New 3-D pictures

Daddy and I went back up to SeeMe3D to try to get a good shot of your face because we are Soooo anxious to meet you that we feel if we can kind of see what you look like, it will help ease our anxiousness! :)  I was just hoping that you would cooperate, b/c last time when we went there to find out your gender, you kind of cooperated. You wanted to face my back mostly.
Well, this time you were VERY cooperative! They recorded the ultrasound for me to keep as a DVD and I can show you when you get a little older. It is soo amazing to watch you inside of me thru the ultrasound. I told Daddy that I wish my tummy was made of glass so that I could just sit and watch you grow, but I wouldn't get ANYthing done if that was the case!  I also got a CD of over 70 pictures of you! I see you look a LOT like your daddy! You even make that "Duck" face that he does that drives me crazy! You have the cutest nose and mouth ever. I was almost 28 weeks pregnant with you when we took these pictures, and you still have 12 more weeks to cook, but I found out that you are already in the birthing position. Which kinda bothers me and makes me think that you are going to come early, mainly becuase I work on my feel ALL the time and I feel like that has a lot to do w/ it.

Your new baby cousin and more...

Well, alot has happened since I last blogged.  You have a new cousin.  Baby Graham has made his arrival into this world on June 17th. He weighed about 7lbs 9oz and measured about 21" long. Big boy :)

 I have thoroughly enjoyed being a new aunt. Your Aunt Wendy and Uncle Evan came into town to see the baby, so your cousin Oakes was here for a little while too. Oakes loves the "bebe" too.

I am a little over 25 weeks now, and had my Glucose Test this past Thurs. Haven't heard back, so I'm guessing that means that I passed! YAY!  That's a good thing, b/c I really want to have you as naturally as possible, and I think the only way I'm going to be able to do that is w/ a Birthing Tub. I feel you moving ALL the time now. Daddy got to feel you move for the 1st time on Father's Day. He had a big grin his face when you kicked him. :)  He's felt you move a few times since then. it's funny, somedays you won't be active at all, but as soon as I hold your cousin, Graham, on my chest/tummy, you begin to kick him. I can't wait to meet you and then Mimi and Popi will have 2 babies to share. 

I went to Jackie's "surprise" baby shower today. Her sister Carolyn threw it @ her house, and her sister Diane, sister-in-law, Melissa, and neice were there along w/ me, Sterling, her mother, and her father. It was a great success. So of course we had to get a pic of her @ her shower.

 I'm going to get a picture of Aunt Wendy and me together w/ our pregnant bellies once she starts to get a little bigger. I'm so excited to be able to experience this w/ my sister. Pregnancy is a very special thing, and to be able to share it w/ the only sister I have, is super exciting.

I FINALLY know it's you kicking :)

This past Monday, June 13th, I was sitting on the couch with Mimi and Popi watching a movie. It was in the evening and my arms were crossed over my stomach when all of a sudden I felt you move! :)  Mimi saw my hands move and asked me if it was you that was moving? I said YES!!!  So, both Mimi and Popi put their hands on my stomach right where my rib cage meets in the middle, and they both got to feel you move!  You've been NOT STOP since then. Especially everytime I try to relax, you just move away. Either that, or you get the hiccups! :) I feel you everytime I sit down on the couch or my bed.  Not so much while I'm sitting at my desk at work or while I'm working, but I'm sure it won't be long until I can feel you move then!

Aunt Ashley and Uncle Joe are going to the hospital tomorrow morning to be induced at 5:30am. You're cousin Graham will be born tomorrow, and I can't wait to meet him either. Uncle Joe is super nervous about it, and Aunt Ashley just can't wait to meet him. You are going to have ALL these cousins close by! Oh, and your Aunt Wendy and Uncle Evan are expecting another baby due 2 months after you arrive!  All these babies. Oakes will be a Big Brother :) Aunt Wendy doesn't know the gender yet, but maybe by the time we all have our "Family Beach Vacation" in August...we will know. I hope she's having a girl, so then there will be 2 boys and 2 girls! Mimi and Popi are overjoyed about all these babies. They told Uncle Jay, not to think about having a baby right now! haha.  I Love You honey!

Memorial Day Weekend

I went to Brunswick, GA on June 27-30th to visit my good friend Jackie and her husband Benji.  They are also expecting a baby girl, Bentley Anne, who is due 6 weeks ahead of you. I was in Jackie's wedding about 2 years ago, but I've known Jackie for about 17 years.  We met when she moved here from NY and we both worked @ Baskin Robbins Ice Cream.  I had a great weekend. We got to go to the pool and catch some rays, went to dinner, saw a movie, and she got to show me around St Simon's Island, where she is a teacher at the Elementary School there. She works at a school that is right on the beach. Kind of like the Elementary School that I went to as a child. I did some shopping, and helped her put Bentley's nursery together. We also got to go to the beach!

My carpal tunnel has really started to bother me even more than before. As soon as I got back from GA, I called the Acupunturist to make an appt. I went to him 5x's before they got sooo bad, I could barely make a fist. I know that it's gotta get worse before it gets better, but geez. I'm going to postpone my last 5 visits for a little while. I've had to start taking Tylenol Arthritis. :(  
I did go with Jennifer Causby to Babies R Us to do my registry for you! I had Sooo much fun. I left there w/ 19 pages of stuff. Aunt Wendy told me some things that I need to take off of my registry, so when I'm done with it, it really won't be that long. I know I'm going to have a few baby showers, so I felt I might as well cover everything. I want to do your nursery theme as Bumblebees. I can't do your nursery until I move out of Mimi and Popi's house, which will be in March. I found us a really cute 2 bedroom condo, end unit that backs up to the marsh. Colby will love it, and I can decorate your nursery any way I want to. Just you, me, and Colby :)

Still not quite sure about the feelings....

So, I went to the Dr today, for the Birthing Center, and you are STILL a Girl! :)  I still can't believe you are a girl!  I'm Sooo excited!!!  They did an ultrasound and I asked them about the vibrations, and they said it's very possible that it could be you. I wonder if I'll feel it again.  Haven't felt it since.  I did however get a GREAT profile pic of you!!!

I also was going through my ultrasound pictures of you, and I came across one of you looking like you're telling me to "Shhh".  You must know your mama!  I am a talker, and being that i work/own a salon, I do a LOT of talking.  You are getting a headstart on trying to get some quiet time.



Vibrations???

I was at work last Thursday, still extremely excited about you being a girl, and was in the process of doing a clients hair, when all of a sudden, I felt a vibration??  It felt as though there was a cell phone in my Left front smock pocket. I stopped what I was doing at the moment to reach into my pocket w/ a confused look on my face. Only not to find anything in my pocket. My client looked at me and asked me if everything was ok. I told her that I felt a vibration on my left side under my ribs and under my left breast. I blamed it on the zipper of my left pocket rubbing against the chair. It only lasted for a few seconds each time, but happend about 6 times. I was fine that evening, but then again on Friday I felt it a few more times. This time I wasn't wearing my smock nor was I at work. It happened while I was eating lunch, and again Friday evening while I was laying in the bed watching TV. Then Saturday on my way back from Columbia, I felt it again while I was driving. I woke up this morning and looked it up on the internet, and I read that it's called "quivers". Apparently those are movements that you are making inside of me, and b/c this is my 1st pregnancy, I really don't know what to expect. Now that I have this knowledge, I feel a little more relieved. I have a Dr Appt on Tues, and will ask them anyway, but I'm guessing everything is A-OK! :) I am a little over 19 weeks, so I should be feeling some kinds of movements now. Can't wait to meet you honey. These next 5 months are going to go by SOoo SLOW.  Love You

Here's a pic of me.  19w3d  <3

IT'S A GIRL

Baby EVA

Today I found out that you ARE in fact a Girl! :)  I had more dreams last night about you being a girl, but in the in-between nights, you were a boy in my dreams.  Since it is Popi's 62nd Birthday today, I asked Mimi and Popi to come with Daddy and me to find out the gender. We all met up in Summerville and as soon as they found out that you were a Girl, Popi instantly began to cry tears of JOY~  He's getting his 1st Granddaughter, & he couldn't be any happier. Of course as soon as I saw Popi cry, I cried too. :) haha.  Mimi said, thank goodness you are a girl, b/c she really didn't like the name we picked out for a boy! Daddy was quite surprised too. Deep down he thought you were a boy, but he was totally excited by the fact that you are in fact a GIRL! :)  He can't believe he's having a daughter.!  We named you Eva after My Nana (grandmother). I just love that name and my Nana passed away on April 12th. I told her before she passed away, that if you were a girl, I would name you after her. :) 
At this ultrasound place, we received a DVD of you moving around inside of me, a CD of about 34 pictures of you via 3d and Realtime 4d.  Also we received 2 blk/wht prints and 2 color prints. I did notice that you have your Popi's Long Legs. I'll include a picture of that, so you can see how long they were when you were just 18 wks in utero. The 1st person I called after I found out you were a girl, was your Aunt Wendy. She was very excited too. I can't wait for her to have a little girl, so that you both can be close cousins. Uncle Joe and Aunt Ashley are due w/ their baby, Graham, in about a month. So you will already have 2 boy cousins by the time you enter into this world. The oldest cousin OAKES, who will have just turned 2 yrs old, and GRAHAM who will be about 4 months old. So many babies!!!  I LOVE YOU EVA~~~

A Little Bummed by my Dr Appt

Well, I went to the Dr's office w/ Daddy today, to find out your gender. I had barely been able to sleep the last night. I did have a dream about you being a Girl, but the previous night I had a baby Boy dream. So that left me a little confused as well. When we got to the Dr Office, I was so excited and the Dr asked me why? I said, confusingly, don't I get to find out my baby's gender today? She said no, and that wouldn't be for at least 3 more weeks. I was Sooo bummed. :(  Apparently the scheduling lady messed up the schedule. What a way to Bust someone's Bubble. :(  On another note, I haven't felt you again, so I'm thinking it was more like a Gas Bubble before when I was @ the wedding. :(  I DID however make an appointment @ Seeme3D in Summerville, SC to find out what gender you are. I made the appointment for Saturday the 14th of May. (Popi's Birthday)  I'll get back to this in 2 day!!! 

Here is a picture of 2 belly shots of me @ 16w 5d.  (A few weeks ago)

I went to a wedding this past weekend, and I think I felt you move for the 1st time. Not quite sure, it could have been you being angry b/c by the time I got up to the food @ the wedding, there was no food left, or it could have just been my stomach/gas bubbles.  People keep telling me that the 1st time I feel you move, it'll either feel like Gas Bubbles, or like Butterflies.  So, I'm not really sure.

I just got over Strep Throat. :( The Dr put me on an antibiotic, and within a few days, I started feeling a little better. By the time my antibiotic was finished, I felt like a new person. :)  From what I understand, my immune system is pretty much out of whack since I've been pregnant. It's okay though.

I can't wait to find out what gender you are. I find out in a few days. I just feel that the anticipation is getting the best of me. :)  So, Thursday, May 12th, I'll find out if you are a boy/girl.  I've had this feeling since day 1 that you are a girl, but who knows. Aunt Wendy told me something about a Chinese Gender Chart, and according to that...you should be a boy. I'm so confused.

Here are a few of my cravings...
1) bananas
2) raspberries & blackberries with yogurt and granola
3) the Banana Pudding Milkshake from Chick-fil-A [thanks to Aunt Ashley]
4) Oranges
5) Broccoli and Spinach
6) Watermelon
7) [sugar free] Dark Cherry Jello 
8) Waldorf Chicken Salad
9) Protien Smoothie's from the Smoothie King

Until next time...I LOVE YOU, and can't wait til the 12th~  :-)

A few more Ultrasounds and Dr Appts

Well, the month of April has been flying by. I have had 5 Dr appts this month all monitoring me and my little monkey. Making sure that all is good. The Dr's are still puzzled as to why I was bleeding. I bled for a little over 2 weeks. I was totally a nervous wreck. One of the Dr Appts I found out that my pelvis is measuring 2-3 weeks more you are measuring. I told the Dr's that I had been having twin dreams since the first day I found out I was pregnant, and 2 days before I started bleeding, I had a dream of a miscarriage. Ever since then, I've had only single baby dreams. The Dr's confirmed that may very well have been the cause of the bleeding. There may have been Twins in there, and one of them didn't fully develop, and may have died. That's why they didn't see any bleeding around the uterus. It was too small. :(  Even though  I may  never know for sure if that is exactly the case, I still have you to dream of! Your daddy's father is a twin, and there are twins on my mother's side as well.

I have recordings of all of the heartbeats and even have it programmed as my ring tone on my phone. I can't wait to find out the gender!!!  I have seriously been thinking about doing this whole natural birth thing. I went to Charleston Birth Place, and fell in love with it. I did find out some things from a friend who tried to birth there, but was transferred to the hospital, b/c she labored too long there, and apparently there are only a certain amount of hours you are allowed to labor and birth there. That is why if that is what I do decide to do...I will be hiring a Doula. My doula will be the one to tell me when it's time to go to the Birth Center! However, I do really like Dr Allison Nissen with MUSC. It's a tough decision, but I want what is best for you! I find your gender in about 3 weeks.  I'm SUPER EXCITED!!!   Love You Bunches!!!  Xoxoxoxoxo

A Few of my Pregnancy Scares

  On March 23rd, I had to go to the ER. I had been cramping for a few days and my back had started hurting really bad the day before. Daddy and I waited in the ER for about 7 hours. After being poked @ all day long w/ needles, the Dr finally came and told me that I had a UTI (urinary tract infection). He gave me some meds and sent me home. There was a little confusion as to the directions on dosage to the meds. The Dr told me one thing, and CVS told me something different. I called the hospital to find out the exact dosage instructions, but the prescribing Dr wasn't on duty that day and the nurse told me to take it how CVS had it written. I knew the correct dosage of the meds from being in medical school, and also the Internet confirmed my correct dosage. (Correct: 2x's/day for 7 days) (CVS: 1x/day for 14 days) The whole time I'm taking this medication, I'm thinking this is a LONG time to be taking meds while I'm pregnant, but I'm doing it b/c that's what the nurse at MUSC told me to do. The night that I took my last dosage of meds, I had a crazy dream! More so scary, than crazy. But everyone reassured me that it was just a dream and not to read into things.
  3 days later, on April 6th, I was at work when all of a sudden I felt a gush. When I went to the restroom, I noticed that I had started bleeding, and it wasn't just a little bit. I was totally freaked out! :(  I had to go back to the ER again, and they did all kinds of tests on me. Also got stuck with more needles. That doesn't bother me though. I DID get to finally see you on the ultrasound for 1st time! :)  You can't imagine the excitement that came over me, when I saw your heart beating, which meant things were OK at the moment. It said 149 bpm.

I ended up finding out that I have Rh- blood type which means the Rh factor in my blood could cause harm to you. Since I am Rh negative and daddy might be Rh positive, it could cause me to create antibodies against the Rh factor, treating you like an intruder in my body, if you are Rh positive as well. We will get your blood type tested as soon as we can, so that I can get the treatment necessary for you to grow strong! I did have to get a Rhogam shot which normally they don't give until the mommy is at least 27-28 weeks pregnant, but since we already know this, i went ahead and got one. I'll probably have to get another one at 27-28 weeks and then again after I give birth to you. I had a Dr appt the next morning, and couldn't wait to go, as the OB/GYN knows a little more about these things than the ER docs do.

  I went to see Dr Allison Sizemore Nissen, OB/GYN, CNM,April 7th,  for the first time today. She was pretty concerned about the bleeding as I am still bleeding. She did another ultrasound and told me that you looked Fantastic in there, but she couldn't figure out why I was bleeding. Your heartrate was stronger today than it was yesterday. I actually got to HEAR your heartbeat today. I asked her if I could record it on my phone, and she said yes. I was in such awe when I heard it and was only able to record about 17 seconds of it before I started crying tears of joy. At the end of the recording, you hear me saying WOW! It's soo amazing to hear your little life inside of me. I have the heartbeat saved to my computer as well as my phone. It is my ringtone, so that when anybody calls my phone..I hear YOU!

  As of today, I am still bleeding a little bit. I am going to the Dr again in the morning, April 11th. I also have a massage appt in the morning to help me get possibly get ride of these migraines that I've been having. I can't wait to see/hear you again! :)  I LOVE YOU little Monkey!!!

**PS.. I have a feeling that you are a GIRL!

Cravings

 Okay, so I'm not craving too many things so far. One of the things that I have found myself falling in love with, is the Duck Club at this restaurant/bar called the Tattooed Moose. It is totally Out of this World! Also, another thing that I am seriously craving is a beer! I'm not really even a beer drinker, but all I want is a beer in a cold, sweaty can! ha ha  I have eaten some crazy things though. Like the other night, I was here at home and saw my leftover sesame chicken in the fridge. Then I decided to dip it in JIF peanut butter. Mmmm, now THAT was delicious! Also, I took Daddy to his 1st every hockey game. We went to one of the SC Stingrays Games. He had gotten some nachos but put cheese, sour cream, and jalapenos on it. I have never been able to eat anything hot or spicy, but for some reason...it smelled soo good. I asked Daddy for a bite, and loved it. I told him that he needed to take pictures because he was the 1st person in the world to ever see me eat those on purpose. Then I told him, that if I couldn't sleep that night because of heartburn, I was going to stay up all night and throw rocks at his window. I ordered fries,and they were the best fries ever!

** Telling People about my Monkey **

  Everybody always says its good to wait until you are 12 weeks pregnant before you start telling people that you are expecting. Well, I was so excited, I couldn't wait. I always told people that the day I found out I was pregnant...I was going to buy a billboard to let everyone know! The Internet is a LOT cheaper! ha ha
  I was about 6 weeks when I went to the Health Department to confirm the pregnancy. I was in the process of looking into Health Insurance when I found out that I was pregnant. Health Insurance now a days will not cover your pregnancy if you are pregnant when you get the ins. It is called "pre-existing". So, I'm having to go the whole Medicaid Route. Which isn't a bad thing. The state will totally take care of me and my monkey during  pregnancy and my monkey for the 1st year after birth. :) I went to the Health Department on February 22 and then had to go back to work. I wasn't able to go to the Medicaid Office until February 28th. I sat there for about 2.5 hours just to fill out 3 pieces of paper. I had been waiting for Medicaid to be approved before I could make a Dr Appt b/c I have no health insurance. Thank goodness everything is going well with my little Monkey.
  2 weeks after I found out, Daddy and I drove to Asheville, NC to visit Aunt Wendy, Uncle Evan, and cousin Oakes for the weekend. We had a great time, except the weather started getting really cloudy on Sat and Sun. :(  But that just meant more indoor time with cousin Oakes! :) We went to a Pancake Breakfast that Sat morning and Oakes loved the pancakes. It was hosted by Uncle Evans elementary school. Later that evening I got to watch Oakes so Aunt Wendy & Uncle Evan got a chance to get out of the house for a little while. I fed Oakes, well he fed himself, and made a MESS!!!

Ravioli and Green Beans were even up his nose. He did love it though. Afterwards he got his bath then went right to sleep. He's such a good kid. The next morning, Daddy and I started our drive back to SC in the rainy weather. I wasn't about 10 minutes after we left Asheville, that Aunt Wendy texted me and and told me we had just missed the snow. She said it was the biggest snowflakes she had ever seen! Boo, I wanted to see it, but was glad we didn't have to drive in it. Mommy tried sleeping on the way home, but couldnt because I just couldn't get my body temperature comfortable .

The day I found out....

I'm keeping this blog so that my friends and family can keep up w/ my little monkey and how it is doing. Also for my little monkey to have something to look at when he/she grows up! :) 
On February  18, 2011, I finally decided to take a pregnancy test. I didn't think I was pregnant, but had been extremely tired. I just thought I was sick and when I looked up my symptoms on the internet...it kept going back to me being pregnant. So, I took this test to confirm to myself that I wasn't, and that I needed to go see a Dr. It didn't take but maybe 15 seconds for the test to read "PREGNANT"!!! I could barely believe it, so I had to take 2 test!.

One could only imagine the excitement and joy I was feeling. Being pregnant was something that I've wanted for MANY years. I turned 33 this past January, and I thought that my time was running out. Obviously God had a plan for me. He wanted to make sure that my business had grown successfully, and was stable before I became pregnant. So, when I told James that we were going to be parents...he was just as excited as I was. Because of this baby...I quit smoking. I didn't think I was ever going to be ready to do that, but this baby is totally worth it.