The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Now that I am in my third trimester I have experienced some different things that I have never encountered before. Some have been good, some bad, and some just flat out ugly!

The Good

• Baby movements- Kinley is beginning to really move especially at night. I no longer feel just a flutter. It has turned into a butt, foot, knee, or elbow. I have also gotten to experience the baby roll and hiccups. Some can be uncomfortable, but I love them anyway.
• Registering- I was a bit nervous going into the store to register. I had heard several comments about how awful it is. For some reason or another, Ike and I really enjoyed it. It made the pregnancy feel real and gave me butterflies to think that she would be here before I knew it.
• Public attention- I know that some do not like this, but I have had so many sweet strangers come up to me and ask when I was due, give me a big smile, or offer me their seat. I don't even mind the belly touches....secretly I kind of like it.
• Project nursery- Decorating has always been fun for me, but now I have the best room in the house to get ready. I am having a blast getting the decor just right and we even made her bedding. It is beautiful! Still in the process of finding creative ways to incorporate Alice In Wonderland here and there....

The Bad

• Acid indigestion- I know I have mentioned this before, but it is so intense that it must be mentioned again. I finally gave in and had my doctor recommend something much stronger than Tums. I am starting on it today and hopefully it will cure it. I have lost countless hours of sleep due to it.
• Back and butt pain- Kinley gets into a position where my whole right side of my body goes numb, but creates a pulsing pain at the same time. All I can do is ride it out and try to move her around. I was told she is on a nerve and that it is normal, but can be extremely painful. She is a pain in the butt already :)
• My growing back side- I went to the doctor yesterday for my 30 week checkup (a few days early) and I have gained exactly 20 lbs. The doctor said that I am all baby, however I have a different opinion. I love my growing belly, but could do without the growing butt. I think my belly and my butt are on a race to the finish. Please stop growing!

The Ugly 

• The doctor scaring the crap out of you- I went into my appointment yesterday for a check-up. I am on an every 2 week schedule now. When I went into the doctor we were expecting some ice the next morning. She went through the routine and then took a seat. She looked at me very seriously and said "so if it ices tomorrow you aren't going to drive, right?" In my mind I knew that if work was on I was going to be there. I uncomfortably laughed and said "sure." She then went on to tell me that if I got in a wreck and the air bag deployed that it could be detrimental to my baby.  Ok so I won't drive...but now that is all I am going to think about every other day I drive!! I have no control over the psycho drivers that are out every day! Thanks Doc!
• Peeing- Embarrassing, but way too funny not to tell....Ike and I had just crawled into bed and I was in a lot of pain due to Kinley's position on my back. I was asking Ike to push on my back and in the middle of a sentence I felt  a sneeze coming on. They always talk about this in the books, but you never think it actually happens. Anyway, mid sentence I sneeze, yelp, and pee all at the same time. Talent! Ike was laughing so hard as I rolled out of bed. It was just a little, but enough to change...which was my biggest complaint. Do you know how long it takes me to change my clothes with this belly? By far the most embarrassing and now one of my favorite moments from the pregnancy.  

• The "i'm better than you" syndrome- When you are pregnant, you already have a lower tolerance for everything. I have found this to be especially true for the people who are the know-it-alls or who are one-uppers. You know the people who have to top you in everything. You never realize how prominent this is in society until you become pregnant. Now some of those who have ever had a baby, are having a baby, or who work with babies are a walking thesaurus who continue to follow you. Now don't get me wrong, I have wonderful friends and family who are so supportive that I love dearly who give me wonderful advice. I am not talking about them....I talking about the other people out there who PUSH. I have listed the 10 comments I have received numerous times that will drive an expectant mother insane.

1. "Oh just you wait....."

2. "Are you going to breast feed? The benefits are..."

3. "Have you got ________ done yet? Oh, well I have!"

4. "You need to get __________ done ASAP"

5. "You have gained how much?" It is always to much or too little

6. "Well you can kiss your sleep goodbye! When that baby comes....."

7. "You need to get this, this, this, and this"

8. "Make sure you watch what you eat!"

9. "Huh, that's not how it was for me"

10. "You're life is about to change and you don't even know it yet"

Now I am not known to be a complainer and I HATE controversy. I would love to live like the "Its A Small World Afterall" at Disney...can't we all just get along? However, the above statements may drive me batty. I know I am new and I have never done this before, but it is all about the journey and figuring it out on my own. Isn't that what life is all about? Maybe it is just me.

Anyway, I am leaving on a lighter note with a little humor in light of the ice day. Enjoy!

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Well I am one week away from my third trimester and time is flying! I can honestly say that I have really enjoyed pregnancy so far, although I have had some unpleasant experiences. I know it's a small price to pay, but in a perfect world I would not experience these at all. My pregnancy fears are starting to fade just in time to develop new mommy fears. As I look back over the past 6 months there are a lot of things I took advantage of before I was pregnant. Here are just a few of those things (some in which were a royal pain in the butt before I was pregnant...now I would embrace them).

1. Shaving my legs without taking several breaks- I have not been blessed with a shower seat, therefore I must work around my large lady lumps and continually growing belly. Not a pretty sight and not the least bit fun. I wonder if Ike would shave them for me? I have brought this to several people's attention and they say to just not care so much, however one of my very silly worries is going into labor with hairy legs. Don't laugh....you know you would be the same way.

2. Being able to run. period- I recall a few weeks back when I attempted to run at work. Oh yeah it was cute let me tell you. I was late picking my students up from specials. The bell rang and I was still in my portable. I dashed out of the room and attempted to run my big butt down the sidewalk, which lasted about 30 seconds. I came around the corner huffing and puffing. I stopped and looked around to make sure no one was watching. That was a glorious moment. I have never been so ready to go for a mile run in my life! Once I recover it is to the pavement I go.

3. Eating without thinking I might die-I have always heard of people talking about heartburn and indigestion when they were pregnant. I always brushed it off as something small. It is not until you truly experience pregnancy heartburn that you understand the true agony those women go through. Mine occurs off and on all day, but it is the worst at night. I wake up at night thinking that someone has lit my body on fire. I swear acid is eating away at my esophogus. Can you develop an addiction to Tums? If so, I think I need rehab. The crazy thing is that ANYTHING gives me heartburn...bread, water, air. I cannot wait to have a meal and really enjoy it without consequences.

4. Wearing beautiful shoes- I tried on my brand new, sexy, not so cheap high boots the other day. After trying to zip them up I sat on the end of the tub and cried. I became a 3 year old in that moment. "I'm not going to dinner! I have nothing to wear! I'm going naked!" Ike leaves the room during these moments...it's probably best for the both of us. Anyway all you cute skinny ladies who are rockin the heels, I envy you. Watch out...I just may push you down when you aren't looking :)


5. wining and dining...not whining and dining-I will make this one short and sweet. I cannot wait to have a glass of wine with dinner. Don't take advantage of your yummy glass of Chardonnay with your steak. Also I cannot wait to eat sushi (real sushi). Ike and I always joke that he better be at the hospital with a butterfly kiss roll waiting outside the delivery room. Such a great man :)

Praying for a Miracle

After our 20 week doctor's appointment we began to plan for our little angel. We threw around names, I shopped for nursery ideas, and Ike began to really dig the idea that we were going to have a girl. Everything was perfect....that was until the Monday after rolled around. About 5 days had gone by and I was organizing my classroom at the end of the day. My phone rang and it was a nurse from my doctor's office. I was a bit surprised to see the number pop up on the screen. When I answered she quickly let me know that the doctor had taken a second look at my sono pictures and everything looked normal except for the fact that she had a cyst on her brain. EXCEPT??? I went into panic mode. My heart began to race, I thought I was going to pass out, and I tried to pull it together until I got the details or lack there of. The nurse was very sturn and short letting me know that we had an appointment for the following Thursday and that it was essential that I got off work. I waited for details...none came. I began to get angry and upset. Why was she not giving me any details? I asked her several questions and each came with a short-to the point-answer. I hung up the phone and immediately called Ike. I'm sure I completely freaked him out seeing as though I was not, in any way calm or sane at the moment. He said he was leaving work immediately. When we got home, we both researched the internet up and down. We had family and friends researching as well. We sent out prayer requests and I found myself begging with God. I was desperate. It was by far the worst week of our lives. I would not wish that on anyone.  Thinking back I still do not see how we had enough energy to go to work everyday or much less pull our head's off our pillow every morning. Before we got to Thursday, we gave our angel a name. Kinley Alayne Anderson. We wanted her to have an identity. In some way we felt it would give her a better chance.

When Thursday rolled around, we woke up and anxiously awaited the doctor appointment. I lost it before we walked in, but Ike was so supportive and gave me the courage to go in. We did the usual...urine sample, weight, sitting in a dreaded empty room. Then in walked the doctor. He was a younger man and had a kind look about him.  I will never forget his words before he began the detailed sono.

Dr: "So have you been all over the internet researching?"

Me: "All the time"

Dr: Don't you know that internet is only good for 2 things?" It is good for sports and porn. Everything else should be left up to doctors."

We all cracked up and I knew he was the kind of doctor I liked....one who was not a robot. He was real, human, and just what we needed.

He very carefully checked each part of her body. Her arms, legs, hands, feet,  heart, spine, lady parts, and finally her brain. I think I held my breath as he looked carefully throughout. He looked at Ike and I and said "it's gone." There was no sign of a cyst anywhere. It was there before and now it was gone. He couldn't explain why it had gone away at such a rapid pace. Usually if they disappear, it is usually in the 3rd trimester or after birth.  I can only explain this in one way. PRAYER WORKS, MIRACLES HAPPEN, GOD IS OUT THERE. He told us he didn't want to see us in his office again and gave us a smile. We left the office and as the door closed I burst into tears. Ike and I sat outside the door for a few minutes and soaked it in. Our little girl is healed and healthy.

Blue or Pink

Ike and I went into the doctor for our 20 week sonogram and we anxiously awaited the news...boy or girl? Seeing as though we knew the Anderson's just didn't have girls EVER, we just knew that we were going to be welcoming a sweet baby boy into the world. We had the name, nursery theme, everything! SUPRISE! I believe the conversation with the doctor went something like this,

Dr: "Well do you want to guess what you are having?"

Both of us: "Boy" in unison 

Dr: "Well....it's a little girl!"

Me: "Umm are you sure?"

Dr: "Yes honey I have known for 10 minutes, I just hadn't told you yet. Your little girl is very cooperative!"

Me: Silence.....and then sobs of happiness.

I forgot for a second that Ike was sitting next to me, due to pure shock. I looked over at him and he looked happy yet I noticed an underlying fearful look come across his face. We squeezed each others hands and our hearts were never the same. A sweet precious little girl.

On the way home we called the family and then our friends to let them know the news. It was a surreal moment. After our 100 calls we sat in the car in traffic a little quiet. I looked over at Ike and asked what he was thinking (you know the woman question every man hates). He answered very seriously, "I need to get a gym membership and a concealed handgun license. We are also going to be broke."

I laughed hysterically and knew from that point on that our sweet girl would always be taken care of....and that she was going to have a really hard time dating :)

Tackling The First Trimester

When Ike and I found out that I was pregnant we were thrilled! I had been battling with getting back to normal after going off birth control for over 6 months, so getting a positive on a pregnancy test was a shock. I had gone in for several blood tests before and all came back negative. When I got a positive on the pregnancy test I had just gone in to the lab 2 days before for a blood test. I waited and waited for the call from the doctor Monday morning and to my surprise the blood test came back negative! I went into hysterics and cried all day. How could a pee test come back positive and a blood test come back negative? We were a bit scared and heartbroken. Just to be safe, the doctor went ahead and scheduled another blood test (probably my 30th one) and had us come in. It was the longest 3 days of our life....the waiting was awful! Our dreams became reality when the doctor called the 2nd time to give us the good news. She said that my hormone level must have been lower than when I took the urine test. Supposedly your hormone level doubles daily in pregnancy. Who knew? This was hard for me to believe....that was until the psycho preggo showed up. Before I knew it I was sick, tired, sore, and grumpy. Here is just a few things that I experienced!

1. I was exhausted all the time.....I could barely drag my butt off the couch and work was really hard. I came home everyday and put my comfy pants on immediately.

2. Immediate bloat-I'm not fat people....i'm PREGNANT!

3. Gas- I know gross, but true

4. A visit to the bathroom every 30 minutes including during the night. I swear I was going to pee my pants

5. Sick ALLLLL the time. "Lord please just let me throw up! Get it over with!"

6. Stage 5 clinger! My claws were in and I did not want Ike out of my sight. NEEDY...poor guy

LOVED: Limes, lemons, pickles, pickled okra, chips and queso, sour candy, cheeseburgers, crackers

HATED: the look, smell, and taste of chicken (if there were a stronger word than hate I would have used it) and sweets, especially chocolate
                                                                   
                                                                 The Beginning

At the end of the trimester

Luckily, after 13 weeks I was able to eat what I wanted and a lot of the list above went away...only to bring other things!