Week 20 Recap

Still trying to get un-stressed now that we've seen the baby and think she's going to be OK. A new rash appeared on my torso on Monday - I'm chalking it up to a post-stress flare up, but it's kind of worrisome. It's all over my belly and sides, doesn't itch or hurt, but shouldn't a rash mean something? Oh, what I wouldn't give for an uneventful time.

I feel her move all the time and can see/feel movement from the outside quite easily now. PJ says it's "creepy" to feel it, and so far the kids aren't patient enough to wait for it, so I'm on my own being excited about that, I guess.

It's starting to feel more real that this is going to happen, but still quite surreal. I'm always so impatient for things to happen, it's really hard for me to live in the moment and not be pushing for things to move along. But I'm trying to just slow down and enjoy being where I am when I am there.

Almost bought a carseat today for MaraJade. This is my other downfall: preparing. I'm so afraid of not having what I need when I need it, then having to rush out and get it, consequently paying more than I need to and/or not getting the product that best meets my needs, that I spend a lot of time researching and comparison shopping, often for things I don't actually need at the time. We know we'll need a new infant seat, because while we could get away with using MaraJade's current seat for the baby from birth, then having Jadey use this booster/convertible seat we have in the garage - thus not buying anything - it really is much more convenient to have a bucket seat when the baby is little. And the more I look into it, the seat we have in the garage is kind of a piece of junk. Which ticks me off, because I remember researching the heck out of it when I bought it for Mace a couple of years ago. Arrgghh!

Anyway, between looking at carseats (both for baby and MaraJade) and diaper bags (I really want one that's more like a purse, that I can just have my stuff in, too, so I'm not toting a purse and diaper bag around), I'm spending more time than necessary on the computer, for stuff I've finally decided to just wait a few more months to buy - because who knows what'll be out at that time? They're always making these kinds of things newer and better, and the things I want now might just be cheaper by then, right?

Oh yeah, I'm in full avoidance mode.

Measurements:
Waist: 31.75"
Belly Button: 34"
3" Down: 37.25"
Hips: 41"

Week 19 Recap - It's a Girl!

This was a long, long, stressful week. I was worried constantly in the back of my mind about what we'd see at the ultrasound - would birth defects be visible yet? If so, what would they be? If so, how would I cope? Could I actually function with more stress? But Thursday finally came, and there she was, our little girl. All appears to be fine at this point - limbs are fully formed and look the same, head/brain look good, amniotic fluid level good, her growth is right on track - all signs that point to her being OK. Oh, and she's definitely a girl. PJ wasn't so sure - the ultrasound tech kept saying girl, but he was like, "Where?" And she pointed to these little dots repeatedly, and I got it, but he still said, "Hmmm..." Finally, she said, "See those 2 dots? Those are the labia." Ahhhh.

So to recap this pregnancy and its ailments, I've had: several different infections, shingles, Restless Leg Syndrome, Anxiety Attacks, contractions if I do too much (already), limited to lifting under 20 lbs; I've taken multiple antibiotics and antivirals.

But we're making it. Just waiting to see what comes next.

Measurements:

Waist: 30.5"

Belly Button: 35"

3" Down: 36.5"

Hips: 40.5"

Weight: 144 lbs.

Week 18 Recap

So this week was focused on one thing: Shingles. After going to Urgent Care on Sunday, I wanted to hear from Peggy about my diagnosis. Monday was Labor Day, of course, so I called on Tuesday. She wasn't in until Wednesday, so I left a message letting her know and asking for a return call, because I was worried about things I'd heard. Wait on Wednesday, nothing; Thursday, at the end of the day I realize I still haven't heard anything. So Friday, I call again. The receptionist says, "Oh, you wanted a call back? I thought you just wanted to let her know." So she transfers me to Peggy's nurse. I explain all and she says, "Huh. I haven't really seen this in pregnancy - let me do some looking and I'll call you back."

So around 1:00, Peggy calls, and this is the condensed version. I am supposed to be on Valtrex - we need to get rid of this outbreak. Plus, we need to be carefully monitoring me for further outbreaks, which we really don't want to have happen while I'm pregnant. I have to go in and have my blood drawn, now for a baseline, and throughout the pregnancy to keep an eye on things. And this can cause birth defects, which we'll be able to see on ultrasounds - which implies I'll be getting a few more. How worried am I supposed to be? According to Peggy, she's never had a pregnant patient with Shingles, so it's rare, and the end result can be anything along the spectrum - completely normal to deformities. But she's optimistic, so I'm trying to be as well. Also, have to be really careful for flu/swine flu complications. However, I can't get the flu shot until this outbreak is over - don't want to introduce any other viruses into my body yet.

So it's been crazy in my head this week - I'm tired.

Measurements:

Waist: 30.25"
Belly Button: 34"
3" Down: 36.5"
Hips: 40"

Week 17 Recap

Went camping last weekend, which was fun, but tiring. On Thursday, I noticed some red bumps on my leg - they looked like bug bites, so I didn't think much of it. But they just seemed to get worse over the weekend, so I called Peggy on Monday to get an appointment. I'd had a staph infection when MaraJade was a baby, and this seemed somewhat reminiscent of that. Plus, a new, different-looking patch had appeared farther down on my leg. Got an appointment for Wednesday, but that got cancelled, so I finally got in on Thursday. By this time, my entire thigh was aching and I was kind of freaking out. Peggy's not sure what they are, but they're definitely infected, and she says most likely Staph, so I'm on antibiotics. They're getting better, but still hurt.

***9/6 Update***: Shingles. That's what I've got. Went to Urgent Care today because rash just wasn't going away, and that's what the Dr determined. Of course, it's too far along for the anti-viral meds, so I just get to wait for it to go away. It still hurts like crazy, but knowing what it is helps. However, I get home and Google "shingles in pregnancy" and it turns out, this could potentially be bad for the baby and/or me. Many sources say getting shingles before 24 weeks could cause congenital birth defects in the baby. Nice. And even if that doesn't happen, I am now even more susceptible to infections/other stuff as my immune system is even more compromised than it was before. Awesome. Really awesome. And apparently I most likely brought this on myself by being pregnant and under too much stress. Yeah, this will help with the stress level.***

Also, we got the crib!! Here it is:

We ended up paying nothing for a $280 crib - score!!! We had the voucher for $198 from the recalled crib, plus Babies R Us was having a thing where you bring in any baby gear and they give you 20% off a new one, plus they tried to sell us the wrong one, so ended up giving us an additional 15% off - in the end, they would have owed us $7.

It's really sturdy, made from hardwood, and is a convertible one that we'll be able to use as a toddler bed, daybed, and full-size headboard/footboard. It's not the fanciest thing out there, but it's sooooo much better than anything I've ever had - I love it!

Measurements:
Waist: 30.5"
Belly Button: 33.5"
3" down: 36.25"

Weight: 142