First Appointment!

So, today was my first appointment with Dr. Burke.  Not gonna lie - I was terrified.  Worried that something would be wrong, or I wasn't really pregnant, or any other number of things.  As we were heading up to the office, I realized that Dr. Burke was who I saw waaaaay back in the day, before I left Missoula.  That made me feel slightly better, as I remember him being very relaxed.

The office was fantastic, roomy and brightly lit, and full of fun stuff to look at.  I peed in my cup and went back and talked to my nurse for a bit.  She was fabulous - she really went out of her way to set us both at ease.  There was a lot of joking and laughing.  She pinged us at being due December 21st - Long Night Baby!

The doctor came in, and he just contributed to me feeling at ease.  We talked about my medical history and my familial medical history and had some time to chit-chat.  Then came the fun part, where I get naked and flash my girly bits.  As normal, totally uncomfortable and awkward.  But...I totally win at the gratuitous cavity violation because we got to see...

SprogFace!  One happy, healthy, beautiful soon-to-be baby!  Or (as Dr. Burke put it) a tumor with a heartbeat.  :)  He let us listen to the heartbeat and we got to watch it squirm around a bit on the screen.  By baby measurements, it's 7weeks,6days.  But, my estimated due date is 12/21/11.

Everything up to this point has been pretty laced with terror.  But that moment was just magic.  Getting to see the little bundle of cells that is eventually going to be our baby and hear it's heartbeat was amazing.  I don't even know how to put into words the way I felt seeing that.  The way I still feel.  It really made it all so much more real...I really, really am pregnant.  We're really going to do this thing.

Dr. Burke told me the only concern he has right now (of course, we're still waiting on labwork to get back) is my weight.  He's told me he doesn't want me to gain any weight during the pregnancy.  The plan is that April will lose weight while SprogFace gains it.  I'm ok with this plan!  He wants me eating more fruits and veggies and exercising.  Fruits - easy peesey.  Vegetables - those are going to take a little more work.

So...SQUEE!  I really can't get my mind off the little blob of potential baby and the ridiculously fast heart beat.  I'm totally in love with my soon-to-be baby.

Poll Time!

Is it too early to start making my Baby Wish List?  For both me and baby?  Because I keep seeing stuff that I know I will want...in 8 months.  And if I don't have a list, I will totally forget...

So!  Opinions?  Too early to start the window shopping?  (Yes.  I know it's early, something could happen, etc etc...I feel this ridiculous rush to get READY NOW.  Knowing me, I'll have everything set up for baby by the end of the summer.)

Oops!

Been a few days since I've posted, sorry about that.  Life got kind of crazy.

Well, we're well into week 8 now.  I'm anxious to get this first trimester behind us.  Every time my stomach starts to hurt a little or I feel a little twinge in my back or I feel a little crampy, I get the, 'Oh crap!' feeling.  We didn't want the baby at first and it definitely wasn't planned...but now, I desperately want the Sprog Face.  Healthy and happy and pudgy (and a girl, preferably.)  Rationally, I know that there isn't much I can do about it.  I'm eating well, getting enough sleep, taking my vitamins, drinking a CRAPTON of water.  No booze, no smoking, no caffeine (Ok, maybe a LITTLE bit here and there, but I got rid of nearly all of it.)  At this point, if something happens, it's kind of out of my control.

Doesn't make me freak out any less, of course.  I am a perpetual worry-wort...another quality I got from my Mom.  :)  I worry and stress and fret about everything...but I really am trying not to stress myself out too badly.

Colin is off in Tulsa this weekend, and I miss him.  It's his graduation, and he went down with his parents to walk.  I wish I was there.  Mostly because I miss him!  He'll be back Tuesday morning, just in time for us to trundle off to my first appointment.

I hate doctors.  Have I mentioned that?  I hate going to appointments, I hate admitting I'm sick, I hate being on the other side of the medical chart.  It stresses me out.  This is really no different.  I've heard nothing but great things about Dr. Burke, but I'm still stressing it.  I'm sure I'll get the normal doctor lecture where they tell me I'm too fat and I'm going to put myself in an early grave, blah blah blah.  I know there will be tests, and of course, I'm nervous about that.  And getting naked...ooohhhh, how I hate getting naked.  Guess I need to get used to God and Everyone seeing my lady bits.  *sigh*

Still excited.  Really, I am.  Just...nervous.  Well no.  Terrified is a better word.  I'm terrified.  Some days, I forget that I'm pregnant.  Then I get a little crampy twinge or I start to feel like I'm going to puke because I haven't eaten in two hours and I am violently reminded that there is a little bundle of cells stealing all of my spoons to grow arms.  Really, who needs arms?  So yeah.  Terrified.  It helps that I've got an AMAZING support group.  Our families are amazing and have been incredibly supportive, and I don't even know what I'd do without our friends.

Oh yeah.  And I'm impatient.  Can it be December already?  No?  Ok, can I be far enough along that I can at least feel Sprog Face kick and know if I need a pink of blue hat?  No?  Well...Crap!

...I totally want a baby Tardis blanket.  That would be fabulous...

Thoughts...

I was thinking today, about the way we told everyone we were pregnant. There wasn't any joy and excitement, no laughing and congratulating, no adorable pictures or cutsey ways of telling our families. Instead, there were more tears then there should have been, anxiety, and a ton of fear.

I feel bad.

I always had these huge, awesome plans about how I would tell my husband and our families. And none of those plans involved nearly this much stress and crying. And they almost all included us waiting to tell anyone until the second trimester.

I know I can't do anything about it now, but I still wish I could go back in time and change things. I wonder if it's too late to do the fun, dorky stuff I had planned? I hope that our friends and family can forget about our first reaction of freaking out (in a BAD way) and instead focus on the current excitement and glee.

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SprogFace - 1; Momma - 0

Today was a very rough day.  Started out, bright and early....with me getting sick.  Baby was displeased with something, though there wasn't anything in my stomach.  That...really set the tone for the rest of the day.

All day I was tired and cranky and just generally frustrated.  All the little things just keep piling up.  Every new little thing made me want to throw things and pitch a fit and cry.

So yeah.  It's been a long day.  I'm thinking about early bed.  Cause stuff just keeps happening...and I am WAY over sensitive right now.  Stupid hormones.

Happy Mother's Day!

To all of the Mothers that are, and the Mothers to be, and the women who will some day be Mothers - Happy Mother's Day!

My husband spoiled me today.  Even though right now, I'm the proud momma of a baby the size of a



it still counts.  The celebration started last night, where he got me an adorable book.















it's really sweet.  Filled with little journal places to write letters to our baby.  I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with it.  Then there was a bar of Godiva chocolate (mmmmm, om nom nom.)  This morning, there was breakfast in bed with a dozen roses, and a bottle of some kind of sparkling deliciousness to go along with dinner.  Dinner is going to be steak and lobster tails.  Oh!  AND he did all of the dishes last night!

A girl could get used to this!

I've got to say, my husband has been amazing through all of this.  He's been sweet and tender, always willing to do stuff for me, and just all-around awesome.  He's really excited about it all, and he can't wait to meet the sprog face too!

So to the Mommies - I hope your Mother's Day was as awesome as mine has been so far!

Prayers from a Sproggy Mommy

Please don't let me be one of THOSE mothers.

You know the ones.

The ones that drive you CRAZY.

The ones that let their kids run wild and refuse to discipline them.

'He's just a kid!' is no excuse for your kid hitting and screaming and being a brat.

The correct response is - He's a damn brat and needs to be disciplined.

I will spank my children, if they deserve it.

Oh, I'll try other punishments as well...

but when push comes to shove, I'm not above a swat on the bottom.

Please don't let me be like that?

I'm not going to be the kind of mother who takes my child to a movie

Only to let them scream and whine and cry and talk through the whole thing.

If *my* child is misbehaving, and *I* can't get them to stop...

Then *I'm* going to be the one missing out. I won't punish innocent bystanders!

If my child has ADD or Autism or any other disability...

I won't make excuses for him/her.

I won't let my child grow up to think of their disability as a weakness,

And I definitely won't let them think they can get away with murder because of it.

Sure, it means we'll have to work harder.

Just because my child has problems is no excuse to let them be a hellion and a brat.

There are rules. He or she will abide by said rules.

You act a certain way in public. If you don't, you don't get to go out in public.

I'll teach my child respect.

You don't interrupt adults, unless it is an emergency.

You don't yell and scream in public - unless you are at the park, and playing like that is appropriate.

You don't throw fits in public, it won't get you what you want anyway.

You say 'please' and 'thank-you' and 'excuse me.'

You don't talk back to your elders.

And if you do, they have my full permission to tell me, or to swat your bottom.

Does that seem mean and unfair? To hold my child to a high standard?

To teach them that there is play time and there is quiet time?

I don't want to stifle my child's creativity,

but I'll be damned if I'm one of *THOSE* mothers.

So please, don't let me be like that.

And if I am, feel free to slap me silly.

Time flies when you're having fun!

According to my estimations, I'm about 7 weeks along (give or take, I've always been really terrible at keeping track of this kind of thing.) So, since I'm really tired tonight, courtesy of whattoexpect.com

Your Baby in Week 7 of Pregnancy

Your baby is now about the size of a blueberry (and about 10,000 times bigger than he was at conception). Most of that growth is concentrated in the head as new brain cells are generated at the rate of 100 per minute. Your baby's mouth and tongue are forming as arm and leg buds sprout, and those little kidneys are getting ready to do their job (pee production and excretion).

Learn more about your baby this week and baby's development.

Your Body in Week 7 of Pregnancy

Your baby might be the size of a blueberry, but your breasts probably look more like melons. By this point, some expectant moms have grown a full cup size, which might be welcome news if those boobs weren't so darn tender. The culprits? Those naughty (though necessary) pregnancy hormones again, along with an increase in blood flow and a buildup of fat — all essential to the task your body can perform in about eight months:breastfeeding your newborn!

Learn more about your body this week and swollen breasts during pregnancy.

Week 7 Pregnancy Tip: Food Aversions

If one look at a chicken breast is sending you flying out the door these days (or if the smell of Swiss is making your digestive tract yodel with anguish or the taste of fish is leaving you reeling), you're in good company. Pregnancy aversions are not only very common, they are also quite confusing, especially when your once-favorite food suddenly leaves you cold — and ready to puke. My advice: Cater to your new tastes, by all means. Stay bland and boring (not your personality…your food), find substitutes for foods you have an aversion to (think quinoa for protein if you can't stand the sight — and smell — of meat), and rejoice if your aversions are to foods that you're supposed to be avoiding anyway (sushi aversion, anyone?).

Learn more about eating well in the first trimester.

Week 7 Pregnancy Symptoms

Frequent urination: Between the nausea and the need to pee, you’re still spending a lot of time in the bathroom these days. The pregnancy hormone hCG is increasing the blood flow to your pelvic area (that’s good news if you’re up for having sex), and that in turn affects the other flow. Don’t cut back on liquids, though (but you may want to cut back on coffee, which is a diuretic). Your body (and baby!) needs a steady supply of fluids during pregnancy.

Fatigue: Of course you’re tired — you’re still engaged in the Herculean task of manufacturing the placenta (your baby’s life-support system) as well as getting used to all those conflicting emotions you’re experiencing. One way to fight fatigue is by eating smaller meals more often. (It’ll help your queasy stomach, too). Eating six mini meals will keep your blood sugar on an even keel, and that in turn will help your energy level. Just make most of those mini meals healthy ones!

Breast tenderness and changes: Are your breasts sprouting blue veins that are beginning to make them look like an interstate highway map? In fact, these veins do act like highways: They transport the nutrients and fluids from you to your baby after he (or she) is born. To minimize sagging and stretch marks later on, invest in a good bra now (maybe even a maternity one that will give you more support).

Nausea and vomiting: Don’t choose the nursery colors just yet, but studies do show that moms-to-be who are severely nauseated in the first trimester tend to be carrying girls, thanks to the interplay of hormones produced by you and the female fetus. But regardless of your baby’s gender and how sick you feel, you’ll still want to keep some food down. Stick to foods that appeal to you, even if you’re only eating fruit salads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Your baby’s nutritional needs are tiny at this point, so no worries.)

Excessive saliva: As if feeling queasy wasn’t enough, you may also be contending with extra saliva pooling in your mouth. It should pass by the end of your first trimester (only seven more weeks to go!), but until it does, chew lots of sugarless gum.

Food cravings and aversions: Stuck eating the same thing night after night because very few foods appeal to your picky palate now? Don’t worry — you’re not robbing your baby of precious nutrients by eating the same (healthy) thing over and over. If cravings are driving you crazy, give in to them once in a while — then eat well for the rest of the day.

Heartburn and indigestion: If you’ve got a burning sensation from the depths of your stomach to your mouth after you eat, then you’ve got pregnancy-induced indigestion and heartburn. Avoid your heartburn triggers (spicy or fatty foods, caffeinated drinks, whatever does it to you) and drink either before or after you eat — too much fluid mixed with too much food will distend your stomach and aggravate the burn.

Constipation: If pregnancy has clogged up the works for you, you’re not alone. The muscles in your bowels have relaxed so the food you eat can stay around your system longer. That’s good for your baby — more nutrients for her (or him) — and bad for you since sluggish bowels can leave you feeling, well, sluggish too. A good way to get things moving is to get your fill of the good bacteria found in probiotics. Find yogurts that contain active cultures and eat one a day (or take a probiotics supplement after checking with your practitioner). Probiotics will stimulate the intestinal bacteria to break down food better and help your digestive track keep things moving.

Ok, on the boob thing...yes. Yes, yes yes. They are SO sore. Not just the nipples...the WHOLE thing! Ouch. And they're bigger. At this rate, I think they'll take over Japan.

Today...

Was an incredibly long day. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are rough days for me. Colin has to be at work at 7, I don't work til 9, and then I work until 5:30. It makes for a long day, especially with SprogFace being all draining. (I can blame being sleepy on it, right? Right!)

It didn't help that today at work, we had tons of technical issues. It's hard to do my job when the required programs aren't working properly...and it sucks to sit there and twiddle my thumbs. Needless to say, I didn't get much work done today. Which also meant I had a lot of downtime, which added to my sleepiness.

However, oranges are delicious and made of total win. As is Chicken Tortellini soup. Yum! It's seriously one of my favorite meals now...mmmmm. And SprogFace seems to approve! Yay!

Pretty Baby!

It might be terrible...but I keep thinking about how I hope SprogFace is cute. You know, so I can enter him/her in beautiful baby contests. :)

Yes, I'm silly. And my head is currently full of chubby cheeks, giggles, and clean baby smell. Hah! And we thought the baby rabies was bad before.

Is it December yet???

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Blah...

Good day today, though not as good as yesterday. I'm really sleepy today...and...my boobs hurt. A lot. Stupid boobs.

Spent a lot of time today with the husband talking about baby names. James Alexander? Jacob James? Marcella Marie? Viola Marie? We've got a lot of options...good thing we've got like 8 months to decide!

Yeah, I don't got much. I think I'm going to go home and pass out.

Productive day! Well, mostly!

So, today was my first day back at work after this all went down (and we decided we're keeping SprogFace and such) and it actually went really, really well.

I got an appointment baby with my Baby Doctor. I've had a lot of suggestions, but I think I'm going to go see Dr. Burke. My appointment is on the 18th at 2:30...it should put me right around 8 weeks. I really wish I could have the appointment sooner then that. I'm really anxious to ask him some questions...like if it's ok for me to start excercising and dieting (which I'd planned on doing ANYWAY) and what kind of medication I can take for my back pain and if there are any anti-depressants that I can safely take while pregnant. So many questions, and I'm really just wanting to know that SprogFace is safe and healthy and happy...

One of my closest friends decided today that the baby would be named SprogFace. I approve of such!

I realized that I'm becoming one of those women. I keep goobing about baby and stuff...I'm sorry, I can't help it! I'm excited! But, I'm going to try to keep it all on my blog (try being the operative word here, guys) just so that you don't get really irritated with me.

I figure I'll try to blog here every day. For me and for SprogFace. It's a good way to keep track of what we're going through...

In other news, the husband is getting about as excited as I am. :) It's REALLY adorable!

I leave you with stuff I want to buy...

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/kids/c754/

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geek-kids/newborn-infant/bbae/

I wonder if Think Geek has a registry... ;)

Oh, and I had an AWESOME dinner tonight...Mac N Cheese...the best Orange IN THE WORLD...a Caramello...and pretzels. Mmmmm.

Maybe I'm jumping the gun a little?

I signed up for the parenting.com daily tips e-mail. I think that might have been a bad idea. Today's tip was 'Save on Baby Gear!'

Oooohhhh - Shopping!

So of course, I'm looking at furniture and stuff and all kinds of fun stuff. Stuff that I really don't need to look at for like 6 more months. I need to be practical...something could happen. Not that I think it will, but it could. I really need to stop thinking of the long-term and think more of the short term!

And we've been discussing names. A lot. I'm sure we'll decide on something eventually. :)

Woooo!

So, after a long day of discussing and really considering it, we've decided we're going to keep the kiddo. I think with some creative space management, we can can fit a baby and its stuff into our current place...and if we don't end up staying here for whatever reason, then we will make that work too.

We're still kind of in shock over it, things are still sinking in. But, at the same time, we're both really excited.

I think we might be getting ahead of ourselves already...we're already discussing baby names and what toys we want to get it and what extra curricular activities we want to enroll it in.

Poor kiddo. I think the husband is going to be calling it Roo (Oh, by the way, we HAVE decided that we're going to decorate in classic Pooh...keep your eyes out for awesome stuff for me!) and I'll keep calling it sprog or demon child or ya know, whatever pops into my mind.

Eek! I've still got like...34 weeks left...and I'm already starting to freak out about the actual having of it.