I was supposed to go to the doctor on Wednesday but because of the weather, I reschueduled it. So I went today during lunch. Because I knew that I have gained some this month, I didn't eat beforehand. It was a quick appointment. Plus it was with Chris' favorite doctor. So we sat there talking with her for a while after. I have gained five pounds but considering I went four months not gaining, I'll take it. We got a form for another sonagram and I'll schedule that for a week or so.
My appetite definitely has picked up. I'm eating all the time now. I need to start eating a bit better just so I'm not filling up on empty calories. Oh well. I keep saying it, but it doesn't feel like I'm doing it, but I need to just not worry about the weight until after the pregnancy is over.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
It's a....
Well, we are pretty sure that we are going to have a girl. I went in yesterday for my ultrasound after Carter's. His went just fine. The first thing the tech said was that the baby was breech. Not that it really matters now or even later since we are going to plan a cesarean. But, because of the breech position, the baby didn't have much room to move the legs. So, after checking most things, we tried to get some in between the legs shots. After a while, the tech finally got a bit of a shot and she said she's pretty sure that it is a girl. There wasn't another appendage down there and she thinks she saw the lines that indicate girl parts. Luckily, because of the positioning, she couldn't get a good shot of the heart. So, I will have to go back in about two to three weeks and hopefully then SHE will have moved and we will be able to get the shots we need.
So, we are excited. If it is a girl, we are set as far as names go. We have picked out Alison Victoria for a while now so that will be it. If it is a boy, we have some work to do.
So, we are excited. If it is a girl, we are set as far as names go. We have picked out Alison Victoria for a while now so that will be it. If it is a boy, we have some work to do.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Brrr! It's cold out there!
I really hope that I can make it through this winter with my current coat. I really do not feel like spending upwards to $70 for a coat that I will only need for a couple months. But if it remains this cold for the rest of the season, we may have a problem!! My current coat just barely fits around my belly when I have my scarf on as well. I look like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, but at least I'm warmish. I'm trying to figure out alternatives for the time when the belly just can't be contained!
Otherwise, pregnant life is just chugging along. Still feeling little quivers every now and then, nothing pronounced yet. I keep meaning to take another belly shot, but never remember to get Chris to snap one. He's definitely not the photographer of our family, so it's hard to remember to shove the camera in his hands.
Otherwise, pregnant life is just chugging along. Still feeling little quivers every now and then, nothing pronounced yet. I keep meaning to take another belly shot, but never remember to get Chris to snap one. He's definitely not the photographer of our family, so it's hard to remember to shove the camera in his hands.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Is that what I think it is??
I think I may be feeling the first little movements! For the past few weeks, I've been feeling twinges in places that I know can't be the little one. But the last two days, I'm feeling them in the right places. Just little quivers, not the bone-crushing jabs that I know are coming. Once I know that I'm feeling them, I know I will feel even more relieved.
Isn't it strange how here I am at 17 weeks and besides watching my tummy start to poke out, I still have trouble believing I'm pregnant again? I know it's because I seem to be one of the very few people that didn't get sick with either pregnancy. I haven't had months of puking and all of that nasty stuff. It's so funny how every woman is so different.
So, our family is going to be sonagram pros soon! We scheduled Carter's third abdominal u/s the same morning as mine. His appointment is at 8am because he has to have an empty stomache. Mine isn't until 10am, so we'll go to Chick-Fil-A or something to grab some breakfast before heading back over there. My mom has insisted on going so she's going to have to go the whole time. We aren't going to drive to White Marsh and then have to go back to her house just to get her for my appointment.
Then, after all that, we are supposed to be going down to VA for our sister-in-law's baby shower. It's her second baby, but it's a girl this time so her sister is throwing her a shower to get girlie things. So, all in all, it's going to be a busy day!
Isn't it strange how here I am at 17 weeks and besides watching my tummy start to poke out, I still have trouble believing I'm pregnant again? I know it's because I seem to be one of the very few people that didn't get sick with either pregnancy. I haven't had months of puking and all of that nasty stuff. It's so funny how every woman is so different.
So, our family is going to be sonagram pros soon! We scheduled Carter's third abdominal u/s the same morning as mine. His appointment is at 8am because he has to have an empty stomache. Mine isn't until 10am, so we'll go to Chick-Fil-A or something to grab some breakfast before heading back over there. My mom has insisted on going so she's going to have to go the whole time. We aren't going to drive to White Marsh and then have to go back to her house just to get her for my appointment.
Then, after all that, we are supposed to be going down to VA for our sister-in-law's baby shower. It's her second baby, but it's a girl this time so her sister is throwing her a shower to get girlie things. So, all in all, it's going to be a busy day!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Carter's appointment
This is the post I wrote up on my LJ about Carter's appointment. Just wanted to put it here too. I wrote it last night.
"So, today was Carter's hematology appointment. We had to be down at Hopkins by 11:30am according to the paperwork. I just took off for the day to make things easier. Well, we thought we could find our way down there from 40, but evidently, we are idiots. We ended up taking a tour of East Baltimore and even a bit beyond. I told Chris at one point that we were going away from the big buildings so that wasn't a good sign. That used to be mine and Mandi's way of guiding through Baltimore. Drive towards the big buildings. For the most part, it works. I called the office and told them we were running a bit late and she gave us directions. You would think I would know that area better, but I wasn't driving. We finally got to Hopkins and found our way through the garage.
Wow, this place is crazy! We had to pull a number like at the MVA and wait to be signed in. Then we went to a different area to wait to be called back. They called Carter back for his vitals and I saw him get his blood pressure taken for the first time. Yeah, he didn't like that too much! Luckily, I had thought to bring Best Friend, or his stuffed monkey, and that helped him through some of the day. They had this cool chair that Carter just sat in and it weighed him. He's 36lbs and 39inches. Not too much of a difference since his check-up. Then we waited some more.
Finally we got called back. A doctor told us that she was there to do the initial exam and to do the family history. We talked for a long time about Carter's entire life and my pregnancy with him. Then we discussed me and my family's long medical history. Then Chris had his turn but he didn't have too much to discuss. She then examined Carter. After that, she went out to review his file and to get the other doctor. They came back in and the more senior doctor examined Carter again. By now, Carter was getting tired and cranky. It was now after 2pm! They made some marks on his tummy to measure a few things. Then we all sat around discussing what they thought.(Sorry this is so long winded, I just want to get it all out)
They basically said that his spleen is a size that is just slightly too big to write off and not worry about and not big enough to be extremely worried about. They are pretty sure it is not anything very serious, especially since he's not displaying any other symptoms. They ordered another round of blood tests and another sonogram, this time done with doppler. They mentioned that they were going to test again for mono. Apparently, kids can have mono and not even show signs of it like teenagers and adults! They are wondering if the labs before didn't show mono because it hadn't developed enough yet. So, after a long visit, we were walked over to the phlebotomy area.
This was the part I was dreading. As soon as Carter saw the room, he started crying. He HATES getting his blood drawn. Chris had to hold him in the chair, I held Carter's leg and one arm while two techs had to take four pediatric vials of blood from him. I was heartbroken to see him so scared. He kept trying to pull at the rubber tourniquet saying "It hurts!" He didn't even want the band-aid on him. But we made him leave it on for a little while just to make sure it clotted and all that stuff. We left then after three hours of being at the office. Oy! I'm glad I didn't plan to go back to work!
We hadn't eaten lunch yet because...well, no reason. I just wasn't thinking about it. We stopped to eat at John's, this sub shop in Canton that Chris and I used to always eat at when we lived there. Then, since it was my dad's birthday, we stopped by their house. We had decided to just keep Carter up instead of letting him lay down for a nap and risking him not sleeping tonight.
So, now, we have to schedule the sonogram and then wait for the bloodwork to come back. Then after all the tests are complete, we will schedule another appointment with Dr. Casella. Yet again, it's a wait and see, but at least now I have a bit more peace about it all. Two doctors looked us straight in the eyes and said that they were not very worried about my son."
"So, today was Carter's hematology appointment. We had to be down at Hopkins by 11:30am according to the paperwork. I just took off for the day to make things easier. Well, we thought we could find our way down there from 40, but evidently, we are idiots. We ended up taking a tour of East Baltimore and even a bit beyond. I told Chris at one point that we were going away from the big buildings so that wasn't a good sign. That used to be mine and Mandi's way of guiding through Baltimore. Drive towards the big buildings. For the most part, it works. I called the office and told them we were running a bit late and she gave us directions. You would think I would know that area better, but I wasn't driving. We finally got to Hopkins and found our way through the garage.
Wow, this place is crazy! We had to pull a number like at the MVA and wait to be signed in. Then we went to a different area to wait to be called back. They called Carter back for his vitals and I saw him get his blood pressure taken for the first time. Yeah, he didn't like that too much! Luckily, I had thought to bring Best Friend, or his stuffed monkey, and that helped him through some of the day. They had this cool chair that Carter just sat in and it weighed him. He's 36lbs and 39inches. Not too much of a difference since his check-up. Then we waited some more.
Finally we got called back. A doctor told us that she was there to do the initial exam and to do the family history. We talked for a long time about Carter's entire life and my pregnancy with him. Then we discussed me and my family's long medical history. Then Chris had his turn but he didn't have too much to discuss. She then examined Carter. After that, she went out to review his file and to get the other doctor. They came back in and the more senior doctor examined Carter again. By now, Carter was getting tired and cranky. It was now after 2pm! They made some marks on his tummy to measure a few things. Then we all sat around discussing what they thought.(Sorry this is so long winded, I just want to get it all out)
They basically said that his spleen is a size that is just slightly too big to write off and not worry about and not big enough to be extremely worried about. They are pretty sure it is not anything very serious, especially since he's not displaying any other symptoms. They ordered another round of blood tests and another sonogram, this time done with doppler. They mentioned that they were going to test again for mono. Apparently, kids can have mono and not even show signs of it like teenagers and adults! They are wondering if the labs before didn't show mono because it hadn't developed enough yet. So, after a long visit, we were walked over to the phlebotomy area.
This was the part I was dreading. As soon as Carter saw the room, he started crying. He HATES getting his blood drawn. Chris had to hold him in the chair, I held Carter's leg and one arm while two techs had to take four pediatric vials of blood from him. I was heartbroken to see him so scared. He kept trying to pull at the rubber tourniquet saying "It hurts!" He didn't even want the band-aid on him. But we made him leave it on for a little while just to make sure it clotted and all that stuff. We left then after three hours of being at the office. Oy! I'm glad I didn't plan to go back to work!
We hadn't eaten lunch yet because...well, no reason. I just wasn't thinking about it. We stopped to eat at John's, this sub shop in Canton that Chris and I used to always eat at when we lived there. Then, since it was my dad's birthday, we stopped by their house. We had decided to just keep Carter up instead of letting him lay down for a nap and risking him not sleeping tonight.
So, now, we have to schedule the sonogram and then wait for the bloodwork to come back. Then after all the tests are complete, we will schedule another appointment with Dr. Casella. Yet again, it's a wait and see, but at least now I have a bit more peace about it all. Two doctors looked us straight in the eyes and said that they were not very worried about my son."
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
I'm here
It was back to work I went yesterday. Can I tell you how hard it was? I was quite enjoying my laziness during my break!
On New Year's Eve, I had my doctor's appointment. It was a rather quick one and they took blood for my quad-screen. Not that I'm worried about that really but it's another test and they always give me a bit of a nagging sensation. Have I mentioned the crazy dreams I have been having? I do tend to get some woozies during pregnancy, but this time around, I don't know if it's because my one friend had a surprise or if it's just a nagging thought, but I have been dreaming that I have twins in me. Now, twins do not really run in our families, but there is that chance of the non-genetic type of twins. I honestly do not think I have twins cooking, but it's enough to get me worried. So, this blood test has a chance of noticing that there could be multiples in there. Otherwise, I'll feel much better on the 24th when we go for the ultrasound!
But, at the doctors, I was given a compliment that I'm happy to hear but also hope I never hear it from anyone but the nurse. She said that I had beautiful urine. I mean, only during pregnancy can you be complimented on your pee! My blood pressure was great as usual and I haven't gained a pound yet. The not gaining would worry me a bit, but I can see my belly popping out, so I know that things are fine. I had a lot of extra to go around, so the baby is doing just fine.
New Year's night we went to a friend's house and partyied it up. It was our last night without Carter. My parents had gotten back in town earlier that day, but we didn't have time to stop by to see him. We picked him up the next morning and he didn't even want to come home!
He now has a cold and it's lasted for over a week. We have an appointment with the hematologist tomorrow, so I may try to get an appointment at his regular doctor afterwards for them to check him out. I just hope it hasn't turned into bronchitis again or something. He is my kid, afterall!
That's about it for now. Things are going smoothly. I'm not as tired, but that could be because during my break I got LOTS of sleep. The last two nights haven't been great and I don't know if it's because of the pregnancy or just because I knew I had to get up for work. Hopefully tonight we go better.
On New Year's Eve, I had my doctor's appointment. It was a rather quick one and they took blood for my quad-screen. Not that I'm worried about that really but it's another test and they always give me a bit of a nagging sensation. Have I mentioned the crazy dreams I have been having? I do tend to get some woozies during pregnancy, but this time around, I don't know if it's because my one friend had a surprise or if it's just a nagging thought, but I have been dreaming that I have twins in me. Now, twins do not really run in our families, but there is that chance of the non-genetic type of twins. I honestly do not think I have twins cooking, but it's enough to get me worried. So, this blood test has a chance of noticing that there could be multiples in there. Otherwise, I'll feel much better on the 24th when we go for the ultrasound!
But, at the doctors, I was given a compliment that I'm happy to hear but also hope I never hear it from anyone but the nurse. She said that I had beautiful urine. I mean, only during pregnancy can you be complimented on your pee! My blood pressure was great as usual and I haven't gained a pound yet. The not gaining would worry me a bit, but I can see my belly popping out, so I know that things are fine. I had a lot of extra to go around, so the baby is doing just fine.
New Year's night we went to a friend's house and partyied it up. It was our last night without Carter. My parents had gotten back in town earlier that day, but we didn't have time to stop by to see him. We picked him up the next morning and he didn't even want to come home!
He now has a cold and it's lasted for over a week. We have an appointment with the hematologist tomorrow, so I may try to get an appointment at his regular doctor afterwards for them to check him out. I just hope it hasn't turned into bronchitis again or something. He is my kid, afterall!
That's about it for now. Things are going smoothly. I'm not as tired, but that could be because during my break I got LOTS of sleep. The last two nights haven't been great and I don't know if it's because of the pregnancy or just because I knew I had to get up for work. Hopefully tonight we go better.