Doctor's Appointment

I had a doctor's appointment today, and everything went great. His heartbeat is 136, I am measuring good, and I have not gained any weight in the past two weeks. I do not know how that is possible considering all I did was eat Christmas Eve, Christmas, and my birthday. I passed the sugar test, which I'm sure I would have heard earlier if I didn't but it's always nice to hear good news. He also said that I am a baby making machine. I have the perfect torso and hips for it (thanks Doc!) but, too bad my husband doesn't want to have the 7 kids that I want to have! ;) That is why that even while I am showing, I'm not showing as much right now, basically I have enough room in there that Max is perfectly comfortable. Max is head down right now which is good. The doctor said that they don't "lock" into position until around 36 weeks, I hope he is comfortable because it would be great if he hung out that way for a couple more weeks! (10 weeks EEK!!!)

I had a few questions for my doctor, and he recommended that I read the book "The Girlfriend's Guide to Being Pregnant" by Vicki Lovine. He said that the "What to Expect When you are Expecting" just scares people and he never recommends it to anybody. I have not read any books, done any research or anything like that. I am kind of going with the flow and if anything feels weird to me then I will call my doctor's office or if it's a really bad feeling, I will call the labor and delivery nurses station (I am sure they love me bothering them there). There is so much information out there, you can never tell what is accurate and what is just the worst case scenario; therefore I decided from the very beginning to not look at it all. The only thing I read on the internet is other blogs that women have written about their pregnancy. Some people are asking me, "Well don't you want to know what this feeling is and don't want to know if this is what you should be feeling?" No I don't because I will read something, assume the worse, and be at the doctor's office all of the time. I rely on my doctor for information, and friend's who have been pregnant before.

29 weeks

How far along? 29 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain: +2 lbs

Baby is the size of a: butternut squash

Maternity clothes? mainly shirts.I am using the hair tie trick for my pants.
Stretch marks? not yet

Sleep: very rare, but when it comes I can sleep for days!

Miss Anything? Rolling over like normal, now it is a big ordeal.
Best moment of the week: being able to call him Max instead of Little Guy

Movement: Lots of it, it hurts like hell, but I still love it!

Diet: anything that looks good, trying to stay healthy but it's hard

Food cravings: ice

 Anything making you queasy or sick: ground beef, I hope I go back to liking this again, tacos are my favorite food and I cant make them or eat them :(

Gender: baby boy!

Labor Signs: not right now.

 Symptoms: I had some cramping, but doctor said it was just from stretching and getting bigger. 

Belly Button in or out? poking out. 

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy!

Looking forward to: Christmas Eve and Christmas with our families! Hope you and your family had Happy Holidays!!

A Mushy Post.

Third trimester is here and I couldn't be more excited. We have about 10 more weeks until our little guy will make an appearance. I am so excited to love on him. I am also scared to death. 

Yes, I have loved being pregnant, and I will love what the result of that will be. But, let us be honest, who is not scared of childbirth. If you aren't you are lying to yourself. Thankfully I have an awesome support team that includes my wonderful husband who makes me laugh and makes me forget about it all and focus on what is important, Max. 

Christmas is in a few days and I am so excited to see both of our families. I love Christmas. I love the feeling, I love the meaning, I love the decorations, and I love the food. I hope Max loves it just as much as I do.

I am sure something horrible is going to happen, but I am going to say it anyways. I feel like this is what my life is supposed to be. I could not be happier than what I am today. I am leaving Babies R Us to be a teacher at a daycare. This way I can be the teacher I want to be without JCPS telling me the teacher I have to be. The good thing is that Max will be there with me, and I know the teacher that will be in the room with him which makes it 100% easier to take him, because I know how wonderful she is. I can see him whenever I want, and will be down the hall from him. It is the next best thing to being a stay at home mom. 

I will miss everybody at Babies, they were all so great, especially the management team. Being employee of the month, and promoted to a supervisor in two months goes to show how much I loved that job and working with other expectant mothers. But by working at the daycare I will have more family time and my weekends and holidays off. 

Ken and I both like our jobs, we have a home that we love, family and friends that we adore,  and a baby on the way. We may not have everything we want, and sometimes we don't have everything that we need, but life is perfect for us right now and I love every single second of it.

28 weeks

How far along? 28 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain: 2 lbs

Baby is the size of a: chinese cabbage

Maternity clothes? here and there. mainly shirts.
Stretch marks? not yet

Sleep: very rare, but when it comes I can sleep for days!

Miss Anything? Sticking with coffee.
Best moment of the week: feeling my little guy moving around often

Movement: Lots of it, it hurts like hell, but I still love it!

Diet: anything that looks good.

Food cravings: pickles, ice, nacho chips

 Anything making you queasy or sick: I have not shuttered at the thought of any food this week, it is kind of weird.  

Gender: baby boy!

Labor Signs: not right now.

 Symptoms: I have had some major ligament pain.

Belly Button in or out? still hanging in there

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy!

Looking forward to: getting the nursery all fixed up.

Max Franklin Longshore

I have had a few people ask why we chose this name. We chose Max simply because we like it. Kenny thought of it and we have been calling him Max ever since. I also have a feeling it has something to do with his favorite movie, the Gladiator. For those who haven't seen the Gladiator, Russell Crowe plays a gladiator named Maximus Decimus Meridus. We even have been thinking of naming him Maximus, but we aren't sure yet.

Some other choices were Jackson (the actor who plays Jasper from Twilight), Nathan (which would have made his initials NFL), and George (just because for some reason I like old names). But, Max seems to just fit him very well already, and when we talk about him we call him Max, therefore it is a winner! 

His middle name Franklin is a family name that comes from Kenny's mother's side of the family. And Longshore, well that is obvious. 

Now we can stop calling him Baby Boy!

27 weeks

Please ignore my tired face and direct your attention to the cute belly :)

How far along? 27 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain: I am officially where I started when I was pregnant! So I have gained all of the weight back that I lost. Yay!

Baby is the size of a: cauliflower

Maternity clothes? here and there. mainly shirts.
Stretch marks? not yet

Sleep: uhm...yeah...not

Miss Anything? I miss coffee still, had enough of my whining yet?
Best moment of the week: having my last class at school (I know it has nothing to do with Baby Boy but it makes this momma very happy!!!)

Movement: he kicks me everyday, and its starting to hurt, but I still love it!

Diet: anything that looks good.

Food cravings: pickles, chocolate, and I love chewing on ice

 Anything making you queasy or sick:  ground beef, but its starting to make a comeback. 

Gender: baby boy!

Labor Signs: not right now.

 Symptoms: back aches and sleepy

Belly Button in or out?in, but it is working it's self out.

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time:happy!

Looking forward to: finally deciding on a name!

Sweet Co-Worker

One of the girls from Babies R Us made me this sweet basket, and not only that but she made these adorable booties and blanket. I love the people that I work with. 

Doctor's Appointment

Doctor's appointment went well yesterday. They said everything was fine with his tummy, which is great to hear. They also took my blood for the gestational diabetes test, they said that they would call me if anything looked abnormal, otherwise I would find out in two weeks. They said they didn't think that there was anything to worry about, which is good. 

The doctor said he should be moving about 10 times every two hours. He is an over achiever. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. He is also already on a schedule, which I hope he stays on, but I am not counting on it. :) 

The ultrasound nurse showed me where he was sitting and showed me what exactly I was feeling when he was moving around in there. She also showed me that he is still a boy! Look at the sweet picture she took for me. 

He is so big and so cute. I can't wait to hold him. 

 Now my appointments will start being every two weeks. Is it already that time? I feel like I have been pregnant forever, but the third trimester has come fast. It is a weird feeling. In less than 3 months we will have this little guy in our lives. I can not wait!

26 weeks

How far along? 26 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain:

Baby is the size of a: cucumber

Maternity clothes?
Stretch marks? not yet

Sleep: uhm...yeah...not

Miss Anything? I miss coffee! I want a Grande Marble Mocha Macchiato...MMM!
Best moment of the week: spending all that time with family.

Movement: he kicks me everyday and I love it!

Diet: anything that looks good.

Food cravings: chili cheese burritos from taco bell (I know its disgusting but give me a break I'm making a baby - haha.) 

 Anything making you queasy or sick:  ground beef, but its starting to make a comeback. 

Gender: baby boy!

Labor Signs: not right now.

 Symptoms: back aches

Belly Button in or out?in, but it is working it's self out.

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time:

Looking forward to: Our little guy to meet his family. They all love him so much already, he's going to be overwhelmed when he gets here.

Working on Baby Boy's Room

We have started painting our little guy's room. Aunt Amanda will be coming soon to help me finish the rest! I can't wait!

Baby Boy Update

Sorry I haven't been updating as usual, I have been super busy with work, school and the holidays. The past couple of weeks have been crazy busy but I have loved every minute of it.

Here are some pictures of the past couple of weeks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Black Friday Shopping!

My favorite part of our Christmas house!

Our house lit up for the first time!

A couple of interesting things going on. First of all we will have a baby in exactly 3 months! Well nothing is exact with a baby's due date, but I am so excited for those 3 months to come and go so we can have a little baby boy in our lives. Hopefully by then we will have a name picked.

We have had such a hard time deciding on a name for our little guy. It is so stressful and hard to come up with a name that this little guy is going to have to live with for the rest of  his life. We have narrowed it down to two names, and we both like them so much we can't decide on one. The only thing confirmed is his middle name Franklin, and his last name Longshore.

So the major changes with our little guy is the kicking and punching. At first I was feeling movement and a little kicking, now it's war on mommy. Not necessarily a war, but his kicking and punching is actually hurting sometimes. He is not playing around, I think we may have an athlete or a dancer because he sure does like to move his feet. I love feeling this and it may be silly but, it reassures me that he is still in there and growing.

I have a doctor's appointment on Monday, so I am sure I will have more to say then. That is when I am doing the gestational diabetes testing. I am really nervous about it considering diabetes runs in my family, but the doctor says don't worry until we find out. Yeah my doctor doesn't know me so well does he? Haha!

So that's about it for the updates now, but I will share more as they come.

25 weeks...I feel fat, not pregnant

How far along? 25 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain:

Baby is the size of a: rutabaga

Maternity clothes?
Stretch marks? not yet

Sleep:  here and there

Miss Anything?  still going with coffee, oddly though this past week I really wanted a pina colada, dont know why, so I guess I am missing my favorite mixed drink lol...seriously though somebody better make sure Ken gets me coffee as soon as this baby boy is out of me.
Best moment of the week: going to see Grandma and Grandpa Longshore with Jourdan and Robbie, what a fun trip! I wish we could do more of those.

Movement:  all of the time.You can even feel him kicking from the outside of my belly :)

Diet: I have cut back on the fast food (I know, thank God right?) But sometimes I just can't resist french fries from arbys or rally's

Food cravings:  french fries, pickles, and sauerkraut

 Anything making you queasy or sick: ground beef

Gender: baby boy!

Labor Signs: I've experience braxton hicks a couple of times, but nothing serious.

 Symptoms: my back is killing me, every night I come home and cozy up with my heating pad, we are on a first name basis now :)

Belly Button in or out? in, but it is starting to look different

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: very happy!

Looking forward to: spending Thanksgiving with my family and my in-laws!

Packing the Bag

Some say I am thinking about this way to early, I just want to be prepared. 

Here is the list that I made to pack in our hospital bag. Let me know if I forgot something. I've never been through this before so I am guessing on what I will need. 

Steph	Kenny	Baby Boy
ponytail holders	socks	outfit
chapstick	underwear	socks
new socks	clothes	gloves
pajamas	toothbrush	hat
toothbrush	pajamas	blanket
body wash		scrapbook page to sign
shampoo
underwear
contacts
contact solution
lotion
aloe vera face wipes
pads
loose clothes
extra big bag
Family car seat diaper bag toothpaste towels tylonol insurance information calling list camera camera charger phones phone chargers ear phones ipod ipod station extension cord thank you notes pens playing cards snacks notebook laptop pillows

Pregnancy Brain...myth or reality?

I say, this is a real thing!

I forget everything, how to spell (I've edited this blog 10 times), I can barely remember things, and sometimes even how to walk (haha). Before I was pregnant I already had a memory problem but it has become much worse. I have been putting stuff where it doesn't go. I get mad at Ken thinking he did it, but nope that was be. I have been saying I am sorry a lot - LOL! I will walk into a room and forget why I was going, not once, not twice, but multiple times. I have to write stuff down like crazy. So please if I have forgotten anything that you have told me or an even, please forgive me...in advance :)

I asked my doctor about it and he said its basically just from being more tired and stressed than normal. Plus I am using all my extra time to think about the baby. When you're thinking about a baby all day, who has time to make sure the bread back in the right spot?

 

24 weeks

How far along? 24 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain: -12

Baby is the size of a: ear of corn

Maternity clothes? the pants have been bought!
Stretch marks? not yet

Sleep:  in 3 hour increments, it seriously changes daily

Miss Anything? still missing coffee
Best moment of the week:  hearing my little guy's heartbeat!

Movement: yes, he likes to kick at certain times in the day, its awesome I can always count on him to let me know when it is time to eat and sleep

Diet: I was eating a lot of fast food (I Know! Stop yelling at me lol)

Food cravings: cheese its, chocolate ice cream, pickles

 Anything making you queasy or sick:  ground beef

Gender: baby boy

Labor Signs: none yet, but I'm not sure what to expect

 Symptoms: back aches and low energy, I am still waiting on that boost...any day now...hopefully it will come while I am taking my finals lol

Belly Button in or out? innie

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy!!

Looking forward to: spending the holidays with family

Doctor's Appointment

Had a doctor's appointment today. It went really well. The doctor found the heartbeat right away and it was a nice 145. He's sitting right above my belly button. We talked about my weight loss, he said he was not worried about it because the baby will get everything from me that he needs. It's me that will lose out on the nutrients, so as of right now I just need to make sure that I am taking my vitamins and eat a little more each day.

The next doctor's appointment in four weeks will be the gestational diabetes test and we will get another picture of our little guy. I am worried about gestational diabetes since it runs in my family, but praying that everything will be fine.

23 weeks

Daddy in front of the board, so we went with a more boy themed board this week :)

How far along? 23 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain: -8 finally gaining some weight!!

Baby is the size of a: mango

Maternity clothes? living in sweats!
Stretch marks?not yet

Sleep: better, but never get enough of it

Miss Anything? coffee
Best moment of the week: feeling my baby move from the outside of my belly

Movement:  all the time he is on the go!

Diet: anything that sounds good, starting to eat meat more which is awesome

Food cravings:  pickles, cheese its, and chocolate ice cream

 Anything making you queasy or sick:  beef

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: not yet, but I may just not know what they feel like haha.

 Symptoms: back aches and low energy

Belly Button in or out? still in, but it looks like its working it self out

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time:happy!

Looking forward to: hearing my little guy's heartbeat again

Thank You Hemsell Family!

The family that I was a nanny for 5 years have treated me well. They have piled us up with goodies, with a few pictures below. The most exciting one is Baby Boy's crib, which is now set up! Now we just need to paint the room! We are so thankful for all that they have done. 

Part of his pottery barn kitchen.

A giant bunny that is bigger than me.

A very well used time out bench ;)

And Baby Boy's crib!!

Baby Boy is spoiled rotten!

Look at all of these wonderful gifts from Baby Boy's family members! Seriously I do not know how we got so blessed with our friends and our families! 

The best part about the gifts from GanGan is that she wrote a sweet note on every card that came on the blankets. She wrote" every time mommy and daddy wrap you in this blanket, think of me." Every note was different and made me tear up each time, those will definitely be saved. I love her!

Blanket from Carolyn, Mason, and Link! It says Bananas over Mommy, of course he will be :)

Cute snow suit from GanGan!

Blankets from GanGan.

From Aunt Allyson, and yes I know he will be wild about his auntie!

Mommy went shopping...Daddy hid her wallet.

Ken really did not hide my wallet...but he should think about it! Haha! Look at all the cute stuff I got for Halloween and Thanksgiving next year! All of these things cost under $5. They were from Babies R Us, so I got them off the clearance rack, plus my discount, who wouldn't buy these things? They are so cute, and they are less then what I would find at a consignment shop. Hey, I am just trying to think for the future and plan ahead ;) Let's hope he can wear them all.

I seriously can not turn anything down with something on the butt of the outfit, it makes it so much cuter!

Yes Mommy does!

Look at the turkey on the butt! OMG!

It says Mommy's little monster, if he is anything like Daddy this will be true!

Seriously! Both of these combined were $1.50 tell me you wouldn't buy those cute little pumpkin shoes!

Halloween PJS!!!

22 weeks

Happy Halloween! Hope everybody had a safe and fun Halloween!

How far along? 22 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain: -10

Baby is the size of a: spaghetti squash

Maternity clothes? not yet, but thinking about it
Stretch marks? not yet

Sleep:  sleep yes, but still tired

Miss Anything? still coffee, its the first thing I will be having in the hospital :)
Best moment of the week: dressing up my belly

Movement: he is kicking and flipping!

Diet: anything that looks good

Food cravings:  cheese its and green nutrigrain bars

 Anything making you queasy or sick: ground beef

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: none yet

 Symptoms: backahes and heartburn

Belly Button in or out? still hanging in there

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy!

Looking forward to: painting the baby's room!

Update

I have been super busy with school lately so I haven't had much time to update, but here it is. Sorry to keep you waiting.

I can feel our little guy move everyday. He seems to have a pattern of when he likes to kick. He kicks me every time I sit down telling me, "Hey Mom buy some jeans that don't push on me all the time". I live in sweats unless I have to go to work. Looks like I will be buying maternity clothes sooner than I thought. He especially likes to kick me every night when I lay down to go to bed. I will take the abuse because it reassures me that our little guy is there and doing good. 

I have an appointment Tuesday. Just a 4 week checkup, not aware of anything special at the appointment but I will definitely let you know what happens. I can't wait to hear his little heart beat again.

As you can see in the pictures, I am starting to show more and more (so is daddy). I am so excited about this. I have been waiting for him to make an appearance. I am sure you will notice me touching my belly more now too, it's a habit. I don't know if it comes with being pregnant or it is just me being weird. There is just something so comforting about rubbing my belly knowing that the little guy is in there. It especially helps when I have had a bad day or I am stressed, it makes me feel so much better knowing that I have a miracle on my hands.

Other than that I have felt the same, a little tired but very happy to have the opportunity to grow a human being. I look at Kenny all the time and say I can't believe we made something this special. 

Thanksgiving is coming up soon (THIRTEEN DAYS!!!) I can't believe it, the holidays will be here before you know it, then baby boy will here. I am so excited to see family that I haven't seen in a while and celebrate with them. 

I have amazing family and friends that still continue to spoil our little guy, which I will post pictures of that soon. One thing at a time - haha. 

Please keep a friend of mine's family in your prayers, they have lost a dear and young family member. I have experienced loss before, but nothing like a father, a brother, or a husband and I could not even begin to imagine what they are going through. 

21 weeks!

How far along? 21 weeks

Due Date: March 5, 2013

Total weight gain:-14

Baby is the size of a pomegranate

Maternity clothes? not yet
Stretch marks? not yet

Sleep:  finally, some sleep, but I am not counting on it lasting :)

Miss Anything? coffee
Best moment of the week:  feeling my little guy moving around everyday

Movement:  he is moving and grooving. Kenny can even feel him on the outside sometimes

Diet: anything that sounds good.

Food cravings:  french fries, milkshakes

 Anything making you queasy or sick:  ground beef

Gender: baby boy

Labor Signs: none

 Symptoms: sleepy

Belly Button in or out? innie

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: happy

Looking forward to: painting his room