Welcome to the World, Jonah!!

Jonah Jordan Henderson was born on April 25, 2013 at 3:44 PM.  He was 6 pounds, 5 ounces and 20 inches long, and so perfect.  Jonah was born at 37 weeks and 6 days, a little over 2 weeks early.  He has stolen our hearts!  Below is his birth story, which is intensely personal and a little graphic, so you’ve been warned! ;)

My last official belly shot a few days before

Let me preface this by saying I had the worst day at work on April 24 - I was charge nurse and had 3 discharges, 2 admissions, and a staff meeting to attend.  I usually am at work for only 8 hours, but that day I was there for 11 hours.  It was so stressful!  I had been planning on getting groceries and packing my hospital bag when I got home, but I was so tired, I just sat on the couch and cried.  I told Jordan, “If I have another day like this, I will go into labor!!”  Ha!  Jordan went to The Alamo to get dinner and then we went to bed.  At 11 PM my water broke, and I jumped out of bed so I wouldn’t ruin the mattress!  Funnily enough, I had bought a waterproof mattress cover...and hadn’t put it on the bed yet.  Oh the joys of procrastination!  I started to run down the hall to the bathroom, while yelling out to Jordan, “My water broke!”  He didn’t believe me, haha.  I knew it was my water though because every time I would move a gush would come out.  

At this point I wasn’t having contractions, so we decided I could still go to work the next day.  Around 2 AM I started having cramping in my abdomen.  It felt like menstrual cramps!  That surprised me.  They were irregular, about 30-40 seconds long and every 2-7 minutes.  I lay in bed waiting to see if they would continue and they did.  At 2:45 AM I called my coworker, Laurie, to ask her to do ECT that day because I obviously couldn’t!  Then I texted my mom and my boss.  My boss was so funny, she texted back, “Don’t know why you can’t do ECT??? LOL.”  

At 3:30 AM I got out of bed because I couldn’t sleep and just wandered aimlessly around the house, doing dishes and things like that.  I finally laid back down around 5 AM but still couldn’t sleep.  I listened to some calming music and breathed through my contractions, which were getting stronger.  

At 6:30 AM, I called my doctor’s cell phone and left a message.  I also asked Jordan to not go to school that day because we were definitely having this baby!  He texted his classmate and they said he was good to stay home.  

I took a nice, long, hot shower at 7 AM.  When I got out and was getting ready, Dr. Mead finally called me back.  Unfortunately, he told me that he would be at another hospital until 7 PM that day, and that his colleague, Dr. Malkman would be covering for him at St. Mary’s.  He knew that Jordan was in medical school and had recently taken his OB rotation, so he asked if Jordan had checked me.  He seemed surprised when I said he hadn’t, haha!  I asked him if I could get a smoothie before coming in and he agreed, and then said to come in whenever.  

I packed my bag after that and we left for Panera for a mango smoothie.  Jordan went and got it for me while I waited in the car, listening to my Liquid Mind CD.  We got to the hospital around 8:45 AM and walked in through the ER entrance.  The nurses there seemed surprised when I said I was in labor.  I guess I seemed too relaxed!  They offered to wheel me up to the unit, but I wanted to walk as much as possible.  We got to the unit and my nurse, Tiffany, got me checked in.  She was awesome and was all for my low intervention plan.  She was also totally my advocate; when she called Dr. Malkman to let her know I was there, Dr. Malkman wanted to start me on Pitocin and Tiffany said no!  Great nurse!  At 9:30 they did an amniotic fluid test to make sure I was really in labor, and it was extremely positive!  She checked me after that and I was at 3 cm and 60% effaced.  I got an IV placed in my left forearm (yay for avoiding joints!) and they saline locked it.  

At 10:30 AM they let me off the monitor.  They would do intermittent monitoring every hour for 20 minutes.  I was so glad!  I walked around the room, kept the lights low, and turned on my Liquid Mind CD.  It was really relaxing.  Jordan went to get some lunch at 11 and Tiffany brought me a birthing ball and a peanut ball.  The peanut ball was for when I would lay in bed so I could keep my hips open.  She encouraged me to get up, move around, and drink lots of water to speed up labor.  I sat on the birthing ball just rocking for a few minutes.  When Jordan came back, we walked up and down the hall for 20 minutes.  With every contraction, I would pause and rest my head against the wall while Jordan would rub my back, telling me what a good job I’m doing.  So many people in the hallway were encouraging to me, saying sweet things like, “Keep going!”  “Walk that baby down!”  We also saw Dr. Malkman in the hallway and talked with her for a bit.  

At 11:30 I got put on the monitor again.  Tiffany let me sit on the birthing ball while I was being monitored!  I loved not having to lay down.  At 11:50 I decided I wanted to take a bath, so Jordan started the water going.  I labored in the bath for almost an entire hour.  During the bath I started to fall asleep in between contractions.  The contractions themselves were becoming much more strong and painful.  The warm water was so relaxing.  Eventually it became uncomfortable to sit in the tub and completely relax, so I decided to get out around 12:40 and move to the bed.

At 12:50 I got on the monitor again and he was so low in my pelvis that Tiffany couldn’t get a good reading if I was sitting on the birthing ball.  I decided to stand up by the monitor to allow him to continue moving down.  Jordan was putting counter pressure on my lower back.  I was starting to get nauseated because of how strong the contractions were, so Tiffany got me some ginger ale.  

I was completely in “labor land” at this time so I don’t really remember the timeline of everything after this.  I labored in the bed for a while on my side with the peanut ball in between my legs.  I was really feeling the contractions all the way to my hips.  They were super strong and it was very difficult to relax.  I was breathing a little hard and Jordan kept trying to calm me down by putting counter pressure on my back and doing the relaxation exercises we’d practiced.  I know I was hitting transition at this point because I was sooo irritable and because I was starting to doubt my ability to do this.  I got mad at the peanut ball because it made the contractions stronger (because it helps keep your hips open).  “Get this dang thing out of here!”  I also got mad at Jordan because I didn’t like how he was putting counter pressure on my lower back.  “Push!  You’re not pushing, you’re rubbing!  No!!  PUSH!”  It makes me laugh now, haha!  

Tiffany came back to check me and it was so painful having her touch me while I was having a contraction!  I was at 7 cm and 90% effaced.  The contractions were so intense that I was gripping the side rails and shaking during them.  She put me on the monitor and Jonah was so so low in my pelvis.  He was having some variable decelerations, possibly due to the cord being around his neck or the cord being compressed by his foot.  This part was scary for me.  Extra nurses came in the room and they, along with Jordan, helped me rotate side to side to help Jonah.  This was SO hard during contractions!  All I wanted to do was lay there!  They also started some saline in my IV and oxygen via face mask.  The face mask smelled gross, like a beach ball.  During this time, they started getting the room prepared for delivery, including getting a gown and gloves for Jordan.  

Eventually the contractions got so intense that I started groaning and I just knew I was close to the end.  Tiffany notices me groaning and checked me again (20 minutes after she last checked me).  She said, “Wow, she’s complete!  We need to call Dr. Malkman to get over here now!”  My body started involuntarily pushing during contractions and it was the absolute hardest and most painful thing to not push during those contractions.  I let it all out verbally, and felt like I was really loud, haha!  Jordan said I wasn’t too loud.  It felt like we waited forever for the doctor!  She ran in and said, “I’m glad I didn’t get a ticket trying to get here!”  They had a mirror set up near the foot of the bed so I could see the delivery, which was awesome.  

Dr. Malkman put on her gowns and gloves and the nurses helped me to a seated squat position and held my legs up for me.  I took a deep breath and started pushing!  It felt SO good to push with the contractions, to work with my body!  It basically (sorry for TMI) felt like I was going to have a giant BM all over.  During the first push, Jonah came down really far in the birth canal.  The second push brought his head to the edge.  The third brought him into this world!!!  Dr. Malkman delivered his head and Jordan delivered his body!  Jordan placed him immediately on my chest afterwards and then was able to cut the cord!

The first thing I noticed about Jonah was how long his eyelashes are and how long his fingernails were, as well as how amazing he smelled.  Love that new baby smell.  He has gorgeous brown hair and is such a good mix of Jordan and I.  He just kept looking at me!  I immediately fell in love.  

After Jonah was born the doctor allowed my body to continue to contract to let the placenta be delivered, which was painless.  But then she put pressure on my belly to make it contract down, and that killed!  They were also giving me pitocin IV at the same time to help the uterus contract down.  I had a second degree tear that she stitched up.  Jonah and Jordan and I were just all sitting there loving the moment.  He started breastfeeding and I was amazed at how he just seemed to know what to do!  The nurses then allowed us about an hour together as a new family alone.  Jenae came in around this time and helped take tons of pictures and videos.  It was so nice having her there!

The whole weight of what we had done came to me then - Jordan and I had actually created this little person!  He was living and breathing!  I could not, and still can’t believe the love that Heavenly Father has for us to allow us to be creators alongside Him.  It’s amazing.  I also can’t believe I’m a mom - and responsible for this little person!!!   

Week 32 Update

This week has not been the greatest.  Jordan got sick from his hospital, passed it to me, and then I spread it to a few of my co-workers.  Blah!!  I never realized how horrible it is to be pregnant and sick. I had to call out this weekend because I was feeling so awful.  Major congestion and phlegm, coughing,  and extreme tiredness.  I was so worried about how being sick would affect Jonah.  Jordan was amazing while I was sick - he took care of me and the house, and he gave me a healing blessing which was so comforting.  I'm so grateful that he holds the priesthood and uses it!  

One great thing about this week was that me and Jordan were able to Skype with my brother Jordan who finished his mission in Argentina!  My mom went to pick him up and they're traveling all around his mission now.  It was great, and although we couldn't talk for long, it was so good to see him!

STATS

This week our sweet Jonah has more hair on his head (with color!).  His bones are getting stronger and hardening.  He is gaining more fat so his body temperature is more regulated and is shedding the lanugo.  

How far along: 32 weeks and 3 days!  I'm in the eighth month...time flies so fast. 

How big is baby: About the size of a squash.  At our last appointment, he weighed approximately 4 pounds!  He is approximately 17 inches long.  

Total weight gain: Whew...since I haven't posted my weight in a while I'm a little embarrassed.  However I'm determined to document so my pregnant brain doesn't forget these things :)  I've gained a total of almost 25 pounds exactly!  So I weigh 155.

Maternity clothes: They're the only thing I wear.  I'm most comfortable in my yoga pants or pajama pants.  I like dressing up but dealing with all the layers of clothing is a pain!  I'm really excited to go get some spring clothes though at Motherhood Maternity this week.  They've got some cute pastel colored pants that I love!

Stretch marks: My best efforts are holding up for the most part.  I recently bought a new oil by Mama Mio and it smells amazing (like oranges).  I do have one new stretch mark on my right thigh, but that's ok.

Sleep: Since I've been sick, it's been pretty dang horrible.  Who am I kidding though - it's not like I've gotten a good nights sleep recently!  Something about carrying more weight and being hot in the middle of the night ruins that, haha!  I'm looking forward to the days when I'm old and can sleep again - because I know that's not going to happen while I have kids in the house.

Best moment this week: I finally picked out a good pediatrician!  His name is Jeffrey Hanzel and he actually works in a clinic Jordan had a rotation at his first year in medical school!  He even remembered Jordan.  He has LOTS of experience, and although his office isn't the prettiest, he knows what he's doing.  He will start seeing Jonah a few days after birth and then regularly for well-baby visits/immunizations.

Movement: Like crazy!  I posted a few videos on Facebook of Jonah kicking (blogger won't upload them for some reason).  I can feel him more now than I did when he was smaller.  I think it's because he is so cramped, that every move he makes I can feel.  I absolutely love watching my belly move when he's wiggling around!  It is so funny and strange to watch!  He immediately calms down though whenever Jordan or I are talking, which I think is so sweet.  He's listening to us!  

Food cravings: None really, just vague cravings for smoothies.  Just trying to eat healthy-ish and drink plenty of water.  Especially since I've been sick.  I did make a spur of the moment purchase while in Target when I saw Cadbury mini eggs on sale and thought, "I must buy those!  Such a good deal!"  They were delicious, needless to say.  And Jonah enjoyed them too ;)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!  Thank goodness. 

Gender: Sweet baby boy!

Labor Signs: None, but I do get Braxton Hicks whenever I'm walking too fast.  I estimate that walking will be a good way to help labor for me.  

Symptoms: Oh my goodness - RIB PAIN!!  It's so bad.  And it's really just this one spot on my left rib a few inches below the sternum.  Applying pressure helps a little, and laying down helps the most.  Also left mid back pain.  My kidney's are fine though, so it's not that.  It's just baby Jonah growing and needing more room.  My nose is constantly congested, and being sick has made that even worse.  I didn't realize how horrible it is to be sick when pregnant.  I also had some major shortness of breath because of the congestion these past few days, but not to a worrisome point.  I have a difficult time eating a full meal now because of my squished stomach, so I really just snack throughout the day when I'm at home or eat every few hours when I'm at work.

Belly Button in or out? In!  I'm so surprised at this.  I have this paranoia that my belly button will hurt when/if it pokes out, so it makes me glad.  It is really stretched though.  I've been putting plenty of body oil around it so it can stretch :)

Wedding rings on or off? On!  I haven't had hardly any edema.  I think it's because I'm drinking plenty of fluids and moving around.

Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm getting past the moody stage, and I feel like I've really learned some ways to deal with that.  So I'm mostly happy.

Things I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.  Not having constant rib/back pain.  Being able to eat a large delicious meal!  

Looking forward to: Getting maternity photos done!  Amelia Johnson in my branch (an AMAZING photographer) is going to be doing them in the beginning of April.  Also looking forward to coming to Utah at the end of this month!!!

Next Appointment: March 21, 2013. 

The Second Trimester and Beyond

On December 20, I had an OB appointment.  The doctor asked if I wanted to know what the sex was and of course I said yes (even though Jordan wasn't able to make it to that appointment)!  So he began the ultrasound and then went over the genital area...and it was pretty obvious!  I just sat there looking at it, and Dr. Mead said, "So...what do you think that is?"  I began laughing because it was a boy!!  Here we had been, expecting a girl, because of the previous appointment, and we were having a boy!  I am SO excited.  I tried calling Jordan but ended up having to tell him when he got home from school that day.  He couldn't believe it either.  We were SO excited to tell our families on Christmas!  

We attended a breastfeeding basics class that evening.  I learned so much!  Needless to say, although it was informational, Jordan decidedly told me he doesn't like classes.  So we have found other methods to educate ourselves, like reading, watching movies, and discussing what we've learned together.  I'm also really excited because there is a lactation center that is owned by the company I work for, and I get big discounts there for renting a pump :)  

We were able to fly out to Utah on Christmas Eve.  I stayed for four days and Jordan stayed for a little over a week (lucky ducky!).  I made sure to wear compression stockings, drink tons of water, and get up and walk frequently on our flights.  We had such a great time with our families!  Christmas morning was spent with Jordan's family and eating delicious waffles.  Below are the superhero shirts we made for the boys.  

We then drove to the Cuthbert grandparents and spent the afternoon and evening there.  My favorite part of the trip was announcing to our families the sex of the baby.  I had bought some adorable onesies and wrapped them along with dinner mints that said "It's a Boy!"  I can't put the videos on here, but you can see them on my Facebook.  Jordan (brother) was able to skype us from Argentina for his last Christmas on the mission!  It was amazing seeing him, even though his face was green from the camera, haha.  The next day I was able to see my friends from Westminster!  It was so great.  The last day I was there we saw Les Mis with my family and had a Christmas party with the Lassigs.  It was so fun!  Apparently Buppi has a "gift" of being able to guess the sex of a baby by looking into the pregnant woman's eyes.  I made him guess and he was wrong, but that's ok :)  

On the last day of our vacation, Jordan was finally able to feel our sweet boy kick from the outside!  I'd been able to feel him for over a month, so I was glad Jordan finally got to feel it.  Other things that got better around 20-21 weeks were my acne (my skin was actually clear!) and my energy, which finally came back.  It was great to feel energized!  

On January 31, I had the anatomy scan which is basically a 20-25 minute long ultrasound going over every tiny part of the baby's body.  He looked so healthy!  All extremities, fingers, toes, and organs were in place!  

When Jordan came home from Utah it was apparent he got really sick while he was there...and it ended up being the flu.  :(  On the bright side, however, he got the flu during Christmas break so he could rest and recover without worrying about school.  His cough lasted about 2 weeks though.  So, lesson learned - make getting the flu shot a priority!  I got it and didn't get sick, thankfully.  

Jordan and I registered at what seemed like a ton of places - Franklin Goose, Pottery Barn Kids, Amazon, and Babies R Us.  I found a great website that compiles everything you've registered for in one place though, which is awesome!  It's called babyli.st.

We had the chance to tour the birth center at my hospital, St. Mary's in Richmond.  I already had high expectations because of the status of my hospital (Favorite Place to Have a Baby - 10 years in a row!) but was so so happy with the tour!  The labor suites are huge, and 2 of the rooms had jacuzzis.  I really hope one is available when I go into labor!  After delivery they have what is called "Magic Hour" where they basically leave you alone for an entire hour to get to know your baby.  They highly encourage breastfeeding and have tons of lactation consultants.  Lots of the staff is certified, which is great!  On the mother-infant unit, the nurse is your nurse and your baby's nurse as well!  This is HUGE and so different from any other hospital I've seen/worked at.  Usually your baby has a separate nurse in the nursery, so this is great for continuity of care and letting your baby stay in your room as much as you want.  I am SO excited to give birth at my hospital!  Plus it has a level 3 NICU, which is good if anything goes awry.  

I toured the day-care center at my work as well.  I was very impressed with that as well - clean, bright, happy kids, plenty of care-givers, and on the campus of my work.  I got on the waiting list in November and was told the list was 11-12 months long...so we will see when I get in.  My other day care plans just fell through, so I hope it turns out!  I called them recently and they said that they just increased the amount of infants they accept, so hopefully the list moves a little quicker.  There are currently 6 moms ahead of me.  

Around 24 weeks, my appetite picked up immensely for a few days!  I could not stop eating, and even had to eat in the middle of the night sometimes!  It was crazy! About the same time, I started actually seeing baby Jonah kick from the outside.  Talk about a bizarre feeling - like there's an alien inside you!  It makes me laugh so hard though to see him kick.  Sometimes he will just go crazy in there and be flipping around and my belly quivers.  So funny!

I was able to get another prenatal massage around 24 weeks as well and it was so relaxing.  I seriously fall asleep getting massages.  I remember that I asked her to focus on my hips and thighs, because they were SO sore.  All the extra weight was starting to take its toll!  

We already have the majority of the furniture for Jonah's room.  We got the dresser off Craigslist, the crib from Target, and the bookshelf from IKEA.  Jordan's mom was sweet to send us a rug that matches the colors we've picked out for the room (dark blue and bright green).  The walls are light gray and the furniture is black.  It's slowly coming together!  The last real piece of furniture I need is a glider.  I was walking around Target one day and a random lady asked me if I had gotten my stroller yet.  I hadn't and she told me to go look at the City Micro's they had on major sale.  These are a way nice brand of stroller and they were 75% off!  I had a 5% off coupon as well, so I got this brand new stroller for 80% off.  I was SO pleased with myself.  Haha!

Starting around 27 weeks (third trimester) my OB increased my appointments to every 2 weeks!  Time is ticking!  Every appointment we have just makes us more excited.  It's been great too because Jordan was on his Psych rotation so he had more time and has been able to come to every appointment.  Our baby boy is so healthy.  On February 7 the doctor did a 4D ultrasound (basically a 3D movie).  It was INCREDIBLE!!!  It was so clear and we could see our son's face!  He was rubbing his eyes and opening and closing his mouth.  It made both of us so excited to meet him!  I also had my glucose tolerance test that day and drank the orange drink...which I can honestly say wasn't that bad!  Is that gross or what?  Haha.  I passed, thankfully, so I can eat all the sugar I want.  Just kidding!

Valentine's Day was so fun!  I got Jordan a box of chocolates from Godiva.  Jordan had worked the entire day and night before, so he had been at the hospital for a whopping total of 30 HOURS!  He was  so sweet at made me chocolate covered strawberries and got me a dozen roses!  He is the best hubby ever.  We watched LOTR and ate Chipotle.  :)  

February 15-18 we went to NYC for a babymoon!  It was amazing!  It was Jordan's first time to NYC and we had such a great time.  The drive up was momentous for being insanely expensive ($60 in tolls!!?!?) and frustrations from how crazy drivers are in New York.  We finally got to our hotel around 1 AM.  We stayed at a Best Western in Brooklyn that was across the street from the subway (great hotel by the way!).  The first day we went on a river cruise of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, went to the World Trade Center memorial, ate at Katz's Delicatessen, went to the Empire State Building, and then got some authentic NY pizza down the street from our hotel while watching a movie on my computer.  The second day we slept in and then went to the Museum of Modern Art, ate at the Original Soup Man, walked through Central Park and by the NYC temple, went to the Metropolitan Art Museum, ate at a mexican food place similar to Chipotle, and then went to the Nintendo store and Times Square.  We braved the weather for sure - it was freezing the second day!  Thankfully we brought heavy coats and long socks so we didn't die of frostbite.  One of our favorite things was using the subway system - so efficient!  My legs got extra strong after walking about 3 miles per day and taking about 10 flights of stairs every time you wanted to use the subway too.  

Jordan's birthday this year was so great!  It was a relaxing Sunday.  I made lots of good food: waffles for breakfast, roast for dinner, and Chocolate Wasted cake via Pinterest and it did not disappoint!  We had friends over to share cake and had a great time.  I love you Jordan and can't believe you're 27...getting old!  ;)

March 7 (about 31 weeks) we had another appointment.  Jonah is measuring approximately 4 pounds!  He was practicing breathing like crazy and wiggling around a ton.  We also saw his sweet face and it looked like he has the chubbiest cheeks ever!!  As Jordan says, "A fat baby is a happy baby."  We just don't want him too fat.  He does have to get out at some point, haha!  At this point, the main pains I've been experiencing are left rib pain and some sciatica.  I can deal with the sciatica but the rib pain is killer.  His little body is just pressed up against my rib and it feels like it's going to pop!  My doctor didn't reassure me when I told him this - he said some women have broken ribs during pregnancy because of the pressure.  Great.  I pulled a groin muscle a few days ago as well (from walking?!) and it's gotten a little better.  I waddle like no other and it is so awkward looking and feeling!  I also get very minor contractions when I walk too fast, so I need to remind myself to take it easy and slow it down.  We did get some great news though from my OB.  Since Jordan is in his OB rotation right now, he will get experience delivering babies.  Well, we asked...and Jordan is going to deliver our baby with the doctor!!!  Ahh, so so exciting!  (Below 30 and 31 weeks)

Overall, despite my complaints, I LOVE being pregnant.  The thought that there is this life inside me that I helped create is incredible and humbling.  I already love this sweet boy so much and can't imagine him not being here.  He is so much a part of our life already.    

Week 19 Update

Again, I apologize for my apparent lack of interest in this blog...I'm having a hard time adjusting to my new work schedule and being pregnant! 

STATS

How far along: As I write this, I am 19 weeks and 2 days!  I absolutely am BLOWN AWAY that I'm almost half way there!!!

How big is baby: Our little baby is the size of a delicious mango!!  Almost one pound!  The baby is essentially fully formed, and vernix (that cheesy white stuff) is coating his/her skin for protection.  He/she can also hear us and is kicking up a storm in there!  

Total weight gain: Today I weighed 138.7 (I think), so +8.7 pounds.  By next week, I'm supposed to weigh 140, but I don't think I'm going to hit that mark.  I've been eating well, just not gaining to much.

Maternity clothes: Oh my, yes.  I love my maternity jeans!!  So comfortable.  I also have been wearing lots of skirts and dresses.  I'm going to need to get maternity scrubs or some other alternative soon though, cause it's really hard to get my scrub pants on in the morning, haha!

Stretch marks: None yet, still faithfully lotioning myself every morning!

Sleep: It's honestly pretty awful unless I don't have to work in the morning.  I'm going to have to change my routine or something, because getting only 7 hours of sleep kills me.  If I don't have work, I'll sleep a consistent 9.5 to 10 hours.  Then I'm happy :)  I've also been trying to take a hour nap after work most days.  That helps me a lot!

Best moment this week: Having this weekend off has been really nice and helped me to get some things done around the house.  I am also feeling the baby more, so see below :)

Movement: I feel the baby at least once a day.  I have to be sitting still and really focusing, otherwise I can't feel it.  I can press my belly down and feel the baby inside there.  It's such a strange feeling!  People describe it like butterflies, but it feels like tickling inside me.  It's strange to me that I can't feel the baby on the outside yet, but I know as he/she gets bigger we will be able to feel more! 

Food cravings: Hot dogs, sausage, bacon (if it's got nitrites in it, I want it!  Too bad I'm not allowed).  Guacamole and salsa.  I have loved spicy things so far and they don't give me horrible heartburn, so that's nice :)  I've also been craving cold water.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still the smell of my dishwasher and plastic tupperwares.  I think it's high time I get new tupperware!

Gender: Unknown, but the doctor at the last visit was 75% sure it is a girl.  I feel like it's a girl, and my co-worker brought up a good point that she only had bad acne with her girls, never with her boys, because of all the extra female hormones running around!  

Labor Signs: None, thankfully, but I did have a bad abdominal cramp the other day when my bladder was really full!

Symptoms (if you don't want to read TMI, please skip!): Shortness of breath, being tired ALL THE TIME, stuffy nose, very small amount of edema (swelling) in my feet, tender joints after standing or wearing bad shoes, sore and swollen breasts, being moody/depressed, some diarrhea (don't know why), horrid acne, and frequent urination!

Things I miss: Having a clear face.  Eating lunch meat/food with nitrites.  Feeling energetic and getting things done during the day instead of sleeping.

Looking forward to: Our next appointment and finding out if we're having a little boy or girl!!!!

Next Appointment: November 20, 2012. 

Week 11-18 Update

I've been SO horrible at blogging.  I really honestly feel so guilty about it.  I need to be updating you all on my pregnancy and keeping a record for the future so I don't forget everything!!  This post will include a lot of pictures, so bear with me.  I'm really sorry to everyone and hope you'll forgive me.

We announced to our families on October 21.  It went SO well!  We did the FaceTime tour and it was so fun seeing everyone's reactions.  My mom and dad were called first.  When we showed them the ultrasound, my mom (who works in a fertility clinic) said, "What is that?"  My dad, catching on quickly, said, "Oh my gosh..."  Then my mom screamed and yelled, "You're pregnant!!!!!"  Then she started crying and asked lots of questions.  It was so fun and great!!    We called Jim and Wendy next, and had lots of trouble with their internet, so it was really lucky we were able to do FaceTime.  Jordan helped them set up the internet and then we called them.  When we showed them the ultrasound, Jim said, "What is that?"  Then Wendy poked him in the side, and said, "It's a baby!!"  It was so cute!  Later that evening we announced to my brother Jared and he was so excited (You're pregnant!), and emailed my brother Jordan on his mission in Argentina.

We announced to everyone in our branch at the Branch Halloween Party on October 26.  We wore these shirts I had made, and they were a big hit at the party.

I told my boss sometime after then.  I was trying to talk to her in her office, and never could, so we went in the laundry room on our unit and I told her.  She was so excited and hugged me, and asked me questions about what I was planning for maternity leave and such.  After I told her, it just leaked out to all other staff members :)

My appointment with my new OB, Dr. Thomas Mead at Dominion Women's Health was so great!  He seemed so nice and easy to get along with.  Here is a picture of our Jelly Baby at 12 weeks, 6 days, along with my first real bump (which is mostly clothes and bloat, if we're being honest, haha!).

We announced on Facebook on November 14 at 14 weeks and 5 days with these pictures.  Baby is the size of a lemon!

And 15 weeks (11/16/12), baby is the size of a navel orange...

Around this time, I had yet another (voluntary) change in my schedule.  I began a job share with the nurse who does Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT).  Basically, I work a few days a week as the ECT nurse and a few days a week on the unit.  ECT is nothing like "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest."  It's very beneficial for different patients with depression, catatonia, etc. where medications aren't helpful.  Anyways, with this additional job, I have to wake up at 4:20 AM!!!!  Ahh!!  Needless to say, my sleep has been SO erratic.  Getting only 7 hours of sleep is no bueno for Melyn.  The great thing about this job, is that it allows me to sit at a desk for the majority of my day, which will be especially nice when I'm hugely pregnant.  Also, I get to come home at 2:30 in the afternoon.

We had our third OB appointment and Jordan was able to come to this one!!  Yay, celebrations!  Here is a picture of our baby looking right at the camera!

Thanksgiving was fun!  We went to our friend's house and ate delicious turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, salad, apple pie, etc.  Then we enjoyed a game of Risk.  (We are all very serious players!  No smiling allowed!)

Black Friday was fun because I finally got some maternity pants and some bigger bras!  The pants are SO comfy.  'Nuff said!

On November 28, I treated myself to "Project Prenatal Pamper Day" at the spa.  It was SO relaxing and worth every cent.  I got a massage, facial, lunch, mani/pedi.  I felt so relaxed and beautiful, and would highly recommend a pamper day to every pregnant woman.  Also a HUGE plus to the day was I felt the baby for the first time!  It was amazing!  The massage therapist said, "Now the massage will release a lot of endorphins and make the baby happy!"  So I was laying there feeling great, and I felt four distinct taps/kicks on the right lower side of my abdomen.  I couldn't believe it!  First-time moms very rarely feel their babies before the 5th month, but it was real!

17 weeks (11/30/12), baby is the size of an avocado...

18 weeks (12/7/12), baby is the size of a potato...and I love this bump picture!

Week 10 Update (Originally written 10/18/12)

I finally made it to the double digits!  Yay, celebration!  I had my first prenatal appointment ever on October 3.  I was so excited and nervous at the same time!  The first thing was the dating ultrasound.  It was amazing.  At the time, I thought I was 9 weeks 6 days along.  Well, I guess that's the point of a dating ultrasound, because we found out our little jelly-baby was actually only 8 weeks 5 days along!  I guess I ovulate late, despite my regular cycles.  :)  So that is one reason I haven't blogged for a few weeks, because I've been catching up.  When you're reading all the previous pregnancy posts, just move the week back one.  I guess that all means I found out I was pregnant around 4 weeks!  Anyways, I'm rambling now.  Time to get to the stats!

Also, one little note :)  I may talk about things in these posts that are personal and sometimes gross.  This blog is meant as my journal and memory keeper, so please excuse me sometimes!

STATS

How far along: As I'm writing this, I'm 10 weeks 6 days.  Time has seriously flown!  I can't believe we're going to be announcing to everyone in about a week!!!!

How big is baby: The size of a prune!  Yummy, sweet prunes. 

Total weight gain: My weight fluctuates daily (like pre-pregnancy).  Last time I weighed myself, I had gained about 2 pounds.  So total is around 132.

Maternity clothes: I went and bought a sleeping bra finally from Motherhood Maternity.  The girl there was SO nice and helped me so much!  A little TMI here, but taking a bra off is painful.  Having one on while I'm sleeping helps keep me supported.  

Stretch marks: None yet, thank goodness.  I'm sure I'll get some though!

Sleep: Sleep has been off and on.  I'm still able to sleep on my stomach, hallelujah!  I'll take advantage of that while I can.  But I'm starting to get a tiny bump of fat and bloat, so I'm a tiny bit uncomfortable.  I've been sleeping with a small pillow under the edge of my stomach so that helps a little.

Best moment this week: Coming up with a way to announce to our families!  I'm so so excited!  Jordan and I are going to arrange a FaceTime with both of our families, saying we want to show them some updates to the house.  While we're going through the dining room, we'll show them our picture wall.  My first ultrasound will be framed there, and Jordan will say, "Oh, and this is Melyn's favorite picture she took a few weeks ago!"  Ta-Da!  I'm so excited to see everyone's reaction!

Food cravings: Oh my gosh YES.  It's sick, really.  I'm usually a pretty healthy person.  I don't eat fast food hardly ever and don't really like fatty, fried food.  Well, in the past few weeks, I bought take-out Chinese for some fried rice, egg rolls, and wontons; gotten KFC chicken and mashed potatoes (ate almost the whole thing of mashed potatoes by myself!), and McDonalds.  It really makes me sick when I think about all the gross stuff I've eaten.  I'm determined that I'm going to eat more healthy!  My baby needs it!  And I need it too - fat doesn't sit well with my stomach!

Anything making you queasy or sick: There are some lockers that we keep patient belongings in at work.  I work with a lot of homeless people, so naturally, their clothes aren't kept as well as some other people who have access to a washer/dryer.  I opened the locker one day and the intense smell that came out made me want to barf all over.  It was so sick.  I think my co-workers thought I was crazy, because I was spraying air freshener all over the nursing station!  Haha :)  Also, and this is very strange, but the smell of our dishwasher detergent is so disgusting right now.  Every time I go to empty the dishwasher or heat up a tuppeware, the smell comes out and makes me so nauseated.

Gender: Unknown!

Symptoms (if you don't want to read TMI, please skip!): Nausea is getting better.  It's not 24/7 anymore, just mainly in the mornings.  I'm really hungry a lot, and need to eat every few hours.  It's hard to eat that often at work too, but I manage.  I've been SO tired, and haven't done laundry in forever.  Jordan actually started 2 loads of laundry today (he is so sweet to me).  One thing that I learned while I was in my OB appointment is that I have hypothyroidism!  Apparently, it happens pretty frequently in pregnant women.  Some symptoms going along with hypothyroidism are being cold all the time (VERY bizarre for me, I'm usually hot all the time) and being constipated.  TMI again, but I've been so constipated.  It's awful.  I eat so much fiber, drink tons of water, take Colace, etc.  Ugh.  I've also been a little more moody than usual, but not bad - just teary :)

Things I miss: Nothing really!

Looking forward to: Being able to announce to everyone next week!  

Next Appointment: Well, I fired my other OB because her c-section and episiotomy rates were way too high for my liking.  So I found another with super low c-section and episiotomy rates and have an appointment with him on November 1!!