The BIG ultrasound....

Brian and I are the proud of parents of a ...................................................................................

stubborn baby!

So to start off the ultrasound, I was instructed to empty my bladder 1 hr 15 minutes before our appointment (9:45), then I had 30 minutes to drink 28.5 oz of fluids because you supposeably get better pictures with a full bladder. Well I followed the instructions to a T... but I also had a 32 oz soda and a 32 oz. cup of water between 730-930 am this morning... I was in pain I had to go to the bathroom so badly when 11 o'clock came around! I could hardly walk! ... as soon as the tech started the Ultrasound she saw that my bladder was WAY too full! She said it looked like I had a gallon in me! ... which is pretty darn close! ha! Of course I would be the over achiever when it came to getting enough fluids! ha! I think I come from a thirsty family, we all are always drinking something constantly!

On to baby news... the tech knew right away that the baby was going to be difficult. First the baby was sitting butt down and cross legged. (I can just imagine it sitting with its arms crossed too saying "No way!") This not only kept us from finding out the gender but the tech from taking her necessary pictures. The baby eventually started moving, but moved right into Brian's favorite sleeping position. On his/her side, curled up tight, with its legs glued shut. The little stinker! We kind of lucked out though that the tech couldn't get her pictures because that means we are allowed another ultrasound.

We did get some good pictures though... one cute one of its feet. I think it has my feet. The toes are spread wide apart... if anyone has ever seen my feet, my toes do not touch each other! I think the baby will share this trait! If its a girl, hopefully her feet don't grow to be as big as my feet though!

In other baby news.... Its heart beat is currently at 154 (Kozlen's love 54!)... and is weighting a whopping 15 oz. According to our book, the average for this "age" is 10.5 oz. I always knew we would be having a big baby!

They also predicted that I would have the baby between Nov 10th-15th... I think 11/11 would be a fun day!! Lets hope for that one, and far away from the 2nd so I can take my test!

In mama news... I am still doing good. I gained another 6 lbs (EEKS!) to put be at +18. I know I am supposed to gain, but holy cow, it is hard to just step on the scale and see jumps like that!!! I am half way through this pregnancy, if I can gain an additional 18 in the second half, I will come out right on schedule for the usual/recommended weight gain... lets see if that happens though!

So our plans to paint the baby room on Friday are getting postponed... Hopefully the 17th will be our lucky day! Only 2 and a half more weeks till we get another try! Lets keep our fingers crossed!!!

Monday Monday Monday

We find out Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ultrasound is at 11:00!!!!

It will be a VERY unproductive day at work while I wait to leave!

Hopefully this weekend goes fast.... but not too fast!

Daycare

Brian and I took the afternoon off yesterday to close on our new loan and to check out some daycares.

We visited 3 very different places which all have their pros and cons.

This could be one of the hardest decisions ever!

We want to be able to give our child the very best that we can... but where do we draw the line?

Below is a breakdown...

Early Childhood Prep School (Middle Priced)
Pros:
· Strongly promotes learning and development at every age.
· Good location
· Discount for multiple children
· Will keep children with a fever as long as a doctor says they are not contagious.
· Allows 1 week of vacation after attending for a year.
· Will open around Christmas depending on the demand from parents
Cons:
· Waiting list until April 2010
· Does not have real cribs for infants, just pack-n-plays
· Whole place seemed cluttered
· Have to bring infant supplies each day

Little Learners Academy (Lowest Price)
Pros:
· Lowest price
· Available in late January 2010
· Real/individual cribs for infants
· Cleaner environment
· Will hold infant items, and do not have to bring in daily.
Cons:
· Not the best location.
· Child is out for 24 hrs every time they have a fever, even if it is for teething.
· “Teachers” may not be as qualified as the other daycares.
· Did not seem to promote learning and development as much.

The Goddard School (Most Expensive)
Pros:
· AMAZING!
· VERY strong educational program
· Infants have their own cribs.
· All infant “teachers” have atleast 5 years experience and associates in some sort of children
studies and all “teachers” 2 and up have atleast a bachelors degree.
· Could guarantee us a spot when our little one turns 2.
· They have a PTO! Ha!
Cons:
· The price
· Waiting list until Aug 2010 for under 2 years old.
· A set price each month, whether your child is there or not.
· Closed on multiple days for holidays and “teacher” development.


We definitely LOVE the Goddard school... but the earliest we can get is not until our baby is 10 months old!

We need to figure out something fast too... we dont want the start dates to get pushed back even further!!

The good and bad

Our anniversary was great!

The trip to TN was much needed, and a wonderful break.

Thursday we got in late, around 1:30 am our time, 2:30 Chattanooga time. The hotel was wonderful and the bed was very welcomed after being stuck in a car for over 6 hrs!

Friday we got up, had lunch, and headed to the aquarium. The Chattanooga aquarium was very nice, slightly over priced, but it made me even more excited for our under the sea nursery! I loved seeing the fish, the stingrays, the sharks, the starfish, the turtles, the octopus, the seahorses, the jellyfish, the alligators, and even the penguins! I, of course, hit up the gift shop and bought an adorable stuffed sea turtle for the baby! :) After the aquarium and 3D Imax movie, we headed back to the hotel for me to take a nap. I definitely started feeling more pregnant Friday. The 3 hrs of walking around made my back hurt, my feet hurt, and my body swell! I had to keep asking Brian for breaks to sit down and rest. After my nap we headed for dinner... we went to a place called Taco Mac which is one of those places with 220 different bottles of beer and 60 beers on draft. Here I received my first pregnant comment from a stranger. Our waitress came over to our table and started telling us about the place and all the beers before she started giggling and said "Im sorry, I just noticed you are pregnant." I was very surprised by this, I was sitting in a chair... I must have really been looking pregnant. ... Anyways, out of the 220+ beers, I figured they might have some fun nonalcoholic beers for me... nope... only O'Douls! I was a little bummed. After dinner we headed to the Chattanooga Lookout's game. The team is a AA minor league team affiliated with the Dodgers. Tickets were only 4 dollars!... but it was HOT!! This also lead to my second stranger pregnancy comment. Because of the extreme heat, we of course wanted to stay hydrated. Brian with beer, me with water or soda. One of the concession stand workers, an old man, responded with "Hey this aint fair, you drinking beer and she can't!" ... Half way thru the game, we couldn't stand the heat any longer and we left. We headed back to the hotel to meet up with Erin and Jeff (the other couple that went to Chattanooga with us. They were celebrating their 7th wedding anniversary). We headed back out to get ice cream and to let the boys have a few beers.

Saturday was another busy day... Brian and I again had a nice lunch and then walked along the river front and around the art museum. At 2, we met up with Erin and Jeff at the hotel. The boys headed out to do some white water rafting while Erin and I headed to the North Shore (across the bridge) on the free shuttle to do some shopping. I would have LOVED to go white water rafting, but they wouldn't let pregnant ladies... darn it! I didn't wait Brian to miss out on the opportunity either, so I was a good wife and let him go without me... The shops reminded us alot of the U City area, and we had a good time looking each shop at the little trinkets. I proudly did not buy anything! :) After 3 hrs of shopping and walking in the heat, we headed back to the hotel so we could get ready for our dinner date. The four of us attended a murder mystery dinner. It was alot of fun! The "theme" was an Italian-Redneck wedding. The "Bride" just loved Brian! At the beginning of the show, Brian accidentally tripped her. She of course wanted to get him back. She continually would come over, shove him and put ice down his shirt. Brian even got up and danced with another character! We had a great time! After dinner we headed to another bar and just enjoyed sitting outside before heading back to the hotel and leaving in the morning.



Our actual anniversary consisted of driving back to St. Louis and just getting ready for work on Monday.... but that was perfectly ok. I can't believe its been a year already! Our next will be here in a blink of an eye!

An update on my car.... it was just the battery!!!!!!! I was so relieved when the said I just needed a new battery! I can totally handle that! Probably anyone that knew anything about cars would have known this right away, but I had no idea! It was a nice surprise to receive that bill!

But on a not so good note.... Last night (Tuesday) Brian and I came home to a HOT house! HOT as in 88 degrees and the AC not working! We packed up and headed to my parents because we knew neither of us would be getting any sleep in the heat. My parents were happy to have us, and it was nice sleeping in my old bed and having breakfast with my parents! I think we might be staying there again tonight. A Gilmore family friend is coming to look at the AC tonight, and I am not getting my hopes up and think that it will be an easy fix. Brian and I are both betting on buying a new AC system! DARN IT!

My mom reminded me that things often come in 3.... for us, it seems like it is money expenses... 1. my car, 2. the AC... what will be 3? Lets hope its just the baby furniture we plan on buying next weekend! :)

I hate cars

After my rough start to my week, as mentioned a few posts ago, I had another rough day.

I think it might have been Tuesday that my check engine light came on when driving to work. Of course I stressed about it.... That evening, driving home, it went off! Yeah!

Wednesday, driving to work, my parking break, air bag, and gas tank light came on.... i figured my dash board must be short circuiting. Again on the way home, they all went off.

Today... Thursday... after a horrible night of sleep (I kept dreaming Brian was cheating on me! ) I get all packed for our mini vacation, get in my car to head to work, and my car wont start!!! GRRR!!!!!

After shedding a few tears... ok... lots of tears... I am pregnant, I can't help it... I called a tow truck to take my car the 1/2 mile to dobbs and my mom drove all the way up to st. Charles from Fenton, just to drive me to work which is back in Fenton. She is wonderful! :) She even stopped and brought me a soda and chocolate donuts to try and cheer me up.

I hate cars! I always have the WORST luck with cars! I think I am cursed! As long as I have known Brian, he has never had any problems with his car... I think I am on my 3rd car since I met him... and they all have had multiple trips to the shop! I would happily live somewhere where I did not have to be dependent on my car! I am dreading getting this bill... I hate spending money on my stupid car!!

This trip to TN is much needed... I am currently waiting for Brian to pick me up from work so we can head on out! I can't wait to get there and have a nice, relaxing, fun weekend!

... but then I have to come back and deal with my stupid car! :(

10.5 inches

At dinner tonight Brian said:

"Guess how long the baby is this week.... 10.5 inches! Do you know why he is that long now, (the books said only 6 inches last week) because now they measure his whole body instead of just head to butt."

I just love that he knows this about our baby!!!!!

UGG Monday Mornings...

What can make Monday mornings worse?

Having morning sickness return at 19 weeks and throwing up my breakfast.

Having a downpour of rain my entire drive to work making me 10 minutes late.

And having one of my contacts rip in half as soon as I get to work...

GRRR! Hopefully today gets better!

On a happier note....

Its only 2 weeks until we find out what we are having!!!!!!!!!!!! We cannot wait!

And, this week is a short week... we are leaving Thursday for Chattanooga to celebrate our first anniversary on Sunday!!! :) I can't believe its already been a year! Everyone says that the first year is the roughest... well the rest of our marriage should be a piece of cake because we had a great year! :)

our little tennis player?

Do you know what I love?

I love seeing how excited Brian and I's parents are for this little baby!

Brian's parents of course have plans of babysitting tons, even to a point there they will be buying their own mini crib! How great is that?

My parents... more my dad... is now on the search for a new digital camera. He wants to be prepared to take lots of quality pictures of his new grandbaby! My dad is also dreaming of the days when this baby is old enough to swing a tennis racket! He already bought a kids racket so he can get teach him/her how to play as soon as he is old enough to stand and swing a racket! Brian is okay with this, "as long as tennis doesn't interfer with baseball!" ha!

I just love knowing that this baby is going to be brought into such a loving and excited family!

He/she will definitely have more love than they can handle! :)

never ending!

I currently have never ending hunger!!

Its not hunger like "oh, that sounds good, I'll eat it..."

Its the hunger where my stomach is making loud ridiculous growls. I am feeling nauseas like I haven't eaten all day... and its making me lose my mind!

I seriously got up from my desk and walked up and down my isle because I couldn't remember why I got up. I just kept thinking "Did I print something? Do I need to tell Tina something? Do I need to fax something?" Finally Mary Jo, who sits next to me said "What are you doing!?"... I just sat back down because I couldn't remember!

So I went downstairs at 11:00 o'clock to get lunch... I am sure I will be hungry again this afternoon!

Everyone is officially noticing that I am pregnant nowtoo... I keep getting "look at your bump!" or "You are definitely getting a belly!". It is all in very nice ways now.... hopefully it stays that way!

I will have Brian take a picture tonight hopefully! No more self portraits I have decided!

funny feelings

So I am either feeling this baby move or I am having some major stretchin going on!

I obviously dont know what the baby is supposed to feel like, but there has been alot of "feelings" in the abdomine area going on today!

... either way, I am happy.

A moving baby or a growing baby = a healthy baby! :)

New Moon

I was really crabby today...

To find comfort I came to my parents house at lunch to eat their food and lay on comfortable couches...

I also got on the computer and found this article with a trailer for the movie.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/new-moon-trailer.html

I am happy and cheerful again!

The movie will be out around Thanksgiving. I have already decided that this is will be Brian and I's first night out without the baby.... even though the baby will only be about a week or two old... I dont think I will be able to wait long to see it! :) It will be my reward for deliverying a baby!

Who's babysitting?

just another visit

I had another doctors appointment today...

I peed in a cup.
I was weighted. +6... : (
I had my blood pressure taken. 120/80 :)
I met one of the other doctors.
I asked a few questions.
I heard the heart beat. :)
I left.

It all took a whopping 5 minutes.

Baby and I are both happy and healthy. My pregnancy is all VERY routine.

I have gained a total of 11 lbs now... eeks! Dr. Glass made me feel better though when he reminded me that "Your pregnant, its supposed to happen!". Plus my appointment was a 1:00, rather than my usual 11:00. Because of this time change, I had lunch before going, which I usually dont. I will blame atleast a pound of this weight gain on my lunch. :)

One of the questions I asked was if it was possible for me to become lactosse intolerant. He said most definitely. I have always LOVED ice cream... but the few times I have had it since being pregnant I feel MISERABLE afterwards and it ends up coming back up! I feel the same way after having a few swigs of milk... I now seem to be craving slushies to get my cold fix. I love QTs Black Cherry drink! Yummy!

Ohh! On a more unpleasant note!.... I was given my estimated baby bill! They actually showed me the cost of my appointments, ultrasounds and delivery of a routine pregnancy (luckily this is me! It will cost less! ha!) and showed how my insurance will pay 80% while we will be paying 20% which equals to 430 dollars.... but wait... thats not the only cost of having a baby... we will still be billed by the hospital for our stay and anestiologist! I have heard it will cost about 4000 to have this baby..... darn it! All of you soon to be pregnant people out there... dont forget to add this price into the cost of having a little one! .... luckily I am sure it will be money well spent!!! :)


Now the countdown is on until my next appointment!!! 27 more days until we find out what we are having!!!!!!!!!!!!!!