Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

As 2012 comes to a close and we look forward to 2013, I can't help but think of all that life provided us with this past year. After sending out Christmas cards, one of Phil's friends commented to him, 'wow, in one year, not only did you buy a house and get pregnant, you saved a child's life and you run an airport?!?' It seems that life has truly blessed us and we are looking forward to more adventures in 2013.  With looking at all we accomplished in the past 12 months, I can't help but wonder, will we get it all accomplished in the next 12 months (let alone the next 12 weeks)? I had such big plans to get things checked off of our to-do list while on break from school, but the days are ticking by, and we still have a list. If picking out a bedding set for our child's room is this difficult, how the heck are we going to handle the 'real' decisions that we have to make in the up and coming years?!?  While we have narrowed down names, I know it will come down to the moment that we see her and then we'll know (so for all of you looking to know baby's name, sorry, but even we won't know it until the moment she makes her grand entrance! I mean, what happens if we choose one name and then we see her and think, well she looks more like a ____).  I have a feeling that the people at Babies R Us and Target will know me by name come summer time, since I will probably purchase, then exchange, then return, then re-purchase items for the nursery.

But, on to more joyous events! The week before Christmas, Phil and I drove to Sioux City (about 2 hours south of here) to see Cirque du Soleil as an early Christmas present to each other, as well as to get one item completed on our baby to-do list. Our book recommended that before I hit the third trimester, we should go on a date that we won't be able to go on after the baby is born. I'd say that a 4-hour round trip drive on a work night would be the jackpot. The show was amazing and it was fun to get out of Brookings for a few hours.

For Christmas, we went to Phil's parent's house on the 23rd and did an early Christmas with his family. There is always so much energy and excitement at the Tiedeman celebrations, since there are three young nephews who get ecstatic for presents, and then add the 13 adults and we had a full house! Phil and I drove back to Brookings on the 24th and did Christmas Eve service at our home church. I love having new baby moments (having other people feel her kick for the first time, running into people we haven't seen in awhile and telling/showing them the news) and at the service that night, we had another moment. During communion, I walked up to our female pastor (our church has two pastors that are husband and wife and the husband typically runs the service that we go to on Sunday mornings) and she gave me communion and then asked if she could do a blessing for our baby. She put her hand on my belly and said a little prayer and it was just the most touching thing. To think about the story of Christmas with Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus and then to think about this little baby... it makes this blessing even more special. That evening, we opened presents from my parents and they gave us an iPad! So of course, we had to experiment with facetime and enjoy being 'together.' Tom even took a picture of my parent's iPad screen (so you could see Phil and I on one part and then my parents and Tom on another part) and called it our family Christmas picture. Hey, when you're 1000 miles away from family, I'll take it!

I'm still feeling pretty good and the break from school has been great. I know I'm really lucky to be able to get a break, since the majority of people work 40-hour work weeks 52 weeks of the year. With Christmas break training, I run practices for about 3 hours in the morning and then another 3 at night, so in between, I have definitely enjoyed some power naps. On long road trips, I still tend to feel a little nauseous. And I can tell that things are shifting in the hip area, with tightness and a little pressure making an appearance. The heartburn has continued, so Tums can be found in my car, backpack, coaching bag and on my nightstand.  These days, I still love milk (seriously, I liked milk before, but now I love it and go through a gallon almost every week). No weird cravings or immediate trips to the grocery store. I continue to be on the high end of weight gain, but still see my personal trainer once or twice a week while continuing to swim once a week and do the eliptical two or three days a week.  Swimming is starting to be a new experience with my center of gravity shifting and I've heard that it won't be long until I choose not to do flip turns at the wall. 

I am 26 weeks (the picture is from Christmas Eve, so I am 25 weeks and 4 days) and Baby T is a little under 2 pounds and is 14 inches long. It's so crazy to think that in the next 13ish weeks, she'll put on another 5-7 pounds (hopefully that's all I put on too! I know that won't happen, but here's to wishful thinking) and grow another 6ish inches.
We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve celebration and get ready for an amazing 2013!

The ups and downs

From the day we found out we were pregnant, I have thought about this little baby. At the beginning, it was wondering if baby was a boy or girl. As we read about the developments of Baby T with each passing week, I think about what color hair she will have, whose nose and lips she'll inherit and if she will be blessed with my freckles or Phil's amazing eyes. And while I know she needs to stay inside for about 40 weeks, I anxiously wait for the day that I can physically hold her and cuddle her.  This past week was the first time that I wished I could keep her growing inside and keep her safe.
The week started off with a downer, as I had my first experience with sliding off of the interstate. On Sunday, I was on my way down to Sioux Falls to coach a meet and about a mile after getting on the interstate, I hit a patch of ice and down into the median I went. Thankfully, I was fine and the car was fine. And the first thing I did was to sit still and pray that Baby T moved (and then immediately breathe a sigh of relief when I felt movement). Continue with the rest of the week, which included finishing projects for school and completing grading for my first class that I taught as a grad assistant. And of course, this was the week that I had some conflicts at swimming, so it seemed like the week had hit it's low. And then enter Friday. I'm sure you all have heard about the shooting in Connecticut and it was something that brought me to tears. Phil and I have prayed for this baby for almost 2 years and now that we have her, Friday was the first moment that truly scared me of being a parent. Never in my life would I think about elementary school being anything other than a safe and fun environment. I was in high school when the shootings at Columbine happened and I had just graduated college when the tragedy at Virginia Tech occured. I felt I was old enough to process those events, but now I realize that  while I thought I understood those events, I was still a child. I'm going to be 29 on Monday and while I can't define being an adult with a specific age, I do think that certain life events can move you from childhood into adulthood. Back then, I didn't have a lot of financial responsibilities. I now have bills and a mortgage. Back then, I had to think about homework and papers. Now I have to think about insurance and wills. Back then, I could stay up past 10pm. These days, I love being in bed at 9:30p in order to get up at 5 for morning practice. Back then, I was experiencing 'first love' and learning that sometimes your heart has to hurt in order to grow. Now, I am experiencing a new first love and sometimes my heart will continue to hurt.
People always say that kids grow up too quickly and you should cherish each moment with them. With the responsibility of growing this baby, I am loving each movement, each moment that Phil gets to feel a kick and each new development. So while I am so happy that Baby T is growing and doing well, I am wanting to have a selfish childish moment and keep this baby all to myself. I don't want her to grow up and leave the safety of her temporary home in my belly. It's the task that every parent must face-- how do you let your child grow while still keeping them close?
There will be so many lessons that we will learn in the upcoming months and years. Phil and I are blessed to have amazing parents that have instilled great values and morals in us, so hopefully we can pass those on to our child(ren). So while I wish I can keep this little girl in my arms forever, I know I am going to let her go and grow. While we will teach her many life lessons, I know she will teach me a thing or two as well.

 

I am now 24 week and rounding the corner to the last trimester. Baby T is about 8.5 inches long and weighs a little over 1 pound. Her body is rapidly growing and she's continuing to hit milestones.  My belly button is still an 'innie,' but looks pretty close to popping. I am still feeling good and have been able to maintain a pretty steady schedule. At our pregnancy class the other night, we got in groups and talked about common pregnancy symptoms at this point in the pregnancy. I definitely have the heartburn (and the OTC meds to help) and have experienced a few leg cramps at night. With my scoliosis, my back has always been a bit tight and sore, so that's not anything new. I have treated myself to a few massages in the past 4 months and I see my chiroporactor once a month. Thankfully, not much else, so I would be one happy momma if that continues! 

 

 At our pregnancy class, we got some handouts for 'real life' pictures of how baby looks each month. So for 24 week, here's what Baby T kind of looks like :)

 

We have a to-do list for the next four weeks, as we will continue to talk about names, register for baby items, paint the nursery, look at daycare places, take the awesome glucose test, send out our Christmas cards, and continue to talk about how things will change once this little lady is here. So, while 16 weeks may seem so far away, I know it's going to sneak up on us very quickly!

Sugar, spice and everything nice... that's what's in my belly

Let me preface this by saying, I was 'that child.' I'm sure my parents know, but maybe they don't... around this time of year, my unability to wait and keep the surprise in presents came full swing.  Which means my ability to let others keep secrets from me drove me bananas. Yes, I was the child that would hunt through things to find where presents were hidden. If there were presents wrapped under the tree, I would be the one to try and pull off the tape and then re-wrap the present. I guess it's a good thing that my birthday is only a week before Christmas. That way, I wasn't snooping multiple times a year, but rather, just for a week or two before Christmas.  So, when it came to getting pregnant and figuring out if we wanted to know the gender of the baby, it was an obvious answer for me... YES! Thank goodness Phil was on the same page, otherwise we might have had additional problems during this 40ish week journey.  Seriously though, if there was a way I could get a sneak-peek into my belly, I would be the one to find it.
Leading up to the big day of the gender reveal, I tried the old wive's tales (multiple times), I read about different symptoms that could mean one gender or the other and I tried tuning into my body to see what it was telling me (if you played our gender guessing game, you can see that I was obviously wrong in that department).  But to my disappointment, nothing was giving me the 'most definite' answer.  So, the wait game continued.
As most of you know, my parents live in Colorado Springs, so I don't get to see them very often.  They planned on coming for Thanksgiving, so we scheduled the ultrasound for the Friday before Thanksgiving.  The plan was to have a gender reveal party with my parents and Phil's parents the day before Thanksgiving.  Fast forward a week or so and my thoughts changed to, well, my mom's my best friend and I can't keep a secret from her, so we'll tell my parents via skype on Friday night and then do the gender reveal with Phil's family.  Fast forward again a few more days and the plan became 'we'll call our parents on the way home from the appointment and tell them.'
Friday morning of the ultrasound, we drove to Sioux Falls for the ultrasound and the doctor's appointment.  We had the ultrasound at 8am and it was such an amazing experience to see every part of this little person. Seriously, we could see the bones, the eyes, the heart and stomach and so much more. And to think that baby was only 11ish ounces at that appointment! The ultrasound tech knew we wanted to know the gender and it seriously felt like she was torturing us with how long it was taking! (I now know they have to do other measurements and look at a lot of different things before focusing on the genitalia area, so while I know it's protocol, it felt like hours before she asked if we were ready)!  She focused in on the area and said, 'so what do you think?' I said, well I see a dot, so that means boy at the same time Phil said, I don't see anything so that means it's a girl.' The tech smiled and then put up the phrase 'it's a girl!' on the screen! She explained that they look for a hamburger shape or a turtle shell shape on the screen (hamburger is for a girl and turtle shell is a boy).  To Phil and I, it was just a white circle on the screen, but that is why they pay the ultrasound techs and not the parents to distinguish things :)

So, you remember how I said the plan going into the appointment was that we were going to call our parents on our way home...?  We had about 45 minutes between the end of the ultrasound and the start of our doctor's appointment, so we headed to the lobby area for some coffee/hot cocoa and breakfast.  The moment we stepped off the elevator, I looked at Phil and said, 'want to make some calls?' We both grabbed our phones and made the first calls to our moms and then continued from there. Needless to say, our day was full of much excitement, lots of phone calls and many hugs and kisses.
While I know the ultrasound isn't 100% proof, it's the closest I can get to peeking in on this present.  So unless one of you knows how to confirm that this wonderful little being is truly 100% girl or boy, I will continue to proceed with planning for a little girl to join our family.  And if we get to the delivery and the doctor announces 'it's a boy,' I will simply quit all other life activities and focus my heart and soul into finding out how I can install a window into my baby's house (i.e. my uterus) during my next pregnancy.  So, little wonderful being living inside me, if you want to have a caring and sane mommy when you enter the world (I can't guarantee the sane thing during the next 17 weeks), you will continue to make my belly full of sugar and spice and everything nice, because that's what little girls are made of!

I know it's right, I read it on the internet!

There's a commercial right now where the scene is with a guy and a girl and the girl talks about how she knows everything because she found it on the internet.  I feel like when you're pregnant, you begin to rely on what every book and website tells you.  On my nightstand, I have Mayo Clinic's pregnancy handbook, What to Expect When You're Expecting and the WEWYE pregnancy organizer and journal.  My menu on my favorite section on my laptop has babycenter, webmd and pregnancy.  The other night, when I had on of my many stress-out sessions, I began to realize what all it takes to have this baby.  One site tells me that I should have so many items picked out for the nursery, yet the baby's room sits empty.  One article says that I am supposed to have my energy back, yet I continue to take naps whenever I can get them.  I began listing all of the items that we have to complete and Phil just looked at me like I had just told him I just returned from the moon.  He first asked where the freak-out was coming from and then reminded me that we just hit the half-way mark.  Why would I want to be planning for this, and thinking about this, when I am in the middle of finals week and about to start Christmas training for the swim club?!?  Phil then brought me back to earth and reminded me that we have time.  We have loving and caring families that will help us when the time comes.  If we are in a pinch, we have a support system of friends and family members who will support us in whatever way.  And that is reason #462 that I love my husband :)

While my parents were here, we watched the movie 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' (there's a spoiler alert in a bit, so don't read on if you haven't seen the movie).  Phil and I had seen it before, but we thought it was a humorous movie.  Just like in the movie, I feel like there are multiple stages that a woman can go through on this movie.  After our miscarriage, it stung when people would say comments like, 'when are you going to have kids,' or 'don't wait too long.'  I thought that I had passed the aching stage, as it has almost been a year, but little things like that creep up.  I think I'm okay with things, but then I cried when the girl in the movie had a miscarriage.  A few days after we watched the movie for the first time, I got a card in the mail from Sanford (the hospital we use).  It was for Sanford's annual remembrance day and Phil and I had been invited.  The hospital does a remembrance ceremony every year to remember newborns, infants and toddlers who have passed away.  It sounds like a very caring and touching event, but that little card had enough power to make me sit down.  It's items like that to make me think about how lucky we are to have even gotten this far in the pregnancy.  But then the worries start... one sharp pain in my side sends me to the internet and has me worried that I'm going into early labor.  Two sodas in a day makes me think that I'm forever impacting my child's growth and development.  As I have read, as well as every other pregnant woman, it's about moderation and trusting yourself.

On a more humerous side, the movie also made me realize there are a lot of humerous moments in this pregnancy journey.  Like one of the main characters, I was so looking foward to having the cute baby bump and just carry around 'that glow.'  Only to realize that I am facing daily heartburn, growing pains, body aches and constant fatigue.  I believed that I would have the cute outfits to put my cute belly in and I would have the perfect little pregnant body.  I'll admit it... I am 22 weeks along and I have gained 15 pounds.  I still drink soda (only a few times a week), don't eat as many fruits and veggies as I should (but who does?!?), and don't always get the rest that I should (last week, Monday was a 16 hour day, Tuesday was a 14 hour day and Wednesday was 10).  But, I am sending this little girl as much love as she possibly could have.  Phil puts his hands on my belly nightly and we talk about the joys to come.  Because I know that through this stress, there is so much more joy than we can ever imagine.  As some of you know, my mom is a nurse in a pediatric oncology clinic.  She cares for children who have been diagnosed with cancer and while the clinic provides excellent care, sometimes she has a patient pass away.  I used to ask her how she could deal with that heartache over and over and she always told me that for every sad story, there are at least 10 happy and joyous ones to replace it.  So I know that no matter what happens, there will be a smile on my face and love in my heart!

And we have so much love for this little one!  While I posted on facebook, I haven't made the official announcement on here that we are having a little girl!  I will detail that day in another post, but our families (and us) are so excited to have a little girl in the family.  Currently, I am a little past 22 weeks and my belly and baby girl continue to grow.  At 22 weeks, Baby T is about the size of a papaya (11 inches) and weighs a full pound!  So crazy to think that it took 22 weeks to get to 1 pound, yet in the next 18 weeks, she will gain about 7 more!  The lanugo covers her body, the lips, eyelids and eyebrows are more distinct and the eyes have formed (yes, I am a horrible mom, but during the ultrasound, they took a picture of the eyes and I told the ultrasound tech that she didn't have to put that picture on our CD, since that picture scared me... but I guess it is a great thing because it shows that our little girl has two eyes that have developed properly) and she just continues to grow at an amazing rate!

Oh, we're half-way there!

C'mon Bon Jovi lovers, sing along :)  On a side note, when my brother, dad and I ran the BolderBoulder one year, Tom and I started singing that song at the 5K mark.  That's what I think of everytime I hear that song.  And Mr. Aufderheide singing it during anatomy class in high school.  So, random thoughts of the day.  Moving on...
Yes, we are officially at the half-way mark!  We hit the 20 week mark and I'm feeling pretty good. I'm still exhausted, but I'm going to blame that on the fact that swim season has truly started, so I'm on deck for longer periods of time and I'm going to meets on the weekend.  Then, as with every student, the end of the semester always seems to suck the energy out of you, so 4 more weeks of projects, homework and classes before a lovely 5 week break.

Even though I haven't posted in two weeks, there isn't much to report.  Although the little news is pretty big.  I definitely feel the baby moving (I thought I was feeling it around the 18 week mark, but I am now positive I feel it)!  This little miracle likes to bounce around some days more than others, but now that I know what to expect, it just makes me smile everytime it happens. While feeling s/he move is a bright spot in my day, on Thursday night, Phil felt the baby move for the first time!  We were laying in bed and all of a sudden, I put down my book, threw back the covers, grabbed his hand and put it on my belly.  The baby was moving and I was hoping that he might be able to feel it, and after a few seconds, I felt a little bump, followed by another little bump.  I looked at him and his eyes said it all :)  He was so excited and he just had this huge smile and started kissing my belly.  So, pretty major and wonderful event in our lives.

Last week, we also started our Centering Pregnancy group. Through our OB/GYN, we signed up for this class and we enjoyed the first class.  Instead of meeting with my doctor every month, I will meet with another doctor that leads the group, as well as a few nurses from her staff.  Our group also has 7 other ladies who are all due around the same time as we are (I think the first one is April 2 and the last one is mid-May).  Each class is 2 hours long and during that time, we each get 1:1 time with the doctor to do a tummy check, belly measurements and listen to baby's heart rate.  The rest of the time, we meet as a group to discuss how things are going with our pregnancy and discuss a specific item related to pregnancy (last week was nutrition).  Next month, we have two group meetings, with one being the typical group meeting and the other one is a pregnancy yoga class!  The moms and dads-to-be will participate in an hour long yoga class geared towards pregnant women, so it will be pretty interesting!

Baby T now measures about 6.5 inches from crown to rump (about the length of a banana) and weighs around 10.5 ounces (about the weight of some forms of mangoes).  I am definitely rocking the maternity clothes and am so appreciative of the hand-me-downs from a few friends, as well as additional shopping trips with friends and family.  No crazy cravings yet, but I am starting to eat less at every meal, but more often.  This weekend was our home meet and I was needing a snack every 2-3 hours (thank you to one of the parents for making delicious trail mix with chex mix, bugles and M&M's... that got me through the 9 hours on deck each day)!  This past week, I've enjoyed (not craved, but have eaten frequently) grapes, Cheetos and cheese.  Phil agrees that my eating habits really haven't changed, except that I am starting to eat more frequently.  And of course the bathroom trips have started to increase (silly baby pressing on my bladder)!  Oh well, here's to the start of the next 20 amazing weeks!

 





It's time!

No, it's not time to rush to the hospital just yet, but it is time to start guessing!  Our 20 week ultrasound is coming up, so we are asking you all to play a little game and guess some info about Baby T!  Go to the link below and place your guess.  May the best guesser win!
http://www.expectnet.com/game.php
Name of the game is BabyTiedeman

To help with the guessing, here are a few old wives tales and the answers:
*Carrying high or low?  It's too early to tell, so the guess goes to anyone.
*Heart beat of baby: it is said that 140+ is a girl, and at our pregnancy group tonight, the HR was at 151!  At the 17 week appointment, it was 149, so survey says GIRL.
*Cravings: for the past few weeks, I've been loving anything dairy (milk, string cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt), so while I wouldn't consider it sweet, I don't consider it salty either. Again, guess goes to anyone.
*Chinese birth chart: GIRL
*Mayan calendar: GIRL
*Picking up a key: I picked it up by the rounded part, so signs point to BOY
*Acne: I haven't really had any bad breakouts after the first trimester, so according to the second trimester, it's a BOY
*Ring test: I took my wedding ring off, put it on a string and placed it over my body. With the back and forth motion, signs point to GIRL
*Morning sickness: I had mild morning sickness (and afternoon/evening sickness) while we were on vacation in DC and Colorado, but I'm not sure if that was due to the baby or the travel (motion sickness).  But with the unknown origin of the sickness, we'll call it a draw
*Sympathy weight: While I've packed on the pounds, Phil has put on a few as well (a whole 2 pounds, but for those of you who know Phil, that's a lot)!  The point goes to team GIRL
*Mom's guess: the tale goes that what the moms-to-be guess is correct, and I'm feeling BOY
*Moodiness: I have been a little more (yes, just a little!) emotional, so signs point to GIRL

Points for team boy: 3
Points for team girl: 6
Anyone's guess: 3

Guessing will close Monday the 19th, so game on!

Happy Halloween!

So while I'm 1 day early on my 18 week post, I'm a few weeks behind with my weekly writings.  Just like everyone else, life just got the best of us, and we found ourselves extremely busy.  For Baby T's 16 week, we left late that night and headed to Kansas City for my cousin Dani's wedding.  The trip was wonderful for so many reasons (including seeing Dani and Mario get married, being surrounded by family and tons of love, enjoying a few days away from the stress of work and school and so much more), but it was also a great trip because I got to go maternity shopping with my mom!  We were good and only bought a few staple items, but I got to experience that first trip with her.  Phil and I came back to Brookings on Sunday afternoon and it was life back to normal.

Last week, we had our 17 week appointment and everything checked out great!  Baby's heart sounds wonderful yet again and was rocking out at 149.  Phil's still holding strong with Baby T being a girl and while I was going strong with that vote, I have started to sway towards team boy.  Our next ultrasound is November 16, but we will wait to reveal the gender until after Thanksgiving.  My parents will be here for the holiday, so we will tell my parents and Phil's parents first and then reveal to everyone else.  We have started doing some of the old wive's tales just for fun, but I want to do them a few days before the ultrasound and see if anything changes (not that I'm expecting it will, but who knows?!?)  And since we didn't travel enough the previous weekend, we made a quick trip to Rochester to see Aunt Mag and pick up a few items for our house.

I am still in awe of how amazing this experience is.  We have received love from so many people and I continue to be thankful for this blessing.  A few weeks ago, we got our first package in the mail from some friends with some adorable gifts for mommy, daddy and baby.  Then we got baby's first books from another friend and then a teacher at SDSU asked if we wanted a few of the items she had (and three bags later, we have some of those items!) and just so much more love and support!  The moms on the swim club are awesome with their advice and stories and support.  It's a magical time and I am so happy to be able to experience it with so many people!

While there are so many highs, there have definitely been a few lows.  During our trip to Kansas, when it was time to say goodbye to everyone, I realized that I won't see my brother until after that baby is born (as he works over Thanksgiving, and I will coach during Christmas break).  So, hormonal tears started flowing.  Last week, I was stressed with school... yep, waterworks again.  This week, Monday could not have been any worse.  I had very little sleep due to a late night board meeting on Monday night, then there was a lot of stress with work, and to top it off, my car decided not to start :(  A few emotional phone calls and extreme crying, and then it was time to get on with the day.  Tuesday was a little better, but it was still cloudy with stress and car troubles. Today was looking to be a better day, and while the car is still a headache (it's been to the shop twice), seeing the adorable kids come trick or treat made my night.  Phil and I dressed up as Thing 1 and Thing 2 (with Thing 3 of course)! I joke that if my life were childhood stories this week, Monday would have been 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day' (self-explainable). Tuesday would have been 'Cloudy with the Chance of Meatballs,' as there were a few storms, but at the end of the day, I did have to laugh at a few items. Then today would be 'Where the Wild Things Are,' since of course it was Halloween, but also because while I want to run away sometimes and get away from what I think is horrible, I always come back to the realization that I am meant to be where I am.  And there will always be hot supper (i.e. comfort) waiting for me when I return.


Through all of the difficult times though, it really makes me stop and think of what I do have.  I think I get so caught up in wanting what other people have, or wanting a stress-free work place and thinking I deserve the easy route.  Then I realize that it's these moments that make it all worth it.  Without stress, I wouldn't know how strong I am.  Through the emotional breakdowns, I realize that I have a loving family and friends there to pick me up. And of course, at the end of the day, there's always going to be chocolate (especially since this preggo lady definitely plans on hitting up the grocery store tomorrow morning for cheap candy)!

In terms of pregnancy items, there's not a lot to report.  While I think I did feel the baby move for the first time, I'm not sure.  So, here's to hoping that baby continues to move more and that I can truly be sure that I felt movement.  Cravings are not extreme, but I'm continuing to enjoy cheese of any kind (from string cheese to that fake cheese that you get at concessions stands with your pretzel).  I also enjoy cheeseburgers, Nestle crunch candy, bananas and fruit snacks this week.  Baby T is about 5.5 inches long (sweet potato) and weighs almost 7 ounces (hair brush or 80 M&M candies). Here's to continued growth, cute baby bump and happy days ahead!

Easy as 10-11-12... or 1-2-3

This whole pregnancy thing is as easy as 1,2,3... I mean, last week I wrote that I could still fit into the majority of my clothes and then poof, I now have 3 pairs of pants that still fit.  I tell everyone I'm feeling great and then the next day, I'm so tired and can't function without a nap.  One day, I'm eating normally and then the next, I'm starving and can't get enough ____.  So, whoever said that pregnancy is complicated has it all wrong-- all you have to do is say that one thing is happening and then the next day, the opposite will happen!
I'm a type of person that likes to know where others are with things.  I compare myself and my progress to others in similar situations.  Every pregnancy book says that every pregnancy is different.  That answer doesn't suit me.  I want to know that others are freaking out when they read that the 'typical' 15 week pregnant woman is to have gained 5 pounds and then look at the scale and realize that number passed a few weeks ago. I used to believe that every pregnant woman craved pickles, and yet I haven't gone through a jar yet.  I haven't sent my husband on a 2am run to the grocery store to get me a seedless watermelon or corn on the cob (or some other item that's really not in season)... am I normal? In a world with so many pregnant women, I all of a sudden feel like an individual.  I guess things aren't as easy as 1,2,3.  But, I will continue to take each week as it comes and continue to progress with the pregnangy and watch Baby T grow.  So, here's to 10-11-12 and hitting the 15 week mark!

Baby T is now 4 inches long and is about the size of a navel orange.  S/he weighs 2.5 ounces, which is a little more than the weight of a large egg.  I will probably be 'that woman' in Wal-Mart standing in the aisle, holding an egg and staring at it wondering if my little egg will be nice to me and be a lovely size of 7 or 8 pounds at delivery, or if it will have the big genes in our families and weigh closer to 9 or 10 pounds.  Holy crud.  I have 25 weeks (or so) to prepare myself.  So, don't be surprised if you're in the Brookings Wal-Mart in March and you see me holding a watermelon and crying.

Hmphs, Grmphs and Giggles

And so it begins... the pregnacy symptoms have taken over.  At first it started with the sickness in weeks 6-8.  Then it was the insomnia that started in week 9.  And so it continued with the constant hunger and eating, frequent trips to the bathroom, and the aches and pains that come along with growing a human.  I've always considered myself to be an emotional person... I vent up anger to the point of crying, I laugh until my side aches, I sing at the top of my lungs in my car after a frustrating experience and I smile until my cheeks hurt.  But, I have now experienced it all.  In fact, so have my loving husband and caring mom.  In the past two or three weeks, there have been many conversations that have started out with me crying and then two seconds later I'm laughing, then crying then wondering what got me so emotional.  There were other times that an email from a co-worker made me believe that the world was out to get me.  It just continues to amaze me that this 3 or 4 inch little being is calling the shots.  Guess I better get used to it, since s/he will continue to call the shots for the next 18 years (and beyond)!

While it has been an emotional ride, it has also been a trip down 'physical change' way.  I was a giddy little school girl when I got to buy a bigger size bra (seriously, that's been my only wish since I was 16).  I enjoy rubbing my growing belly (and very much look forward to the day that I can put my ice cream bowl on top of my belly)!  However, this is also the week that I shed a little tear as I had to buy a larger size of underwear (it's all about comfort these days).  I thought just my front side would grow, but little did I know that my 'reverse baby bump' (as Phil calls it) would start to grow this early.  I am not wearing maternity pants yet, but I know that day is quickly approaching.  It's not that I'm procrastinating on buying them (the majority of women that I know constantly state how comfy they are), but I just want to believe that I'll continue to be able to wear the pants that I finally could fit in to (as I had finally lost a few pounds while training for Nationals this summer).  Oh, just for the love of a baby :) 

The worry still continues and I know it will until I see the baby for the first time.  I remember being able to breathe a little easier after we saw the baby the first time, and then a little more weight was lifted after we passed the 12 week mark. But, after having a miscarriage, I think the fear is always in the back of your mind.  I am anxious to feel the baby move for the first time, and have that reminder that things are okay.  But then I'm sure I'll worry that the baby isn't moving enough, or is moving too much, or that the chlorine that I breathe every day at practice is hurting the respiratory development or that the cold winter weather is freezing the baby (since my jacket probably won't zip... another item to add to the shopping list).  Then I remember that this little miracle is just that... a miracle (seriously, I have another heartbeat, another set of kidneys, another liver among all other things growing in me right now).  And I will continue to love and care for her/him.  And take care of myself so that I can rest easier in knowing that Baby T is taken care of.  So, until that day that we get to meet each other in person, Phil and I will continue to pray, rub my belly and send love through it, talk to Baby T and remind each other how thankful we are.

This is the week that we hit 14 weeks! We are truly out of the first trimester and steaming forward into the second one. This week's sign states '14 weeks on 10/4/12. Size is 3.5 inches (about the size of a lemon) and weight is 1.5 ounces (about the size of a pencil).'  Food for this week: the continued love for peanut butter and banana toast, fruit snacks and yougurt with cheerios.  While I did have my first weird combo (sundried tomato and basil wheat thins with cottage cheese), I can't blame it on the preggo hormones, as that is something I used to eat in college.  But, I'm anxiously awaiting the day that I can send Phil on a crazy 2am mission to WalMart :)

The low of the week is that I'm still dealing with this stupid sinus infection.  I have had this for 35 days now and I'm not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  The high doesn't deal directly with me, but I have to be a bragging sister. My brother found out that he will be traveling to Amiens in Frace to referee the World Under 20 hockey tournament in December!  I am so excited for him and it is just a huge accomplishment!  So, if anyone wants to donate a few hundred (maybe thousands) of dollars, I would really love to go to France to see him ref (and of course travel France for a few days)! 

Nearing the end of the first trimester

The past few weeks were full of medical appointments and continuing to rejoice in the fact that we will soon be a family of three.  Unfortunately, I have been having a horrible time with allergies (it's been so dry here, like a lot of other places, so with harvest time and lack of rain, my allergies are not liking this environment).  It's been pretty annoying since early September, but about 2 weeks ago, I started having severe sinus pressure and was having an upset stomach on and off.  Thankfully, I only had to deal with morning sickness when I was 7-8 weeks pregnant and we were on vacation in D.C. (I attribute the sickness to all of the traveling we did-- my stomach did not agree with the metro rides, taxis, airplanes and car rides), so it was a big time bummer to have an upset stomach again.  I saw a doctor and was prescribed a Z-pack and hope of relief.  After a week, nothing changed, so back I went and got a prescription for Omnicef.  It's a little complicated being allergic to amoxicillin and sulfa and then to be pregnant on top of things, so my choices in medications are limited.  While I do feel a little better now, I'm still not 100%. 
But, I completely forgot about feeling cruddy when we went to our 12-week appointment last Tuesday.  I don't think we will ever get sick of hearing our baby's heart beat!  We had our first appointment with the doctor and then headed to get labs and an ultrasound for genetic testing.  For those of you who know me, getting stuck with needles is not my idea of a good time, so to have a lot of vials drawn (in addition to getting a flu shot!) was a big thing for me.  Bless Phil for keeping me occupied and keeping my mind off of those horrible needles.

 The first set of pictures is from our first doctor's appointment at 8 weeks showing the little baby bear.  Then the second round of pictures is from this past week's appointment at 12 weeks (it looks like a true baby now).



Everything continues to look great with the baby!  During the doctor's appointment, she listened for the heart beat and we heard it going strong with a 168 HR.  A little bit later, we saw Baby T at the ultrasound and s/he continued to have a strong heart beat with 173.  It was so stinking adorable to see him/her moving around... we have a busy baby!  It looked like Baby T had the hiccups and was just discovering that s/he had legs and arms, as the limbs would move at sporatic times.  We walked out of the appointment with more pictures for the baby book and more joy in our hearts!

On 9/27, I hit 13 weeks.  My clothes are definitely fitting a little more snuggly, so I know the first maternity shopping experience will happen in the next few weeks :)  The 13-week photo states that we are '13 weeks on 9/27/12.  Size is 3 inches (about the size of a peach) and weight is 0.8 ounces (about the size of 4 quarters).'  Cravings/wants/things I truly enjoy (since Phil states that a craving is something that I have to have at this very moment and I haven't experienced that just yet) this week have been cheeseburgers, Welch's fruit snacks (yes, that specific brand) and Goldfish snacks.
Happy first week of October!

And I'm back

If you followed my previous blog, sorry, it's been over 2 years since I updated things.  Obviously life wasn't that exciting for us :)
In a nutshell, in early 2011, we moved from Texas and settled into life in Brookings, South Dakota.  Phil is the airport manager in Brookings and I am the head coach of the Brookings Swim Club as well as a graduate student at South Dakota State University.  We bought our first house in Aurora, SD in January and life has been rolling every since!  Especially since we found out we are expecting our first child in April!
While we are closer to some family, we are still away from others.  This will hopefully be a chance to keep all family members and friends updated in this most amazing and wonderful journey.
As the song goes 'let's start at the very beginning...'
Phil and I have been trying to have a baby for awhile.  A few months after we moved to South Dakota, the process of starting to have a baby began.  I had heard that it takes a few months, so the wait game began.  And continued.  In December, we were elated to find out we were pregnant (it was the best Christmas present)!  We shared the news with immediate family members and started picturing our new life with an addition to our family.  Sadly, at almost 9 weeks, I had a miscarriage.  We were devastated and I think the only thing that kept us going was that we were closing on our first home that week.  We are so blessed to have such a supportive family, friends and employers that helped get us through that time.  It's one of those things that people don't talk a lot about, but once you find another person who has been through it, you begin to find other people who have been through that experience.  I used to be embarrassed and ashamed to talk about the miscarriage, but now I realize that's part of the journey. And I know other people's stories helped me, so maybe mine will help someone.
So, the wish and wait game started all over again.  I used to get upset when I read something on facebook that someone was expecting or frustrated when I heard someone say, 'we've been trying to get pregnant for three whole months,' or a short period of time.  But, God has a plan, so it was just a time for us to reflect on the fact that God's in control and I needed to put my trust in Him.  Every month had high hopes and then great disappointment when there was only one line.  Then, a day before I left for the state swim meet, a faint line appeared.  Phil and I didn't want to get too optimistic, so we kept hold of that glimmer of hope.  Three days later, I got back from state and tried again.  And again, there was a faint line, but it was there!  And yes, I am one of those girls that took three tests just to make sure :)  There was a lot of emotions, but we were really excited!  We told our parents and then tried to stay optimistic as the days got closer to the ultrasound.  For the first appointment, we both walked into the ultrasound room and held our breath. It was the most amazing and wonderful thing to see our precious baby.  We both got teary-eyed when we heard the beautiful rhythm of a heart beat.  Walking out of that appointment, we had joy in our heart and more love for this little human life than anything I can describe.

Our first picture is from the 12-week mark.  I didn't want to copy what everyone else is doing with the chalkboard, so we tried to do a print out, which wasn't too successful.  It states '12 weeks on 9/20/12. Size of baby: 2 inches (about the size of a plum).  Weight of baby: 0.5 ounces (about the weight of an empty soda can).'  Someone mentioned that I should document what I was craving each week, and I think that week was oatmeal cream pies, peanut butter and honey toast and apples with peanut butter (so nothing out of the ordinary).
Each week is a new wonderful adventure and I'll keep everyone up to date with our exciting and fantastic journey!