Happy Thanksgiving

Pepper Peach Bergantzel decided that Thanksgiving - Nov 27 2008 - was the day that she was going to be born. I had some contractions before going to bed for the night but after a warm bath they seemed to slow down. But at 3:27 AM I was awoken to sharp stabbing pains (contractions) on my right side mainly. They started to come every 3 minutes. So I called the after hours service and they paged a different doctor because mine was out for the holiday and they told me to come up to the hospital to labor/delivery.

So we got our bags in the car and woke up Rick and Libby to let them know we were going to the hospital, called our mom's and got ready to leave. When I went to get into the truck, my water broke and then I knew that Thanksgiving was going to be the day :) So I called the hospital to let them know my water broke and away we went (after sending Jim in for a towel for me to sit on).

We arrived at the hospital just a little before 4 AM and went up to labor and delivery. They settled me into a room and got me on a monitor and got Dr. Bassett. I had to give this new doctor a quick rundown of my past 8 months. The monitor had shown that I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes so Dr. Bassett said there was no point in waiting and I would have my csection within the hour. And he decided to page Dr. Robertson because he was available. This was very comforting to Jim and I because at least someone that I had seen throughout this whole pregnancy would be there for the birth.

So after a little bit of prep, we walked down to the operating room. Jim got his scrubs on and I was given a spinal to numb the lower half of my body. Then it was only a matter of time before they had me ready to go. And at 5:12 AM the most beautiful sound was heard. Our daughter's tiny cry as she entered the world. They showed her to us above the tent that was blocking the surgical view. And at that moment our hearts melted. They took Pepper off to the warmer for cleanup and Jim was able to cut the cord. They then wrapped her and briefly brought her over for me to see before taking her to the nursery while they finished putting me back together.

Pepper weighed 6 pounds 3 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. She has dark blue eyes and lots of light brown hair.

After recovering for a bit, Jim returned to my recovery room and we waited to be wheeled up to my room in the hospital. Then they brought Pepper in to see us for a little bit. But then she had to be taken for a bath and further newborn tests, etc. This allowed for a little rest for us. At least as much as you can get while people are constantly coming into the room to do vitals on me, etc.

We were in the hospital until Saturday and then we got to bring our little blessing home.

New date given

Okay so after going to see Dr. Gernhardt today, she said not to worry about the numbers. She said that some babies that have been born within a couple days of someone having the same results I had came out screaming and were fine. They think that the lungs might accellerate maturity during labor. So she said not to worry.

So our new date is December 3rd unless divine intervention states otherwise. Yesterday one of our friends, Linda Ried, who is a very prophetic person prayed for her. She felt that the Lord would have her be born at a symbolic time when he felt it would have meaning for us. We were saved 4 years ago on the 28th of November (1st Sunday after Thanksgiving). So we will see what happens. We trust that she is strong and healthy and will be born thriving.

Birth Date Extended

Well we went to the dr on Friday Nov 14th to have the fetal lung maturity test done for Pepper. I am sad to say that she didn't pass so she will not be born on the 17th. Her test results came back at 32 and needed to be at least 52 in order for her to be born able to breathe on her own.

So we are going back to see Dr. Gernhardt on Monday to see what the plan is for her arrival. The doctors say that the points for her lung maturity go up 1 per day and if that is the case hers will be ready on Dec 8 which is her original due date. So more waiting and wondering for us.

Contractions

Well on Sunday at church I was having some contractions - having never experienced this a lot in previous pregnancies I was a bit concerned. So we talked to the Dr. and she had us go to the hospital for some monitoring. Turned out all was okay - the contractions were not regular enough to be concerned about and Pepper was doing fine.

Then on Tue night I started having contractions again every 3-6 minutes. So I was instructed to lay down, drink water, take Benadryl and see if they slowed down. Which they did. But as soon as I would try to get up they would start again! So again on Wed we went to the Dr. for some additional monitoring. And yet again, all is fine.

So now I just need to focus on sitting still more and doing less. Which is very hard for me! I have things I want to do! You know the basics - laundry, dishes, last minute nesting! Only 11 more days to go and this little one will be here. I am very excited and pray that she will stay put until that day :)

We have a birth date

We went to both doctors yesterday and we now have a scheduled date for the CSection. She will be delivered on Nov 17 barring any unforseen circumstances. All looked good on the ultrasound - she was quite wiggly and opening and closing her mouth. She was also trying to put her fist in. It was really cute. We are so excited now to know when she will be born. It is just after Libby's birthday and before Thanksgiving! Only 18 days to go!!!

32 Week Check

We went to the high risk doctor yesterday and she is looking great. She weighs around 4 pounds and 7 ounces. She is getting so big. She also has some hair on her head! So cute. I had no idea you could see that in a regular ultrasound. I can't wait to meet our cutie pie.

I have next week off as far as doctor visits (YAY). I will go to both doctors on the same day during week 34. As long as nothing exciting happens, we will have made it through the danger zone! It will just be a matter of time before they decide when to take her. I don't think there is any risk of her not hitting 6.5 pounds though. She is once again a little above average for weight right now. And all the fluids looked good around her and the placenta was good as well. Praise the Lord for blessing us with good health!

31 weeks and counting

I will be 32 weeks on Monday and I am really feeling this pregnancy now! She is moving around quite a bit - as we speak for one. She is really pressing into my ribs at times and making it harder to breathe and move around. I can't wait to hold her on the outside!

I didn't have any doctor appointments this week as my regular OB appt was last week and my high risk doctor was off this week. So Monday I will see the high risk doc and get some new pics! I feel like she has shifted into a new position. I cannot tell if she turned and is no longer breech, but there is definitely a change in how she is laying. It could be that she is sitting up still but has no where to go :)

I have had some restless nights lately. My hips and legs have been sore and at times she feels like she is bulging out of my tummy and it is hard to get comfortable. Not to mention that I have to get up to go to the bathroom every couple of hours.

There are times when we talk about wanting to have just one more baby after this one so they can be close in age. But there are other times when I think would my body be able to go through this again. So we will wait and see after the delivery how it goes.

I had lunch today with one of my friends who is a labor and delivery nurse and I got to ask her all kinds of great questions. This baby is going to be my first planned c-section (at least that's the plan). So I got the scoop on the process and stuff. She definitely said waiting longer to have her the better so that her lungs are fully developed. She also said that the week of Thanksgiving on Mon thru Wed is very busy at the hospital with many doctors scheduling inductions those days to avoid working TG and the day after. My 36th week is Nov 10 so I am trying to get through that week so we can celebrate Libby's birthday on the 14th. I would really like to get through the next week as well because Libby has a science fair. But we will just pray for a healthy birth and be thankful whenever that glorious day arrives!

Her official name for those that may not know is Pepper Peach Bergantzel. Yes it is unique, but we love the name. And we can't wait to meet our little "Spicy Sweet" girl!

29 weeks

Went to the Dr this week and all was well. Yet on Thu evening I started to feel really strange like I was having contractions and some tightening of my abdomen. So around 10 ish PM of course called the after hours line. They called me back and told me to come in. So now at 1 AM we just got home and I am happy to report all is well.

It is hard not to second guess oneself - but better to be safe than sorry. The nurse was really nice and told me the same thing. So for over an hour I sat and listened to our baby's heart beating and felt her kicking like crazy.

I feel like she has dropped a lot, or has gotten noticeably bigger because my stomach is bigger than it was a few days ago! I am happy to say that all is well. She weighed around 3 pounds 2 ounces this week at the ultrasound on Tue which is in the 53% or so. Yay she is not huge!!

28 Weeks

28 weeks and all is well - except for the daily back ache that I can't seem to prevent. But the checkup yesterday went well and was prety much short and sweet. A urine sample, weigh in, blood pressure check then wait wait wait for the doctor- then a measure and listen to the heartbeat. The regular OB appointments seem so tedious when there is nothing new to do.

The High Risk appointments are so much more engaging. So until next week there is not a lot to report :)

27 weeks!

We went to Dr. Robertson (high risk) today and Pepper is now around 2 pounds 7 ounces which is back down to the 65 percentile. So she had a little growth spurt last time. He said she looks perfect and there is plenty of room for more growth.

He said we will get to 36 weeks and see how everything looks and then start discussing when we might want her to be born. She needs to get to 6.5 pounds to leave the hospital and he doesn't see any chance of her not making that. I will be going back to him in 2 weeks and in the alternate weeks seeing Dr. Gernhardt.

It is very exciting to know that she will most like be here sooner than later! Now we just need to finish getting ready for her arrival :)

26 weeks and counting

I had my prenatal diabetes check today and a blood count. The good news is that I don't have the diabetes. I do have low iron so will be starting a supplement! So I am so relieved to hear that. Pepper is growing fine and we listened to her heart rate today (150 BPM). She was kicking when we were listening so that was kind of fun.

I will now be going to Dr G every 2 weeks and Dr R every 2 weeks so pretty much going every week between the 2. I am just happy to report there is a healthy albeit big baby girl growing inside :)

She is a big girl!

We found out today that she is around 2 pounds which is in the 90th percentile for size. Which means that she is just a big baby, or I could possibly have gestational diabetes. I am having my diabetes test on the 4th and then going back to Dr. Robertson on the 8th. Hopefully she is just a big girl and I won't have to worry about diet and stuff. If she is bigger, it means she might be born sooner. So I guess we will wait and see.

He said she is healthy though and we got to see another 3D picture of her face which is really awesome.

She is a big girl!

We found out today that she is around 2 pounds which is in the 90th percentile for size. Which means that she is just a big baby, or I could possibly have gestational diabetes. I am having my diabetes test on the 4th and then going back to Dr. Robertson on the 8th. Hopefully she is just a big girl and I won't have to worry about diet and stuff. If she is bigger, it means she might be born sooner. So I guess we will wait and see.

He said she is healthy though and we got to see another 3D picture of her face which is really awesome.

Pepper's growing

I had my appointment yesterday with my regular OB. She said I was measuring a little big, but not to worry it could just be where she was sitting at the time. And the high risk doctor has never said anything about her being big, so I think we are in great shape! She has been growing though as I feel like my stomach is constantly expanding! And there are times where I can't possibly imagine her getting any bigger because I feel like my stomach is going to explode as it is :)

Oh and I am totally obsessed with my baby registry now. I find myself looking at it online and adding and deleting things from it. I did make another trip to the store to do a little registering as well. I also bought something off the registry that I wanted and some really cute baby clothes! So at least she will have something to wear and an exersaucer!

I am almost 25 weeks now! Time is flying, yet sometimes I feel like I can't wait to meet her and wish I was at 35 weeks. But I don't want to wish this time away because I will never get it back.

Well we head to Dr Robertson on Monday for another ultrasound (YAY). We will see how much she has grown in the last 2 weeks.

Had 3D Ultrasound today

Had my checkup with my high risk doctor today. We had Libby with us so they took some extra time taking some ultrasound pictures so she could see her baby sister. They pulled out the 3D wand and we got to see Pepper's little face. It was so cool. Almost like looking at a photograph of the baby.

I can't wait to show you all! Everything else was perfect and they estimate that she weighs 1 pound 3 ounces which is right on target for her age of 22 weeks!

Again my cervix is in good shape so no progesterone shots! YAY! We will go back to see Dr. Robertson on Aug 25 for another check!

We Registered!

Well yesterday Jim and I made our first attempt at registering for the baby. Neither one of us had ever done this before. We went to Babies R Us after hearing that was the place to go! We did manage to pick out a stroller/carseat combo, a pack and play -bassinet combo and few other odds and ends.

Needless to say the store was kind of overwhelming and overrun with noisy mom's yelling at their screaming kids, so we didn't stay very long. Jim left with a headache and my stomach was tight and very uncomfortable.

But hey it's a start and now we can update it online or make another day to brave it again!

20 weeks to go

Well I have hit the half way point. I went to the high risk doctor today and everything checked out okay. Pepper looks great and was moving around a lot. My cervix is in tact so there will be no progesterone shots for now! YAY!

I go to the regular OB tomorrow for my checkup. I should get frequent flyer discounts or something for as often as I go to the dr. Anyway, we are just relieved to hear that she is doing well.

My hips and back have still been sore off and on, especially at night! Hopefully some therapy and massage treatments will help.

Pepper scored big today!

We made a trip to Mall of America this weekend with Daddy, Libby and Libby's friend Becky. We found some great buys at Gap, Carters and a few other places! We got some great stuff for Pepper's arrival - cute little clothes, sweaters, hats, socks, onsies and a few other things. We also got some great maternity stuff for Mommy for this fall!

It was a great weekend for all of us, but I am a little tired. Thankfully I got fitted for a maternity back brace on Friday which was perfect timing for all the walking. It really made a difference.

It was a lot of fun to go with Jim and the girls.

Definitely a Girl!

We went back to Dr. Robertson today for the full ultrasound. He is certain that it is a girl! Her name is Pepper Peach. She was looking great. She was moving around plenty and he said her heart and brain all look normal. There are no signs of down syndrome and she is on track for her due date. He said she looks like a perfect kid for her age!

She has gotten quite active lately. She was moving around constantly and has her body stretched out across my tummy. Her feet are very active on my right side. We got a really good picture of one her feet (so cute). And some really nice pictures of her spine and one of her face.

No progesterone shots are needed at this point (whew!). They said everything is progressing nicely and I will be rechecked in 2 weeks. If the cervix starts to shrink then I will start the shots for sure, but for now I get a break because all is well!

My next round of appointments is in 2 weeks. I have them on consecutive days with both doctors!

First Major Purchase

Okay so it's not huge, but I just went to diapers.com and bought some diapers, wipes, lotion, baby wash and some soothing leg cream for me.

I have had many nights where my feet and legs ache. My wonderful hubby has been so kind to rub my feet and legs for me several times this week when it has happened. Even in the middle of the night when I know he was tired, yet I could not get comfortable, he rubbed them for me. I love him!

Anyway if you want to save $5 on your first order at diapers.com use my referral code NANC5343 and then I will save $1 as well. They accept coupons and ship to your door for free if your order is over $49! Hence my large purchase. I did shop in the clearance section and got what I believe is a good price for diapers and stuff.

How long will 96 newborn diapers last is my burning question? I also bought one box of the next size up!

Well that's a minor dent in what we need, but at least it's a start!

She's a mover

She has really started moving around a lot lately. Just last Thu and Fri I really started to feel her going! I was getting ready for a garage sale and all the work made her get really active. It was pretty cool. I could actually see my belly move a bit on the right side. She seems to be hanging out on the right a lot.

Libby and Jim both got to feel her move as well which was pretty exciting.

I think I overworked myself this weekend though, because I feel really crappy today. I hope to get some rest though and will hopefully be better tomorrow.

She's a mover

Starting last week, she has really started moving around a lot. I can feel her when I am doing a lot of moving. She tends to hang out on my right side a lot and it is really cool. I have even seen my belly move already. Libby and Jim have both felt her move as well. It is pretty exciting to feel the movement. Makes it more real!

I have not been feeling good today :( I think I did too much over the weekend and got really worn out. Hopefully I will get over it today and be back to feeling a little better tomorrow.

Another good checkup

I went to my regular OB for a checkup today. All is going well. Her heartbeat was 150. I had some blood drawn for the quad screening tests.

Today overall I have not felt the best. I had a bad nights sleep and it was really humid today. So that combination had me wake up with nausea and just an icky feeling all day. I really hope this all passes soon!

It will be nice to enjoy more than one day in a row :)

Pretty Sure It's a Girl

Went to the high risk doc today and had an ultrasound. Everything looks good and normal for the baby. He could not see 100% - but he is pretty sure it's a girl! I go back on July 9 and of course we will reaffirm this. But we are both believing it's a girl as there was definitely nothing "sticking out" :)

She looked healthy and was laying on her tummy over the septum in my uterus. The placenta was attached in a good spot and not on the septum which the doctor says is a good thing! The cervix still looked good. If it continues to look good next time, I might get to hold off on the progesterone shots for a bit!

I go to Dr Gernhardt - my regular OB next week for my regular check up. Stay tuned....

Libby Speaks

Libby had a dream last night that the baby is a boy. And she told me today she had one of those "feelings". Last time she had a "feeling" she told me I was pregnant before I even tested. And she was right. So we will have to wait and see. Hopefully June 20 will be the day!

Libby Speaks

So Libby told me today that the baby is a boy. She had a dream last night and one of her "feelings". She was right with her feeling that I was pregnant before I could even test. So we will see if she is right about this as well. Hopefully we will find out on June 20.

Your question answered -

I received this comment on my blog.

"How thoughtful, will you be doing this blog until the baby is here? Please answer on your blog. By the way you can web search other blogs, that's how I found yours. How many children have you had?"

And to answer your question, YES I will be blogging on this baby's progress until the magical delivery date! And perhaps beyond! It is a great way to journal the progress and share it with friends, loved ones and anyone looking for answers. I have done a lot of research on other web sites and read a lot of other blogs as well. It is so intriguing to hear about the various pregnancies and the ups and downs.

I currently have 2 children. Although one is a young adult now - he is 20 and my daughter is 11. What a whirlwind life. And as I said before - this baby was planned. My husband and I decided that we wanted one more chance to bring a new life into the world! And after 6 months of trying, we were successful. This pregnancy has been very different than the last two. Perhaps it is my age - who knows. But it is exciting none the less and I would not trade the opportunity for the world!

Still a Mystery

We went to see the specialist today and he did an ultrasound. All looks well with the baby, but as of right now they still could not tell for sure whether it is a boy or girl. So the mystery still awaits! It is on track for its age though and the heart was beating at 158 BPM today. What a strong little baby!

We will go back to see Dr Robertson again on June 20. They continue to watch everything closely. They checked my cervix today to see if it showed any signs of weakness as that could have been why Libby was early. But all looked good with that today. In a couple weeks they are going to check everything again. They may put me on progesterone shots starting at 18 weeks to prevent pre-term labor.

Hopefully we will find out the sex at the next appointment. We want to know! Jim is convinced it is a girl! Only time will tell.

On another note, I broke down last Friday and went on Zofran. The nausea was becoming unbearable for me. I could not eat anything and feel better and not eating made it worse! So the doctor assured me that it was perfectly safe. So I am now a twice a day user of this magical pill! It is incredible how different I feel. I can actually enjoy food. I still get slightly queasy with certain foods, or if I go too long without eating, but I am definitely 90% better than I was before. The only downfall, is it does cause constipation. So I am taking Colace as well! But hopefully this too will end in a few weeks!

Love that beating heart

Today was the 12 week checkup with the regular OB. Poor Jim had to make a quick stop to his office so missed the appointment. But Libby was with me as we heard the heart beat for the first time. It was 163 BPM. Which is great!!

I have been more nauseaus than ever lately! Hopefully that is a "good" sign although it is hard to deal with at times. I almost felt like I might actually throw up a couple times, which to date has not happened! I am still tired and achy at night. Hopefully there will be a short break coming up before I get huge and can't sleep for other reasons.

Next week I take a trip to the high risk doctor for another ultrasound. Hopefully we will find out if we need to buy blue or pink! Bets are on pink right now! But only God knows for now :)

Another good ultrasound

Well we went to the perinatologist today for the 10 week check and all is going well with the little one. The heartrate was at 167 BPM and it is right on target for growth. They will see me again at 13 weeks to check the cervix and make sure all is progressing well. Our little one was busy moving around today and we got a personalized picture with "Hi Mommy and Daddy" added to it from the radiologist technician. She said if we are lucky next time she "might" be able to tell us the sex. It all depends on the way the baby is facing and if she can get a clear shot!! How exciting. We have our next appointment with the OB on May 28th! Stay tuned...

First Picture

We went and had an ultrasound today. I was having some discharge that was a little concerning so the doctor had me come in for another check. No sign of what is causing the discharge, so I guess no news is good news. We did get a take home pic of our little jelly bean. I will try to scan and add to the blog soon! The little baby was moving around and its little heart was beating at 171 beats per minute! So once again we were reassured that all is well! We have our next check with the specialist on May 14. So praise the Lord that all is well with the little one! I just need to accept that this pregnancy is completely different from my other 2 and have faith that all is well despite these differences. 

crabby and miserable!

I am extremely crabby and miserable today. My back pain is worse today and it has shifted to the left side of my spine! I don't know how much longer I can take this pain. I have therapy today so I am hoping for some relief! Just hope I can make it down there before I have a total meltdown! Thankfully I am not too nauseaus today! I guess that is the upside today :)

I have my next perinatologist check up next week. I hope we get to hear the heartbeat! He is also going to check the placenta which means another ultrasound - YAY!

Ouch!!

Okay my back is really killing me today. Thankfully I have therapy today and I am hoping that he can get me some relief. Instead of hurting right on the spine, the pain has shifted to the left side of my spine. It is really frustrating! I feel like I am a mere shadow of myself. I can't clean, do laundry, go the grocery store like I normally would. I simply make do with the bare minimum! Thankfully I have been able to work from home quite a bit which allows me to ice my back when needed and do some of my exercises. Next week I go to the perinatologist for another ultrasound and to check the placenta. I am really excited for that appointment. I will be just over 10 weeks. I am hoping that we will actually hear the heartbeat for the first time. It will be very exciting!!!

So tired

Jimmy said I don't blog often enough. What can I say. I don't want to bore the world :) However, I am feeling extremely tired, achey and crappy today. The back pain has been bad and my legs, hips and neck all hurt in addition to the back! YUCK! Hopefully the therapy will kick in some relief soon and I will start to feel better. So there you have it folks. My update for the day! I can't wait to go home and lie down.

First OB Today

Even though I have been to two different ultrasound appointments, hurt my back and visited a physical therapist, today was the first official OB appointment. Jim and I went to the appointment together and all looks good for the 8 week check standpoint. Unfortunately it was too early to get to listen to the heartbeat, however it was again reassuring to be checked by the dr and get this process started. We will go back to the OB at 12 weeks (May 28) but get to make another stop at the perinatologist at 10 weeks to check things out by ultrasound on May 14.

Now we need to start thinking of possible names. We have already decided on Cooper James for a boy, but have not agreed on a potential girl name. I vote for Kenadie, but we are also looking at other possiblities as that is not a favorite of Jim's. But we have 7 more months to work this out :)

Obsessed

I am obsessed with this new baby. It will be our last baby and it has been 12 years since we had a little one. So that probably explains why. Things have changed so much in the last 12 years and our oldest will be 20 (YIKES). Both of my children are special and unique in their own way. Libby is outgoing and wants to be in the lime light. Rick is more quiet and reserved and is okay being out of the spot light!

I love the Internet for the fact that it is loaded with information about how pregnancy progresses - what to eat - what not to eat - how not to throw up - etc. I find it all fascinating and fabulous! It is hard to not think of anything else.

I belong to over 7 web sites and check at least 3 of them daily to see the progress of this new little one. Not to mention the regular emails I receive which link to more web sites with information. It is very fascinating to learn about all the development that occurs in the first few weeks. It is truly amazing and a miracle. We feel truly blessed to have this opportunity to go through this once again! We love this little jelly bean.

All is Good

I went to see the perinatologist yesterday and got the clean bill of health for the little one inside of me. He said everything is progressing as it should for 7 weeks. He will see me again at 10 weeks so they can check on the placenta and get the heartbeat. Once you pass that mark he said the chance of loss goes down to 2%. So I will be seeing both the regular OB and the Perinatologist from here on out. That means a lot of ultrasounds :) This is one of the best perks about seeing a specialist. In addition the constant reassurance that the baby is doing fine will be very appreciated in the coming months.

I have not felt the best over the last 2 days. A little more nausea and I am very tired! Getting sleep at night has become very challenging! I love Spring, but the birds are starting to chirp a little too early in the morning for me.

Nervous

The doctor called today and wants me to go and see a perinatalogist. They found an 6MM cystic sac in my uterus and it sounds like this is just a precaution. I have a septum in my uterus on the left side and the baby is implanted on the left side. So just to be safe I am off for another ultrasound tomorrow morning to make sure the little jelly bean is okay! It is a little nerve wracking to wait 24 hours to be seen, but I am going to push through it.

I have had a hard time thinking of much else today. Thankfully I get to go home and work from there at 2:00.

Thank you to all the wonderful friends who listened to me and prayed for me as I told them the news! I talked to a great friend of mine and she reassured me that I will know what is up tomorrow because the doctor is actually going to do the ultrasound and give me the results right there!

I will post the update tomorrow after the appointment.

First Ultrasound

Okay for some reason when I woke up today, I was feeling NOT pregnant. I let it get to me and called my doctor. I guess I just needed some reassurance. I have not suffered from extreme morning sickness as I did with my other 2 kids, so I thought something was wrong. I should just be thankful.

Anyway so they asked me to come in to do a vaginal ultrasound. They found the yolk sac right away and saw a beating heart! Amen! They also measured the heart rate and it was 128 (normal is 100-160). So again praise the Lord. I was very relieved to see the heart rate and the tiny developing life on screen and it is comforting to know that everything is okay. They also found the corpus luteum and checked out my ovaries and everything else. No sign of multiples was found. Modern medicine is truly gratifying in these circumstances.

My first appointment is scheduled for April 30 which doesn't seem so far away now that I know everything is ok.

I need SLEEP!

Okay I am not sure how something the size of an M&M (plain) can cause such disruption to sleep! I was incredibly tired last night and crawled into bed around 10:30. I slept great until about 2:20 and of course mother nature had to kick in and send me to the bathroom! And that is not the BAD part! What happened next is 2+hours of tossing and turning while trying to get comfortable and dealing with horrible indegestion and gas! (sorry to be so blunt). So I finally get back to sleep after 4:30 with my alarm set to go off at 6:40 (YUCK!). Anyway I am sure this will pass, right? Needless to say I am in dire need of a nap :)

Back at work

Well I survived the trip without getting sick. I bought some sea bands to help with some nausea that I was having the first day we got to Phoenix. They helped quite a bit. I also managed to keep my stomach full which helps quite a bit. The last day we were there it was quite warm and the heat started to get to me! Thankfully my wonderful husband and our great friends were very supportive and we stayed indoors most of the day! So far I have not had horrible morning sickness at all. Sometimes I am doubting myself. Am I really pregnant? I still have all the other signs though, so it must be true! Only 2 weeks until the first doctor appointment. I wish I could fast forward time and get through to that appointment just to put my mind at ease! For those that have seen me, I have already gained some weight :( I feel like a bloated blob. But at least it is for a good reason! Of course the thought of twins is still on my mind, but I guess we will have to wait and see!

Traveling tomorrow

Well we are travelling tomorrow to Phoenix to see some friends. I have started to feel a bit more nauseaous throughout the day, but I am praying that I won't have full blown morning sickness until after this trip. But I will get through it if I do :)

I told my boss that I am pregnant and he was very supportive and is willing to work with me on alternative working conditions which is such a huge relief.

I am so excited with the anticipation of this new life and am looking forward to a stress free pregnancy!

Tired

Well the side effects of being pregnant are starting to sink in. I came home from work yesterday at a little after 4 and was exhausted. So tired that I fell into one of those deep sleeps and did not hear anything and when I woke up I still felt like I was asleep.

The nausea is setting in more often as well, but so far I have not been physically sick. I am sure it is coming though. I am just rounding out my 5th week.

I can feel other changes too. My waist is definitely expanding and other body parts too :) All signs that life is progressing and growing inside of me. Next week we will be traveling a bit so I am hoping that morning sickness doesn't kick into high gear. I will let you all know how it goes!

Doubts

Why is it that we tend to believe everything we read online, or receive in an email, hear on tv, etc; yet after taking 2 pregnancy tests and they both came up positive, I still continue to doubt the reality that I a pregnant?

Must be human nature or at least "mother" nature (pun intended). Anyway so today was one of those days. I have not been grossly sick yet, but I have felt more queasy and crampy than normal. But for reassurance, we bought just one more pregnancy test. Jim wanted to buy 2 - different brands and all. But I only broke down and bought one. I was slightly nervous to take it and it seemed like that "as soon as 1 minute" was more like 10 or 20 minutes. But none the less 2 pink lines showed up and I am in fact pregnant. Praise the Lord.

It would have really been disheartening to have to break the news to everyone. And at the same time I was buying the pregnancy test I bought Your Pregnancy Week by Week! And I have also subscribed to 3 various online baby progress sites. Yes I am a little insane, but the internet is great.

Well that's all for now. I am truly pregnant and on my way!

Breaking News

We told the kids yesterday about the pregnancy. Libby (11 year old) was very excited! She screamed, jumped up and down and hugged me over and over. She is very inquisitive and will be asking a lot of questions over the next 8 months. She is already discussing baby names, decorating for the baby room and wants to go shopping! She wants to spend a day baby shopping she said. Of course I am sure she will want to squeeze in a little bit of shopping for her too :)

She also began to do some sibling math. When the baby is X years old, how old will I be? How old does the baby need to be to go to Disney World? And other important questions. She was very excited to get a baby brother or sister for Christmas as well and is looking forward to having me have the same time off that she will for the Christmas holiday!

We told Rick (19 year old) that we were pregnant. Rick of course is a little more calm about things. He kind of grinned and said "really" and then proceeded to walk down the stairs (he was getting ready to change to go to work). Then when he walked back up stairs, he said, "so when did you find this out?". And that was pretty much it. I am sure it is kind of a shock given that he is almost 20.

Of course the thought of twins has crossed all of our minds as well. Jim and I personally think twins would be great! It would give the baby a playmate. Something that Libby has always longed for. Her dream of being a big sister though have been answered!

We have eagerly told our closest friends and family about the great news! And we are asking for a lot of protective prayer regarding this pregnancy as we were very hesitant to get pregnant for a very long time since Libby was born so early and it was a big scare for us. But she thrived and we feel very confident in our doctor's ability. Our first appointment is set for April 30 with the Nurse Practioner. More to come as the days progress. Today I am 27 days pregnant according to the online calendars!

Pregnant Again

Yes I am pregnant again at 38. That may not be so amazing, but my other 2 children are 19 (almost 20) and 11. I just took the test today and it came back positive --- twice! So yes folks this is the real deal. Some of you may be thinking - whoops! But I am here to tell you that it was planned and we are happy - really happy!

This is one of those miracles of life just like every child is, but we have been trying since Sep 2007 and I nearly gave up. Literally. I went back on birth control in February but found myself with my hormones completely out of whack! I was crying for no reason, so after only 9 days I went back off. And that coupled with some intense prayer must have been just what my body needed. Because it is now March 28 2008 and I am pregnant!

It is surreal. So I am a mother of an adult child which is strange enough at times. But that pregnancy was at a very young age of 18 and was unplanned. After marrying my Son's father and divorcing 3 years later, I remarried my soul mate and after 5 years of marriage, we had our daughter.

March must be our lucky month for conception!! Our unconfirmed due date is December 8. Which is also my husband's mom's birthday. However it is subject to change given that I will have a C-Section.

Well that's it for now.