Well.... Xmas is officially a couple of days away. My shopping is done, but not wrapped. I'm so late this year that it's almost not worth wrapping! Brook made fun of me last night for wrapping everything in the house... he is forgetting that everything left unwrapped were his Xmas gifts, unfortunately...he got to watch me wrap everything he was getting. Oh well. Not only is Xmas only two days away, so is Brook's 27th birthday. All I have to say is THANK GOD for amazon.com! I can secretly shop online, have it delivered to the house while Brook's at work and the credit card statement will only show amazon instead of a dead giveaway of where I'm purchasing his gifts.
I'm into week 14, and finally done with the first trimester. I can also no longer suck in and pretend that this belly isn't growing! I definitely notice a change, but I'm not sure that many others have yet. This morning was the first time I could actually feel the bump up by my belly button. I'm not exactly sure if it is higher as I'm lying down and then moves back down throughout the day, or if this is finally the day that the baby pops up and stays there. Either way, I'm definitely showing and it will only get bigger!
My next doctor's appointment is Jan 11th for another stomach check (the same one every 4 weeks) and then an ultrasound Jan 18th. This will be at 18 weeks... and supposedly they'll let us know the sex of the baby if we want to hear it! I've always said that I wanted to find out - but for some reason I am a little hesitant. What is your opinion? Would you want to find out?
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Lucky Number 13
Another week down (well, almost). I had the 'stomach check' appointment on Tuesday at the OB-GYN. I'm not really sure why I keep saying morning appointments are good for me, but I keep agreeing to them when they call out the earliest time possible! When you're pregnant, the doctors want a urine sample every time that you come in. Fine. No problem, except when its the first thing I want to do when I roll out of bed. I'm walking down the stairs to get into the bathroom, yawning, rubbing my eyes... and it hits me. Crap... if I go now, I won't be able to in about 25 minutes when they ask me to walk into their bathroom and pee in a cup. So I grab my toothbrush and go back upstairs to get dressed.
Luckily, the appointment was early enough that I could wait to go there! Brook came home to pick me up and we drove to the doctor together. I'm not sure how many more he'll come to though. If we're not doing an ultra sound, the visits are a little boring and uneventful! Anyway, back to the main event. Brook and I are called back, he goes to the patient room while I'm sent into the bathroom (finally) and then out to check my weight and blood pressure. All is good, except the whole weight thing. I'm sure it is fine with everyone else, the doctors and nurses have never said anything to me. My issue is just that! Since the day I found out I was pregnant, I have gained 8lbs. That's a LOT of weight gain for the first trimester! Now... throw in Thanksgiving and all the Xmas parties with goodies to eat and it will explain everything, but still. Why are they not even stressing how much I should be gaining and how to not gain so fast? No wonder women these days gain 40-50lbs! I will just be on the look out from now on and really try to stay healthy, definitely exercise as much as I can and watch the calories on my own to make sure I"m not getting out of control.
I get into the patient room where Brook is waiting for me and we wait...and wait. They made me sit on this extremely awkward low table - which is just uncomfortable to lay back on at that angle while you wait for the doctor to show up! I kept moving around, readjusting, the works - until I hear a 'knock knock'... YES! She's here. The doctor does a little small talk with us, wondering if everything has been normal. No morning sickness, no pain, nothing. She then brings this little machine over to me with a tiny flat microphone and moves it around my stomach until she finds the heartbeat. We'd find it, then it would go away - move around some more, and find it again. Baby Richie must be an active one because we had to keep finding him/her about every 5 seconds. She explained this is normal and I probably wouldn't start feeling the baby actually moving or kicking until 20-22 weeks. I keep thinking that this little thing is moving up while I sleep because the hard lump is higher in the morning and then missing in action as the day progresses. So this time the baby's heartbeat was just at the level of my hip bones, hasn't popped up yet I guess! Which means, I'm blaming all of this extra space around my stomach to that 8lbs of unwanted weight gain :o) Damn. Back to the gym for me!
I went home and started to count the weeks on a calendar to find... I'm 27 weeks away from delivery (if I actually get to my due date before having the baby). Which means, I can get back into my training because it will be a great motivation and a way to stay in shape to be training for 27 weeks away. What else do you train for in 27 weeks you ask? A MARATHON! Yep... I'm crazy, but I'll keep it simple and only run what I can. I just wanted to get a schedule going so that I know exactly what I should be running (minus those long 18-20 mile runs) I'll stick between 2 and 8 miles probably. This will be the best way to stay at the level of activity I was involved in before week 6 of pregnancy and the only way that keeps me sane. Not only do I already lift weights 3x a week, I can now MAKE myself run while I'm there too. I'll just have to stay creative on the runs because treadmills at the YMCA aren't the best, especially when all you have to look at is a parking lot and a Subway. :o) Wish me luck!
Luckily, the appointment was early enough that I could wait to go there! Brook came home to pick me up and we drove to the doctor together. I'm not sure how many more he'll come to though. If we're not doing an ultra sound, the visits are a little boring and uneventful! Anyway, back to the main event. Brook and I are called back, he goes to the patient room while I'm sent into the bathroom (finally) and then out to check my weight and blood pressure. All is good, except the whole weight thing. I'm sure it is fine with everyone else, the doctors and nurses have never said anything to me. My issue is just that! Since the day I found out I was pregnant, I have gained 8lbs. That's a LOT of weight gain for the first trimester! Now... throw in Thanksgiving and all the Xmas parties with goodies to eat and it will explain everything, but still. Why are they not even stressing how much I should be gaining and how to not gain so fast? No wonder women these days gain 40-50lbs! I will just be on the look out from now on and really try to stay healthy, definitely exercise as much as I can and watch the calories on my own to make sure I"m not getting out of control.
I get into the patient room where Brook is waiting for me and we wait...and wait. They made me sit on this extremely awkward low table - which is just uncomfortable to lay back on at that angle while you wait for the doctor to show up! I kept moving around, readjusting, the works - until I hear a 'knock knock'... YES! She's here. The doctor does a little small talk with us, wondering if everything has been normal. No morning sickness, no pain, nothing. She then brings this little machine over to me with a tiny flat microphone and moves it around my stomach until she finds the heartbeat. We'd find it, then it would go away - move around some more, and find it again. Baby Richie must be an active one because we had to keep finding him/her about every 5 seconds. She explained this is normal and I probably wouldn't start feeling the baby actually moving or kicking until 20-22 weeks. I keep thinking that this little thing is moving up while I sleep because the hard lump is higher in the morning and then missing in action as the day progresses. So this time the baby's heartbeat was just at the level of my hip bones, hasn't popped up yet I guess! Which means, I'm blaming all of this extra space around my stomach to that 8lbs of unwanted weight gain :o) Damn. Back to the gym for me!
I went home and started to count the weeks on a calendar to find... I'm 27 weeks away from delivery (if I actually get to my due date before having the baby). Which means, I can get back into my training because it will be a great motivation and a way to stay in shape to be training for 27 weeks away. What else do you train for in 27 weeks you ask? A MARATHON! Yep... I'm crazy, but I'll keep it simple and only run what I can. I just wanted to get a schedule going so that I know exactly what I should be running (minus those long 18-20 mile runs) I'll stick between 2 and 8 miles probably. This will be the best way to stay at the level of activity I was involved in before week 6 of pregnancy and the only way that keeps me sane. Not only do I already lift weights 3x a week, I can now MAKE myself run while I'm there too. I'll just have to stay creative on the runs because treadmills at the YMCA aren't the best, especially when all you have to look at is a parking lot and a Subway. :o) Wish me luck!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Another First!
I wanted to continue with my first blog subject and really explain WHY I finally started blogging in the first place. Today, I am 12 weeks pregnant. Yep, you read that correctly... pregnant! Obviously, there are many weeks that have been missed so far, but I"ll do a quick recap.
Week 1-3: Feeling totally normal, I was training for a marathon relay race with some friends and started to feel a little more 'out of shape' than what I should have. Something was up, but I thought it could have just been because I was running, lifting weights, playing volleyball and in quite a bit of stress. Not to mention, football season had just started and our weekends were filled with tailgating, drinking games and horrible food for my diet! I figured the weekend activities were the answer to why I couldn't get back into running as my body was recovering... ha! Was I wrong!
Week 4: This was the week I was supposed to get the visit from 'Aunt Flo'... felt a little off that week and super tired. I was sleeping in longer that I should have been, and only sometimes staying up late. Weird for me, as I'm more of a night owl. I waited a day or so, then made the dreaded trip to the local Walgreens. I chose this store because I knew that I wouldn't run into anyone I knew at 1pm. I grabbed a basket, loaded it with some random necessities: cotton balls, mascara, and a pack of 3 First Response tests. The cashier smiled, asked if I found everything I was looki....and just looked up like she was scared for me. I must have looked like I was in high school or something! I smiled, said you bet! and went on my merry way :o) Went home, took the test.... 2 lines. The next morning, I woke up early, took the 2nd test....2 lines. (me to my husband) "Well dear, I think this means we're preggers." I shrug my shoulders and go back to bed.
Week 5: It's marathon relay time. After finding out I was pregnant, I still had 6 miles to run in a relay race with 4 other girls. My mind was totally on research that week finding out how to run without over doing it. I had the section in the relay with hills... even better! It was cold, and the hills were brutal, but I made it! I only needed to walk for about 30 seconds after the last hill... and I still made better time than originally expected. Not as good as I would have liked, but what can you do? As a team, we finished in 3:49... that's pretty good!
Week 6: I finally called the doctor and got right in for the first tests: blood, weight, urine, etc. All of the information thrown at me plus a book to take home. Was that overwhelming or what?! My husband and I had a trip out to Vegas for his Aunt and Uncle's 50th wedding anniversary that weekend, which meant Vegas on Halloween. What a great time to be pregnant!
Week 7: I was recovering from the Vegas trip. Flying on planes when pregnant plus the nasty germs everywhere, made me sick... sick....sick. Ugh. Stuffy nose, cough, fever, you name it - I stayed in bed and slept.
Week 8: This week was extremely hard to hide our little secret from friends. Brook and I always enjoy a night or two out with friends during the week. This week we had a small get together with about 6 people for a wine night. We brought food over to a friend's and grilled steaks and asparagus. We all brought a couple of bottles to share and I had to keep going into the kitchen or bathroom to pour a little out. Pretending to drink out of clear glasses is super hard. Not to mention, when in a small group - its almost impossible to be switching glasses with the hubby. We tried... somehow succeeded. Go us!
Week 9: First ultrasound at week 9. This is it... I saw the little one AND heard a crazy fast heartbeat...was I in shock! Brook just sat there and watched, totally answering the nurse and saying 'cool' a lot... me on the other hand, I was speechless. ha! Some people think it is a little early to get one before 10 weeks, but if we wanted any kind of genetic testing done, we needed to make sure we knew how many weeks I am along before it was too late. My sister was born with Cornelia De Lang Syndrome which is a disorder that deals with how a baby's genes mutate with a mothers. The chances of it running in the family is pretty slim, and the ratio of this disorder is from 1:10,000 and 1:100,000. We also told the parents this week - while tailgating in the freezing cold and drinking hot cocoa :o) I created a cute card that had a photo of our dog Cody with a huge 'all teeth' smile that said "I'm going to be a big brother!" - they loved it.
Week 10: As for how I'm feeling, no morning sickness at all throughout this entire process. I've been a little nauseous while working out. Not enough to make a difference, but enough to make me take longer breaks and drink more water. This is because I feel a little icky if I haven't eaten and I work out on my lunch hour... so I've started to grab something quick for a snack before I head out the door, then eat when I'm done. If only I could have the motivation to actually do some cardio while I'm there.... grrrr. It's Thanksgiving week. We decided to spend the holiday with my parents up in Mason City. We shared the good news with my grandparents and my best friend kelli. Also got some pretty amazing deals on our first 4am trip out shopping in the madness of Black Friday! Boy was that a blast! As a first timer, I think we planned the city out pretty well. Didn't get everything we had on our lists, but enough to make some damage in the pocket books :o)
Week 11: Our neighbors have a Xmas party every year and invite their CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association) friends to the neighborhood. We had 2 couples stay in our home and had a blast telling them our news. It is always so surprising to see how different people react! Our neighbors were thrilled and couldn't stop talking about how they were so happy to be grandparents! They're very close with us and will spoil our little one just as much as they spoil our Cody (aka Rent-A-Dog).
Week 12: And we're here! Week 12 (today!) This weekend will be my husband's work group Xmas party. A party at his boss' home with co-workers and the plan is to announce our news to the 'public' officially. We'll see how it goes! Sorry for such a long post... I needed to play catch up.
Week 1-3: Feeling totally normal, I was training for a marathon relay race with some friends and started to feel a little more 'out of shape' than what I should have. Something was up, but I thought it could have just been because I was running, lifting weights, playing volleyball and in quite a bit of stress. Not to mention, football season had just started and our weekends were filled with tailgating, drinking games and horrible food for my diet! I figured the weekend activities were the answer to why I couldn't get back into running as my body was recovering... ha! Was I wrong!
Week 4: This was the week I was supposed to get the visit from 'Aunt Flo'... felt a little off that week and super tired. I was sleeping in longer that I should have been, and only sometimes staying up late. Weird for me, as I'm more of a night owl. I waited a day or so, then made the dreaded trip to the local Walgreens. I chose this store because I knew that I wouldn't run into anyone I knew at 1pm. I grabbed a basket, loaded it with some random necessities: cotton balls, mascara, and a pack of 3 First Response tests. The cashier smiled, asked if I found everything I was looki....and just looked up like she was scared for me. I must have looked like I was in high school or something! I smiled, said you bet! and went on my merry way :o) Went home, took the test.... 2 lines. The next morning, I woke up early, took the 2nd test....2 lines. (me to my husband) "Well dear, I think this means we're preggers." I shrug my shoulders and go back to bed.
Week 5: It's marathon relay time. After finding out I was pregnant, I still had 6 miles to run in a relay race with 4 other girls. My mind was totally on research that week finding out how to run without over doing it. I had the section in the relay with hills... even better! It was cold, and the hills were brutal, but I made it! I only needed to walk for about 30 seconds after the last hill... and I still made better time than originally expected. Not as good as I would have liked, but what can you do? As a team, we finished in 3:49... that's pretty good!
Week 6: I finally called the doctor and got right in for the first tests: blood, weight, urine, etc. All of the information thrown at me plus a book to take home. Was that overwhelming or what?! My husband and I had a trip out to Vegas for his Aunt and Uncle's 50th wedding anniversary that weekend, which meant Vegas on Halloween. What a great time to be pregnant!
Week 7: I was recovering from the Vegas trip. Flying on planes when pregnant plus the nasty germs everywhere, made me sick... sick....sick. Ugh. Stuffy nose, cough, fever, you name it - I stayed in bed and slept.
Week 8: This week was extremely hard to hide our little secret from friends. Brook and I always enjoy a night or two out with friends during the week. This week we had a small get together with about 6 people for a wine night. We brought food over to a friend's and grilled steaks and asparagus. We all brought a couple of bottles to share and I had to keep going into the kitchen or bathroom to pour a little out. Pretending to drink out of clear glasses is super hard. Not to mention, when in a small group - its almost impossible to be switching glasses with the hubby. We tried... somehow succeeded. Go us!
Week 9: First ultrasound at week 9. This is it... I saw the little one AND heard a crazy fast heartbeat...was I in shock! Brook just sat there and watched, totally answering the nurse and saying 'cool' a lot... me on the other hand, I was speechless. ha! Some people think it is a little early to get one before 10 weeks, but if we wanted any kind of genetic testing done, we needed to make sure we knew how many weeks I am along before it was too late. My sister was born with Cornelia De Lang Syndrome which is a disorder that deals with how a baby's genes mutate with a mothers. The chances of it running in the family is pretty slim, and the ratio of this disorder is from 1:10,000 and 1:100,000. We also told the parents this week - while tailgating in the freezing cold and drinking hot cocoa :o) I created a cute card that had a photo of our dog Cody with a huge 'all teeth' smile that said "I'm going to be a big brother!" - they loved it.
Week 10: As for how I'm feeling, no morning sickness at all throughout this entire process. I've been a little nauseous while working out. Not enough to make a difference, but enough to make me take longer breaks and drink more water. This is because I feel a little icky if I haven't eaten and I work out on my lunch hour... so I've started to grab something quick for a snack before I head out the door, then eat when I'm done. If only I could have the motivation to actually do some cardio while I'm there.... grrrr. It's Thanksgiving week. We decided to spend the holiday with my parents up in Mason City. We shared the good news with my grandparents and my best friend kelli. Also got some pretty amazing deals on our first 4am trip out shopping in the madness of Black Friday! Boy was that a blast! As a first timer, I think we planned the city out pretty well. Didn't get everything we had on our lists, but enough to make some damage in the pocket books :o)
Week 11: Our neighbors have a Xmas party every year and invite their CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association) friends to the neighborhood. We had 2 couples stay in our home and had a blast telling them our news. It is always so surprising to see how different people react! Our neighbors were thrilled and couldn't stop talking about how they were so happy to be grandparents! They're very close with us and will spoil our little one just as much as they spoil our Cody (aka Rent-A-Dog).
Week 12: And we're here! Week 12 (today!) This weekend will be my husband's work group Xmas party. A party at his boss' home with co-workers and the plan is to announce our news to the 'public' officially. We'll see how it goes! Sorry for such a long post... I needed to play catch up.
Monday, December 6, 2010
First Time for Everything!
Alright...I've decided to start a blog... finally. After three years of telling myself that I would start writing, there is no better time then now to embark on this journey. Why now, you ask? Well... as of Jan 2011, we have owned our first home for 2 years, remodeled just about 3/4 of the home in that time. Absolutly no blogging was done about the entire process, and barely any photos were taken. My bad.... my very bad. Maybe next time? 
Since moving into this home and remodeling, we also got married! Yes, bought the house first, projects upon projects, all while planning a wedding. Call us crazy, but we love projects and have a hard time just sitting in front of the TV at night without discussing the newest ideas of what else we can do in the future :o) Silly us, you'd think newlyweds would just enjoy themselves.
Don't get me wrong, we do enjoy each other, but we work really well while tearing things apart and rebuilding. My husband is an engineer and uses excel spreadsheets to plan out just about everything. He's a fan of straight lines and ideas that make sense. Being a designer, I'm a fan of just going for the final product and planning along the way. I tackle problems when I run into them; I pick paint colors and decorations before tearing down walls. Needless to say, we work well together - but end up planning everything out beforehand so that hubby doesn't go crazy as I change my mind 20x!
After is the image below... all put back together and we added ceiling lights! no more walking through the room in the dark to turn on a lamp. Yes!
Our newest project will start in Feb... if I could push it up any earlier, I would. I'm still working on it! We've been planning on remodeling our main bathroom since, the first day I saw this home. Funny how the #1 issue with the home you purchase always is pushed to one of the last projects. On the bright side, this project was planned out and we've been purchasing all of the pieces so that we have EVERYTHING when we're ready to start, and we're ahead of the budget. Sales have been a blessing... all I need now, is a sledge hammer. :o)
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