roaming through the parking lot through crowds of people. She whined and cried and whined and cried and I was at my wit's end. I made her a race tag to wear and safety pinned it to her shirt that said she was walking in support of her daddy and she ripped it off. None of this was really her fault - she was bored and there wasn't much I could do. Fortunately, they supplied a lot of food and drinks so I was able to keep her somewhat busy. The actual walk went fairly well - she kept quiet during most of that. The ride home was miserable. More whining and crying until she fell asleep. For about 5 minutes. She woke up as I got her out of the car and was completely miserable again. The rest of the day was much of the same, including NO NAP, so I was SO happy when Scot got home and could turn things over to him for awhile.
Anyway, back to the MMAF - the Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund was created to show citizen support and appreciation for the sacrifices made by military personnel deployed in combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan since September 2001. They provide cash grants to all MN soldiers and to the families of those killed in combat. I'm not sure how much money I helped raise - I didn't have the visibility to that like the way I did when I raised money for the American Heart Association.
Here is a video tribute dedicated to MN troops (definitely puts things in perspective):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMjLxZUar6k
And here is the MMAF website to learn more about the organization (you can also donate here!):
http://www.thankmntroops.org/MMAFflashindex.html
In other conversations with my dear daughter...I was telling her to be careful around my tummy.
Me: There is a baby in my tummy, remember?
Ava: Baby Ava?
Me: No
Ava: Baby Michael? (That is the baby at daycare)
Me: No
Ava: Baby Hungry? (That is Henry, our friends' baby)
Me: No
Me: This is a new baby, it doesn't have a name yet.
Ava: OK.
And I'm proud to say she counted to FOURTEEN the other day. This wouldn't be a big deal to most parents of 2 1/2 year olds, since they all seem to be counting much earlier than Ava...but it was for us. Up until then she counted this way: 1-2-5-2-5. And then more recently when we kept asking her what happened to 3 and 4?: 1-2-3-4-3. So, it's a breakthrough for us.
And in other family news...yesterday was Gardy's birthday. He would have been 64 on June 25th. Happy Birthday, Gardy.
After leaving the hospital, we stopped at McDonald's and had a picnic in the backyard when we got home. After that, it was naptime for both of us :-)
When Scot got home, we all went to the Oakdale Fair and indulged in corndogs, fried cheese curds, mini donuts, and lemonade...AHHH...nutritious indeed. Ava had a blast riding some rides and playing on the playground equipment nearby.
Ava and I had another busy morning on Sunday - we had signed up to do the annual walk for the Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund. Unfortunately, since Scot had Guard he was not able to join us...I DID write an email inquiring about their choice to schedule the walk on the MN Air National Guard weekend (kind of a funny way to appreciate the military) and I received a nice email back, explaining that they had unique scheduling conflicts this year with the Republican National Convention and the Twins games. Sigh...I guess that is understandable. So, I decided to do it anyway and dragged Ava along with me. Yeah, it didn't really go all that well, from an Ava perspective anyway. The event itself was wonderful - it was great to see so many people rallying for MN troops. There were lots of speakers and there were several families of fallen soldiers in attendance. Before the walk/5K run started, the Patriot motorcycle riders drove down the street with flags - it was pretty moving. But anyway, it didn't go well for us in particular for a few reasons. Ava was crabby before we even left the house. The walk started in downtown Minneapolis by the Metrodome - because there was a Twins game that afternoon, all the parking was jacked up so I ended up paying $10 for a spot in a lot after driving around and around. The gathering spot was in another parking lot and there wasn't anything for kids to do. I was fairly disappointed - on a side note, the three of us did a walk/5K last year called the Pacemaker 5000 that is sponsored by Medtronic, which was also in downtown Mpls but on the riverbank. There was a lot of space to move around there and they had lots of activities for kids (bounce houses, face painting, etc). I kind of assumed this event would have the same kinds of offerings but it didn't. So Ava basically had to stay in her stroller because I really didn't want her roaming through the parking lot through crowds of people. She whined and cried and whined and cried and I was at my wit's end. I made her a race tag to wear and safety pinned it to her shirt that said she was walking in support of her daddy and she ripped it off. None of this was really her fault - she was bored and there wasn't much I could do. Fortunately, they supplied a lot of food and drinks so I was able to keep her somewhat busy. The actual walk went fairly well - she kept quiet during most of that. The ride home was miserable. More whining and crying until she fell asleep. For about 5 minutes. She woke up as I got her out of the car and was completely miserable again. The rest of the day was much of the same, including NO NAP, so I was SO happy when Scot got home and could turn things over to him for awhile.
Anyway, back to the MMAF - the Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund was created to show citizen support and appreciation for the sacrifices made by military personnel deployed in combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan since September 2001. They provide cash grants to all MN soldiers and to the families of those killed in combat. I'm not sure how much money I helped raise - I didn't have the visibility to that like the way I did when I raised money for the American Heart Association.
Here is a video tribute dedicated to MN troops (definitely puts things in perspective):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMjLxZUar6k
And here is the MMAF website to learn more about the organization (you can also donate here!):
http://www.thankmntroops.org/MMAFflashindex.html
In other conversations with my dear daughter...I was telling her to be careful around my tummy.
Me: There is a baby in my tummy, remember?
Ava: Baby Ava?
Me: No
Ava: Baby Michael? (That is the baby at daycare)
Me: No
Ava: Baby Hungry? (That is Henry, our friends' baby)
Me: No
Me: This is a new baby, it doesn't have a name yet.
Ava: OK.
And I'm proud to say she counted to FOURTEEN the other day. This wouldn't be a big deal to most parents of 2 1/2 year olds, since they all seem to be counting much earlier than Ava...but it was for us. Up until then she counted this way: 1-2-5-2-5. And then more recently when we kept asking her what happened to 3 and 4?: 1-2-3-4-3. So, it's a breakthrough for us.
And in other family news...yesterday was Gardy's birthday. He would have been 64 on June 25th. Happy Birthday, Gardy.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Happy Father's Day
Well, the daddy in our house was in Seattle for most of Father's Day, but I think we both got what we wanted that morning. For him, he got to sleep in and eat a leisurely breakfast on the veranda of his hotel. For me, Ava let me sleep until 9! Ahh...it was pure bliss.
After breakfast, Ava and I hit Old Navy to buy Daddy a present - we got a him a shorts/shirt outfit. He also got a handmade card from Ava, a card from Sam & Rocky, and a sappy card from me...(ah, pregnancy hormones). He came home from his trip around 5 and we bestowed his gifts upon him. I also cooked a beef roast, so we had a nice dinner together to celebrate his day.
Showing off the card she made. And no, she doesn't use a pacifier, but does insist on putting it in her mouth sometimes when its around.
Scot's been pretty busy lately - he has actually been working full time at the Guard base and will be doing that until he deploys. He has enjoyed being out there and getting more involved and the full time paycheck is nice to see in our bank account again. But I kind of miss my house husband! It was so nice when he was taking care of a lot of the household chores in between his part time flying- we all just felt a little less rushed from day to day. Oh well, we have adjusted and everything is going pretty well...Ava and I are both so lucky to have him around - he is a great dad and a great husband!
Just me, my girl and 2 boys
After breakfast, Ava and I hit Old Navy to buy Daddy a present - we got a him a shorts/shirt outfit. He also got a handmade card from Ava, a card from Sam & Rocky, and a sappy card from me...(ah, pregnancy hormones). He came home from his trip around 5 and we bestowed his gifts upon him. I also cooked a beef roast, so we had a nice dinner together to celebrate his day.
Showing off the card she made. And no, she doesn't use a pacifier, but does insist on putting it in her mouth sometimes when its around.
Scot's been pretty busy lately - he has actually been working full time at the Guard base and will be doing that until he deploys. He has enjoyed being out there and getting more involved and the full time paycheck is nice to see in our bank account again. But I kind of miss my house husband! It was so nice when he was taking care of a lot of the household chores in between his part time flying- we all just felt a little less rushed from day to day. Oh well, we have adjusted and everything is going pretty well...Ava and I are both so lucky to have him around - he is a great dad and a great husband!
Just me, my girl and 2 boys
Friday, June 13, 2008
Might as well break the news...
Eh, I think everyone who reads this blog knows anyway. We threw this picture into the Mother's Day cards for our moms and that was a big hit, especially since they were over at our house together - it was nice to tell them both in person.
My due date is sometime around January 11th...I just went in for bloodwork today (10 weeks) and I finally see my doctor on the 27th when I will be 12 weeks. It feels like it's been forever, considering I found out I was pregnant on May 1st. But that is how it goes when you see a family practice doctor and not an OB...oh well.
This pregnancy has already been a lot harder than with Ava. This time I've been "blessed" with pretty awful morning sickness, though it has gotten a lot better over the last week so I hope the trend continues. I was miserable enough a couple of days to call in sick to work. I called the doctor the second time requesting a miracle cure, but she did not have one. Damn her! So, I heeded some of her suggestions and stocked up on Vitamin B6, glucose tablets, saltines, and the like. Scot also very sweetly made a trip to the store one day and bought me literally 7 types of crackers and ginger snap things (wait, I hate ginger) to try and choke down. It's all worked fairly well...though I'm really hoping it goes away in a couple weeks like most of the books promise.
Like my first pregnancy, I have been dog tired and I suspect it is harder to deal with this time, considering I have a very needy 2 1/2 year old to attend to during most of my waking hours. I make it through the mornings fine...but once 1:00 rolls around, I can barely keep my eyes open. I take naps almost every weekend day, the weekdays are a little harder to manage at work. However, I DID take a nap on Wednesday in what we call our "Refuge Room". It has a leather couch, soft lighting, a CD player, etc for employees in our dept to use for breaks. It was heaven to sleep at work and I think I shall do that again soon. And then I'm usually in bed by about 9-9:30. I'm hoping this too will pass once I get out of the first trimester. It did last time.
And now it is WAY past my bed time - 10:30! - so I will continue this later...
Monday, June 09, 2008
To lighten the mood a little...
Well, actually, this is depressing too...but at least it's funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caqr2zecCUs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caqr2zecCUs
A little ray of sunshine
Well, we made it through Friday.
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And Scot said it was his favorite day with Ava ever. I'm inclined to agree. Ava was the light everyone seemed to need that day. She was completely charming, a social butterfuly, running around the reception room and making friends with everyone. She ran up to Grandma Di every so often and hugged her leg and asked to be held. All the women who work with Di finally got to see the girl in all the pictures. She gave people a reason to smile that day between the tears. I only hope she'll be able to hold onto the memories she has of Grandpa Gardy...
It was a very nice reception altogether - we were so touched by the amount of people who came and supported all of us. Gardy touched many, many lives.
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And Scot said it was his favorite day with Ava ever. I'm inclined to agree. Ava was the light everyone seemed to need that day. She was completely charming, a social butterfuly, running around the reception room and making friends with everyone. She ran up to Grandma Di every so often and hugged her leg and asked to be held. All the women who work with Di finally got to see the girl in all the pictures. She gave people a reason to smile that day between the tears. I only hope she'll be able to hold onto the memories she has of Grandpa Gardy...
It was a very nice reception altogether - we were so touched by the amount of people who came and supported all of us. Gardy touched many, many lives.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Busy being sad
So I said I was going to get on the ball again with updates...but we were dealt with a devastating blow on Monday. Scot's stepdad Gardy passed away very unexpectedly in his sleep. I sent out an email yesterday to as many people as I could...if you got missed, I'm sorry. Like I said, it was very unexpected - he had struggled with prostate cancer a few years ago, but had been in remission. Initially we didn't know if the cancer lingered and ultimately caused his death, if he had a heart attack in his sleep, or what exactly happened. We have taken comfort in the fact that it happened peacefully. An autopsy has since been performed and they found he had fairly advanced heart disease, which was unknown to all of us. We are also still awaiting toxicology results to see if there were any complications with the medications he was on.
Gardy and Scot's mom Diane got married over 20 years ago and he had been a huge part of all of our lives. We are going to miss him so much. Thanks in advance for any prayers and positive thoughts you can send our way. And thanks to those of you who have already contacted us with your support.
Here is a link to the obitituary, which appeared in Tuesday's Star Tribune.
http://www.legacy.com/StarTribune/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=110919511
We are all hanging in there. Scot and Julie and I put together some posterboards of pictures last night for the reception on Friday, which was therapeutic - it was nice to keep busy and remember Gardy all at the same time. He was truly a wonderful man.
Gardy and Scot's mom Diane got married over 20 years ago and he had been a huge part of all of our lives. We are going to miss him so much. Thanks in advance for any prayers and positive thoughts you can send our way. And thanks to those of you who have already contacted us with your support.
Here is a link to the obitituary, which appeared in Tuesday's Star Tribune.
http://www.legacy.com/StarTribune/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=110919511
We are all hanging in there. Scot and Julie and I put together some posterboards of pictures last night for the reception on Friday, which was therapeutic - it was nice to keep busy and remember Gardy all at the same time. He was truly a wonderful man.
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