Our Precious Orange...

My bump is well on it's way... Though there are days when the bump is more evident than others...but that is the norm so I have heard.

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This week the baby is very active--kicking like crazy (though I can't feel those kicks just yet). The size of our baby this week is about the size of an orange and measuring approximately 4 to 4 1/2 inches long! (It's amazing---our 8 week Teddy Graham has really sprouted). The baby's ears have moved to the sides of his/her head (they originally were located where the neck of the baby), the eyes are also moving into correct position (though they remained closed for a couple more weeks). Breathing is also in preparation as the baby begins to make movements that resemble breathing. Lastly his/her tiny toes and fingers and able to move freely (they are no longer fused together).

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I continue to feel pretty good. I am hoping that week 15 will sprout some energy. This is suppose to be the honey-moon trimester (free from morning sickness and lack of energy). We are getting pretty excited about our upcoming babymoon (we leave in 11 days)--so hopefully my energy level will return by then. (For all those interested we will be sailing in the Southern Caribbean from September 6 through the 13th).

This is all that I have to report on---make sure you check out the bump pictures from week 15 (posted below).

15 Week Belly Shoot!

We went crazy this week and decided to take some photos of our "orange." Whitney Dog even took part---our boys (the cats) were less than excited about the shoot (thus they aren't included in this weeks update).

Grandpa Kelley is a Angel...

This week was a tough week for our family. On August 24th 2009 Doug lost his father. This event was something we didn't expect to happen anytime soon. We have to look at the fact that we don't get to make the choice for life and we have to accept the decision that God has made.

Sitting in the flower garden outside the hospital on Sunday afternoon, I looked over at Doug and said, "If God decides to take your dad, maybe your dad will protect our baby." We have all heard the saying, "Everything happens for a reason..." Perhaps our baby needs an angel and Grandpa Kelley is that angel.

Grandpa Kelley was so excited that we were having a baby. The last time we saw grandpa at his home, we showed him the scrapbook that we are making for baby. We won't forget the excitement and the smiles we shared that day. This memory is something we cherish.

It's important to keep Grandpa Kelley's memories a live to share with our child someday and we will see it through that he/she knows just how much Grandpa loved them before they were even born.

Grandpa Kelley is an an angel above us and we were blessed with the time we shared with him.

Reality Check---You are Pregnant!

We are jumping into week 14 already! I think I have spent the last week of pregnancy sleeping... I have been absolutely exhausted! I can't wait to start feeling like myself again--anytime soon is what the books I have been reading suggests. For the time being the greatest perk to being pregnant is an excuse to nap and blame any grouchiness on hormones!

The baby this week is about clenched fist sized or if we compare produce once more---a lemon. A coat of lanugo (hair) covers the tiny body to keep he/she warm. As the baby continues to grow and gain weight the coat of lanugo will no longer be needed.

I have also felt some "growing pains" during the last week which is termed "pain with gain." The uterus is stretching for the baby's growth and it will be just a matter of time I'll be looking pregnant rather than just feeling pregnant. (Next week look for a baby bump picture update).

All in all I am laying low---resting up for our "baby moon" cruise in September! Only 18 days until departure... (but who is counting)?

Our Baby is a Peach! (Week 13)

This week we enter the second trimester (what a relief!). There is a lot controversy over the start of this trimester. Half the information I read says the second trimester begins at week 13 and the other half of the information states that the second semester doesn't actually begin until week 14...We are going to settle at 13 1/2 weeks.

The baby's growth this week resembles this peach! :) The vocal cords take formation during week 13 as well as the intestines have begun moving from the umbilical cord to the abdomen. From this week on the baby will grow at a faster rate and the rest of the world will soon take notice we are expecting.

Baby Bump Update: We decided to break the news to the rest of the world that we are expecting (via Facebook). I have also began to tell some of consumers that there will be an addition to our family in February. The greatest response I have received is, "You don't even look pregnant!" I'll take that as a compliment for now... There will be plenty of months I'll be waddling around like a penguin!

In other news... I will not be switching jobs after all---which is a tremendous relief. Instead I will be officially obtaining "full time" status within the next couple of months. I am going to soon have to kiss my Friday day offs goodbye.

This past weekend we also visited Wisconsin dells and basked in the sun while on the river. We took a fun trip to the cities to visit our friends Jenna and Ryan who just became parents themselves for the first time the last week in July. I couldn't get over the fact of how tiny new babies are! It will be great to have some advice from them in the coming months.

"Ahhh...What's up doc?"

Today's doctor appointment was AMAZING! I have to admit that sometimes I forget----"Hey yeah, I am REALLY pregnant!" At the visit today we heard baby's heart beat for the very first time! It turns out that our little one is quite active.... I have to say that I got a little (or a lot) nervous when the doctor was using the doppler to locate the baby (and the beating heart). It turns out our baby was doing loops and apparently kicking like crazy---so initially finding the beat wasn't a walk in the park. I guess it only makes sense that our baby is active as he/she has active parents.

Having completed our second appointment---we have a new sense of calm (that I hope lasts).

Our next appointment is a month out--September 4. We also scheduled or 18 week ultra sound for September 18 (where we will find out the sex of the baby).

It's a boy...?!?!?!?

This week (week 12---and the last official week of the first trimester) we decided it might be fun to take the IntelliGender Test. The test is the first at home gender test predictor. IntelliGender has been proven to be 90% effective in laboratory test and 82% effective in the general population. The instructions for the test are rather lengthy and require precise timing---so when I woke Doug up before leaving for work on Monday morning I told him the IntelliGender results pointed us towards a boy. Doug's reply was..."I had a dream last night you took the test." So I asked, "What were the results?" He said, "I don't know because you screwed up taking the test!" Thanks for the credit Hun, I figured it out! The boy result was no surprise for Doug---he has been telling me for weeks that it's a boy. It will be fun to find out the exact gender in September.

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Growth this week has reached plum sized! Hormones are starting to be produced by the pituitary gland---so our little boy (or girl) will have babies of his (her) own someday...It's amazing this is already happening in the first 3 months of life. The bone marrow is also making white blood cells (to keep baby healthy) and the digestive tract is having contractions (and producing hiccups) to help the baby be able to eat.

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Baby "BUMP" update: I can't officially say that I have a baby bump quite yet...it actually depends on what I have eaten or how much I feel like a hot air balloon (baby bloat)! Otherwise I continue to feel pretty good---despite a day here or there. Overall--I would like to think I escaped morning sickness (at least the worst of it). Pregnancy has been a journey thus far and we can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings us.

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On a financial note...I read on yahoo news today that it costs an estimated $221,000 to raise a child to the age of 17...really, that's it?!?! I thought we would have to break into our savings :).

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We have our second official appointment on Friday (August 7th). I will update the blog with appointment news.

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Today I had my 3rd and FINAL interview for Manager's position...We are in the process of negotiating and finalizing future options...I should know more by Friday.

Belly up!

We decided it was time to start posting some baby bump progress pictures. Believe or not there is actually a growing bump there. You can feel the difference more than it's visible---but we are making progress on this nine month journey.

This week marks week 11. The baby is now measuring two inches (give or take). The baby now, no longer has webbed feet or hands. The ears, finger nails, toenails, nose, and tongue are fully formed!

This week I broke down and headed to Hobby Lobby (craft store) to just "look" at baby scrapbooking things... I walked out breaking the bank! :) I don't think you can put a price on preserving memories. I can't wait to get started scrapbooking this pregnancy and I will certainly post some finish pages in the future.

I have my second interview tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Captain Crunch (with crunch berries)...

We are officially a quarter of the way done on our 40 week journey. The baby is now a size of a prune... (couldn't they have thought of a better comparison?) The baby now has a working liver, intestines, stomach, and tiny teeth are forming below the gums. So, speaking of the working digestive system, I was reading a book the other day that said that a baby's likes/dislikes for foods begins in utero. This being said they said that pregnant mother's should eat what they want the baby to like in the future. Ha, not so easy! My likes for food change day by day.

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One day last week I was on a home visit and my 3 year old consumer was eating Captain Crunch. From that moment on I had one mission and one mission only... to get that Captain Crunch! Needless to say I made stop at the grocery store and I had Captain Crunch with crunch berries for dinner that night. Commericals are the worst for food cravings! The nights we spend watching t.v. fuels the need for nightly trip to the grocery store! I haven't experienced any "weird" cravings yet, but Doug is hoping pregnancy with turn my dislike for ice cream to a like (good luck)!

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Today also marked the first day that I've experienced any morning sickness. From what I have read, morning sickness strikes greatest in weeks 5-9 and usually subsides by week 10. Whether that book is non-ficitional, I must be making up for weeks 5-9!

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All in all this has been a busy week, which helped the days pass by. I took a plunge on Monday and applied for new position at work (which would be a good promotion). I interview tomorrow for the job!

Wish me luck!

Week 9: Embryo to Fetus

Wednesday's are our weekly "anniversaries." Moving into week nine is especially exciting because the baby is no longer an embryo, but an actual fetus! This means the tail the baby had from it's embryonic is now the tail bone. The baby measures from 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches and as all the features of a human. The baby can move around in the amniotic sac and make little flinches that I won't be able to feel for another month or two. Since muscles are developing by leaps and bounds, tiny fists can be made as well as the ability for the baby to suck it's thumb!

I have been feeling pretty good over the last 9 weeks. The greatest change I have noticed is that some days I am ready to drop to the floor from exhaustion, but other days I forget we're even pregnant :). I still continue to have some sleepless nights due to my wild & crazy dreams, but they are becoming fewer and further between (thank goodness).

I also paid a trip to the public library and checked out some pregnancy books. I have read almost an entire book tonight. Though what I have read thus far, it's hard to believe how much information can vary from book to book or article to article. All in all I am educating myself, but I am not taking everything I read word for word.

Lastly...I think I am sick (not pregnancy related)! I have never wanted to speed up summer, but I have found myself counting everyday and wishing these weeks a head would come and go (and there still is 217 days until the arrival)!

Picture Perfect...

Here are the first ultra sound pictures of the baby. ..The pictures don't do justice compared to what can be seen on the ultra sound monitor. None the less, they serve as a reminder to us that there really is a baby growing in me!

The picture above shows the measurement of the baby (about an 1/2 inch or a teddy graham).

This second picture is the baby all stretched out. You can clearly see the arms and legs in the photo, and the chest looks somewhat enlarged due to the beating heart. The circle near the baby's head is part of the yolk that still is dissolving (which is perfectly normal).

Teddy Graham Miracles...

Today was our official pre-natal visit! While I have blogged the last few weeks about not having any answers and perpetual worrying, we now have some relief! At today's appointment we had an ultra sound done to help determine an actual due date. The baby is expected to arrive February 17th, 2010 (this makes me 8 weeks and 2 days pregnant today)!

So, you are probably wondering about the teddy graham picture...Well the teddy graham represents the size of the baby this week. During this week, the baby's nose, lips, and eye lids are taking form and he/she is growing a millimeter each day. It was amazing to watch the baby's heart pumping away in that tiny body at a rate of 150 beats per minute!

In celebration of today's appointment Doug and I headed to Perkins for breakfast to reflect on the appointment and then Doug headed to work. I on the other hand went shopping! :) I bought a picture frame for the baby's first pictures and creatively decorated around the outside of the frame. I can't wait to put it on my desk at work (though it may be distracting, but I'll take that chance). I also bought some neutral onesies and booties (because you can never have enough of the basics).
Today was an exciting and wonderful day!

Our next appointment is scheduled for Friday, August 7th.

Still waiting...

Can you believe it? Our second appointment was canceled for the second time. It's amazing that our doctor seems to cancel every Friday. Last week we were told that he had to be over at the hospital, but when the clinic called to cancel today they said that he was sick again today. Hmmm coincidence? Or could it be that this is July 4th weekend? Needless to say we are pretty upset!

I am speaking for both us saying that we just need that reassurance that everything is going smoothly after all, we have never been though this before. It's incredibly stressful! To help ease the stress we called at made an appointment at Franciscan Skemp in Onalaska for Monday, July 13. We did go a head and scheduled an appointment in Winona, with the same doctor this coming Friday, July 10th (I know Friday...again!). We haven't decided where to go from here, but we definitely want some options. If the doctor isn't showing up for appointments this early on...how many more is he going to miss over the next several months?

I guess we will continue to play this waiting game...the soonest we can find anything out will be next Friday.

Six more days and counting...

Sweet dreams...that aren't so sweet...

I feel like this Whitney Dog!

It's not that I can't fall asleep (that's the easy part), it's staying a sleep! Two days before we found out that we are pregnant, I started to have these C-R-A-Z-Y dreams. I am not exaggerating...I have had spiders attacking me and other bazaar encounters that I don't want even want to mention! I never knew anyone person could dream that many dreams! I have a routine down...wake up every 15 minutes flip/flop and fall back asleep, repeat! I guess it's never to early to get used to sleepless nights!

The doctor won't see you...

We were supposed to have our first appointment with the actual OBGYN on Friday. However, an hour before the appointment, the clinic called to cancel saying that my doctor was not going to be able to meet with us. We were disappointed because this is so much anticipation and anxiety with this pregnancy (because we are going to be first time parents, we don't know what to expect). The other side note is that they called an hour before... I had to take off work for no real reason at all which was a waste vacation hours that could be spent acutally vacationing. So, the plan is to meet with the doctor Friday, July 3rd. We are hopeful that we will soon have a due date! Wish us luck!

Our first prenatal visit...

We didn't know what to expect at our first appointment today...

However...we were definately disappointed in how we were treated. According to the calander, we have no idea how far along we are in the terms of weeks. The nurse was quite sure it was too early for me to be seen for the prenatal visit, but she decided that we should go through the intial appointment so that this was not a wasted trip. THANKS LADY! I am sorry if we are wasting your time and are not certain when we became pregnant (isn't this the reason you see the doctor in the first point? We aren't the ones with the title of a MD). Needless to say, you can tell we were more than just annoyed. As the appointment progressed, we learned more and more what this nurse didn't know... I looked over at Doug and I said, "I think I am more qualified than this nurse..." After all was said and done at our first prenatal visit, I was hoping to feel some relief, but all I wanted to be done was the appointment itself. Lastly, we ended up at the lab and I got some basic routine blood work done.

Our next appointment is June 26th. We are hoping the doctor will be able to confirm a due date and answer our growing list of questions... The nurse said that she would see us next week...GREAT, just what I wanted to hear...

WISH US LUCK!

Ready or Not...

POSTIVE!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

It's official! Just after 6 months of practice and 10 negative tests...we are going to be parents! I don't think either of us expected the overwhelming thoughts and preperation that accompany this wonderful news. On Monday evening (with test confirmation--though I already knew) I surprised Doug with a late birthday present. I placed a little yellow bag on the coffee table and apologized for the belated gift. Doug exclaimed, "It's only a month late." How ironic he said that! Doug opened the gift and asked me what is this? (I love Daddy onsie and bib)... I had to explain the gift because Doug was full of disbelief. Since then I have had to test 3 times for adequate confirmation for him. We are 3 for 3.

Last night we went out and purchased the: (book) What to Expect When you are Expecting। We also ordered a pregnancy journal and 2 books for expecting fathers (these are Bibles for Men). We are definately is full swing for the arrival of our baby.

At this point in time, we don't know how far along I am, but hopefully we will find out soon. We have our first doctors appointment on June 19th with a midwife and the OBGYN appointment on the 26th.