The furniture saga continues

This week Robb and I have started working on our nursery. On Monday, Robb moved all the major pieces of furniture out of the room. Monday evening we transferred a lot of books from the floor to the new bookshelf position. Tuesday we had to go to Wal-Mart and buy a new 5-shelf book self so we could actually fit all our books on a shelf instead of double stacking and having some lay on the floor. So Tuesday evening we hunkered down and put it together (which is a big accomplishment for us). After the shelves were together there was more book moving. Finally the room was semi-clean for me to vacuum. Last night we decided to put our new baby furniture together. We decided we would start with the crib because it looked the easiest and was the most exciting. Things were great as we were unpacking the pieces. The dark wood looked beautiful! I was so excited and then Robb handed me one of the main end pieces and the top part was cracked in two. Grrrrr....so we decided we need to contact Burlington and get a new crib. I'm not accepting a brand new crib that has a broken pieces that is the main part of the crib. So that was a let down. However we didn't let that little set back knock us down. We moved straight to the dresser. While the crib said no tools required the dresser required a hammer and screwdriver. We dived in organizing the numbered pieces and alphabetizing the other parts. I would say the whole process took 2 hours with the break we took. We had a few bumps along the way (crafty people we are not) but the dresser is together and it looks very nice. We are confident that it will hold the baby's clothes and will allow us a place to change the baby safely.



So we will see what happenes with getting a new crib or piece for the crib. I really wanted to get that room set and ready but that will have to wait.

Happy New Year's to everyone!

3rd Trimester!

Hello 28 weeks! We are now done with the 2nd trimester and coming into the home stretch. However I feel like I've been pregnant forever and can't imagine I'm only 2/3 done. I am enjoying the total experience.

Christmas is over and it was wonderful! We spent 3 days in Franklin County with my family. Robb is wonderful and continues to make me very happy. Christmas Eve we played for the Antioch CoB Christmas Eve service. Then on Christmas morning Robb and I woke up at 5:30am and went to the barn to help my dad milk. This is becoming our Christmas tradition. It is always helpful to have a few more hands to get the milking done faster.

Robb also did very well in the present department. He got me 4 30 minute prenatal massages. Also the massage therapist office is very close to my midwifes office so I can schedule massages after I have a check up. I am very much looking forward to using these! Robb got everything he had on his list: toaster and a golf lesson. He also got other golf accessories and some Pampered Chef products that he likes. We had a great Christmas.

The day after Christmas Robb took me shopping at the Motherhood Maternity store in Roanoke. I got several lovely sweaters and a vest to wear in this cold weather. He was a great help in the fashion department!

Now we look towards New Year's, birthing class, baby showers, setting up the nursery and so much more. March 21st will be here soon!

Another good Appointment

Yesterday Robb, baby Shipp and I had another appointment with our midwife group. We met the 3rd midwife in the practice, Nancy. She was rather nice and as Robb said he wouldn't mind if she delivered us. While the main appointment was quick and precise there were a lot of other things happening. Since Robb and I didn't have any questions Nancy measured my belly which is normal for 27 weeks and then listened to the baby's heartbeat (in the 150 range).

My appointment was at 1:30 but we got there early because I was doing my glucose tolerance test. With this test, I had to drink this sugary version of orange soda rather quickly and then an hour later they took a blood sample. The tech who took my blood said no news is good news. If I pass this test I don't have gestational diabetes but if I fail that doesn't mean I do have it. If I fail I have to go to the hospital and take a longer glucose tolerance test that is more precise. So hopefully we don't hear anything. While our appointment was quick Robb and I had to sit around for quite a bit waiting on this test.

After my blood was drawn I had my RhoGam shot. I have O negative blood (yes the RedCross is calling me all the time) and Robb has A positive blood. So this baby has the possibility of either having positive or negative blood. If the baby's blood is positive that could cause my body to develop antibodies to attack this baby or the next pregnancy that I have. We don't want that so this RhoGam shot is to stop the formation of antibodies against this positive blood that might get in my system. Let me say I get stuck with needles quite a bit. During college I sold my plasma and that was a stick 2 times a week. I got my H1N1 shot earlier this year and it wasn't a big deal. This RhoGam shot hurt! The needle prick wasn't bad but the actually injection burned and there was a lot of it so it took some time. Oh well....its what had to be done!

So now we are heading into the 3rd trimester and we will be seeing the midwife every 2 weeks. I think that will make this last 3rd of the pregnancy go much faster!

Welcome to a Winer Wonderland!

We are starting 27 weeks and I just looked at the little countdown and it says 90 days until due date! That is crazy!!!! Really when I say March 21st it seems so far away, but when you actually count the days 90 doesn't seem like that much. However I'm thinking its probably more like 98 or something like. This baby is going to be late....well it would work out better if it was a little late. Lets say not before March 26th!

This past weekend we had a lovely covering of snow. Robb thinks we didn't get nearly as much as they said we were suppose to. However he did a great job keeping our porch and walk way clear. He was very worried that we might be snowed in and then have to get to the hospital rather quickly. So he was very diligent with the snow removal. We have a lovely path from our front door to the end of our driveway (where our cars are parked). He is going to be such a good daddy!

As for the baby, the books say the eyes may now be open. The lungs are developing and getting ready to take that first breath once born. And the ears have finished developing. The baby should be 2lbs.+ but we will see.

We have another appointment tomorrow. I get to partake in the glucose tolerance test. I am feeling this test will go fine. Then we also have our regular appointment. We are meeting yet another one of the midwives in the practice. There are only 4 but we want to meet them all seeing as any one of them will be delivering us in March. I am heading into my 3rd trimester which means more frequent appointments. That will probably help the time go by quicker.

We are looking forward to another wonderful Christmas at the farm! Now if I can my Christmas shopping done!

Date Night

Last night Robb took me on a date! It was wonderful! He picked me up at work and we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. After dinner we went to the mall and walked for a while and then went to the movies. We saw The Blind Side! Now this date is a big deal because we paid full price to see this movie. Lynchburg has a movie theatre that plays movies that are usually 2 months old and it cost $1 to get in. This is where we normally go. Sometimes we will see 2 movies in one day just because it is so cheap. So it is a rare occasion that we actually pay the $19 (that is what it is up to in Lynchburg) to see a new release movie. However I must say The Blind Side was great! It was a touching story told in a wonderful way and I really did feel good as we were leaving the mall. Last evening showed me especially how much Robb and I will have to work on being a couple once the baby is born. I don't want he and I to get lost in being parents. We talked about it on the ride home and feel we will both make a concerted effort to remember us as well as our family. It was a great night and we hope to repeat it many times before the end of March!

26 weeks with a side of cold

The weeks just keep rolling along. However this past weekend has been a mix of fun and not fun. I currently have a cold. Thursday I developed a sore throat. I took Friday off because it was painful to swallow. So I spent that day resting and recovering. By Friday afternoon I was feeling much better. Friday evening I traveled to my parents and I was feeling fine. Saturday morning my dad and I went to pick out and cut down my parents Christmas tree. We had a good time with this annual tradition. Saturday afternoon I went in to Roanoke and had my hair done and then attended Amy's reception (more to come on that)! Saturday night I went to bed and Sunday morning woke up feeling terrible again. I was very congested Sunday. Not really a sore throat but I couldn't breathe and it just wasn't fun. I tried to rest yesterday but sleeping isn't fun when laying down makes it harder to breathe. Now today I feel better but I have a slight cough and keep blowing my nose a lot. Hopefully I will be over this soon.

As for the baby.....not a lot new is going on. From this point on I think the baby's job is to get fat!

Now of to the fun party from Saturday! Amy & Dirk's reception was a wonderful time. Robb and I looked very dashing and had a great time eating and dancing! It was fun because there were a lot of people there that didn't know I was pregnant. So we got a lot of congratulations and what not. I didn't make it to the end of the party but I'm sure it was lovely til the end. The picture is of Robb and I as we are leaving.

Quick funny story. Before going to the party Robb and I stopped at another of my friends (Kelly) townhouses. She lives in Vinton very close to where the party was. Kelly was having a Christmas party that we were unable to attend. There were already some guests at Kelly's (girls I hadn't seen since college). One of the ladies asked me, "Are you going to get any bigger?" It was an ok question. Kelly is an OB nurse and told this girl yes I was going to get much bigger because I had another 15 weeks until I was due. We left and headed to the party. In the car Robb said, "You just scared that girl. She was looking at you and think that she was never going to get pregnant." We had a good laugh!

25 weeks and getting ready for Christmas!

I remember back in the summer my friend Amy was planning her wedding reception for December 12th. When she and I were looking at save the date cards I was barely pregnant. Very few people knew about this little baby. However Amy knew and had already sent me a pregnancy book. At that time I counted up the weeks and told her "I will be 25 weeks pregnant at your party." Thinking back on that it seems so long ago but at the same time when I made that statement I felt (at the time) 25 weeks would never get here. Well its here and the party is less than a week away. I have a party dress but need to find some shoes!

25 weeks means we are well over the half way mark. Only 15 weeks until full term. 15 weeks doesn't sound like that long when you think we've already been 25 weeks. However, March 21st sounds like a long way off. It is only Dec. 7th. Plus we have so much to do! Christmas, New Years, birthing class, baby showers, getting the nursery ready....and the list goes on and on!

Speaking of getting the nursery ready...my parents delivered our baby furniture this past Friday evening. We had a time with Burlington Coat Factory but everything worked out in the end. Its a beautiful convertible crib and dresser/changer. It is still in the boxes but once we get it up I will put up pictures.

Enjoy the picture of me in front of the Christmas tree!

24 weeks

Time is just moving along! And with our busy holiday schedule I think December is going to go by rather quickly as well! This little baby is growing and moving like crazy! The books say the baby is about the length of an ear of corn. The brain is developing, finger prints forming, and the lungs are expanding and getting ready to breath air.

Some of the books and websites say that if something happened and I went into preterm labor the baby could possibly survive from this point on. Medical technology has advanced so much. While is it comforting to know that our little Shipp might be able to make in the outside world from now on we are hoping that it will stay in the oven until the end of March!

Amazing to see

Robb and I are currently in Staunton, VA for a whole host of activities. Last night Altavista football was playing in the regional B playoff game against Riverheads High School. Altavista is Robb's current employer and Riverheads is his home team. The game was exciting but very cold. We were both bundled up! The wind really made things very cold. I believe that both my cheeks are wind burned today. Altavista won the game 20-17 and we left to warm up.

We are staying at Robb's friend Josh's house. When we returned last night I decided to take a warm bath because the heat just wasn't getting to my cold bones. As I sat enjoying the nice bath I felt a kick, kick and looked down and saw my stomach move at the same time as the kicks! It was amazing! Feeling the movement and then seeing it translate to the outside of my body was awesome! I sat rather still for a while longer to see if it would happen again.

After I got out of the bath I told Robb the exciting news and he can't wait until he gets to feel the baby move. He even spent a large part of the evening after the bath with his hand on my stomach waiting to see if the baby would move again. However the baby must have gone back to sleep because no more movement yesterday evening!

I know that these amazing movements are just going to keep happening and getting bigger and bigger. That makes me really look forward to the rest of this process and being surprised and excited everyday!

Thanksgiving down....

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday! We had 13 members of Robb's family here and it was a great day. Our first Thanksgiving was a success! We have a lot to be thankful for. This family has now started expanding in a big way. The wife of one of Robb's cousins is pregnant and due 5 days before me. She and I had a lot to talk about yesterday. Then at dinner Robb's cousin Heather announced that she is 8 weeks pregnant and due July 11th! So 3 baby's in one year. Next years Thanksgiving is going to be completely different than this years!

It was a long day but Robb and I made it through! I have a wonderful husband and once all the guests were gone he rubbed my feet! It was glorious! I hope everyone else had an enjoyable holiday. We are looking forward to Christmas and all that this new holiday season entails!

What a beautiful face!

Yesterday we had another ultrasound! Finally baby Shipp cooperated and showed us face and heart. Everything is wonderful and normal and perfect! The first look we got showed the face really well. Cute little nose! However as time went on the baby slowly started moving its hand up to cover its face so at the end of the ultrasound we couldn't get a good look at the face anymore. What does this say about our baby? Is it going to be shy?

Anyway from the measurements the baby is 1lb. 4 oz.! Right on track! Also the head and stomach are normal sizes and my placenta is scored a 0 which is the best it can be. We are so excited that everything is going perfectly!

We also had my regular appointment and met one of the other midwives. There are 4 midwives in this practice and since they are on a rotation at the hospital they want you to meet all of them so when you go into labor you aren't working with a stranger. So we met Billie. She was lovely (Erin our midwife is still my favorite). I will not have another appointment until Dec 22nd and at that time I have to do a glucose test to check for gestational diabetes. I've been told the stuff I have to drink isn't all that great but we will get it done for this little baby!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! We are hosting Robb's family tomorrow and hope the day is great!

23 weeks

Wow.....where has this pregnancy gone? This week the baby is over a pound and about the size of a large mango! Right now the baby looks like it will when it is born except with a little less fat. From this point the baby is going to start packing on the weight and filling out. It will double in size very quickly!

Robb is at home again today recovering from his illness. However I do think that he is done being sick but we wanted him to rest one more day so he didn't relapse. I am still feeling fine and hope that the virus just didn't like me.

We are preparing for Thanksgiving as well. Robbs family gets together every year at a different persons home. Since we are now homeowners we have been added to the rotation and it is finally our turn. So over the next few days Robb & I have a lot of cleaning to do. Also we will be cooking our first turkey. I hope the 19lb bird we got will do the trick.

Tomorrow I have another ultrasound and my regular appointment. It will be exciting to see our baby again and hopefully it will cooperate this time. I will update you with that info later in the week!

Surviving the flu

Right now Robb has the flu! On Wednesday he started feeling achy and tired. When he got home that afternoon from school he was running a fever. I gave him some medicine and put him to bed. However later that night when he woke up his fever was much higher. So Thursday I drove him to work because he needed to get some lesson plans together for a sub and get his grades done. After the school stop, we went to the doctor. He was tested for flu but the test came back negative. The doctor said that 20% of people that actually have the flu test negative on this test. So with all the evidence and Robbs symptoms the doctor decided it was influenza and wrote a prescription for Tamiflu. After that I took Robb home so he could sleep. I went and filled his prescription and bought Lysol. I have been cleaning the house and anything that he touches. He is sleeping in our bedroom and using our master bath and I am sleeping in the guest bedroom and using the hall bath. I have cleaned the hall bath and told him not to touch it. I am working very hard not to expose myself to this flu virus. So far I feel fine. The doctor did say that Robb might shed the virus for up to a week so we should have limited contact during that time. It is strange living in a home with someone that you aren't really interacting with.

I did get my H1N1 vaccine and hope that will give me some protection. We were hoping that this viral mess would passover our house but I guess not. So....today i am at work and hoping that Robb spends the day resting so that soon our lives can go back to normal!

Registering

Last night Robb and I went to Burlington Coat Factory and checked out the Baby Depot inside that store. We have started working on registering for our baby. Registering for weddings is very common (I really don't know anyone that gets married now a days that doesn't register) but having a baby registry seems like a newer idea. While I think it is a good idea and can be helpful for those that would like to purchase something to welcome our child I do not feel it is a mandate of want you have to get. Think of these 3 places as helpful guides to what Robb and I think we might need.

We had a lot of fun walking around Baby Depot last night. However, I think Robb was a little overwhelmed by all the choices and things that they say we need. Plus when you start adding up all the stuff having a baby is getting rather expensive. At one time he said it was good that he didn't know how much all of this was going to cost or we wouldn't be having a baby. Completely a joke!

We have decided to go with 3 different places that sell baby things. Baby Depot is located in Burlington Coat Factory, Babies"R"Us is similar to Toys"R"Us and then Target. There are Burlington Coat Factories and Targets in most areas. Babies"R"Us does a lot more online things but they do have stores in the Richmond, VA area.

Robb and I have decided that we are going to attempt to use cloth diapers for this child. We think that is just a little something we can do to help the environment, save money and keep our baby happier. As of right now in our research, FuzziBunz is our cloth diaper of choice. They are an all in one diaper that has snaps. They come in many colors. Hopefully this little adventure will work out.

Also we have registered for a stroller/car seat system. It is the Chicco Cortina Adventure. As I've been registering the price of this system varies greatly from store to store. Babies"R"Us doesn't even have the system (but they have everything else in the grouping high chair, play yard, etc). Baby Depot and Target both have the system but it is much more expensive at Target than it is at Baby Depot. The same goes for the high chair that matches this Chicco Cortina Adventure stuff. So while Target seems great....Baby Depot seems to have a few things at a better price.

Really getting stuff for baby Shipp has been fun but also tiring. I have no idea all the stuff that I will need. Also I want things that are going to last but don't cost a lot. Making a registry for getting married was much easier than a baby registry.

So peruse our lists located on the side of the blog, and remember that these are suggestions of things we think we need!

22 weeks and 2 days pictures!

Here are some bump pictures! Enjoy!

22 weeks

We are now at 22 weeks! At this point the baby is actually starting to look like a baby and is big enough that fruit comparisons are not as important. The baby should weigh close to a pound and be at least 11 inches long. Crazy! Really that baby looks like a small version of what will come out in March all it needs to do is get a little bigger and gain some fat!

This past weekend Robb and I went to my parents to celebrate my moms 60th birthday! It was a great weekend! Usually my family has a huge get together for each birthday but part of the family could not make it to this birthday lunch. Instead of my mom cooking on her own birthday she decided we should go out to eat. That was a great idea! We drove an hour from home to Catawba, Va to dine at The Homeplace! I highly recommend this family dining experience. We had a to wait an hour and 15 minutes to get seated but since it is a family style dinner you don't have to wait to order food. The food was delicious and kept coming! For the money it was a great deal! All you can eat and tasty! Mom had brought a small birthday cake but we also got the peach cobbler with ice cream.

Following our return from The Homeplace my grandma had decided to have a little cake party for us. So the whole family was at grandmas and we had our 3rd dessert of the afternoon. It was a lovely time! I feel very loved that my whole family remembered me at this wonderful 26th birthday time!

At this point Robb and I were completely stuffed and couldn't even think about driving home so he took a nap while I rested and talked with my parents. We finally got away from FC around 8 and got home a little before 10. It was a long but great day!

Happy Birthday to me!

So today Nov. 13th 2009 is my 26th birthday! So far it has seemed like a regular day. It is funny celebrating a birthday while you are growing a new life. My moms birthday is Sunday and she will be 60, and I am now thinking she probably had these same kind of thoughts when she was so very pregnant with me 26 years ago. I love birthdays! They have always been special, but now I'm starting to think about all the fun birthdays that we will have for this little Shipp. Birthdays are taking on new meanings this year.

So I guess I should say a little something about the baby in this post. Things are fine. I feel great! I feel the baby move several times a day. Robb and I are slowly realizing how expensive this baby actually will be/is already. We are happy!

A little side note: I would really like there to be better health care in this country. I have great health insurance but I don't understand it and most of the doctors offices that I have dealt with are not helpful in explaining what is going on. I pay bills that don't tell me what I'm paying and that is frustrating. I've never been pregnant before so I don't know the questions to ask or how to interpret the payment system lingo. So I think we should have a universal system that just takes care of everyone and we shouldn't have to worry about paying our doctors and the insurance company and whoever else is taking a piece of the pie. Because really figuring out the system and where my money is going to exhausting!

21 weeks

We are starting the second half of this pregnancy! Our little Shipp seems to be doing well. From head to rump it should be as long as a banana this week. All last week I was feeling movement. I didn't have an amazing first movement moment mine was more like I am feeling something that I have never felt before repeatedly so that must be the baby moving. Now I recognize that movement and know our little one is awake. Last week while I was at my conference I was very sedentary so there were way more times for me to feel the baby. As I go back into my normal routine, I'm sure I will be moving a lot more and not feel the baby as much.

At this point, I am not adjusting as well to my body changes as I had earlier in the pregnancy. I just need to come to terms with being bigger and knowing that it is all for the purpose of growing this little one. As my bigness sets in I will be more comfortable. I just had one of those moments this weekend where I looked in the mirror and said whoa whose body is that attached to my head!

Home again Home again!

It has been a long week! However, baby and I made it. Our little Shipp is going to be a great traveler! Monday I flew to Atlanta, GA and then drove to Athens, GA for an avian influenza poultry conference. Needless to say there were a few bumps with getting this whole conference things going (when I went to sign on Tuesday morning I found out my boss had not registered me for the conference. Fun stuff!). After the stressful parts I got into the conference and I learned a lot. Things ended yesterday at 3:00pm so I jumped in my rental car to face the downtown Atlanta rush hour traffic. Baby and I navigated things rather smoothly and made it home last night at 12:45am. I had a good time and was glad that I had the opportunity to expand my poultry knowledge this week.

Now today Robb and I are heading to VA Beach for a weekend of celebrating. Robb's parents have reached their 25th wedding anniversary and we are all so excited! It should be a fun time with family but also a nice get away for Robb and I.

I will try and take some belly pictures during the weekend and get them posted soon!

The half way mark!

We are at 20 weeks! Half way through the pregnancy journey. Or maybe a little under half way if we go over due (which I think we will...my bets are on March 30th). The books say the baby should be 9oz. this week but we found out at our ultrasound that our baby is already 10oz. so who knows how big it is. That extra oz. is probably the giant head that Robb gave it!

This week I am traveling to Georgia for a poultry conference for work. I am flying to Atlanta today and will be returning home rather late on Thursday. It should be an interesting week. Avian influenza is an issues that the state of Virginia and the poultry industry are diligent at preventing. One of the laboratories in the state does all the poultry testing for Virginia. I am going to learn about the disease and testing and poultry issues so that some of that testing can be expanded to my own laboratory. I am excited to learn knew info and testing to expand my responsibilities.

After I get back, Robb and I will be heading to VA Beach for the weekend. Robb's parents are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and the whole family is going to the beach together. Actually Robb is taking me down a night early so we can enjoy a little trip away together. I am very excited about this trip and will take pictures and write more next week!

It's a..........Baby!

The Shipp baby is a modest baby! Yesterday we had our 20 week ultrasound and everything is looking good. However, baby Shipp must have been taking a nap and didn't want to cooperate. We had 147bpm which was good! We were able to measure many things: two legs, two feet, two arms, two hands, kidney's, head and backbone. While looking we also measured my cervix, placenta and amniotic fluid. Everything is right on track. From the measurements we did take there are no precursors for Down's Syndrome and the baby probably weighs 10oz.

Since the baby was sleeping and in the breech position it just kept its back to us the whole time. We were unable to look at the face or the heart and no sex determination. That means that at my next appointment right before Thanksgiving we will be having our 3rd ultrasound appointment. The technician was funny because she was using the ultrasound wand to move my stomach hoping the baby would flip over. When the waves would start coming the baby would move its legs and try to curl up more facing my spine. It was cute and frustrating at the same time. So the pictures are of our baby's beautiful spine. We are very happy!

Its still in there

I still love my midwife! I had my 18ish week appointment yesterday and I was pleased with Erin yet again. We discussed many things that I had wondered about and just had a pleasant time. We listened to the baby's heart and it sounds great! I still haven't felt the baby kick but I'm hoping in the next few weeks that will happen. The schedule this office likes to keep is different from the last office I was in. My last office wasn't going to do our 2nd ultrasound until 22 weeks but Erin wants it done at 20 weeks. However next week I will be gone all week to a poultry conference in Georgia so we are scrambling to schedule the appointment for tomorrow. So Robb and I have a big decision to make before tomorrow: to know the sex or not know the sex? Its a big question.

19 weeks

We are already at 19 weeks! The books had several different food references this week. The baby is possibly 6in long which is the size of a piece of watermelon. Then the baby could weigh up to 8oz which is about the size of an apple. So this week is like a fruit salad.

This past weekend Robb and I went to my parents to help with the last Saturday of Thee Red Barn. It was a beautiful day but not many people showed up. There were a lot of other things going on in the area. This was Robb first time working the event in the 3 years it has been open. I think he did rather well. While I was sitting for most of the day I was still very tired after it was over. I learned my lesson from the last time I worked. After the event I took a nap that lasted longer than I had planned. Also on Sunday I didn't plan anything and I spent the day resting and getting ready for the week.

This week is very busy with appointments and such. Tomorrow I go for my first official appointment with midwife Erin. I think this appointment is suppose to be about an hour long. Then on Wednesday I go to the dentist. All the baby books and what not say dental care is very important during pregnancy. Also my insurance has a program that if I do a few things throughout my pregnancy (and going to the dentist is one of them) they will wave the hospital co-pay at the time of delivery. So we are trying to make that happen.

I have noticed during the last week that I have been more hungry than I was earlier in the 2nd trimester. My favorite baby book says that the baby is going through a growth spurt so that is normal. Robb and I went to our favorite Italian restaurant while we were in Roanoke and usually I only eat half of the food that I get but I told Robb I was really hungry and I cleaned the whole plate.

My body is changing daily and it is exciting to see how this process is developing. So far I haven't had any real problems. Now that I am sleeping on my side exclusively my hips are a little sore but I'm sure my body will get use to this new sleeping position and everything will be fine.

Midwifery 101

Yesterday Robb and I met with a midwife to discuss changing medical facilities. Lynchburg has 4 midwives working in a practice and we interviewed with the newest member of the midwifery team. We loved Erin! She was fun and exciting and laid back. She said many of the things that we have been thinking. Pregnancy and birth are natural processes that in most cases only need supervision and guidance and not medical intervention. So we have decided to switch our prenatal care to this new practice and have a go with a midwife. I have already started the process of having our medical records transferred.

Erin made me feel very comfortable. I showed her the preliminary draft of our birth plan and she said our birth plan was the regular plan they normally do. That made me feel wonderful! I also felt she was open and honest with us about the possibility of medical intervention. We are hoping for a perfect normal birth but she did give us a few scenarios where we might need to change our plans, and really that is what we are looking for. We want someone who thinks everything is going to be fine and then plans for the possibility of something not working out vs. planning on things going wrong and having to be looking for them constantly.

Having an understanding midwife that we trust makes me relax about the whole birth process. I feel now that what we want will happen so I can focus on just birthing the baby!

18 weeks here we are!

Wow already 18 weeks! It seems like the time is flying. It has been a month since I've been to the doctor. This month between visits went so much faster than the first month. As the baby gets larger and larger, most books give the size in measurements now but one book did say the baby is as long as a large baking potato. Every thing I read says any day now I should feel the baby for the first time. There are some tricks that you can do to try to feel the baby and I might start trying those.

Robb and I had a nice calm weekend. He isn't feeling well and so is being extra cautious around me. I am glad he is worried about not letting me get sick but at the same time its not a lot of fun only hugging your husband.

We are going to meet a midwife tomorrow. A friend at church is an OB nurse and runs a clinic that has 4 midwives. After my last appointment I started looking for different options because I wasn't 100% happy with my doctor. So tomorrow we are going to tour this new facility and meet one of the midwives to see if we want to make a switch. I will have more on that later!

The calm before the storm

I feel like we are in pregnancy hiatus. I know I am pregnant. I can see that things are changing but we are at a point in time where the excitement of knowing we're pregnant is wearing off. And we haven't reached the point of being able to feel and really see the baby. That's right at 17 weeks I haven't not yet felt the baby move. Everything I read tells me not to be anxious or worry because first time moms might not feel anything until 20 weeks. However, I feel like I am in this pregnancy no mans land. I want to feel the baby and have another ultrasound. I also don't want to wish away the pregnancy experience. So I will wait with anticipation for that miraculous day something moves that I have never felt before.

Also we are currently doing research on cord blood banking. Who knew there were so many choices when having a baby? And choices you have to make before the baby is here. We like the idea of saving cord blood but at the same time also think donating it is a good idea. Who knows!

YAY for Holidays!

Today is Columbus Day and that means as a state employee I don't have to work today! Really this is a great day for a holiday because we had a semi-busy weekend. Friday night Altavista played Dan River in football. The marching band was wonderful even with several members out for H1N1. Saturday was the bands second competition and I went to cheer them on. They improved their scores from the week before and the colorguard placed 2nd in their division. On Sunday I had a church board meeting and I played the piano for worship. Having late nights on Friday and Saturday I took a nap during the Redskins game again. Maybe if I could stay awake they would win.

We are now at 17 weeks and every book says the baby is the size of an out stretched hand! This past week has been a little difficult in the sleeping area. 16 weeks was the end of sleeping on my back. While I have always been a side sleeper I didn't realize how much I also sleep on my back. Several nights I have woken up and I'm laying on my back and then I seem to get craps in my legs. I'm thinking I might have to invest in a body pillow so that I don't roll over in my sleep.

Robb and I had a discussion about the H1N1 vaccine. Many of his student are coming down with the virus. Also both he and my mother have been reading a lot about the % of pregnant women that die once they get the virus. So we are reconsidering getting vaccinated.

I am looking more and more pregnant every day. I am still wearing some regular shirts but soon I will have to upgrade full time to maternity wear. Maternity jeans are still wonderful!

Pregnancy wisdom

In the land of pregnancy, I have had an easy go of it. Many of the people I know who are also pregnant and delivering in the spring have had terrible morning sickness and headaches and all kinds of other things. I feel very lucky to have mostly escaped those unpleasant happenings. However, I am finding there are a lot of changes that come with being pregnant. Yesterday Robb and I were walking through a parking lot. Now this parking lot had an incline just so everyone knows that we were walking up hill. As we were walking, I was telling an animated story and as we walked it seemed like Robb was getting faster and faster (he was very excited to be inside the building). As we were about to get to the top of the parking lot I realized I was getting winded. I asked him if we could slow our pace just a little. At this request he laughed at me and said we weren't going fast at all. Well the pregnant lady felt like we were almost in a jog.

The next thing that reminded me that I was pregnant and life was different was we went to the movies. We usually get a drink to enjoy during the 2 hours that we are sitting watching the movie. As we got to the middle of the 2 1/2 hour movie I realized that I had to pee but I didn't want to get up in the middle of the movie (I also thought the movie was going to end soon). It didn't end soon and I sat needing to go to the restroom for probably half of the movie. After the movie I did visit the restroom and it was amazing! We happened to be seeing a second movie later in the day so I made sure to go to the restroom before the movie start and not get a drink. Well I still have to go after the movie was over. So now I realize that I can't sit for 2+ hours and not go to the restroom. It just isn't in the cards anymore.

This two happenings remind me that my body is changing, and that change makes me happy because at this time I can't feel the baby. I look different but I can't feel anything so getting winded and having to pee makes me confided that our baby is growing well and doing fine!

16 week belly

Robb took some pictures of me last night. Enjoy!

Thee Red Barns opening weekend

This past weekend I spent time in Franklin county helping my parents with the first weekend of their agritourism business called Thee Red Barn. You can check out their website. It was a long but good day. This is the 3rd year for this event and it is growing each year. I worked the first year but was unable to help last year. I spent most of the day selling tickets for the corn maze and hay ride. Being pregnant is interesting. I worked all day and felt a little tired. However, Sunday I was completely worn out! I can't work like I did pre-pregnancy and not take a day off to rest.

So you think I would have spent Sunday recovering from my adventure on Saturday. Not this time! Sunday was world communion Sunday and the Lynchburg CoB was holding Love Feast. Since I am the head of church nurture it was my responsibility to prepare for this special service. So Saturday night when I got home from my parents I made communion bread. Sunday morning I arrived at church early and prepared the middle eastern meal that we were planning on having: dates, apricots, apples, almonds, lentil soup, olives, and chick pea salad. I did have help from others. So by the time I got home at 2 on Sunday afternoon I was completely worn out and fell asleep watching the Redskins game.

My weekend was full and Robb's was just as full but going in the other direction. Saturday was Robb's first band competition since he has been a band director. He took the Altavista Marching Band to a competition in Bedford. He was very proud of how they performed and thought it was a great experience for the first ever competition. He has another competition this coming Saturday. So you can see last week and this coming week are very busy times for him.

As we were laying in bed last night Robb was trying to wrap his head around our stage of pregnancy. He asked what week 15 would be like and I said kind of like it was last week since we are going into week 16. That is right we are heading into 16 weeks of this crazy experiment. That is 14 weeks of fetal age. The baby is suppose to be 4 1/3 to 4 2/3 inches long. Robb told me one day last week that I look pregnant. So we will try and get a new picture up very soon!

Hello fall....and 15 weeks!

We are at 15 weeks and I am starting to feel this nice chill in the air! The baby is the size of a pear this week and is covered with hair. Some reports say the baby may already be sucking his or her thumb.

Robb and I have been spending a lot of our weekends relaxing. This weekend we slept in both days and enjoyed two movies on Saturday afternoon/evening. Lynchburg has this great theater that plays movies that are about 3 months old and it is only $1 or $2 to get in depending on the day and time you go see the movie. I can't remember the last movie Robb and I saw when it was really released, maybe The Dark Knight. So we are trying to live up the single life as much as we can right now because we realize come March life will be completely different.

For the most part I am feeling great! Actually I stayed up until 11:30 last night. I was amazed when I looked at the clock. I can't remember the last time that we weren't doing anything and I stayed up til 11:30. We are happy and excited about all the changes that are going on. We are still wrestling with the decision on finding out the sex. We haven't really set down and talked about the pros and cons but it is a subject that keeps coming up in our general conversation. We will have to decided in about 6 weeks!

Excitment with a little let down

Today was my 14 weeks prenatal appointment! The last appointment a month ago was all exciting because it was the first and we had an ultrasound. Robb and I went together and it was wonderful! This appointment wasm much more low key. We had no idea what this appointment would entail so we decided that I would go alone. This was a rather quick appointment. The office was just checking my weight and listening to the baby's heart. So I think my time with the doctor was only suppose to be about 5 minutes.

The excitement was I did hear the baby's heart beat for the first time! 157bpm the doctor said was a good rate. It was a shock really to hear that little thump thump thump. At the time I wasn't emotional but now thinking about it I start to tear up.

After the amazing heart beat, I had a list of questions for my doctor. H1N1 vaccine, maternity leave, traveling, birth plan, etc. I wasn't super happy with all the answers that I got. Up until this point I had been floating on a pregnancy/birthing cloud where everything I wanted was going to happen. Today I hit the hard reality that the medical world thinks that 6 weeks is all that is medically necessary for recovering from birth. However, if you can afford the government does allow an unpaid 6 weeks off on top of that. So my idea of having 12 weeks of paid maternity leave that would run into the end of school and Robb would keep the baby until August is probably not going to happen or will need to be modified a bit.

Also I've been doing a lot of research into natural birth. Going over my birth plan with my doctor, I do not feel the hospital is going to be open to some of the birthing positions I have been researching. Also at this point I already feel the doctor mode setting in of sure you can do what you want but in a pinch we (the doctor) are going to do what is "normal" and "best" as we see it. Making me believe for the next 6 months that I can have the birth I want but when that day comes everything that we talked about will be thrown out the window.

This appointment also confirmed a lot of the things I had been thinking. I am a patient that wants to be informed and be active in my pregnancy and birth. Most women do not educate themselves or have the ability to understand the things that are going on and doctors use that to their advantage. My doctor admitted that since I am someone that is educated and cares they will have to take a lot more time to talk to Robb and I and inform us of our options. When most patients would be told what is "best" and that is what is done, or even times they aren't even told and things are just done to them. I feel I need to work on my trust of the medical community in regards to the birthing process.

All in all it is a happy day because we have a health baby and I feel good!

Facebook stuff

I have been following several "friends" on facebook who are also pregnant. Facebook is a great way to look into people's lives that you once knew or still know. And if you have fallen out of contact you get little snip its of what their real life is like without all the awkward small talk.

Through this semi-stalker mentality I have found out that several people that I went to high school and college with are pregnant. Its fun to see what they post about being pregnant. Two such people that I have been following (one more closely than the other) had to have emergency c-sections with weekend. One baby was 5 weeks early and the other baby was 3 months early. 5 week baby was 4lbs but 3 month baby was only 1lb.

Seeing these people living these emergencies has kind of scared me. I know medical technology has advanced quite a bit but having a baby early is always a scary thing. It also makes me feel lucky that so far I have had a very normal uneventful pregnancy and I'm hoping it stays that way. And that our little peach stays in there until March 21st!

Week 13

YAY end of the 1st trimester! I don't know why I am celebrating so much. I haven't had a bad first trimester at all. However, it does mean this journey is a 3rd of the way done. Not that I'm trying to rush things along.

My favorite pregnancy book says this week the baby is the size of a peach! There are many other fruit comparison but I like the idea of a peach. I have started wearing maternity clothes not full time but most of the time to accommodate our little peach.

The biggest question is whether or not we are going to find out the sex. I have about 3 pregnancy books and 3 pregnancy websites that I have been reading on a regular basis, and I have decided that those books need to be updated. They are saying that people are going to try and predict what the sex of the baby is with all kinds of old wives tales and tests. I haven't seen this to be correct. Most people assume that you are going to learn the sex during the 20 week ultrasound. However, Robb and I are still mixed on learning the sex. As Robb says we already have both a boy and a girl name picked out so why not wait. We also already have our nursery decor. So I see his point about waiting but I am anxious! We have another 9 weeks to hash this out.

Why do they call them Maternity clothes?

Here is the first "bump" picture. My co-workers thought I was looking extra cute today and said I need to chronicle this pregnancy adventure.

This past weekend Robb and I went maternity clothes shopping. He was a very good sport! I found several things that make me feel good as I transition out of my regular clothes and get ready for full on pregnancy. I highly recommend maternity jeans! Really they are much more comfortable than regular jeans. Everyone should try these.

After shopping I talked with my friend Amy and she asked why do they call them maternity clothes? Shouldn't they call them pregnancy clothes? So she is doing a little research to find an answer to this deep philosophical question of life. I will update you if she ever finds an answer.

A new baby in the family

My cousin Kady had a baby girl on August 15th! Cheyenne Elise was born on the 15th at 10am. That evening Robb and I visited them in the hospital. Sunday September 6th Cheyenne was dedicated at the Bethlehem Church of the Brethren. It was a very special service and I sang a special number. It was extra special because September 6th was our grandparents 57th wedding anniversary. After church we had a family picnic to celebrate both occasions. Welcome to the family Cheyenne! We are working on getting you a new cousin!

A life changing switch

This week Robb and I have made a big change in our lives. Ever since we have been married, I have slept on the right side of the bed and he has slept of the left. However, with changes in me due to the pregnancy and the recommendation that pregnant women sleep on their left sides we have changed sides of the bed! It has been a very scary transition. The first night while rolling over I almost fell out of bed. This new situation will definitely take time to get use to. The up side is the bathroom is on the left side of the bed so now I have a straight shot from the bed through the door. I hardly remember getting up in the middle of the night now versus totally waking up so I don't run into the end of the bed. We will keep everyone up to date on this extreme change in our lives!

Week 11

This week the baby is about the size of a lime. All the websites and books say different fruits and such but we seem to like the idea of a lime. We made our big announcement at the Lynchburg CoB this weekend. I believe everyone was rather excited for us.

Robb spent some time in Staunton this weekend visiting friends. While he was there he stopped by his parents to show them the ultrasound picture. His mother has already started making baby boots and caps. They are beautiful!

All the books and such say I should be getting my energy back and I do feel like I don't need to go to bed at 9 every night. I did have the engery to clean a large portion of the house this weekend. So here is hoping that I can stay up til 10!

Babies everywhere

I think the summer of '09 should be renamed the summer of love. Since announcing that Robb and I are pregnant I'm pretty sure I have heard of 10 other couples that are having babies next spring. The recession was in full swing so no one had money to go do anything. We all stayed at home and made babies! Friends from all walks of life are telling their wonderful news: high school friends, church friends, college friends and the list continues. So now it seems like the whole world is pregnant. That does sound like a ridicules statement because you reading this probably aren't pregnant. However, this pregnant lady seems to be seeing more and more pregnant people. Its like when you buy a new car and all of a sudden you see that car everywhere on the road. You don't know if those cars were always there and you just didn't notice or now that you have one they are becoming very popular.

Good luck to all the pregnant couples!

There's something in there

Wow! There's a baby in there! Robb and I saw our baby for the first time yesterday. We had our first appointment and the doctor says everything looks good. My blood work and such came back fine. Everything looks normal.

We had an ultrasound and it was amazing! The first view was a frontal view and the baby was moving its arms and legs. It resembled dancing or running. The picture above is of the baby on its side. The doctor measured it and said it was the right size for a 10 week pregnancy. So we are right on track. We go back in 4 weeks.

Robb wants to let everyone know that he didn't cry. However, he did very good at the appointment. I will probably take him back again. Next ultrasound will be at 22 weeks.

10 Weeks

Today we are at 10 weeks of pregnancy (which is 8 weeks for fetal age). While the entire pregnancy is 40 weeks, 10 weeks seems like a drop in the bucket. However, it feels like I've known I've been pregnant forever!

Towards the beginning of this wonderful adventure Robb was not interested in all the scientific details of the pregnancy. He wanted to know if I felt good and if the baby was ok. However, I think the scientific aspect is fascinating. And since I think its fascinating I continued to talk about all the things that were happening even though Robb said he didn't want to know. Now with all my talking he is interested. So this week the baby is about the size of a kumquat. It also has started kicking (but since it is the size of a kumquat I can't feel it).

Tomorrow we meet with our doctor for the first time. We are very excited about this appointment! More to come on that...

H1N1 continues...

And the debate continues...

We're Pregnant!

Well we have known this fact for quite some time but now we are ready to share it with the world! I had my first visit to my doctors office today. I didn't really see a doctor but talked with a nurse. We went over family medical history and my health. They took about 6 vials of blood and gave me a ton of material to read. That was it however. Next week on the 25th Robb and I will be returning to meet with our doctor and get a little more in depth with this process.

So spread the good news! March 21st here we come!

More Family Knows

This past weekend Robb and I were again in Franklin County. We seem to be going there quite often these days. The Annual Hunger Auction was held on Saturday at Antioch CoB. This is an event hosted by several CoB churches in Franklin county to raise money for Heifer Project and the local food bank. It is a fun time. However this year we did not really purchase anything. Maybe next year there will be a lot of baby stuff that we love!

While at the auction we informed my brother of the situation at hand. I believe he was shocked but happy. This is big news to take in. After the auction, Robb and I went to visit with my grandparents. We also informed them of the happy news. My doctors office sent us a 6 page medical history that asks a lot of family related questions so at this time we asked for a deeper family history. My grandma remembers almost everything so we feel we now have our bases covered.

Our first appointment is next Monday after that we will be able to have the big reveal!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

August 5th was our 3 year wedding anniversary. It was a normal but wonderful day! Robb & I both went to work but after work we traveled to Charlottesville, VA to a restaurant called The Melting Pot. It is a very nice fondue restaurant. We had a private table and the staff had an anniversary card waiting for us on the table. We had a four course fondue meal and it took us 2 hours to eat. We started with a cheese fondue. Our waiter made this fondue at our table. We dipped bread, apples and veggies in it. The second course was a salad. One of my favorites. The 3rd course was our meats. We were brought a plate with 5 different kinds of raw meat and a pot of hot oil. We were also given different batters to dip the meat in and cook with but also we had garnishes to go with the cooked food. Finally after having a wonderful time cooking our own food we had the Pure Chocolate dessert fondue. This part came with strawberries, bananas, cheesecake, rice crispy treats, brownies, pound cake, and marshmallows to dip. We had a lovely time!

Robb also informed the restaurant that I was pregnant just in case there were things I shouldn't have. This was our first exposure to people knowing about our pregnancy. If last night was any indication about the questions and advice we will be getting for the next 7 months then I might get tired of baby talk. Just to let everyone know 1.) Yes we have picked out names 2.) We haven't decided if we are going to learn the sex. I just thought I would lay that out there.

Revealing....to the Parents

This past weekend Robb and I told our parents about our pregnancy. It feels a little more real for more people to know. We got different reaction from each set but we know that everyone is excited for this new edtion to our family. This will be the first grandchild for my parents and will be the 4th for Robb's parents. Robbs mom unearthed a couple of Robb's baby blankets for us to use. It will be fun filling our nursery with old and new things for our baby to enjoy. We are still waiting until after our first doctors appointment to make the grand announcement. I think the two week wait will be hard on my mom. Hopefully she will be able to keep the secret!

H1N1 Dilemma

The CDC has come out with the priority list for the H1N1 vaccine. Pregnant women are at the top of the list followed by people that care for children under the age of 6 months. They believe major supplies of the vaccine will be available in mid-October. By mid-October I will be rather pregnant. However, on NPR yesterday I heard a lot of conflicted reporting on vaccinating pregnant women. There isn't going to be any study on how the vaccine will effect a pregnancy. At this point they do not know if the regular public should get one shot or two and they won't have that research until after they are already vaccinating people.

When we got pregnant I didn't realize this kind of hard decision was going to have to be made. I guess that is what being a parent is. Do you take the vaccine that might cause you to have a miscarriage because there is a possibility that you could get the flu go into the hospital and then deliver early or do you chance not getting the vaccination and try extra hard to stay out of the public and not become exposed to the H1N1 flu for the entire winter? So you can see dilemma!

Information Overload

Before becoming pregnant I did a small amount of research and reading about pregnancy. Now that I'm actually pregnant I find myself reading about pregnancy and the developing baby constantly. I have actually already received my first baby book as a gift! I love it and find myself reading chapters every night. The problem is that I am only at 5 weeks. The more I read the more I realize what a long process this is. Then I think about all the books that are out there and all the advice that will be given. I guess I should just read and enjoy as long as I can. You can never be too informed. Right?

The Test

We are so excited to find out about our pregnancy! It's actually quite shocking to have the pregnancy test come up positive. Trying for 6 months makes you prone to thinking the test will be negative. So it was a nice surprise when I looked down and it said Pregnant. We have been going through all the new pregnancy phases. We are so happy but at the same time realize this is a whole new world of worry and fears. But we aren't letting those worries dampen our joy!