I can't even handle how cute this is...
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday job interview...
I had an interview today...it lasted nearly 2 hours...but remind me again...
why would I EVER want to leave this?
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Sweetly sleeping
I was whispering to the camera (to Sam) explaining how comfortable he was and how his favorite (and only) place to sleep is in Mommy's arms....
and that's Mommy's favorite place for him to be!
and that's Mommy's favorite place for him to be!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
morning lovelys...
His very best time is first thing in the morning. He's always content to sleep/snuggle with Mommy as long as she wants to stay in bed...but the cutest thing ever is when I open my eyes to find him smiling at me patiently waiting for me to wake up! Such character!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, November 15, 2010
and Sam is finally here!
Hello family!
I am finally getting around to posting something current on this blog...I've gotten all the old emails posted and in doing that I realized that I haven't emailed anything about this pregnancy since the last ultrasound. In retrospect, I think that was mostly because I was still holding my breath. Really, I continued to hold my breath right up until the first evening that Sam was here. I woke up the morning after he was born and felt like a different person. I calmer person. And a much happier person. :)
So here's the labor story...
I started having contractions Wednesday night - about every 8-9 minutes. They started while Mom and I were at the movies...and after about 45 minutes of timing contractions Mom insisted that we leave and I certainly didn't object. The movie was cute but had become predictable anyways, so neither of us were upset about foregoing the ending. A few hours of contractions later, they began to slow down and were less intense. The doc on call had us go into the family center to be checked, so we did around midnight, and discovered that I wasn't in labor at all :( They gave me a sleeping pill and whispered sweet nothings about this 'false' labor possibly progressing while I was relaxed and sleeping. No such luck.
The contractions continued through the next day and night (with no sleeping pill Thursday night, so no real sleep to speak of) and Friday morning at my regular appointment, we discovered that I was 1.5 cm dilated! Finally! She stripped my membranes in an effort to speed things up, and left us with the hope that we'd deliver sometime before Monday. (And thankfully she was the doc on call all weekend!) SO, Mom and Jenna and I went shopping. Jenna and Austin were slated to have engagement pictures made and she needed outfits...and we made it back home for family dinner with Dave and Denise around 6pm. Ten minutes later, my contractions had jumped to every 3.5 minutes and were so intense that I was reduced to squatting in the floor. Dave and Mom were being funny and plotting the home birth...and Denise was following me around the kitchen as I struggled to get comfortable. I heard her say 'Hey, Shelly's on the floor over here'. Everyone was so busy getting excited about the baby and labor that they completely forgot to keep up with me... Until Mom realized that it was a great photo op...
I am finally getting around to posting something current on this blog...I've gotten all the old emails posted and in doing that I realized that I haven't emailed anything about this pregnancy since the last ultrasound. In retrospect, I think that was mostly because I was still holding my breath. Really, I continued to hold my breath right up until the first evening that Sam was here. I woke up the morning after he was born and felt like a different person. I calmer person. And a much happier person. :)
So here's the labor story...
I started having contractions Wednesday night - about every 8-9 minutes. They started while Mom and I were at the movies...and after about 45 minutes of timing contractions Mom insisted that we leave and I certainly didn't object. The movie was cute but had become predictable anyways, so neither of us were upset about foregoing the ending. A few hours of contractions later, they began to slow down and were less intense. The doc on call had us go into the family center to be checked, so we did around midnight, and discovered that I wasn't in labor at all :( They gave me a sleeping pill and whispered sweet nothings about this 'false' labor possibly progressing while I was relaxed and sleeping. No such luck.
The contractions continued through the next day and night (with no sleeping pill Thursday night, so no real sleep to speak of) and Friday morning at my regular appointment, we discovered that I was 1.5 cm dilated! Finally! She stripped my membranes in an effort to speed things up, and left us with the hope that we'd deliver sometime before Monday. (And thankfully she was the doc on call all weekend!) SO, Mom and Jenna and I went shopping. Jenna and Austin were slated to have engagement pictures made and she needed outfits...and we made it back home for family dinner with Dave and Denise around 6pm. Ten minutes later, my contractions had jumped to every 3.5 minutes and were so intense that I was reduced to squatting in the floor. Dave and Mom were being funny and plotting the home birth...and Denise was following me around the kitchen as I struggled to get comfortable. I heard her say 'Hey, Shelly's on the floor over here'. Everyone was so busy getting excited about the baby and labor that they completely forgot to keep up with me... Until Mom realized that it was a great photo op...
And I actually said, 'Its not time to go...my contractions aren't 5 minutes apart and there's no blood...' Obviously I wasn't thinking clearly :) But see how excited everyone else was? I was already in enough pain that excitement was most definitely not what I was feeling.
We arrived at the hospital around 7pm - I called Daddy (soon to be Papaw) and sent a text to Angela en route that just said 'Hospital'. It was Friday night, which is usually 'family dinner' night at the Greene's. I had made an appearance earlier and both Ang and Lis commented after I left that I very well could be in labor all weekend... thank goodness that wasn't the case.
I walked into the Family Center at the most awesomest Exeter Hospital to find Dr. Pruna standing at the nurses station (we had also called the hospital and paged the doctor) and she said (in her Romanian accent) 'Michelle, are you in labor?' to which I exhaustively replied 'Yes'. She asked me 'are you sure?' and cracked a smile, and I said 'yes' and she said 'how do you know' and I grunted and said 'because it hurts'. She laughed and a nurse took me directly to my room. At the family center at Exeter Hospital you get one room for labor, delivery, and postpartum care. Its amazing. No moving. And you also get one nurse assigned to you for each 12 hour shift...one nurse, one laboring Mom. Its AWESOME. My first nurse (7p-7a) was Katie (who now feels like part of the family).
I walked into the Family Center at the most awesomest Exeter Hospital to find Dr. Pruna standing at the nurses station (we had also called the hospital and paged the doctor) and she said (in her Romanian accent) 'Michelle, are you in labor?' to which I exhaustively replied 'Yes'. She asked me 'are you sure?' and cracked a smile, and I said 'yes' and she said 'how do you know' and I grunted and said 'because it hurts'. She laughed and a nurse took me directly to my room. At the family center at Exeter Hospital you get one room for labor, delivery, and postpartum care. Its amazing. No moving. And you also get one nurse assigned to you for each 12 hour shift...one nurse, one laboring Mom. Its AWESOME. My first nurse (7p-7a) was Katie (who now feels like part of the family).
We got settled in and Dr. Pruna came in to check the progress of my labor. 2 cm! That's ALL!
Dr. Pruna told me that she was going to prescribe a nonnarcotic medication for pain to take the edge off my contractions and hopefully allow me to get some sleep. She said that I would likely labor all night and then she'd break my water in the morning (around 7am - Katie said after Dr. Pruna left that there was no way were not having this baby until 7am...she said that we'd deliver before her shift was over and that Dr. Pruna was living in a fantasy world where she wanted to get a full night's sleep). I put up no fight, even though I had intended to not take any medications...my contractions were intense and coming quickly enough that I knew I would be junk by morning if I didn't get some relaxation and sleep. Plus, I hadn't really slept the night before so I was already exhausted. Contractions continued as they were until the 2nd round of medication, after which got noticeably stronger likely because my body relaxed. Katie kept telling me that labor would progress painfully slow if I remained as tired and tense as I was...so I put up no fight when Dr. Pruna ordered the 2nd dose. We have most of labor on video, in about 15 minute increments. Before the 2nd dose, I was breathing heavily through contractions, and after I moaned through them. Funny how the 'pain medicine' made contractions more painful. I was pretty uncomfortable. Calm, and strong, but in a bit of pain. I can't even imagine how uncomfortable I would have been without the edge taken off...
I felt like the luckiest gal in the whole wide world... I had my husband, my Mom, my sister, my brother-in-law-to-be, and my bestest friend all with me, helping me labor and encouraging and comforting me. My mother-in-law was there for a while and my Dad, Brother, and Grandpa were a phone call away. The most important people in my life were with me at my most important moments. Angela rubbed my feet, back, hands and talked softly and sweetly to me, keeping me calm. And Jenna turned out to be the BEST labor coach. Ever.
My recollection of time is a bit fuzzy, but I pretty much labored all night. I had one dose of Stadol at around 5cm, which was probably around midnight. After that, I slept between contractions and began to dilate a little faster. By 3am I was in transition (8cm) and Katie paged Dr. Pruna, who came in at 4:30 (when I was asking to push) and told me that I was mostly 10cm dilated but incompletely on one side, and couldn't push for another half hour. I remember thinking 'Ok. 30 minutes. I can do that'...haha! I fell asleep, had a wicked strong contraction, begged to push, and then looked at the clock - it was 4:35!!! I yelled out, 'It's ONLY been 5 minutes??' to which Dave belted out 'someone get that clock OFF the wall'. I think Mom scrambled to pull the clock down...
The next fifteen minutes were gruesome, I really felt like I needed to push but tried hard not to until I literally threw up - Dr. Pruna was walking in at that moment and I heard her say 'Good. Now you can push'. And for the next 50 minutes I pushed. Dave was by my side most of the time, and Jenna and Mom alternately. Especially toward the end, I was holding Dave's hand on one side and Jenna's on the the other, and Jenna coached me right through the most pain I have ever felt. They weren't kidding when they said that there's nothing that can prepare you for the pain of labor... Honestly though, I never got scared. Even when Mom and Jenna stood back pale-faced and stunned, I just gave them a thumbs-up...because I trust my God and I trust my OB. I believed that everything was going to be ok, even if it ended with a c-section. I knew that in a short time I would be holding my son.
He was born at 5:43 am on October 30th. I felt like I screamed through the entire delivery, but everyone has assured me that I was pretty pleasant - I even said please when I asked for things, and apologized when I snapped at people! He had his cord wrapped around his little body three times, but otherwise he was perfectly healthy and normal. He was placed right onto my chest, and he immediately picked his head up and looked up at me, and stopped crying. And all I could think was 'It's you! The whole time its been you!'
20 inches. 7 pounds, 4 ounces. My sweet perfect Samuel Paul.
My recollection of time is a bit fuzzy, but I pretty much labored all night. I had one dose of Stadol at around 5cm, which was probably around midnight. After that, I slept between contractions and began to dilate a little faster. By 3am I was in transition (8cm) and Katie paged Dr. Pruna, who came in at 4:30 (when I was asking to push) and told me that I was mostly 10cm dilated but incompletely on one side, and couldn't push for another half hour. I remember thinking 'Ok. 30 minutes. I can do that'...haha! I fell asleep, had a wicked strong contraction, begged to push, and then looked at the clock - it was 4:35!!! I yelled out, 'It's ONLY been 5 minutes??' to which Dave belted out 'someone get that clock OFF the wall'. I think Mom scrambled to pull the clock down...
The next fifteen minutes were gruesome, I really felt like I needed to push but tried hard not to until I literally threw up - Dr. Pruna was walking in at that moment and I heard her say 'Good. Now you can push'. And for the next 50 minutes I pushed. Dave was by my side most of the time, and Jenna and Mom alternately. Especially toward the end, I was holding Dave's hand on one side and Jenna's on the the other, and Jenna coached me right through the most pain I have ever felt. They weren't kidding when they said that there's nothing that can prepare you for the pain of labor... Honestly though, I never got scared. Even when Mom and Jenna stood back pale-faced and stunned, I just gave them a thumbs-up...because I trust my God and I trust my OB. I believed that everything was going to be ok, even if it ended with a c-section. I knew that in a short time I would be holding my son.
He was born at 5:43 am on October 30th. I felt like I screamed through the entire delivery, but everyone has assured me that I was pretty pleasant - I even said please when I asked for things, and apologized when I snapped at people! He had his cord wrapped around his little body three times, but otherwise he was perfectly healthy and normal. He was placed right onto my chest, and he immediately picked his head up and looked up at me, and stopped crying. And all I could think was 'It's you! The whole time its been you!'
20 inches. 7 pounds, 4 ounces. My sweet perfect Samuel Paul.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Danny's song and Baby Dare!
People smile and tell me I’m the lucky one…and we’ve just begun…think I’m gonna have a SON!
I think everyone has already heard, but Imma shout it from the rooftops: it is a boy!
We had our final appointment two weeks ago for the screening process that we’ve been through to determine risk for Down’s Syndrome, neural tube defects, etc. – and everything has been perfectly normal! That last ultrasound was for fetal anatomy – and measurements were made from head to toe, including size of brain parts, size of heart and number of chambers (4!), kidneys (2!), and length measurements of extremities including arms, legs, fingers, and toes! This sweet baby boy is the size of a banana (about 7 inches head to rump) and last week we’ll officially reached the half-way point of this pregnancy! It is actually starting to go by a little faster – and I guess before we all realize it’ll be NOVEMBER! I haven’t scanned the latest ultrasound pictures into the computer yet – that’ll give everyone something to look forward to in the next email. Overall, the ultrasound was incredible but there weren’t any 3D images this time – he had his wittle face pressed right up against the placenta so when she tried to convert to 3D there wasn’t really anything to see – it was fuzzy and he had one little hand in front of his mouth/nose. Anyways, it really made me appreciate the 3D pictures we got at 12 weeks (can you even believe that was 2 months ago?!?!?!) Those images were so clear – much better than most people are able to see. I almost feel like God made that possible just for me – to give me something to see to believe that it was all going to be ok. Save for a few moments of anxiety, I’ve been mostly fear-free for quite awhile. All that worry has been supplanted by blooming love for this baby!
I’m experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions (which isn’t much fun) and I’ve also felt the baby move! The first time I felt him move was about 3 weeks ago in my primary physician’s office, actually just seconds after my he asked me if I’d felt any movement yet and I had replied “No. Oh. Wait. Yes. Oh my gosh. Yes. Just now. That was it! I felt it!” It felt almost like a subtle smooth movement similar to a wave. At first I felt him a few times a day at best and only in the evenings, but now I am starting to feel him all the time. And his movements have gotten a lot stronger. When Mom was here we were out shopping and I felt a kick that was so strong that my entire body jerked a little at the surprise of it! This morning I felt him just as I was waking up. And he is still most active at night, but if I’m sitting in the car too long or sitting at my desk at work and am leaning forward, he really starts with the pushing and kicking, almost as if to say ‘Mom, you’re crowding me! Gimmie some room in here!’. Sometimes I talk to him when I feel him moving around - and I’m committed to saying his name very softly and I draw it out real Southern-like. No New-Englander-accent for this baby! I’m gonna infuse him with Southern chivalry, manners, and as much of a draw as I can teach him!
So the name we like best is Samuel Paul. When Dave says it, he says Governor Samuel Paul Smith. And I just call him Sam. Real sweet and slow and Southern: Saaaammm. Mom says she’s gonna call him Sammy and Denise insists he will be Samuel. Whatever. I don’t care what anyone calls him – I’ll just call him MINE!
Mom and Denise and I have already done some shopping! We’ve registered at a few places and have even bought a few things – a portable play pen that will double as a bed for HIM when we come home for Christmas! We’ve picked out the crib, stroller, car seat, and a bunch of little precious onesies and caps and blankets and I love green as the color for this baby. Blue is fun too, but I think I’m gonna try for green/browns/tans for the crib sets and stuff – as Dave says ‘farm colors”.
This is SO much fun! I’m growing by the day! I’m attaching a few pictures of me – The first is week 17, then 18, 19, and the last two are early and later in week 20.
I swear, I fall more in love with both my sweet baby boy and my husband with each passing day. Sure, I’ve still got the pregnancy crazies and I cry/fight/flounder all the time, but mostly, I am just feeling GREAT and am loving each moment of this time. Every time Sam kicks me I feel a little closer to him. I rub my belly constantly. It is my favorite place in the entire world. When I get home in the evenings, I just lay out and put my hands on my belly and feel him. Dave felt him kick for the first time last night – which he enjoyed but honestly wasn’t too impressed with. I know that what he gets to feel on the outside is nothing compared to how it feels for me – and as I’ve been sitting here typing this I’ve probably been kicked about 15 times! Most wonderfulness!
Everything else is going well. The chickens are BIG and the bees are happy. We have a crop of carrots in the ground that will be mature in September – and we’re selling them to a CSA program in Massachusetts. And since this is our first crop, we WAY overshot the number of seeds we’d need (on purpose, of course), so we’re going to have TONS extra. And so then we’ll probably eat carrots until we all turn orange and grow stalks!
I’m attaching a few pictures of the farm/chicks/bees/etc AND some pictures of the chicks in the beginning just so you can see the difference.
I’m also attaching these crazy pictures of me, Mom, and Dad at the airport – Mom stayed a few extra days because after all the shopping and ultrasound-ing, I came down with what felt like the plague. Thank goodness for Mommy’s! It was so nice to be able to just be sick and let her take care of me –and so as it worked out, I took her to airport Saturday morning and picked up Daddy at the same time! Such a treat to have BOTH my parents and even on the SAME day!
OH! And today is Winson’s FIRST birthday! I had a long talk with him yesterday about how he was going to be a big brother and all the responsibility that goes along with it…but I assured him that he’d always be my first baby. He’s gotten even more clingy lately, if you can believe it! And, strangely enough, his new favorite place to sit/lay/relax is across my belly. Whenever I’m lying down, he likes to come and lay right across the bottom of my belly, which makes Sam kick! I wonder if Winston can feel it? So, Dave and I will be singing happy birthday to Winston tonight!
Love you all!
Talk to you soon,
Shelly and baby Sam
PS! I uploaded pictures and found lots that you all haven’t seen yet – Mother’s Day (including the flowers I received for being a Mother-to-be) and Dave’s Graduation!
PPS! I found a SONIC in Boston!!!!
I think everyone has already heard, but Imma shout it from the rooftops: it is a boy!
We had our final appointment two weeks ago for the screening process that we’ve been through to determine risk for Down’s Syndrome, neural tube defects, etc. – and everything has been perfectly normal! That last ultrasound was for fetal anatomy – and measurements were made from head to toe, including size of brain parts, size of heart and number of chambers (4!), kidneys (2!), and length measurements of extremities including arms, legs, fingers, and toes! This sweet baby boy is the size of a banana (about 7 inches head to rump) and last week we’ll officially reached the half-way point of this pregnancy! It is actually starting to go by a little faster – and I guess before we all realize it’ll be NOVEMBER! I haven’t scanned the latest ultrasound pictures into the computer yet – that’ll give everyone something to look forward to in the next email. Overall, the ultrasound was incredible but there weren’t any 3D images this time – he had his wittle face pressed right up against the placenta so when she tried to convert to 3D there wasn’t really anything to see – it was fuzzy and he had one little hand in front of his mouth/nose. Anyways, it really made me appreciate the 3D pictures we got at 12 weeks (can you even believe that was 2 months ago?!?!?!) Those images were so clear – much better than most people are able to see. I almost feel like God made that possible just for me – to give me something to see to believe that it was all going to be ok. Save for a few moments of anxiety, I’ve been mostly fear-free for quite awhile. All that worry has been supplanted by blooming love for this baby!
I’m experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions (which isn’t much fun) and I’ve also felt the baby move! The first time I felt him move was about 3 weeks ago in my primary physician’s office, actually just seconds after my he asked me if I’d felt any movement yet and I had replied “No. Oh. Wait. Yes. Oh my gosh. Yes. Just now. That was it! I felt it!” It felt almost like a subtle smooth movement similar to a wave. At first I felt him a few times a day at best and only in the evenings, but now I am starting to feel him all the time. And his movements have gotten a lot stronger. When Mom was here we were out shopping and I felt a kick that was so strong that my entire body jerked a little at the surprise of it! This morning I felt him just as I was waking up. And he is still most active at night, but if I’m sitting in the car too long or sitting at my desk at work and am leaning forward, he really starts with the pushing and kicking, almost as if to say ‘Mom, you’re crowding me! Gimmie some room in here!’. Sometimes I talk to him when I feel him moving around - and I’m committed to saying his name very softly and I draw it out real Southern-like. No New-Englander-accent for this baby! I’m gonna infuse him with Southern chivalry, manners, and as much of a draw as I can teach him!
So the name we like best is Samuel Paul. When Dave says it, he says Governor Samuel Paul Smith. And I just call him Sam. Real sweet and slow and Southern: Saaaammm. Mom says she’s gonna call him Sammy and Denise insists he will be Samuel. Whatever. I don’t care what anyone calls him – I’ll just call him MINE!
Mom and Denise and I have already done some shopping! We’ve registered at a few places and have even bought a few things – a portable play pen that will double as a bed for HIM when we come home for Christmas! We’ve picked out the crib, stroller, car seat, and a bunch of little precious onesies and caps and blankets and I love green as the color for this baby. Blue is fun too, but I think I’m gonna try for green/browns/tans for the crib sets and stuff – as Dave says ‘farm colors”.
This is SO much fun! I’m growing by the day! I’m attaching a few pictures of me – The first is week 17, then 18, 19, and the last two are early and later in week 20.
Everything else is going well. The chickens are BIG and the bees are happy. We have a crop of carrots in the ground that will be mature in September – and we’re selling them to a CSA program in Massachusetts. And since this is our first crop, we WAY overshot the number of seeds we’d need (on purpose, of course), so we’re going to have TONS extra. And so then we’ll probably eat carrots until we all turn orange and grow stalks!
I’m attaching a few pictures of the farm/chicks/bees/etc AND some pictures of the chicks in the beginning just so you can see the difference.
I’m also attaching these crazy pictures of me, Mom, and Dad at the airport – Mom stayed a few extra days because after all the shopping and ultrasound-ing, I came down with what felt like the plague. Thank goodness for Mommy’s! It was so nice to be able to just be sick and let her take care of me –and so as it worked out, I took her to airport Saturday morning and picked up Daddy at the same time! Such a treat to have BOTH my parents and even on the SAME day!
OH! And today is Winson’s FIRST birthday! I had a long talk with him yesterday about how he was going to be a big brother and all the responsibility that goes along with it…but I assured him that he’d always be my first baby. He’s gotten even more clingy lately, if you can believe it! And, strangely enough, his new favorite place to sit/lay/relax is across my belly. Whenever I’m lying down, he likes to come and lay right across the bottom of my belly, which makes Sam kick! I wonder if Winston can feel it? So, Dave and I will be singing happy birthday to Winston tonight!
Love you all!
Talk to you soon,
Shelly and baby Sam
PS! I uploaded pictures and found lots that you all haven’t seen yet – Mother’s Day (including the flowers I received for being a Mother-to-be) and Dave’s Graduation!
PPS! I found a SONIC in Boston!!!!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
a most awesome Monday!
Hello family!
Well, yesterday was a BIG day! We are very happy to say that we FINALLY made it to our appointment at Dartmouth-Hitchcock for the 1st trimester screening and we had the MOST AMAZING ultrasound and talk with the Doctor! According to the maternal-fetal specialist we saw (Dr. Johnson) he says that we are out of both the worry and the first trimester and are, in his opinion, in the clear! He also says that there isn't anything to indicate that this baby will have Down's Syndrome! He told me to stop the progesterone, which I did yesterday and am feeling GREAT about it.
The ultrasound was amazing. Baby was measured at 12 weeks 2 days (and we were only 11 weeks 6 days) and that little heart was beating a solid 162 beats per minute! The baby was unbelievably active and was tossing and turning and kicking through the entire ultrasound! I'm attaching pictures! Pictures 12-1 and 12-5 are both 3D!!!
Pictures 12-2 and 12-4 are side views from regular ultrasound, and 12-3 is the head and one arm...so we know that the baby has two eyes, one mouth, one nose, two sides of the brain, two arms, two legs, and a stomach, a bladder, and a strong heart! Healthy baby!
My symptoms have been changing this last week - the nausea is subsiding (FINALLY!) and the back pain is persisting but not as bad, but the brain is very very fuzzy. I am very forgetful and even parts of my long-term memory are toast. The doctor yesterday said that he was very pleased about that. :) at least someone is!
Winston loves bumblebees. In fact, he chases them everytime we go outside. And yesterday he caught one... and then he ran around frantically trying to let it go - but that didn't happen before he got stung! So, after the right side of his face started swelling, we called the vet and they had us bring him in for a steroid shot... and I've gotta tell you, this morning when I took him outside, he heard bees buzzing around and he freaked out and made a bolt for the door. I think (I hope) he learned his lesson...
The chicks are moving into their coop at the farm this weekend (much to Denise's delight), although Dave found one dead this morning and has been sulking about it...that makes two total that we've lost. But, hey, we've still got 49!
I just finished a meatball sub for lunch, and I get to start working in five minutes, so I need to hit up the potty and freshen myself. I do that alot lately - hit the potty, that is, and am actually up and down multiple times in the middle of the night. And Dave gives me a hard time for being so sleepy...jeesh! But bless his poor little heart, I've turned into a real cranky bitch sometimes. And I know it. I can feel it. I'm completely unpleasant at times. I'd even go so far as to say I'm borderline crazy. Ah, pregnancy! :)
Love you all!
Shass
Thursday, April 8, 2010
ready for the update? Hold onto your socks!
So, I'm way overdue for an update. Sorry. Just been so busy and I've actually been staying off my email as much as I can - I have found myself obsessively checking to see if Acadia has emailed me yet.....so I had to back off it for a bit.
Today is day 72 and the baby has grown from the size of a prune (last week) to a lime!
We had an ultrasound last week because I freaked out (for no reason - just nerves) and I've attached the images - Joe (our usual ultrasound tech) said that we have the most photogenic 9+ week pregnancy he's ever seen! Baby's heart was beating strong at 180 beats per minute (#1)...and we could even see the baby's face (#2 - baby is laying on its side and you can see both hemispheres of the brain and both eye sockets, the nose bud, and the mandible)!!! You might have to turn your head sideways to the right to really see it all...
I'm also attaching a picture of the baby laying on its side with the blood flow to the heart and umbilical cord visualized (#3 those are the solid circles in the baby's abdomen) and a lateral picture (#4) of baby showing the crown to rump measurement = 9 weeks 4 days! Finally, the last picture is top-down from the baby's head showing an arm stretched out in front of the baby's torso (#5)! Its all SO exciting!
I have my first prenatal appointment tomorrow afternoon and my nurse told me that she thinks that at 10 weeks (which I am past now) I can go off the progesterone (which I am a little afraid of) but I trust my MD/OB so we'll probably just go with whatever she says. I do completely trust her. She was not in the office the day last week when I called crying to request the ultrasound, so my nurse asked my Primary to order it, and after the ultrasound he called me himself (which he does usually - Dr. Fredrichs) and congratulated us on a perfectly normal and healthy 9 1/2 week pregnancy!
Wow - we are really lucky to have access to the care we do. I am very blessed.
So, the chicks are growing FAST and a few days ago Dave ordered a custom shed that he will transform into a coupe! Winston's mouth waters every time he gets near the chicks and he's gained amazing balance standing on his two hind legs (that's the only way he can see into the chick pen). He's so funny..... He still goes to daycare about one day a week, and last week when Dave went to pick him up he was able to watch him play for a spell, and he said that Winston was in the play room with about 30 other 'small' dogs (up to 15 pounds, I think). Winston and three other dogs were in the corner standing and watching all the other dogs play, and when the attendant turned his back Winston full-force threw himself at the 10lb terrier next to him and started growling and nibbling on the terrier's neck. Dave said that Winston was on two legs with his two front legs wrapped around the terrier's neck just going nuts! Dave said the poor terrier was just slowly trying to back away -- so I think my pup is a bully! But Dave was very clear that Winston was playing, and was even conniving about it...waiting until the attendant turned his back! My little mischievous pup!
I'm speaking at EASYPAA weekend after next - that is the Eastern Area of Young People in AA and its in Burlington Vermont. This conference includes all the states east of the Mississippi - last year it was in Long Island and there were about 1500 people there. I'm speaking at the women's meeting...I've also been invited to speak at the 2010 AA World Convention in San Antonio...which is quite an honor. I'm not sure how I got chosen out of all the young people across the world, but I'm one of 6. Crazy! So, Mom is going with me and Eme is joining us and I might even have a few friends in tow from NH! That'll be July 4th weekend so I'm really looking forward to a brief visit to Dallas! My big trip home is planned for August - around another speaking opportunity that is actually in Hot Springs! I'm going to try to spend the entire month of August in Hot Springs/Dallas...and can you even imagine I'll be nearly 8 months pregnant! I'll be huge! And it'll be sweltering in the South! Anyways, I'm looking forward to a good trip home.
I guess that's all I have to report... Oh, the vomiting isn't as bad as it was but the nausea seems to persist 24/7. What I eat is totally all over the map - lately I love hot dogs and cheese sandwiches with hots! And today I had a salad for lunch and then a fudge brownie sundae! So good!
Ok - back to work.
Love you all!
Mrs. Smith
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