Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Wow... has it really been that long?

I've been on a blogging hiatus for quite a number of weeks. Honestly, I needed to take a break because I was so unbelievably tired all day, every day. From being pregnant and running around with a toddler, it was taking a toll. By the end of the day, I stared blankly at the TV until I went to bed.

Anyways, life is finally slowing down. Our summer was filled with a trip to Sesame Place, lots of running around to parks and playdates, Russ's and my birthdays, and REALLY HOT WEATHER. I'm so glad its finally October. The heat was killing me and I'm happy for the lower temperatures. We've put out all the Halloween decorations and I'm working hard on Olivia's kitty costume for Trick or Treating.

With all that had be going on, my pregnancy has literally flew by. I'm 26 weeks today. Less than 99 days left! I cannot believe it! Its going to FLY by with the holidays and Olivia's 2nd birthday coming up in the next 3 months.

In all, I've been doing very well with this pregnancy. As of last week, I've gained 11lbs total. I'm so very happy about it because I was up around 21lb gain with Olivia at this point. We had our ultrasound at 19 weeks and they found the baby had an echogenic bowel. Basically meaning that there were some bright spots on the bowel that "shouldn't" be there. It could mean a number of things, including some genetic disorders. We were sent for a follow up u/s and an appointment with a genetic counselor 4 days later. The bowel looked less bright this time, but it was still present. The counselor didn't seem all concerned because there were no other markers. Baby was growing normally and looked healthy otherwise. I declined all genetic testing this time. I was scheduled to come back in at 25 weeks to check on the bowel and see if the baby was growing normally. I had that appointment this past Friday. The echogenic bowel was GONE. Baby was measuring about 4 days smaller than my EDD, but that's in the normal 2 week range. Olivia was a big baby, she was always measuring 1-2 weeks ahead of schedule. The doctors don't see any reason to continue genetic counseling, unless something shows up later. My OB will probably want me to go in around 36 weeks or so for another growth scan to make sure baby is growing.

So, it was a very stressful 6 week period for me. I never had any issues with Olivia's pregnancy, so this was shock for us. I've had a lot of anxiety and stress, but I'm starting to relax and try to enjoy these last few months before I deliver.

I didn't have time to take a 26 week belly picture this morning, so here it my 24 week belly:


Thursday, July 22, 2010

14 Weeks

How far along? 14 Weeks 2 Days

Total weight gain/loss: +1-3lbs (I've been jumping between that for awhile)

Maternity clothes? I've been wearing maternity jeans/capris regularly

Stretch marks? Same.

Sleep: I had a rough couple of nights with only a few hours of sleep. I realized taking a 2 hour nap with Olivia everyday was hindering my night sleep. Skipped the nap, slept better. Problem solved.

Best moment this week: Nothing too memorable.

Movement: Still not definite.

Food cravings: tomatoes and cucumbers in Italian dressing

Gender: Unknown - I have a feeling its a boy though.

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I think my days of sleeping on my belly are numbered. :(

What I am looking forward to: Scheduling my BIG ultrasound *even though we're not finding out the gender, I still haven't seen my little one yet!*

I guess what they say has some truth to it. You start showing faster with your 2nd. I swear I look like I did when I was around 18-20 weeks with Olivia. Here is my 14 week picture. I took it in the afternoon.
I swear I've gotten bigger since then. Who knows. Maybe it's just all the poo I'm not expelling. :P I think I'm carrying the same way as well. Its all in my torso. Although the pregnancies have been completely different. Guess we'll just have to wait and see if Olivia is getting a brother or sister. Either way, she's going to be a great big sister.

We took Olivia to a play at this place in Warrendale. They've got things like a moon bounce *which she will not get in*, a kitchen set, a big huge thing with climbing things, slides, etc. We love it there and for only $4, its a good way to let her expell some energy. She was playing with an older little girl today. She was helping her set the table with a tea party set. It was so cute to watch. Olivia would bring her plates and cups and then the older girl would set them up. Then this terror of a little boy probably a year older than OK, came and threw everything off the table. What a BRAT! If that was MY kid, I would have taken her home. Ugh.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

C'est la vie 1st Trimester

How far along? 13 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain/loss: +2lbs

Maternity clothes? Not really

Stretch marks? Same.

Sleep: Getting better, but I'm still pretty tired.

Best moment this week: Hearing the baby's HR on the Doppler

Movement: I don't think so, but I have felt a couple of pops pretty low.

Food cravings: fruit, salad

Gender: Unknown

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Having a semi-flat belly

What I am looking forward to: feeling like myself soon

This past week I had my monthly check up at the OB. I had an early appointment, but there was some sort of emergency in the office, so I waited an hour to go back. She checked my weight, and by their scales I'm up 3lbs, but since I check my weight on the same scale, I'm going by my 2lb gain. She got the Doppler out and it took about 5 seconds to find. It was really low, but it was there. 152 bpm. Music to my ears. :) Everything else is going very well. She did mention that my blood work up didn't include an HIV test. I didn't decline it, but I guess there was some sort of mix up on the script. So, I have to go get that done. Next appointment is August 11th, and we'll be able to schedule the Level II ultrasound!

This past weekend we went up to my dad's camp. Its about an hour and 45 minutes away. Its a drive, but its really nice up there. It's right on the Ohio river. My dad and his girlfriend have boats, so we took Olivia on her 1st boat ride. She looked so cute in her little life jacket.

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Russ wanted to take her out on the tube. I was a little hesitant, because I'm a mummy. She's just so little to me, but I know she was in good hands. She seemed to be really enjoying it because she looked like she was falling asleep.

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That was about 1 minute before a big quake came from behind and knocked them off. It was a very scary moment for me. Russ had her the entire time though and her head never went underwater. Guess that's the reason for life vests. But, it scared her and she was screaming. My dad pulled her back on the boat and I wrapped her up in a towel. After about a minute, she stopped crying and was back to walking around and enjoying the boat ride. It's going to be a LONG time before I let her on a tube again. Talk about having a mini heart attack.

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She liked "driving" the boat. :)

That was our week. I'm glad to be on the way out of the 1st trimester. I'm hoping that I'll be feeling more like myself soon. The morning sickness isn't bad anymore. I still get sick sometimes at the end of the day or if I don't eat for a long time. I'm still pretty tired. I require a nap when Olivia goes down at noon. So I feel like I don't get anything done anymore. Those 2 hours I usually clean and get things done around here. Oh well, soon enough. :)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

12 Weeks and a lotta Poo

Completely skipped 11 weeks. Opps. Oh well, here is week 12 update:

How far along? 12 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +3lbs as of this morning

Maternity clothes? Not really

Stretch marks? Same.

Sleep: Horrible. I.need.sleep.

Best moment this week: Feeling like a human again, mostly.

Movement: Nope.

Food cravings: chips, fruit, water

Gender: I took the Intelligender test @ 10 weeks 4 days *see below*

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Sleeping good and not having any bum cramps.

What I am looking forward to: Doctors appointment on Monday

Last week was a loooooong week. I was completely booked up at work, so I did 12 massage in 3 days (5 hour day). I was pooped after 3 days of that. Then Russ was on daylight for 4 days (12 hour shifts). Olivia got sick with some sort of stomach bug and she was having runny diapers every 1-2 hours ALL DAY LONG. She was miserable because her bum was so red and chaffed because of all the wiping PLUS she cut her top 2 canine teeth. Then, Russ comes home on Saturday with the same thing Olivia had. It was not a happy house. Thankfully, everyone seems to be on the mend now. I'm feeling better as well. I can actually eat and not be sick. I still feel the m/s come on during the evening hours, but I'd rather have it then than during the day.

Anyways, here are the results from the Intelligender test. I KNOW it's a 50/50 shot, but since we're not finding out this time, I thought it would be fun. Plus, I had some extra money from working so hard. :)


Here is my 12 week belly picture:

Friday, June 25, 2010

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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

10 Weeks

How far along? 10 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Back to PP weight

Maternity clothes? I've been wearing one pair of jeans with my Bella Band, regular shirts though.

Stretch marks? Same.

Sleep: Horrible. I.need.sleep.

Best moment this week: Sickness is on the decline. WOOOOOOOO!

Movement: Nope.

Food cravings: grapes

Gender: I still have no instincts about what the gender is

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Sleeping good.

What I am looking forward to: Getting a full nights sleep.

This week has been pretty good. My exhaustion is on the incline because I haven't been sleeping all that well. Some nights I'll go to bed fine, other times I lay in bed for hours tossing and turning. I'm literally tired of it. :)

For fun, I thought I'd make a comparison of both pregnancies.

Olivia - hardly any morning sickness, maybe a wave or two all day for 2 weeks
#2 - I've been sick since 5 weeks 4 days. Over a month of feeling nauseous all day.

Olivia - very sleepy and tired. I called these days my Zombie Days
#2- Pretty tired, but not as bad

Olivia - 1st trimester sleep was AWESOME. I LOVED naps and sleeping. I slept like a baby.
#2- trouble falling and staying asleep. I can't nap for crap.

Olivia - My weight gain was about 5-6lbs at 10 weeks. (gained 38lbs total @ 41 weeks 2 days)
#2 - I'm bouncing between 0-1lb gain at this point.

Olivia - I started getting a pot belly around 12 weeks
#2 - the only thing I notice is that my leftover baby pouch is less saggy. :P

Olivia - PEED ALL THE TIME
#2 - Not so much. I still wake up about 2-3 times a night to pee though.

I was reading peoples experience with different pregnancies and the gender they ended up having. Seems that its pretty inconclusive. It's a 50/50 chance. Although this time, we won't find out until I actually give birth. I know the waiting will be horrible for family members. :P

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Long overdue update

For the first time in a month, I'm feeling a bit more human. I'm still tired, but I've been taking a 2 hour nap with Olivia everyday. The morning sickness has really improved. I still feel sick if I don't eat. I will be SO over joyous when I feel completely better. But, I'll take what I can get.

Anyways, the past weekend, Russ and I packed up the car, put Olivia in her carseat and we headed to a children's amusement park. We both went there when we were both little. It happened to be the U.S. Steelworkers picnic, so we got the tickets half price. Olivia was free because she's under 2. They have a HUGE area that is all stories from Mother Goose. Although, Olivia is still pretty young, she had fun going into all the little houses and she even got a lollipop from a pirate on the Good Ship Lollipop. What a sticky mess that was. :)
They also have an area with ride made for little ones. She went on a couple of them, but only the ones that let a parent ride too. I was nervous she would get on a ride alone and try to stand up or something.
It was a long day for both of us. I actually felt pretty good all day. By the end of the 6 hours we were there, I hit the wall and wanted to leave. My back was aching and I was just plum exhausted. Olivia was only going on a 15 minute nap in the car ride, so she was quite the little crab. She kicked and screamed the whole way to the car, I took her dress off so she wouldn't be sweating (those car seats hold a lot of heat), she was OUT by the time we got out of the parking lot.

I think next summer will be perfect for her. She'll be 2.5 and she'll be able to handle a lot more rides and be able to walk along with us instead of us having to chase her everywhere. We'll have to have someone watch the new baby though. I would definitely not want to take a fairly new baby there.

Here are a couple of cute pictures from the day.

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Getting candy from the pirate.

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Daddy and Olivia

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In the 3 Little Bears house

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First time on a merry go round

A little boy had a HUGE Elmo... I think it was the highlight of Olivia's day. :)
THE highlight of her day. A huge 3ft Elmo. lol

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She loved him. Unfortunately, he wasn't ours to take. She was so sad to leave him.

You might notice she's wearing 2 different outfits. It rained and she was playing in the water and fell right on her bum and got the first outfit all muddy and wet. :P

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

I'm alive, I promise.

How far along? 9 weeks 1 Day

Total weight gain/loss: +1lb

Maternity clothes? Nope, not yet. I did wear a pair of maternity jeans and they were entirely too big. I have to find my Bella Band... its around here somewhere.

Stretch marks? Same.

Sleep: About the same. I'll sleep for a couple of hours, have to pee. Not get back to sleep. Over and Over.

Best moment this week: Took my daughter to an amusement park and made it through the day.

Movement: Nope.

Food cravings: fruit and yogurt

Gender: Well, I'm more sick this time, maybe it's a boy.

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Feeling HUMAN. :)

What I am looking forward to: I'm over being sick. Seriously, this is getting old.

I've been having a rough couple of weeks. Its like having the flu everyday all day long. My house looks like a tornado went through it and I don't even care. Thankfully, Russ cleaned up today, so it's not as bad. Olivia and I have no clean clothes because I can't even get up the energy to do it. *I did do it today because we NEEDED clean clothes*
I'm just over it. I'm tired, crabby, sick, and just plain getting depressed over missing the first month of the summer.
Normally I'd be taking Olivia up to the pool to swim and go out, but I can't even do that.

I promise once I feel better I'll be happier. :)




Thursday, June 10, 2010

1st Appointment

I had my 1st appointment this afternoon. I was the last patient, so I was almost an hour late getting seen. Blah.

It was pretty much the same as last time. I peed in a cup. I guess the test was positive, they didn't do it in front of me. But, from the congratulations the nurse and doctor said, I'm guessing it was. :)

My EDD is January 19th. 1 day off from what I was going by. This happened last time as well. The online calculators all said Nov 29th, my doctor said Nov 30th. So, I'm still going by Jan 18th. It doesn't matter anyways, the baby will come when s/he is ready.

Got all the paperwork and script for bloodwork for next appointment. Got some free swag. I even scored free Expecta! That stuff is $12 a box... free is good.

My next appointment is July 12th. I'll be almost 13 weeks. We'll be able to hear the baby's HR on the Doppler by then hopefully. Russ probably wont be able to come unless we get someone to come sit at home while Olivia sleeps. She doesn't wake up until 9:30ish and my appointment is at 8:45.

That's about it. Nothing too exciting. :P

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

8 Weeks & 18 months

How far along? 8 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Back to PP weight

Maternity clothes? Nope, I'm still fitting into my jeans.

Stretch marks? Same.

Sleep: Still suffering from insomnia or very restless sleeping. This sucks.

Best moment this week: Feeling 20% better.

Movement: Nope.

Food cravings: Quizno's *which CLOSED down, damn them* and Chinese food

Gender: Well, I'm more sick this time, maybe it's a boy.

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Feeling HUMAN. :)

What I am looking forward to: Suppose to have my 1st prenatal appointment but I got a call this afternoon saying there is a scheduling issue, so I have to call tomorrow morning. This is 4th time there has been scheduling problems. BAAAHHHH

Well, this past week has been horrible. The other night, I thought I was dying. I was so nauseous and TIRED but I couldn't go to sleep because the incredible urge to throw up. I was seriously ready to wake Russ up and take me to the hospital. I've never felt so sick in my life. It was like I was in the middle of having the flu.
I went back to work this week too. It's been hard. I'm so flipping tired, but I cannot sleep. I remember sleeping SO much last pregnancy. I had the best naps. Now, nothing. I try sleeping and I end up tossing and turning. I'm having really strange dreams too. I'm noticing that my "leftover" baby pooch is starting to un-pooch a little. I guess little sushi roll is growing in there.

In more exciting news, my baby is 18 months today! I can't believe she's been around for 1.5 years. Seriously? I look back when she was a year old and she's grown and developed SO much. I'm excited to see how much she'll be changing in the next 6 months. It's amazing.

Here are her 18 month facts:

  • Bulleted List26lbs (85%)
  • 34 inches (96%)
  • wearing size 24 months to 2T clothes
Words:

Hi
puppy
Night Night
Mummy
outside
done
Daddy
shoes
no
Kitty
juice
uh oh
Keys
car
eww
Go
baby
bird
Dora
Bye
beep beep
color
Matt
girl
Hey
eye
sip
hug
why
me
cookie
la la (Elmo)
cake

I'm so amazed by her. She's talking and singing in her own language. When it finally clicks how to speak it in English, she's never going to stop. I'm going to have one of those children who randomly talk to people about nothing at the store.

I wonder if this new baby will be so talkative. She's been "talking" since she was 3 weeks old. Yikes! :)


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Week 7

How far along? 7 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +1 Amazing that I feel like crap everyday. :P

Maternity clothes? Nope. I've been wearing a lot of elastic waistbands stuff though. Too hot for jeans.

Stretch marks? Same.

Sleep: My sleep is crappy. I wake up all the time for 10-15 minutes and go back to sleep. Not fun. Plus, no napping for this momma, I was alone with Olivia all week.

Best moment this week: Not tossing my cookies. *This one still holds up, although I was VERY close the other night. I hate throwing up, and I do everything in my power to not*

Movement: Nope.

Food cravings: I did want a Wendy's Chicken Sandwich, it wasn't that good though. :(

Gender: Well, I'm more sick this time, maybe it's a boy.

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Feeling HUMAN. :)

What I am looking forward to: Feeling normal again. *Gonna keep this up*

What a week. Seriously, if I had the choice to lay in bed all day long, I would have. I'm much more sicker this time than with Olivia. I have the constant nausea, which gets worse into the evening. Most nights I lay in bed and think "Oh, please don't throw up." I think I was spoiled last time. I don't remember feeling crappy ALL.DAY. LONG.
I will say, I'm not as "zombie" like as I was before. But, I can't take naps anyways, so maybe my body is telling me to suck it up and deal.

This morning, I woke up and had some horrible stomach cramping. Like when you have a stomach bug. I had to call off work because it was horrible. I'm not sure if it was something I ate last night or if it's pregnancy related. After sitting in the bathroom for awhile, everything was fine. Coincidentally, I had the same stomach issues before I found out I was pregnant in the 2 week wait. It's strange. I never had any kind of stomach cramping last time.

Yesterday, we took Olivia up to the pool for the first time. She LOVED it. She just walked right into the baby pool without a second look. I guess those 8 weeks of swimming classes really did help. We took her up today again and she swam for about 2 hours. Although, she does love walking around the pool and up the steps. :)

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Showing off her swimming skills. She went under about .8927 seconds later. :)

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Loves sitting on the wall

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Being thrown by Daddy.

Well, I hope this week goes more smoothly than last. I have to work tomorrow night, so I'm hoping I'll be fine. Fingers crossed.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

6 Weeks

How far along? 6 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain/loss: Still holding steady.

Maternity clothes? I did wear a pair of capris I had, but they were entirely too big.

Stretch marks? Same.

Sleep: I.am.tired.all.the.time. zzzzzzzzz

Best moment this week: Not tossing my cookies.

Movement: Nope.

Food cravings: Nothing. I eat whenever I don't feel like throwing up.

Gender: Chinese Gender chart shows I'm having a boy. Others say girl. Gee, 50/50. :)

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Feeling good.

What I am looking forward to: Feeling normal again.


This week the dreaded morning sickness AKA All Day Feeling Like Shit sickness hit me. I feel nauseous all day for the most part. Even my handy Sea Bands are helping much. I'm so tired that by the time Russ gets home, all I want to do it lay on the couch and sleep.

This is so much harder this time. Having an almost 18 month old is hard being in the 1st trimester. It doesn't help that this week out other car is in the shop so Russ had to take my car to work everyday, so we've been home without a car. It's unhumanly hot outside for May and the heat makes me even more nauseous.

I just feel so bad.

Can't wait til this is over. Crossing my fingers that it'll only be a couple more weeks.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

....and the sickness has begun

Yesterday I was feeling crappy. Today, even worse.

I'm guessing those lovely pregnancy hormones are kicking into gear.

I'm not really sure when I started feeling bad with Olivia. I'm thinking around the same time actually. I hope its not for too long.

I had sold my old Sea Bands in the garage sale we had last summer. I'm not sure why, because I knew I'd get pregnant again. Anyways, Russ picked me up a new pair and I've been feeling a little less nausous.

My sense of smell is almost super human. I can smell the raisin bagels in the kitchen from the living room. This is both a good thing and bad. I love sweet smelling things. I can also smell the bad things too. Blech.

Needless to say, I've felt pretty terrible most of the weekend. We got out yesterday to go to a graduation party at the park. It rained and rained and rained some more. It was still nice to get out and eat some delish (but unhealthy) foods. We got some really good pictures of Olivia with her uncle and grandpa.

Enjoy. :)

6 week update coming tomorrow!

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Friday, May 21, 2010

Blah

It's been a couple of days.

I've been feeling like poo.

Tired. Can't sleep. Even more tired.

Lovely upset tummy every time I eat.

I did go and buy a pregnancy journal. I didn't keep one with Olivia, so I wanted to for this pregnancy. This will be the last. The last I ever experience having to pee all the time. Oh wait, I think that happens when you get old too. But, I wanted to try and 'enjoy' this while I can. I was not the glowing "I LOVE being pregnant" lady last time. In fact, I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel at 20 weeks. I had the joy of having pelvic issues. I was as big as a house by the end. Maybe it'll be different this time.

For now, I feel like poo. At least I'm not throwing up. *knock on wood*

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

They need to make these things uniform!

You'd think that all due date calculators would be all the same, but they aren't. I've gotten 3 different EDD's from different sites. All going by my LMP, which was April 13th. I guess I'll have to wait and see what my doctors "official" date is. Doesn't mean poo though. My EDD came and went with Olivia. 9 days later, she finally showed up. This time around, I'm already preparing myself for having a late arriving baby.

Every Tuesday, I'm going to do a Pregnancy Update because that's the day (according to a few sites, I'm due January 18th, so I'm going by that) I'll be starting a new week. I didn't do this with Olivia, so I thought it'd be fun to do this time around.

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How far along? 5 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Nothing yet.

Maternity clothes? Nope, but is it sad I'm kinda looking forward to busting out my stash? :)

Stretch marks? Uh, leftovers from Olivia, but no new ones.

Sleep: I'm tired most of the day and I'm having insomnia at night. Stinks. :(

Best moment this week: I took a 2 hour nap!

Movement: Nope.

Food cravings: Nothing yet. I did however eat jalapeno peppers today, which I hate. Weird.

Gender: I have no inklings about the gender yet.

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Sleeping good and not having to pee all the time.

What I am looking forward to: my 1st appointment on June 11th.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Mommy and Me Monday #12

Mommy and Me Monday at Really, Are You Serious?
Hosted by Krystyn


This weekend, Russ went to a fairly large neighborhood yard sale. He came home with 3 new DVD's, Elmo pj's, and a Bell child carrier. Of course all of this was for Olivia. Russ hooked it up on my bike and we decided to see if she even liked being on the back while I was riding. She didn't have a helmet, so don't panic and think I drove around the road with her. :)

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She ended up saying "Down, Down" almost the entire time. Oh well, after we get a helmet for her, I'm going to take her to North Park and cycle around the lake and see if she enjoys it more. That carrier is like $80 new, and Russ found it for $5! Even if she doesn't like it, it wasn't a waste.

Today, we went to get Olivia's hair cut. Her hair grows so fast, I'm constantly trying to trim her bangs to keep them out of her face. She was starting to look like a Beatle from the 60's. :) She did really well. I kept her occupied with a roast beef sammich from Arby's. She'll never turn down food.

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Here is a cute picture of her eating sand. Oh the joys of motherhood.

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Just for fun, here is a picture of the 4 week belly. Not much going on except left over baby chub from Olivia. :)

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Friday, May 14, 2010

It's been almost a week since I got my BFP and it still doesn't seem real. I can't remember how I felt around this time with my pregnancy with Olivia. Maybe because I found out early? I'm officially 3 days late with my period. Yeah, that's exciting news, I know.

I've been having horrible insomnia. I wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back asleep. I'm not sure if its hormone related, or if its just my mind running. I woke up last night about 2:30am and couldn't fall back asleep until 5:30am. I tried to sleep in, but Miss Olivia opened my bedroom door and came in to say 'Hi'.

Ever since I was pregnant with OK, my body temperature runs higher. I'm constantly on the warm side. We have A/C and it was kinda humid here yesterday. I ended up turning it on because I was hot. Blah. It's amazing how different your body acts after it's been knocked up. I'm wondering if this pregnancy will be like the last. So far, it's pretty much the same. The only symptoms I've had are going to the bathroom 2x in the middle of the night and some abdominal cramping (which is why I thought I WASN'T pregnant with Olivia... it mimics period cramps)

I made my first prenatal appointment with my OB office. It's scheduled for June 11th, when I'm a little over 8 weeks. I also made Olivia's 18 month appointment for the same week on June 8th. I'll been at work so Russ is going to take her.

Wow, this post is really about nothing. I guess I'll end this now. :)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Sleepy

I worked Monday, Tuesday and this evening. It was a busy couple of days. I don't know why, but everyone and their mother wanted a massage this week. Good thing I'm not in the 'walking zombie' part of my pregnancy yet. Although, that will be starting in just a few weeks. I'm not sure when exactly it started last time, but it was horrible. I slept at least 16+ hours a day. I would wake up, go to work, sleep during any downtime I may have had. Come home, take a nap. Eat dinner. Fall asleep on the couch watching my shows. Go to bed. I really missed 8 weeks of my life. LOL I wont get the luxury of napping this time. I will take full advantage of Olivia's naps though. :)

Speaking of Olivia, she turned 17 months on the 8th. Because of working, and Russ being home, and Mother's Day, I didn't even post a monthly update. Poor girl. She's learning SO fast. She tries to sing along to Dora the Explorer and Spongebob. She can fully say 'mummy' and 'daddy'. She learned how to open the front door. Oi.
Next month I have to take her for her 18 month check up. I cannot believe she'll be 1.5 years old. Where has the time gone?

Here are some pictures from the past week. I found a Powerwheels on Craigs List for $25! It's a Dora Beetle. She LOVES it. She won't push the pedal, but she loves sitting in that thing. She'll even bring her breakfast in there and eat. Too cute.

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Her "new" sandbox. CL find for $10!! :D

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My daughter takes after her daddy.

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LOVES spaghetti

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Pregnancy + Internet = Bad Idea

I did this when I was pregnant with Olivia as well. I get on a Birth Month board and chat with other ladies due in the same month as I am. Then the inevitable post come up about miscarriages and chemical pregnancies.

I hate Google.

I didn't even know what a chemical pregnancy is.

I Googled it.

Damn you Google.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mommy and Me Monday #11

Mommy and Me Monday at Really, Are You Serious?
Hosted by Krystyn


Happy Belated Mother's Day to all my fellow mothers and mother's to be. Even those who are mother's to furbabies. :)

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. It's officially my 2nd one. I got banana pancakes, bacon and orange juice made for me for breakfast. We went to lunch at Panara Bread. I LOVE that place. They have the best soup! We visited a couple of family members. Came home and relaxed. Russ made steak, potatoes and green beans for dinner. It was wonderful.

Olivia got me a cute Mother's Day set from Bath and Body Works. It's in the scent Sweet Pea. It came with a cute frame which had one of her recent pictures in it. Plus, I have a facial tomorrow @ 6:00! How wonderful! Olivia and Daddy did good.

Here is a picture of Olivia and I playing "Cakie", which is Paddy Cake. When she wants to play, she'll climb up on me and say "cakie?" It's so cute. I can't resist that face.

The BEST part of the day was when I got this:


What an awesome Mother's Day gift. We're so excited to be adding to our family. I'm due in January, so Olivia will be just over 2 years old when this baby is born. She will be a GREAT big sister. :)

How was your Mother's Day?

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Around...

I haven't been around. It's my working week and I just don't feel like sitting down and typing up a post after work most days. I'm also really bogged down lately. I'm so sleepy during the day, and nothing will pick me up.

I did get a fun thing in the mail yesterday though. Did anyone else receive a Sample Showcase from the Post Office? I got this box in the mail and I was like "Whats this?" I ripped it open and its got tons of sample and coupons in it! Hooray! I love samples and coupons!
I guess its this new thing they are starting up. Only a few people across the country have gotten one first. Then I guess they'll see how it did and go from there. I was one of the people! Here is what I got:

  • Bengay- Moist Heat Therapy pad thingy
  • Reese's Dark Chocolate (YUM)
  • Dove Milk Chocolate
  • Grill Mates marinate
  • Shower to Shower Sport
  • Shower to Shower Shimmer Effects
  • Aveeno night cream
  • Aveeno shampoo and conditioner
  • Aveeno firming body lotion
  • Secret Clinical deodorant
  • Splenda with fiber
  • and coupons for Aveeno and Splenda
How cool is that??? I was so excited, but I had to go to work so I looked through it when I came home. I love free stuff!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Goose Droppings

See that little link over there? I've become an affiliate with Franklin Goose. I came across it on Facebook when a friend of mine said they were giving $5 in store credit with every product review you submitted. WOW! Really? I went on thinking I wouldn't find much because I'm not a cloth diapering mumma. But I did find a lot of things I have used and so I reviewed them and got over $100 in credit. I got some awesome free stuff too! I banked the rest of my credit and I'll be purchasing some things for baby #2 eventually.

So, check it out.

BTW, they DON'T have that special going on anymore. It ended March 31st. :(

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Mommy and Me Monday #10

Wow. I've been doing this cute meme for 10 weeks! Go me. :) I posted about my amazing park find, so here is a picture from the park.

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Play along @
Mommy and Me Monday at Really, Are You Serious?
Hosted by Krystyn

Score

I told you I joined The Grocery Game last week. This week, I clipped my coupons and looked at the lists of placed in my area. I didn't want to do my food shopping because I have Olivia with me all day. Grocery shopping + Olivia = FAIL I've learned my lesson and now I go alone. Instead we hit up Walgreens because I only had a couple of things on my list and Olivia is alright for 20 minutes in the cart. Here is what I got:

  • 2 Old Spice deodorants (different scents)
  • 2 Old Spice body washes (different scents)
  • 2 Gillette body washes (different scents)
  • 1 Sure deodorant
  • 1 Pert Plus for Men
  • 1 4 pack of Bic Razors
My total was somewhere around $34 before coupons, after I paid under $17! Wow. My hubby will be clean, shaven and smelling good for a few months! My savings was $33! That is awesome. I'm so happy my cousin told me about this site. It's a heck of a lot easier when you have a list of what to buy to get THE best price! If you want to join because of me, PLEASE shoot me a message and I'll give you my name for a referral.

I'll make another post about how I did with food shopping tomorrow. I know you're all excited. :P

Friday, April 30, 2010

I *heart* new parks.

One of my favorite things to do since Olivia was born is take her to the park. *OK, well, since last summer anyways* We live literally right down the road from a HUGE park. I love it there but it's always nice to find a new place to play. Today we went to a new park. It's a little further away from us, but only by 15 minutes. It's well worth the drive though. They have a fenced in part called the Blueberry Patch. It's got smaller playground equipment for toddlers and preschoolers. Swings and such. THE best part is that it's ALL fenced in. I no longer have to chase after my child when she goes near the parking lot or road. Olivia's favorite part was the huge sandbox. It's all under cover so you don't have to worry about the sun beating down on tender young skin. There are tons of trucks, rakes, shovels, etc in the box too. No need to bring your own! I'm in love. I have a feeling we'll be driving the extra 15 minutes to go there this summer.

Also, its got this gorgeous gazebo with lots of picnic tables to have lunch at. If only they had a little snack bar. I'd be in heaven. :) We took a bunch of pictures, but here are 2 of my favorite.

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She was really excited about the sand

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My attempt of a Mummy and Olivia picture

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Five Question Friday

1. If you could, would you go back to high school?
Um, no. As simple as life was back then, I'm glad I'm a responsible adult who has a life that has meaning. I was also was teased a bit because of the type of crowd I hung out with. So, no. I'll take maturity over the simple life.

2. If a genie appeared and granted you two wishes, what would they be? (And, no saying "more wishes".)
1. I want to look like a Victoria's Secret model.
2. To have ample money to live VERY comfortably for the rest of my life.

3. What kids show do you secretly like?
When I first saw it, I nearly died and thought, 'Whomever thought this show up has got to be on acid!' Yes, I'm talking about Yo Gabba Gabba. I watch it every time it comes on with my daughter, even if she's not watching it.

4. What is your beverage of choice?
Hands down. Diet Pepsi. Especially if it's from a fountain. Sheetz is my favorite. LOL YES there IS differences.

5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change in yourself)?
I would love to lose some weight, but I'm not killing myself over it. I would also like to be able to spend more time with my hubby. We need to find a hobby or something. :P

Want to play along?

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

This and That

Something may or may have not happened last night. I guess I'll have to wait and find out. Hmmmmmmmmm.

In other news, I clipped all my coupons for the week and I did my very first Grocery Game. Although, it's going to take me a couple of weeks to build up my stash. I bought Band Aids (Dora, of course) for $.14, Capri Sun for $1.00, and 4 bags of pasta for $5.00. I like it because I only pick what I want and it shows what the BEST deals are. Even if its on sale, doesn't mean its the ROCK bottom price. I should buy multiple papers to get more coupons.

My eBay purchase came in the mail today. I bought a bottle of Little Sprout hair gel. I didn't even fix Olivia's hair today, just wet it, put some gel in and brushed it. It's looking much more like little girl hair than bedhead. :) I can't wait to put it up in some pigtails to see if it really holds up to the day of a toddler. I'll get back to you on that one.

My house looks like a tornado went through it. Why is it that I clean and it's messy as I'm cleaning it? This doesn't make sense. Oh wait... I have a 16 month old. Ding Ding.

I bought Olivia her first coloring book and crayons. She was saying "Dor Dor" the whole way home because its a Dora The Explorer book. She's so silly.

I haven't taken pictures in a couple of days. It's been cold and dreary around here. I hate this kind of weather. I can't wait til it gets nice and sunny out again. I prefer to take pictures outside than in.

Here is one I was messing around with in Picasa.

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Monday, April 26, 2010

Mommy and Me Monday #9

Mommy and Me Monday at Really, Are You Serious?
Hosted by Krystyn


I'm cheating a little. This past week was pretty crappy due to Olivia coming home with a cold, so she's been very cranky. No pictures. :( But, I do have one from the day we were traveling to NC. This was at the rest stop and I was fixing her hair so she would be a prettied up for Grandma. She wasn't happy. :P

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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Not Much

I haven't really had much to write about the past couple of days. To be honest, it's been a long week. Olivia has been obviously sick and her molars ARE.STILL.COMING.IN. (I swear, all of them are popped out, but its taking a seriously ridiculous time for them to come all the way out) She's been super clingy, whiny, and just overall a big handful.

Friday evening, my cousin came over to babysit for us to go out to dinner. Which only led to me having a breakdown about our marriage. Most people say the 1st year of marriage is the hardest. I call B.S. on that one. This past year as a new family, as been the hardest by FAR. I'm not going to get into the details, but Russ works shift work. He works 12 hour shifts, so when he's working I don't see him for sometimes 15 hours. I pretty much feel really lonely. My life revolves around his schedule and Olivia's schedule. It's just hard. That's all I'm going to say.

My cousin told me about this online site called The Grocery Game. I checked it out and they offer a 4 week trial, so I'm going to try it out. I'm always looking for ways of saving money. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with it and clip the coupons I need.

Friday, April 23, 2010

5 Question Friday




1. What was the first car you owned?
My first car was short lived, it was a 87' Chevy Blazer. I got it in the beginning of 2000 and it got stolen in August of the same year. It was beyond being able to repair, so I got an 94' Chevy Cavalier. I ran that thing until it basically died around 130K miles.

2. What song are you embarrassed to know the lyrics to?
Um. Erm. Who Let the Dogs Out? *blush*

3. Have you ever had stitches?
Yep. When I was 5, I was racing my brother down my grandma's road, which happened to be all dirt. I tripped and fell and broke open my knee. I'm still traumatized by having to go to the hospital and being held down by the orderlies.

The 2nd time was when I had Olivia. Yup. I didn't need to be held down this time because I had the wonderful epidural. :D

4. What was your first job?
I worked in the food area of K-Mart. They don't have them anymore, but it was a horrible job having to cook food and wait on old people. I only lasted 2 months before I quit.

5. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?
Ernie. He's just so friendly and he loves his rubber ducky. Burt is so mean to him sometimes. :P

Thursday, April 22, 2010

A Letter

Mom's with Sick Babies/Toddlers/Children,

This is just a kind note for the sake of my sanity. If you're baby/toddler/child shows any of these symptoms:

  • runny nose
  • coughing
  • sneezing
  • anything else that could be contagious
PLEASE PAH-LEASE keep your booger monster home, away from my healthy toddler. I'm sick and tired of having my daughter come down with the same snotty nose your child has. Thanks. That is all.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Monday, April 19, 2010

Day 5: Wedding Time!

The main reason we traveled to North Carolina was to attend a wedding. Let me give you a quick background. In 1993, my mum and dad got divorced. I was 11 years old, entering 6th grade. Shortly after my mum moved out, she had this guy living with her. To an 11 year old this was horrible. You don't want someone to replace your dad, you want your parents back together. His name is Dan. In 1996, my mum and Dan got married. I was in the wedding and I HATED every minute of it. I was 13, and I didn't like this guy who was taking the place of my dad. *BTW, I lived with my dad, so he was still very much in my life*

After a couple of years, I warmed up to this guy. We laughed a lot, and he was goofy just like the rest of my family (in a good way, of course). He was the one who taught me how to drive. He'd pick me up at my dad's house and we'd run errands or whatever every Wednesday night. The guy who tested me for my license asked if I was taught in Driver's Ed. Nope, just by my step-Dan. :) He became my second dad. In 2001, my mum and Dan moved all the way down to NC to be closer to my mum's sister.

Around the time of my wedding, my mum and Dan were going through some rough times and we're separated, but he still flew across the country to see me get married.

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Dan and I in Vegas for my wedding

Later that year (I think) they ended up getting divorced. It was actually harder than I thought it would be. Being an adult now going through another divorce. Even though he wasn't my biological father, he was just as much a dad to me than my real dad.

A few years ago, we went for a visit and he wanted us to meet his new girlfriend, Michelle. We all went to dinner and she was a really nice person. They got engaged and that is the reason we went to NC. Their wedding. :)

I can honestly say, I'm so happy that he's found someone that makes him happy. I feel so touched that he invited Russ and I to his wedding. He didn't have to... I am after all no longer related to him. He's been a big part of my life growing up and I wouldn't have missed it.

The wedding was beautiful as was the bride. I got teary eyed as usual. :)

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Pretty church

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Married!

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Mmmmm, cake.

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First Dance

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Russ and I all dressed up.
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