22 week checkup

I had my monthly checkup today. It went really really well. My weight is up 2 lbs from my 18 weeks checkup. (so total I am up 1 from 6 weeks, or up 4 from 8 weeks- I really don't know what to use as the starting weight). My blood pressure was 120/70. It has been so long since i had a good number right off the bat when I got in that I was happy. Urine tested clear, heartbeat was fine, uterus was measuring about 23 weeks (and since I am really 22.5 weeks that is great).
All in all- everything is as it should be.

I was a little sad that she didn't have my u/s results. I guess things never get where they need to- but when I asked if I would have heard if something was up, she said that she would have been called while they still had me at the scan and I would def know- so between that, and the u/s dr saying all is well, I am resting easy about that.

And the best news- I was really nervous about maternity leave. I am going to take time off next school year. Who knows how much, preferably the entire year but I don't want to commit to that in this economy and I want to leave my options open. So with taking next year off, and being due with only 2 working days left in the year, I really want to stop working at 35-36 weeks. Whatever my sick time will cover for this school year. That way I get paid for the full school year- and next year I am out regardless, so it doesn't matter.
I didn't know if it would be possible to stop that early- but my DR said she would write me a note for whenever I was ready!!! I am soo thankful for that. The idea of being home that last month, and of not having a 40 mile commute, is heaven!

I want a cigarette...

So today it was about 60 degrees out, beautiful, the kind of day in the past I would get a cup of coffee from starbucks, throw on a fleece, sit outside with a book, and let the dog run around while i read, drank coffee, and had a cigarette or two.
I have never been a smoker smoker- it was never a daily thing, only every once in a while. Just a beautiful day thing, stress thing, happy hour thing, social thing. I would go days or weeks without a cigarette, it was something I indulged in periodically.

So today I was driving home, windows partway down, beautiful crisp air, and this craving hit sooo suddenly. My first, OMG I MUST HAVE THIS craving, and what is it for... a damn cigarette.

Don't worry- I didn't get one, and I don't need to be talked out of it- I wouldn't have one. I don't need to be lectured on the habit- I know it is gross/unhealthy/cancer on a stick and all that. But I won't lie- I enjoyed them occasionally in the past. It just really stunk for my first legitimate craving to be for something I can't possibly even contemplate having

:)

Having a hard time...

Before I post I want to just say, that I am praying for these ladies I am posting about here, and I am asking forgiveness for being selfish and making this about me.
This week was a rough week on the 2nd Tri boards. There was a girl who slipped on the ice, went into preterm labor, and delivered her baby at 21 or 22 weeks pregnant. The baby did not make it. There was another girl who gave birth at 24 weeks, her baby girl is in the NICU and in my thoughts and prayers- that little girl has a long road ahead, but there was hope in this poster's tone that things will be ok. Today, another woman posted about her little girl's big u/s follow up, and a heart defect that may mean the baby will not even make it to birth, and if so will need open heart surgeries (plural), and she sounded so lost and confused.
I am thinking of and praying for all these women and their babies this week. It breaks my heart and I just think about how unfair it is.

This stuff has also been causing me some anxiety attacks and pretty bad dreams. I used to hate the 1st tri board b.c of all the miscarriages, which are so much more devastatingly common than anyone realizes (again- so not fair for someone to experience that pain). My relief at entering 2nd tri was a little slow coming, but it came. 2nd tri was a happy and safe place to be. (I know things happen- but you know what I mean). And suddenly- all this tragedy, it just reminds me how vulnerable we really are, how out of control we really are, and it scares me.

So to these ladies- you are in my thoughts and prayers. And to my baby- you are always in my prayers as well little one- we love you so much already.

a non-baby related post...

I have noticed some people seem a little distanced from my baby related info, not commenting or posting or what not- so here is a non baby related post.

I am cleaning out the office- I have cataloged over 630 books- probably 600 of which are paperbacks. The question is what to do with them.

Option A- I tried contacting used book stores. I was told for paperbacks they offer between 10-25 cents, sometimes 50 cents. One store told me which books they were interested in- which was all of 60, so what- max I could get is $30 and then I would be left with 580 books? Or even if I could get some place to take them all- I might make 60 bucks total on all of them if I only get 10 cents a book. So I already am thinking option A is out.

Option B- I do have a few things that I think I could successfully sell on ebay- I have the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, all the books 1-13. I have 22 JD Robb ...In Death books, and I have a ton of other books grouped by author that I could try to sell in lots. The problem with that is- how long will it take me to sell 600+ books, and is the money I would make worth the effort

Option C- Just get them out of the house and donate them to the library. I can get a receipt for how many books I donated- then at 7-8 bucks a book there is a charitable donation of 4200-4800 dollars, we can write that off in taxes and that would actually be a pretty significant amount, and they would all be out of the house at once and immediately.

Option D- Try doing option B (EBay) for the groups I know would sell, and do Option C for everything else. Sounds good, but again - takes time.

YIPPPPEEEEEEEEEE

ANOTHER GREAT DAY- BIG ULTRASOUND & BIG PURCHASE

The ultrasound-
Went great, it was over an hour of looking at our precious little ones.
The good new-
the doctor said everything looks great and no problems. He also said I would prob. be back later in the pg to look at the baby again. This is good news because i didn't expect it- and I am assuming if there was something they specifically wanted to look at again/were worried about, he would have mentioned it instead of being generic.

The odd news- I guess I 'borrow worry', but he came in and started talking about Downs and having no signs, but it is only 99%, so do we want an amnio or can we live with that. Weird right? I didn't think we were there about genetic testing- but to do the major anatomy scan.
Also- The baby weighed in at 14oz. That seems big to me for where we are- my book this week said 10, and when you are only 10 oz, a 4oz weight difference is huge. But I did some googling and found other sites that said at 21 weeks your baby could be 13-14 ounces, and I am sure he would have said something if the baby was too big- but the ultrasound tech was asking 'how did you get your due date?, by your period or...?' So now I am worried, but not sure about what- that is on the list of questions to ask.
Lastly- he asked if I had done my glucose test yet- which i have not, and he said I should. I told him my dr. said 28 weeks and he said he usually recommends earlier, especially if the mom has extra weight. I am assuming, and hoping, this is just a weight thing, as well as how this doctor operates- and that if anything from the u/s prompted him to say this he would have stated his concerns- again, I think I am borrowing worry. My doctor said I am fine and am doing great with the weight gain and all and he had no concerns to prompt me to go early- but I will ask :)

With no further delay- here is our baby :)




and the other big news- WE BOUGHT FURNITURE
we bought a beautiful set by Morigeau-Lepine. It is antique white birchwood- so has this beautiful speckling on it which you can't see in the pictures. Morigeau-Lepine is very high end furniture- our crib alone is listed for about $1100 dollars. Well the company is going out of business, so the store we are at was unloading everything they had. We got the crib, double dresser, hutch, bookshelf, delivery, & setup- all for close to what the crib alone originally would cost. It was a little bit impulsive- but when I asked about the other set we liked and how much 4 pieces would be, and I heard 3500 as a response- I knew there was no way we were letting this deal pass us up. We would never get the quality and amount of pieces for this price- and it is really GORGEOUS, I am specifically in love with the sleigh crib. My only concern is changing space- you could put a changer on the dresser, but with the shelves it worries me. We will probably buy an inexpensive changing table after the kids gets a little bit bigger, but oh well- we still got what I feel like is the deal of the day!

Great Day- Snow & our first big purchase!!!

Well- we made our first big purchase for the baby!!! We are now the proud owners of a Quinny Buzz 4 stroller. I cannot explain to you how superior we felt this stroller was compared to others- superior for us that is (not trying to knock the other strollers). We live in the city and need something that is extremely maneuvarable. This moved like no other. Also- the seat you see comes out and the carseat clips in, so it is like a travel system- but like a pram b/c it is just the car seat. It is amazing- and expensive, more than we wanted to spend. So when we saw it on ebay listed for 200 dollars less than in the store (and no tax!) we jumped all over it. We ended up winning the auction for $150 less than the stroller goes for- which is still an awesome deal (I like to think of it as a free carseat). I am sooooo in love and I can't wait for it to get here.
I was telling my mom about it and she was like- I don't think anyone will spend that much- I was like no duh mom! That is why I am telling you we are bidding on it on ebay. She then proceeded to ask me why don't I get a double stroller- um WHAT?!?!?! You know, strollers are a lot of money- and that way you will have it when you have your 2nd child.
ummmmmm, hmmmmm, crickets....
I think that is getting a little bit ahead of ourselves, and we will figure out what we need when we get to a 2nd child- how about we actually have one first? I love my mom, she is dopey sometimes though :)

And of course- today is a snow day. I woke up at 7:30 which is sleeping in for me- over 2 hours paast my normal wake up time- so I feel like a different person. I went, got some coffee, and then took the dog to the park.

SHE LOVES SNOW






We played fetch with a tennis ball

she tried to offer me a paw in exchange for not going home


And we took some self portraits- aren't we cute!




Hope everyone else is enjoying their day
My big ultrasound is TOMORROW!!!

Yooooohooooo, Leeester

where are you??

Seriously though- a few weeks ago I was feeling all these cool little sensations, and now I barely am- they seem less frequent, not like they are getting stronger- and it is freaking me out. Thank God I have a doppler otherwise I would be seriously worried- but I can find that little heartbeat whenever I want, and s/he is holding steady at about 140- so I am thinking that that is a better sign of how things are then movement is at this point.

Exciting news in baby land- I am past the halfway point. I don't know when I got here, how I got to be over 20 weeks pregnant, but here I am. It is so bizarre since I am still feeling great and not much has changed. Also- we are in the 2 day countdown to until the big ultrasound!!!! I cannot wait to see the little bugger... sooooo excited. Eric and I are going to go furniture shopping after the big u/s. YAY

Now I am off to put on my PJ's inside out and do a little dance in hopes for a snow day tommorow :)