New Blog

I have decided to leave this blog as a keepsake of my third pregnancy. I have created a new blog just for my everyday journal. It is http://mama-missy.blogspot.com
Visit me there sometime!

Our Journey's End

It has taken me a while to post because I have had the fortune of taking care of my new baby girl. Our Journey came to an end on Oct. 22, 2007, at 9:55 am. Jade Marie Casey made her debut at that time weighing in at 6 lbs. 12 oz. and 19 inches long. She has dark brown hair and blue eyes. She lost down to 6 lbs. 8 oz. when we left the hospital.

The delivery went pretty well. I went in at 11pm the night before thinking that I would be induced at that time, but they did not start the induction until 5:30am. Once the pitocin drip was in place, it did not take long at all. I was all ready in the early labor stage before they started the induction and my water had broke at some time and I wasn't even aware. That is the first time that had happened. My contractions didn't get unbearable until about 7:30am and I ordered my Epidural. Unfortunately, it did not get there until after 8:00 and did not have time to work all the way. So, I actually felt Jade come out this time. It wasn't too bad. I think I could have lasted to the end if I really tried without the epidural. The only thing that made me angry about CMMC is that they wouldn't let Hannah and Lily stay in the delivery room. They say that they are a family-oriented hospital, but they would not let my children be in there for their sister's birth. I was angry about that and my doctor suctioned her out without good reason to. I was pushing her out just fine because I could feel what I was doing and he decided to use the suction thing anyway. I still cannot understand that.

I only had one bad nurse while I stayed and it was during the delivery. She was the one that insisted the kids couldn't stay. She also bruised my arm so bad taking blood that it is still bruised to this day. Other than that and the fact that they didn't have any soap or shampoo in the bathroom, my stay was pretty good. The food was good, in fact, the gave me a "special dinner" before I left and brought white table cloths to the room for mine and Tim's dinner. It consisted of Steak and shrimp, baked potatoes, salads, steamed veggies, a key lime pie, and a turtle cheese cake. :)

Jade is a very good baby. She had to go back to the hospital just about every day because she had jaundice, but they never did do anything for her except monitor the levels. They said that she was sleeping a lot because of the jaundice. Which I think has a little bit of truth to it, because she is not sleeping as much now and wants to be held all of the time. She does not like taking baths. She smiles a lot when she is sleeping. She doesn't cry that much unless she has gas or has to poo poo. She's beautiful and an over all good baby. He sisters love her so much and want to be around her and hold her all the time.

The Big Day

Will be on Monday!!! I went this morning and the doc told me that he wanted me to come in late Sunday night and get the process started. I am already dilated 2cm. Hopefully, I won't go into labor before then. I guess I will have to stay up all night long until she gets here. I've never been induced in the middle of the night before. With Lily it was 5am and Hannah I was in labor all day and all night and went in about 3am. Oh, I am so nervous! We will be able to see her in two days or less. I need to go finish up my laundry now, while I have time. :)

News from the Doc

Well, I said if anything exciting happened at my doctor's appointment I would post. He informed me that he may want to induce me next week! Next Week! OMG, I am not ready! I looked at him all crazy and exclaimed, "Next week!" He replied, "Well, I'm not writing it in stone or anything, let's just see you back on Friday." So, Friday I will probably know whether or not Jade will be here NEXT WEEK. Oh my, I still have so much to do. He said the reason he wants to do it a little early is because on her sonogram last week she had a mature placenta and her size was rather large and he doesn't want her to get much bigger. If she does get a lot bigger then I may not be able to have her. That is what he thinks anyway. Jade is going to be an October baby instead of a November baby. Maybe! Oh, I feel faint! I'm going to go lie down now. :0)

Full Term

I'm officially full term, baby! Not long now. I'm in what they say is the calm before the storm.

I finally have all the baby clothes and things washed up and put away. We got the nursery center up and ready with the bassinet in tack. I picked out several outfits that I can't decide on what to take her first picture in. I figured out how to install the new car seat/carrier thing in the van. Hannah and Lily keep putting their dolls in it.

I have been feeling pretty good lately. I keep having unreasonable fears and bouts of crying, but I blame it on the hormones. I'll be glad to get rid of those. All seem to be going well. Just have to wait it out now. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and if anything interesting happens I will post something. :)

Relief!

I had a huge burden lifted today when I took my exam. I passed! Whoohoo! It was a big test for me. I only have two more actual exams to take before I graduate. This exam covered the past five classes that I have completed. Kind of like a final exam I suppose. It is passed and out of the way before Jade arrives. Thank goodness!

Also, Lily decided yesterday that she wanted her ears pierced like Hannah. She just up and decided that herself. So, she was a brave big girl and had her ears pierced by Meme. She absolutely amazes me! The other girls would not have even thought of having theirs pierced at four. Her little gold heart w/ diamond earrings are so pretty on her cute little ears. She looks so grown up now.

Now that I have my big exam that I was worried about out of the way, I'm going to start a major cleaning spree. I've already tackled my bedroom, now on to the rest of the house and eventually the girls' room. Once I have that all done, I'm going to wash all my cute little baby clothes and set up the pack-n-play for Jade. Then she should be here. Man, it's not long now is it.

Sonogram

I know I said that I would post pictures of the sonogram when I had them, but it sucked so bad that I do not have one good picture of anything. She is so big and her head is turned to the back. That and the sonogram lady did not try at all to get anything. Even after I asked her if she would double check to make sure she was a girl, she would not. We did find out that she weighed about 6lbs. and 11oz. She is a big girl. If I go to my due date she could possibly weigh over 8lbs. I knew she was big, I can feel her. :)

36 Weeks

Only four more weeks to go!

I had a wonderful shower yesterday. We received a ton of good books, diapers, and more. I opened up one of the newborn diapers and it is so tiny! You forget how tiny they actually are after a few years. :)

My aunt was wonderful enough to let me have the shower at her house again. We had Lily's shower there last time. We even used the same corsage I had with Lily's shower. My mother prepared a bounty of goodies and a cute cake from Sam's. Mary hosted it beautifully and took many great pictures. . :)

I want to thank everyone who came to help us celebrate our new little addition that is soon to be here. It means so much to me that you take the time out to come. I appreciate it more than you know!

I got to spend time with my brother and his expecting wife because they came down for the shower. He is so silly and nervous about his new baby, I think he asked me about 100 questions about birthing and newborns. LOL I love you, Michael! He gave me a card with the shower gift and wrote "Happy Birthing" in it. At first I thought it said Happy Birthday, and thought, "what in the world?" Then I realized what it said. He is so goofy. :)

Hannah is getting very excited about Jade's arrival. She keeps asking me when is she coming out. She says that she can't wait. I have more and more contractions every day. So, it may not be that long after all. I was up all night with them the night before last. They got very painful and started hurting my back, but eventually stopped.



Baby Shower Group Picture

31 Days!

A solid month. Today is the 4th and I'm due on the 4th of next month. I see my ticker has moved into the last month position. I couldn't help but posting. I'm getting anxious to see my baby now. As, I was laying in my bed this afternoon about to take a nap, I was thinking about how it will be to have a little baby next to me soon. I'm excited. It is getting close. I think Tim is getting excited too. He has been asking more questions lately. It's hard to tell when he gets excited about something, but I think he can't wait either. I wish I wasn't so darn tired, I would be cleaning my house from top to bottom. That is what I have the urge to do, but I am so tired all the time, I almost fell asleep at the table teaching Hannah and Lily today. Oh, it is getting close and I have so much to do, but I'm still excited. :-D

Less than 5 weeks

Is what I have left until my due date. I had a doctor's appointment today. I was tested for GBS. I tested positive with Lily, but I hope it will be negative this time. My next sonogram will be next Tuesday. I can't wait to see her again. :) The doctor told me that after next week, if I went into labor that everything should be fine. I guess I will be going to the doctor every week from now until the end, now. I will definitely post the new sono pic that I get next week.

Only 36 Days To Go

My ticker today says that I have only 36 more days to go. Wow. I am seriously running out of time. I have something to do pretty much every day during the month of October. I have never been so busy in my life. Dance Classes, Field Trips, Play Dates, Doctor's Visits, Tests, and so on fill my life up with no time to spare. The girls' school takes most of the day and then we have to make time for everything else. When do I study and do my work, you say. Well, I never get any sleep. Somethings got to give. I can't find time to get everything ready for Jade's arrival. I'm going to feel bad next month when the girls have to miss out on a field trip and activities because of the couple of the few weeks of maternity leave that I will allow myself. I need a nanny. LOL I can't imagine having all the time to myself if I sent them to PS. My, my what would I do. That will never happen though. :) I love being with them and doing all these things. I'm just nervous about the third one. I don't know how I'm going to handle it, but I know I will be able to. And to anyone who thinks all we do is just sit at home and do nothing can think again. It takes a lot of work and responsibility to home school your children.

Shopping for Baby

I bought a new car seat/stroller combo for Jade today. :)

Besides the van, it is the first purchase I have made for the new baby. Got me kind of excited! I can't wait to put her in it.

33 Weeks

I went to the doctor yesterday. I'm still low on iron, but everything else is just fine. I have to go again in two weeks, then the week after that I will have my final sonogram. Hopefully that will verify that it is still a little girl, so we don't have to change names and start buying boy things. :)
I need to get things in order for the baby's arrival. I have yet to begin doing so. I need to get a car seat and stuff. I have so much to do lately, I feel quite overwhelmed. Homeschooling two and going to school myself is just wiping me out. That and the fact that I am STILL having trouble sleeping. At least the girls' birthday party is over now. They had a blast. Well, at least Hannah did. She loves skating so much. She skated until the rink closed. So, did Abigail. Lily says that she had a good time, but she wouldn't skate. She knows how because she skates all around the house. I think all the people had her a little scared that they would run over her. Even Tim skated for a while with Hannah. He seemed to have a pretty good time too. All in all it was a good party. I will be posting pictures of the party on my picture site under the links section of this one. Check it out, if you like. :)

Lately, I have been experiencing the usual late pregnancy symptoms. Extremely uncomfortable as far as my belly goes. I can't go 10 minutes without going to pee. Also, lately my emotions are CRAZY! I don't remember being so emotional at this time with Hannah or Lily. Maybe I was, but I don't remember. I cry at everything! It sucks. I have contractions all the time, especially when I walk a little. They are very painful too. I know my contractions with Hannah and Lily were not this painful. I can continue walking when I have one and I have to breathe through it. The good thing is that I only have about 7 more weeks to go! It is just going by too fast. :)

Update

Look at the ticker! My time is running out. I'm starting to get nervous now. I am in my 8th month already! What happened?!

I'm still having trouble sleeping. I thought I found the solution to my sleeping and RLS problems. I was low on iron, so I started taking more iron. Well, it helped the RLS, but the insomnia continues. I don't know what my problem is.

Hannah is sick today. She has a very bad sore throat and a fever. She scared me earlier because she looked dazed and confused. I think it might have been from the fever. Lord, I hope I don't get it or Lily. Their birthday is next weekend and I have a cake order to fill next week as well. I pray that she gets well soon. She did nothing but lay in my chair all day. Very unusual for her even when she is sick. Needless to say we took a sick day from school today.

I just have to mention how much I am enjoying teaching this year. I LOVE it! I can not see myself doing anything else. Both of the girls amaze me everyday. Especially Lily lately. She is progressing so much. I can't believe it. Hannah's reading skills are impressive too. I love homeschooling. I can't say it enough. I wish everyone could understand the joys and advantages of homeschooling. Especially people in my family. I feel so much like I am being judged because of my choices. Maybe one day they will see.

Venting

I can not sleep! I don't know what the problem is exactly. Although, I have counted a range from 6-8 times per night I have to get up and go pee, it is not the only thing keeping me from sleeping. I just can't sleep. I lay there all night wishing I could sleep and turning from side to side in agonizing pain from my back (God forbid I lay on my back - I might kill the baby) with no sleep to come. It is hampering everything in my life. I am so tired throughout the rest of the day, I am hardly able to accomplish the girls' school lessons. At least I am getting that done though. My school work has definitely been put on a short hold because of this. Oh, I need some sleep! I feel worthless and exhausted.

Here is some fun news:
Hannah pierced her ears! Also, she lost another tooth. My baby is growing up way too fast! Lily is loving ballet. She goes right in with the other girls without one problem and only cries because it is time to go home. You can't say my children have a problem with socialization. They love people and feel comfortable in any sort of company.

Can you say Global Warming? That is what Hannah and I have been discussing since it has been so dangerously hot lately. She wants to know why a lot people have been passing out and dying from the heat. Tim almost passed out at work the other day. That is all we need, is for him to have a heat stroke. Why do I have to be pregnant in the hottest part of the year every time?! OK, I'll quit complaining for now. Maybe I will get some sleep tonight and feel better in the morning.

Thrid Trimester

I can not believe that I am in my third trimester already! It is going by way too fast. I'm sure I won't be saying that when I'm nine months and counting down the days. I remember how uncomfortable I was with my previous pregnancies at that time. I already have to pee every five minutes, but I still think that it is going by way too fast. I'm not sure if I'm ready. :) What are three girls going to be like? I wonder if Lily is going to adapt as well as Hannah did when she was born. Somehow I don't think so, but she could surprise me. Hannah has always been Mommy's little helper and just loved having a baby sister. She never showed any amount of jealousy after Lily was born. I hope Lily will be that way too. They are so totally different, though. I scares me to think about her being jealous with her temper.



I had a doctor's appointment today. Everything went well. All was in check accept for my iron. It was a little low. He still does not measure me. I wonder why. Maybe since this is my third and everything else is ok, he doesn't worry much about anything. I thought today he would say that next time I will have to drink that awful gluclose drink, but he did not mention anything, so I didn't either. >;-P I hate doing that. I have to go back in three weeks and after that I have to go every other week. I told you, it is zooming by. Before you know it, Jade will be here keeping me up all night. Like she doesn't do already. I think I have to get up about 20 times through the night to pee, plus I think I have a slight case of RLS. Sleep is not an option. The only time I get a really good sleep is when I stay up all day/all night and then sleep the next night. I sleep pretty deep then, but I don't think that is very healthy. Anyway, there is not much else going on, except me trying to get my school work done before the end of my term which is coming up at the end of the month. Also, trying to get Hannah's work together for the next school year. Lily wants to do work too now, so I'm putting together some pre-k activities for her as well.



Time just goes by too fast all together. I guess when you have so many jobs to fulfill, there is never any spare time to be bored with and watch go by. Let's see... My job positions: Mom, maid, short order cook, baker/decorator, student, teacher, and coming soon lactator. LOL All of which are full-time except for the baker/decorator. I have been turning down orders lately because I don't have enough time to fulfill them. I'm sure I left out some job positions... oh yeah, secretary for Tim and and finance business manager(whatever you want to call the person who keeps up with all the funds and writes payroll checks.) And I'm sure I could go on all day, but I would not trade any of them. I love my jobs. :)

The Name Game

After much deliberation, Tim and I have finally agreed upon a name for our new little girl.

Jade Marie Casey ♥

Jade was the only name that we both liked equally. Marie is a family name on Tim's side of the family. I think Marie is a very pretty feminine name as well.
Finally, I get to quit looking through all of those dang baby name books and websites! :0) It is hard to pick out a third girl's name. I was getting frustrated.
At least now we are very happy with our choice.

I am now 25 weeks! Only 14 more weeks to go. It is going by way too fast. We have been talking about building on another room to our house. One good thing about her being a girl is that we don't have to rush and start building. The girls can share a room for a little while. Although, Hannah has been complaining that she wants her own room lately. Maybe we can have another room within the next couple of years. :0)

It's A Girl!

Finally, today I went and had a sonogram done. We found out that we are having another girl. I couldn't belive it! Lily was right all along. I didn't have one of those fancy new 4-d ultrasounds done, but I did get some pictures. Here is what I thought was the best one:


You can see her little profile and her arm and hand above her face. Anyone have any name suggestions?

Forgive me if there is typos in this post because I can barely see the screen because of my pink eye.

Wits End

Oh my goodness! I rescheduled my sonogram for yesterday at 9am, right? Well, Tim took off to go and we took the girls with us to find out what the baby is, only to find out that the sonogram lady did not show up! They even made me wait an hour before telling me! I had to wait over there for two hours just for a measurement and to listen to the heartbeat as usual. It is ridiculous. They knew she was not there when I showed up. They could have told me when I walked in so that I could reschedule, yet again. Oh, I was so mad that I was in tears when I left. Anyway, I rescheduled the sonogram for next Tuesday at 2pm. That way, if she doesn't show up they will have plenty of time to call me and Tim won't have to miss very much work. Oh I am so fed up with this mess. I wish I had my old doctor. they never canceled my appointments, much less at the last minute. Anyway, I'm finally gaining some weight. According to the doctors scales I gained 3lbs. in the last month. I have a feeling that this baby is bigger than what the average is at 23 weeks. My height of fundus is larger and the kicks are so strong that they hurt. If it is not bigger then it is definitely stronger than my other two when they were in the womb. Oh, and it kicks when it hears noises also. Hannah was just a singing really loud yesterday and every time it she got to certain part in the song I felt a kick. LOL It was funny. Hannah said he must not like it and started singing louder. LOL She is calling it a He even though we do not know yet. She is determined it is a boy and Lily is determined it is a girl. They argue all the time about it. I thought I was going to settle that argument for sure this week, but I guess it will have to go on for another week. :)

Cancellation

I got a call from my doctor's office on Friday. They said that the sonogram lady is not going to be there Tues. for my appointment. They left a message and I tried to call them back within 30 mins. but they were already gone for the day. Uuuhgg! On the message they said that the next available time would be Mon., the 9th. I have to call on Monday to verify the time. I swear, as soon as I get excited about my sonogram, it gets cancelled. I must have jinxed myself or something and they didn't give me very much notice on the cancellation. So, it will be yet another week before we find out if this little squirming thing in my stomach is a boy or a girl. I can't imagine how many calls I'm going to get on Tuesday asking, "Well, what is it!?"
Anyway, Hannah got her first library card today. She checked out some books for our "summer reading" program. She also let Lily pick out some books that she liked. She was excited and felt like a grown-up checking out her own books.
Everything is going pretty well with the pregnancy so far. All except for the low back pain and weird pain I get when I pick my legs up. I think it is due to the baby being so low. When it kicks I feel it way down by my bladder and stuff. It is extremely low. I'm still having migraines as well, though not as much as I was having them.
I hope the sonogram doesn't get postponed even further off. I will post the definite date when I find out Monday.

21 Weeks

It's all downhill from here. We are officially over the half-way mark. Last week I was able to let others feel the baby move. The first person was Hannah. We were lying in bed reading our night time story and it just started moving all over the place. So, I thought I would let Hannah see if she could feel it and it pushed her hand off of my belly. She said, "That baby is strong!" I have read somewhere that I am not suppose to be feeling movements on the outside yet, but I beg to differ because they are very strong. Sometimes, especially when I lay down, they are so strong they make me jump.
I'm getting that itch that I get every time I'm pregnant that makes me want to do something to myself to make me look better. I cut my hair the other night. I probably shouldn't have, but I just want something to make me feel better about myself. It really didn't work. It just made me feel worse. It will pass. It always does. My belly still doesn't want to poke out far enough to where it is obvious to others that I am pregnant. Instead it just looks like I eat all of the cakes I bake, instead of selling them. Not really that bad, but that is how I feel. I remember when I was 20 weeks with Hannah, Mom and I took a trip to the AL outlet mall. When we stopped at a gas station, the clerk at the gas station noticed I was pregnant. My belly is just not poking out as far as it did with my last two pregnancies.
I'm still on that emotional roller coaster. I don't remember that being as bad the times before either. I swear, there are not many minutes throughout the day that I don't feel like crying. Tim was asked the other day, whether or not we were going to keep trying if this one was not a boy and he replied with an enthusiastic yes. I hope he was joking because I am not going through this again if it is not a boy. This is my final time to be pregnant. I only have three years until the big 3-0 and I am not going to be pregnant in my 30's. At least, I feel strongly now that three is more than enough. We are still trying to figure out how we are going to make enough room for all of us in this house. I guess we will just have to be a very close family for a while.

Half Way!

I am at the half way mark. 20 weeks! I can't believe how fast it is going. The movements are getting so much stronger and happening all the time now. I can't wait until I can see him or her on the 3rd.

19 weeks

Today I had my check-up at the doctor. They checked my glucose again and it is still fine. Thank goodness! Maybe I won't have the gestational diabetes this go around. This time the heartbeat was much faster. I really think that the nurse who checked it last time was actually hearing my heartbeat, because before she found the fast heartbeat this time, I heard the slow one again. It kind of makes me weary of her abilities. They sped through my appointment, as usual. He kinda-sorta measured me, but I don't think he got an accurate measurement. I'm wondering if they just don't care because they figure that since this is my third that everything will be all right. I don't know. I like the doctor, but not as much as my old one. It makes me depressed every now and then. It will be all right. I could probably have the baby at home and everything would be just fine. Who needs them anyways!

I have a Sono appointment for next month. July 3rd will be the day I may find out whether or not we will have another girl or a boy. Hopefully, we will find out so I can make everyone else happy. I swear I get sick of hearing the question. I shouldn't, but it really makes no difference to me if it is a boy or a girl. A baby is a baby, no matter what sex they are all wonderful.

I read somewhere that I should have gained approximately 14 lbs. by now. I have not gained 1 lb. I mean I'm not complaining. I know the baby is growing just fine because I can feel how big my uterus has gotten and it is a little bigger than what is expected for 19 weeks. The movements are getting so much stronger and when the nurse tried to hear the heartbeat today, it was moving so much that she could hardly keep up.

People keep saying stuff about showers and things, but I'm not really sure if I should have a shower. I mean it is my third one. Is that right? Even if it is a boy, I don't think I should have one. Maybe it is because of recent life events (not my pregnancy) has made me so bitter towards people, that I just don't want anything from anyone. I used to be such a loving person towards everyone, but so many people have shown me that they just don't care, it has just wore me down. The only people that do care will get the baby things anyway, so why do I really need a shower.

I'm not really that bitter of a person, I just don't want people to have to give me anything. Anyways, so far everything is going well. I still am having the horrible headaches pretty regular but it's not too bad with the meds. I try not to take them every time, because I just don't like the thought of taking pain relievers while I'm pregnant. It makes me smile every time I feel the baby move, which is pretty often now. I'm almost halfway through! Next week will be 20 weeks.

16 Weeks

Last week I was not able to feel the height of fundus and now it is almost at my bellybutton! My belly has grown so much in the past week. I keep feeling flutters more and more. I think I have been asked over 100 times whether or not it is a boy or a girl. When I tell people that I will not find out until July, they look so sad. LOL I'm not in that much of a hurry to find out myself. I don't know why. It's not that I'm not excited or anything, I'm just not in a hurry to find out like everyone else. On other news, Hannah's ballet teacher has decided to move her and another little girl in her class up a class next year to Ballet I. That is a class higher than I signed up for a month ago. I'm excited for her. She loves it so much. She has been dancing with a Ballet I class this year a little bit and has been mimicking their moves. She has a great talent.
I love my van! It is the first vehicle I have ever had that I just enjoy driving. I can't believe I got it for so cheap.
Back to pregnancy news. It's finally going very well. I'm having less headaches than I was having and I have energy. My belly is finally growing and I feel good. Here is a pic of a 16 week fetus.

Bought first thing for baby...

And it is a big one! We bought a minivan yesterday. It is a '99 Nissan Quest, green in color just like my Saturn. I love it! It's awsome! Runs like a top and we got it for an excellent price. It looks just like the pic below, but dark green. My first car in 10 years!

Appointment

My appointment yesterday went well. I finally got to hear the heartbeat. It sounded a lot slower than I remember Hannah or Lily's sounding. Doesn't that mean it's a boy? ;0) I don't get to really find out what it is until July. My doctor told me that I would have a Sonogram the appointment after next. The next appointment I have to check my blood sugar levels yet again. At least he is keeping an eye on them. I don't think I am going to have a problem this time because sugar is one of my food aversions I have right now. He also gave me a prescription for Darvocet for the horrible headaches I have been having. H said they sounded like they were migraines, but I can't take migraine meds while I'm pregnant. At least now maybe I will have some relief when they get so incredibly bad that I feel like I want to go to the hospital. I feel movement more and more now and it is getting stronger. I can't wait until I find out what it is! Mainly because that is exactly what everyone asks when they see me. LOL

15 Weeks

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I had a pretty good one. I got a nice card and a candle. We spent most of the day at Tim's mamaw's house, then went up to my mom's house. Late last night, while I was in bed, I felt the baby move. It was very subtle, but I did feel a little movement. :) I was suppose to go to the doctor today, but I received a call this morning saying that he had an emergency and I had to reschedule for Wednesday. I will post an update on Wednesday about how my appointment went.

OT: Birds

Today was the first day that I have actually felt GOOD. I had energy all day and didn't feel the need to nap. I took Hannah to ballet and signed her and Lily up for next year. Lily is so excited. I found out that they are both going to have the same teacher next year. She is a wonderful teacher. Another thing that happened today, Hannah and I were in the front yard playing catch (that's how good I was feeling) and all of the sudden I heard something fall on the ground. I looked over there and I saw a little baby mockingbird flopping around on the ground. The poor little thing had fallen from the nest. Tim and I noticed just then that two adult mockingbirds, assuming they were the mom and dad birds, fighting off this hawk-looking bird. At that point, we assumed that the hawk tried to take the baby from the nest and the birds attacked it and the baby was dropped. After doing a little bit of research, we decided to find a basket to put the baby in and hang on the tree so the mom and dad mockingbirds can find and take care of the baby. Hannah excitedly said that we could use her Easter basket. How sweet of her! Anyway, the baby bird survived the long fall from our giant pine tree and now, hopefully, the mother bird will take over. I didn't want to leave it on the ground because there are several cats that roam around our house and I knew they would get it eventually. At least it has a little bit of a chance now. It was what they call a teenage bird. It had most of its feathers and could slightly hop. I hope it survives but if it doesn't, the girls will learn the natural course of nature.

Second Trimester

I am 13 weeks now! My belly has gotten bigger. I have to wear maternity clothes. Someone told me the other day that I was showing. I think the maternity clothes are to blame for that. Every week seems to be better than the last. I haven't had much morning sickness in the past week. Headaches are still a problem, but I blame that on allergies. I still have episodes where I get extremely tired and have to lie down for a while. I think it is about two weeks until my next appointment. I'm still anxious to hear the heartbeat!

12 Weeks!

12 weeks pregnant. Goodness, it's going by fast! Starting to feel less nausea over the past week. Hopefully it's gone for good. :) I had several bouts of bleeding last week. It scared me at first, but a call to the doctor eased my mind. I had to rest a lot and it went away. I can't wait to hear the heart beat. Too bad I have to wait three more weeks. It will be here before you know it, though. If only I could get rid of this headache I have had for two days, I would be doing good. I'm sure it's just sinus, since I have been having a lot of congestion. I take Tylenol and it's like taking nothing at all. I want to take some sudafed, but I have read so many negative things about it during pregnancy that I'm scared to take it. Anyway, hopefully it will go away soon. :) I'm feeling more of a positive outlook now and anticipate my little one coming. I guess it was just my hormones making feel so depressed. Thank goodness it's over now. I can't wait to feel it move. That should be soon now.

Sonogram

I had my first sonogram today. Everything is well. I saw it moving and waving it's tiny little hands. The baby also had a good heartbeat. They kept my original due date of Nov. 4th. It was very reassuring to see everything. I had never had one done so early before. It was awesome. Although it was only me there to experience it. They printed me out some pics, but you can't tell much about them. You could see way more on the screen. My next appointment is in 4 weeks, as usual. I have to decide by then whether or not I want to have an Alfa-feta protein test done or not. I had one with Hannah(my first) but not with Lily. I doubt I get it done. My doctor said only about 1/3 of his patients have it done. I don't want any more to worry about right now.

11 Weeks

Appointment

I had my first prenatal appointment today. I was pleased with the new doctor. He is way more thorough than my old doctor. It made me realize exactly how laid-back my old doctor was. I'm already set up for a sonogram on Monday. I didn't have a sono done with either of my girls until the 20th week. Also on Monday, he wants to go ahead and check my glucose since I had previously had gestational diabetes. So, that means I have to fast and drink that nasty drink. I went Wednesday and checked out the hospitals. I really liked the one that was further away. The one by my house was ok, but the staff did not want to show me around and I couldn't see the LDR's because they were full. The bad news I found out today is that I have to go to the one by my house. It wasn't that bad, but I'm afraid I'm going to have a bad nurse experience. I'm just going to have to suck it up and deal with it. I will probably just be there one or two days anyway, if everything goes like my previous pregnancies. So, I'm not going to worry about it anymore. The doctor made me feel very confident that he would be able to handle anything that may happen and that he will catch anything that may happen. The one word I can describe my new doctor is Thorough. Very thorough. :) Overall, my first appointment went very well.

Week 10

I got an appointment with a new doctor on Thursday. I hope everything goes well and I like him as much as my old doctor. I'm going to tour the hospital he delivers in to see if I like it all right. I have a choice of two hospitals, but one is really close to my house. It would be extremely convenient, but I have not heard too many good things about that hospital.

Here are some pics of a 10 week old fetus.

Month Three!

Week 9 now. Symptoms are starting to subside a little. If I didn't have so much other stuff going on at the moment, I would probably feel pretty decent. Wow, third month! It's going too fast already. I wish I had more to write about now, but my mind is kinda blank. Maybe some more will come later.

Week 8

Well, I'm in week eight now. Haven't been feeling too well. I'm experiencing extreme fatigue and nausea. Yesterday and the day before I had a low grade fever with chills and aching. I called my doctor to see if i could come in soon and I found out that he doesn't deliver babies anymore. Talking about making a bad feeling worse! He was the most awesome doctor. Why couldn't he wait a little while longer before deciding that. I mean this is going to be my last one. Anyway, the nurse told me that what I was experiencing was normal and to stay in the bed for the rest of the weekend. I am to call them on Monday to see who he reccomends and if they will take my insurance. This just sucks!! When is it going to get easier, so I can enjoy this pregnancy? I feel so bad, it is hard to get my school-work done. Housework has just halted. Tim was suppose to clean today, but has gone to be in a golf tournament. He gets to have all of the fun. >:-[ Men should bare more of a burden during pregnancy. I sucks so bad to have to lie in bed all day because when you get up you can't breathe and feel like you are going to collapse. I hope I get better soon, I can't take it much longer.

Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to me! It has been 8 years since Tim and I tied the knot. 13 years since our first kiss. :) We don't have anything planned today. I asked him last night what we were going to do and he said, "I guess we will just sit around and stare at each other." We would do something, but between our funding and me being so sick I have to force myself out of bed, our options are limited. He did give me a very cute card though. He is a wonderful husband and I love him more now than ever!

Week 7

• Elbows form - Again, taking a peek inside you could see your baby's fascination with bending and flexing. Later you will swear you can enlist your child as the star of the next "Karate Kid" movie!
  


• Fingers start to develop - These digits often become your baby's first toy!
  Feet start to appear with tiny notches for the toes - It is fascinating that at less than a half inch, your little guy (or gal) already is leaving "footprints" on your heart!
  


• Ears eyes and nose start to appear - Although they may resemble an alien life form, these all "shift" soon enough into a more normal appearance.
  


• Intestines start to form in the umbilical cord - Did you know that initially the intestines are not formed inside your baby's body?
  


• Teeth begin to develop under the gums - Thankfully, right now you won't be dealing with teething pain!

Iron

Today was a better day. The first day in a while that I actually felt like getting out. I had been putting off going to the health department to get an official test for my insurance so I can go to the doctor. Today I did just that. I was searching last night to see if I could find anything on how I have been feeling. Well, what I found backed up what I had a hunch was the problem. Mostly what I found led all my symptoms to being anemic or not getting enough iron. So last night Tim made me eat one of his healthy cereals that is iron fortified. That may be why I felt better today. :) I'm still nauseous, but not quite as crappy-feeling as I have been. To top that off, the health department gave me some iron pills to take as well. Hopefully, that will make me feel better from now on. Now, just need to tackle my ever-turning stomach...

Bad Day

Today was my worst day yet. I had to force myself to get up this morning to make Tim his lunch. It was literally painful. I felt like I had a stomach virus or something, I was so nauseous. Also, my head was pounding. I eventually had to lay back down. It would not go away for anything. Finally, I had to force some food down. After about 40 mins. of keeping it down, I started to feel a little better. I still felt incredibly weak. What the heck is wrong with me. Am I carrying a boy this time, because my girls did not do me this way. Do pregnancy symptoms get worse with age? Tim came home for a few minutes on his lunch break today and saw how bad I was. He said that he was going to get a vasectomy so I don't have to go through this again. LOL He is much more sympathetic this time around than he was with the other two. I guess that comes with age too.

Week 6

Head and Neck

Jaw and facial muscles are now developing. The nasofrontal groove becomes distinct and an olfactory bulb (sense of smell) forms in the brain. Auricular (ear) hillocks become recognizable. The dental laminae or teeth buds begin to form.The pituitary, which is the master gland responsible for growth of hormones that regulate other glands, such as the thyroid, adrenal glands, gonad) begins to form.Trachea, the larynx and the bronchi begin to form.

Thorax

The heart begins to separate into four chambers. Diaphragm, the tissue that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen, forms.

Abdomen

Intestines begin to develop within the umbilical cord and will later migrate into the abdomen when the embryo's body is large enough to accommodate them.PelvisPrimitive germ cells arrive at the genital area and will respond to genetic instructions to develop into either female or male genitals.

Limbs

Hand region of upper limb bud differentiates further to form a central carpal part and a digital plate. The thigh (rostrolateral part), leg (the caudomedial part) and foot areas can be distinguished in the lower limb buds. Digital rays in appear in the foot plates and finger rays are more distinct.

Spine

Trunk becomes straighter.

Pregnancy Symptoms

Here is a list of symptoms I have had up until this point:

• Irritability
• Breast Tenderness
• Nausea
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Sleeplessness
• Lower Back Pain
• Side Twinges
• An abundance of CM
• Feeling of faint
• Emotional (crying)
• Bloating
• Acne
• Congestion

Not all necessarily in that order, but most within the last week.

Depression

Pregnancy is known as being a time of elated joy in a woman’s life. Even though she might experience some mood swings because of the changes in her hormones, on the whole pregnant women are happy. And for the most part this idyllic picture is correct. However, for an estimated 10% to 20% of pregnant women, their perfect time is overshadowed by depression.
Possible Triggers Depression during pregnancy can be caused by a number of things. Hormones may be to blame, but there are other factors that can affect a woman’s mood and outlook during pregnancy. Here are some of the main risk factors for developing depression during pregnancy.

• a personal or family history of depression x
  
• experiencing an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy x
  
• dealing with marital or financial problems x
  
• going through significant life changes, like the death of a relative or changing jobs
  
• experiencing medical problems or complications with the pregnancy
  
• suffering a previous pregnancy loss x
  

The Warning Signs

It is important to recognize and be able to distinguish pregnancy depression from mood swings. While mood swings can make you feel low or sad at times, it is not the same as depression. Once you are able to identify the symptoms of depression, you can begin to seek help. Some of the most common signs of depression are:

• trouble concentrating x
  
• extreme anxiety x
  
• extremely irritable x
  
• troubles sleeping or insomnia x
  
• fatigue x
  
• change in eating habits
  
• loss of interest or pleasure in activities you use to enjoy x
  
• exaggerated mood swings x
  
• constant sadness x
  
• thoughts of hurting yourself or others
  

Pregnancy depression is most common during the first trimester and towards the end of pregnancy.

Getting Help

It is important to receive help and treatment for your pregnancy depression. If left untreated, it could get worse. Additionally, experiencing depression in pregnancy puts you at a higher risk of developing postpartum depression. Seeking help now may help prevent it. If you recognize yourself in the list of symptoms and have been experiencing them for more than two weeks, then make an appointment with your health care provider. If you have thoughts about hurting yourself or others, suffer from panic attacks or are having troubles coping with your daily responsibilities, contact your health care provider immediately.

Treatment

There are a variety of treatments available to women suffering from depression during pregnancy. Depending on the severity of your depression, you may have to take antidepressants. If you are concerned about the safety of the drug, rest assured that many have been deemed safe for use by pregnant women. Regardless, be sure to discuss any apprehensions you have over the medication with your health care provider. Your health care provider may also recommend psychotherapy for your depression. If your depression is mild to moderate, your treatment may simply require you to attend a support group. Talking with other women who are experiencing the same problem can be very reassuring and can help break the feeling of isolation you may be feeling. If you have been prescribed medication, you may want to supplement that treatment by attending a support group. Studies have shown that women who are taking antidepressants recover faster when they also attend support groups. Preventing Depression Just as talking can be a form of treatment for depression, it can also be a form of prevention. Talk with your partner about your worries and fears with the pregnancy and listen to what they have to say. Also, look to do more activities together. Take a vacation or weekend break if you can afford it. Look to strengthen your relationship now so that it will be stronger than ever before when the baby is born. Spend time with your friends. You may not be able to see them as much as you would like once the baby arrives, so get those girls night out in now. You can also draw on them for additional emotional support. Although it may not seem possible, try to relax as much as you can. You and your health have to be your top priority right now, not working overtime. Sit down and put your feet up, stay in bed a bit longer, or read a book. If you feel guilty, then just remember that you’re doing it for the healthy of yourself and your baby. Exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet can also make a big difference in your mood. Exercise can be especially helpful since it can help combat stress. Taking a prenatal yoga class cannot only help you stay fit but it can also teach you proper breathing and meditation methods, both of which can help you stay calm. The techniques will also come in handy during the labor. You can also reduce your stress by avoiding major life changes. While some changes cannot be avoided, like a death in the family, others can. Changing jobs or moving across the country may not be the best decision when you are pregnant. Even just moving down the street can be quite stressful, so if it doesn’t have to be done right now, then put it off.

I wish I had some friends. I need someone to talk to about this. Everyone I try to talk to says, "You should be happy. This is such a blessing." I know it is a blessing and I want to be happy. I don't want to take meds. I just want it to go AWAY!

Week Five

Cool Site and Pictures:



http://www.visembryo.com/baby/14.html

Cry~Baby

I don't remember being this emotional with my other two pregnancies. Don't get me wrong, I was emotional. Now, I feel like crying constantly and I am so down I don't feel like moving. Sick and depressed is what I feel like. With my other two, I was sick and very tired, but I was happy. What is the deal? I don't like feeling this way! I did have my first positive thought about it last night. I was laying in bed, trying to go to sleep, when I thought about how it felt to actually feel life inside of you. It was the most incredible feeling for me. Usually, in my previous pregnancies, I noticed it more at night right before I went to sleep. I guess that is why I was thinking about it last night.

Callin' Ralf

Not quite to that point yet, but man do I feel nauseous! I think it is finally setting in. Tim came home yesterday and the first thing he said to me was, “How’s my pregnant woman doing?” It’s still weirding me out, but I’m feeling a little better about being preggers again.

Surprise, Surprise!

Well, our mission to tta until May has failed. I took a pregnancy test yesterday to "ease my mind" because I was a little late. I was so stunned to see those two big, bold lines pop up, that I almost fainted. I think I'm still in shock. I was just getting use to the idea that I may not try anymore. So much has been going on in my life and I have been so stressed out, I was not expecting this.
I think for some weird reason, I ovulated early this past month. I had fertile quality cm very early on and even my program said that it was too early, so I dismissed it. I guess I shouldn't have done that. Just two months ago I was trying to conceive. Why am I not ecstatic? I feel like I get a little freedom in myself and BOOM, I get sent back to self-imprisonment. Why do I feel like that?! I should be very happy. Hopefully it is just my hormones.

Our Journey to Five has Officially Started!!

TTA

Well, we successfully avoided throughout the month of December and I still haven't changed my mind about January yet. I think we are going to tta until May. Charting is an excellent method of birth control too. I love my Ovusoft software! It's awesome. http://www.ovusoft.com Check it out.