Time to Blog Again

So, it's been awhile since I have blogged. I am lazy. That and I had a difficult time with being nauseous for so long when I was pregnant with Linnea. It was a good 4 months before I felt better but I was also on some medication which helped me eat but it made me super tired and I think even a bit depressed. Anyway, after that it was the holidays then it was time to give birth and then it was adjusting to taking care of two children ... etc! Also, my business has been booming so that has been exciting as well!

Now we are taking a 4 week vacation to spend the holidays with my husband's family in Sweden. I will try to blog about our experiences here so stay tuned!

18 Week Update

So, here I am updating my blog again and hopefully I can go back and remember all that happened in the last month and a half. That is just how it goes ... I blog in spurts. I don't have the motivation to do it every day or week. Especially lately because I have been nauseous and tired almost all the time. It is getting better but much, much slower than I wanted.

Let's see ... I had my regular doctor's visit today for a check up. Pee'd in the cup, got weighed and I FINALLY gained some weight! A whopping 6 pounds this month. No wonder I have no energy and feel huge. This means that now I am plus one pound for the pregnancy so I made up for lost time during the first 4 months. I hope I can keep it up!

I also got scheduled for another ultrasound since my first one was sort of a bust and I REALLY want to know what the sex is. I have a nice doctor. :) Other than that, I am doing well and the baby's heartbeat was a good 150 bpm. I also got my nausea medicine renewed so I can keep eating. More later!

~Monica~

16 Week Ultrasound

Well, I goofed. I got a little anxious and scheduled this a week earlier than I was supposed to but I thought it would be okay. I forgot that my doctor is counting a week later than my first ultrasound so this is 16 weeks and not 17.

Anyway, we got up early this morning for an 8am appointment. I sucked down some orange juice or some liquid so I had a full bladder by the time we got there. Davin did really well through the appointment and he liked looking at the "tv" to see the baby. He lost interest real quick however. We found out from the tech that the early ultrasound ... I think it was before 12 weeks? ... is the most accurate for predicting the date since all babies develop at the same exact rate in the beginning. After that, there are other factors that kick in ... gestational diabetes, diet, genetics, etc. So, that decided it for me to count my development by the ultrasound measurements from this point on.

As for determining the sex of the baby ... the tech got a fairly good look early on but she did mention it was a bit too early to be sure. She said that she did think it could be a girl since she didn't see any boy parts. The next time she got a look she was a bit more hesitant. Still no clear boy parts but no real clear image of any girl parts either. The baby was really moving a lot too so it was hard. The final time she looked she totally was going back on what she thought before because now it was smooth between the legs so it could be the testicles we were seeing. Still no penis but ultimately we know no more today than we did yesterday.

They did get most of the measurements but they were missing a few so they had to have us wait for the in-house doctor review them to make sure I didn't need to come back. After about 20 minutes waiting, they sent us home since all the critical stuff was accounted for and nothing looked abnormal. Still, I am hoping for another ultrasound even if it is mostly just to figure out the sex!!

~Monica~

14 Week Update

Ok, I am writing this about a month later so I don't know how much I will remember.

I thought I was starting to feel better since I was able to do so many things when Fredrik's family was in town. However, I got hit really bad with my nausea again soon after. Since I lost another pound visiting my doctor today, she asked if I was ready to try some medication to help. I eagerly took her up on the offer so I got prescribed Raglan. It does seem to help but it makes me supremely tired.

Everything else checked out fine and we listened to the heartbeat which I think was about 140 or 150 bpm. I was also given the okay to schedule an ultrasound at 18 weeks. BTW, this is very confusing because my doctor is counting one week ahead and I am counting via my ultrasound date. More later!

~Monica~

This was cute!

I just thought this was too cute to not share. Davin and I were sitting on the couch and the first time he came up to me and nearly pounced on me like he always does but lately I have been trying to tell him to be gentle around mommy because there is a baby in my tummy. Then he tried sitting on my lap but of course right on my belly so again, I had to tell him to be careful of the baby in mommy's tummy. He finally got it and scooted down.

After a little while he came over to sit next to me while he was eating a banana and drinking some milk. Suddenly, he announced to me, "Baby come out." I laughed and told him that he will need to wait 7 or 8 months before the baby is ready to come out. He insisted on 8 months! I also asked him if he wants a baby brother or a baby sister and he quietly says, "Baby brother."

So, there you have it. A prediction from my almost 3 year old. We will have the baby in 8 months and it will be a boy. Wonder if he will be correct?

~Monica~

Our peanut is still okay!

Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted! I have been plagued by some terrible nausea which lasts almost all day. It is better in the mornings and afternoons but I can barely stand it in the evenings. It doesn't make for a very social person! I am not sure but I think I have managed to keep it in check now since my doctor recommended those arm sickness bracelets. I started wearing them yesterday and it seems to have helped. I won't know for sure until later this evening but I am hoping that I can at least eat dinner tonight!

Yes, I still need to scan the ultrasound photo of our little peanut and I also have some belly shots which I hope turned out okay. My belly popped out during week 8/9 and I am now wearing my "fat" pants and maternity ones too. I am really starting to feel pregnant!

I had my regular doctor check up yesterday and we heard the heartbeat with the little doppler so that was exciting! We got a good strong 160 beats/min and it was so reassuring to hear it at last. I also think it is funny because despite the ultrasound, my doctor is sticking with the due date that is measured from my period. I suppose it could change again when they do the 18 week ultrasound but I guess for now my due date will be Feb.14.2008. It is too confusing when you ask me what week I am in since it keeps changing on me! I guess technically I am week 11 right now and that means I better update those darn tickers again.

That's all for now. I need to get the house ready for our Swedish guests which are arriving on Monday!

~Monica~

Due Date Change

I got a call from the nurse yesterday about our ultrasound results. Nothing really revealing as she told me what we already saw during the ultrasound ... the baby is viable and in the right spot. However, based on the measurements they changed my due date to Feb.20.2008 instead of Feb.14.2008 which actually doesn't surprise me at all. When I did all the online due date predictors they all said Feb 18th. I went ahead and updated all the tickers above so now I am 7w6d pregnant!

~Monica~

We got a heartbeat!

Today was the ultrasound and we got the heartbeat! Our little bean is about 10mm long and the heartbeat was 139 & 149 the two times the technician measured. We could clearly see the flickering of the tiny little heart and also the yoke sac too. We have a photo we need to scan so I will post that soon.

It's so weird that we are now official and we can start telling everyone. I mean there are still no guarantees but the heartbeat means we have a really good chance of keeping this one. I will open up the blog for everyone to read soon so all you special people are not so special anymore. ;) Just kidding!

Here we go and keep sending us your good vibes!
~Monica~

First Doctor Appointment

So, it is official now ... everything checked out fine at the doctor's today and I even got the fun yearly exam too. I have some tests to think about for all those genetic diseases and I have no idea what to do about it. On the one hand, I would like to know but on the other hand, if we find something negative, it might taint the pregnancy. Oh and since I am over 35 now I get the extra option of doing an amniocentesis too. It doesn't sound pleasant to me and I probably won't get it unless absolutely necessary.

Oh, I lost a pound since my last visit so my doctor was asking me about morning sickness. It is pretty much constant nausea but nothing has come up ... yet. So, I guess most of my problem is finding something to eat that appeals to me. Oddly, I find myself more nauseous after I eat rather than when my tummy is empty. Soup seems to do the trick so I am stocking up on more of that. I also notice that rich foods tend to make it worse too. Bummer!

According to my doctor ... I am 7 weeks today and due on Feb.14.2008 which is my dad's birthday. What a coincidence! She also scheduled a first trimester ultrasound for next week so let's hope it goes well. We are anxious to hear a heartbeat and she didn't do the doppler in the office because the ultrasound is much more accurate and with my uterus tipped back, it is just super hard to hear anything from a doppler.

My next appointment is on July.26.2007 and I should be 11 weeks along. She also wants to do the 1 hour glucose test at that time since I had gestational diabetes during my last trimester with Davin. Oh so fun.

~Monica~

My Alcohol Tolerance Tested Again

Sunday has been a very interesting day for me. Fredrik and I went to brunch at the Palisades with our friends Rod & Colleen. We are trying to have a date night together without kids every month or two. It was a ton of fun and we had a great time even though I missed out on the mimosas. I was really looking forward to those before I found out I was pregnant. Unfortunately, I also woke up this morning with my first touch of nausea and it didn't go away until we ate brunch. I even tried to have some milk & cereal as soon as I woke up but I mistakenly took a sip of OJ which completely turned my stomach. Oh what fun.

Then later that evening we had dinner at my grandparents house since my dad's cousin from Japan was in town visiting with his family. I was almost prepared to spill the beans if I was questioned why I wasn't drinking wine but I really didn't want everyone there to know. I know my grandma has good intentions but she always makes me feel like it was my fault for losing each baby. Thankfully, wine was not a huge feature at dinner like it would be if it was at my dad's house so I think I got away with it. I am afraid that my stepmom is starting to get a bit suspicious but so far she isn't saying anything ... which is so unlike her. Maybe she knows that it is too soon to ask such questions. I know she won't be able to hold it in much longer. Ugh.

At least another family event was completed without the dreaded LOOK or QUESTION. Whew!
~Monica~

First Nurses Appointment

I had my first nurses appointment today which is mostly just filling out paperwork and going over your medical history. I also get to pee in a cup again and get three vials of blood taken too. Fun! Most of the appointment was uneventful but we did talk a bit about my concerns about my body not rejecting the baby this time. The nurse said that they don't usually say that your chances of a miscarriage are increased until your 2nd one. However, since I am nervous they are accommodating of my fears and they will do an early ultrasound most likely. She also said that my doctor will try listening for the heartbeat at my next appointment and that amazingly most doctors are able to find it quite early. I am doubtful however since my uterus tips backward and it was really hard to hear anything with a doppler. It was even hard with the regular over the tummy ultrasound so the only way I can usually get confirmation is with that vaginal ultrasound. Super fun. I don't think I heard Davin's heartbeat for the first time until the 12/13 week appointment in my doctor's office with the doppler. I don't want to do that again!

My first doctor appointment is on 6/28.

The other news today is that I got another estimate from Great Floors today. They are slightly cheaper than Nielson Bros but not by a huge amount. For the flooring that I really liked (Teragren Bamboo) they were much more expensive but that was mostly due to the cost of the material. I have done more research and decided to give a store that specializes in bamboo a try. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say!

~Monica~

Father's Day BBQ

I wasn't ready to deal with my family knowing about my delicate condition yet but we were invited over to my sister and brother-in-law's house for a BBQ to celebrate Father's Day. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem but they always have wine before and during dinner. Last time they were suspicious of me when I didn't have any alcohol until the end of the night and it was a tiny amount. It literally made me ill just taking a few sips and I was really worried that the same thing would happen this time which would make it hard to "fake" it.

I hope I was able to today since I took a glass of wine without hesitation and took the tiniest sips when people were around and then every so often I would sneak away and dump some of the contents into the sink. I wonder if they bought it? Oh and I simply had no desire to drink alcohol and it makes me somewhat queasy to drink it.

Oh yeah, today (or maybe the day before?) my boobs started getting sore.

~Monica~

It's confirmed!

Even though I had to deal with the biggest poopy mess this morning, I managed to make it out of the house before we head out to gymnastics to pee in the cup at the doctor's office. I hope nothing is wrong with Davin since he woke up grumpy and then had the biggest, messiest diarrhea which leaked out his diaper, down his leg and onto the carpet. I didn't realize this when I picked him up to take him to the bathroom but the act of lifting him up must have released the damn and we dripped all the way to the bathtub. YUCK! This was the start of my decision to look into replacing our flooring with laminate or something besides carpet. Hopefully, more on that later.

Back to the doctor's office and they have a new office now so the whole peeing in a cup thing is a new procedure. Davin of course went into the bathroom with me and was pretty good the whole time but very curious what I was doing. I am not entirely sure these new bathrooms were intended for peeing in a cup because they used to have everything within reach of being seated on the toilet. They pretty much had that but there was no counter to put your cup after you pee. I had to put the cup on top of the toilet paper dispenser and when I did my son started reaching for it and saying, "Juice!" UGH. How gross! I immediately intercepted him and said, "Oh no that is not juice. It is yucky!" Whew.

I didn't see the usual receptacle for placing the full cup so I had to take it with me and was wandering the halls wondering what I should do with it. Thankfully, the lab tech spotted me and rescued me from my bewilderment. About 10 minutes later, they told me the good news ... I was indeed pregnant! I went ahead and scheduled my next few appointments and it started sinking in that yes ... I am pregnant ... again!

Oh, I also got an estimate from Empire Today on new flooring and I went into this without much research at all. I see their commercials all the time and thought what the heck. Let's see what the ball park is and if it is something we can even consider doing. Well, I am not impressed with them. I don't like the way they just write down a price out of thin air which I thought was ridiculous as the "retail" price. It was over $20k for about 1000sqft?? In laminate? Even their initial price was a bit steep and she was only able to lower it if she called the "warehouse" to see if there was a special price on the flooring I picked out. Of course there was a better deal out there and that was a much better price but the whole process left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess if you like a limited selection of products/colors and not having to think about the process at all, then Empire is the way to go. I am just not willing to spend over $10k of my hard earned money without getting informed and educated about what I am buying. On to more estimates!

~Monica~

Here we go again!

I guess this might be mostly a pregnancy blog as I would like to document as much as possible in an easy way. I was actually ready to try again in April but maybe subconsciously I really wasn't. I can't even remember now why we didn't try during our "window" but I know when we did baby dance it was either slightly before or after the "window" so I was pretty sure it wasn't going to happen. I think I might have been sick or something during that time but I really can't remember right now.

I had actually planned better for the month of May and marked it on my calendar when we were going to baby dance. We were joking not too long after we baby danced a few times that I was pregnant. I wish I could remember now but I felt different almost right away and every time I was really cranky when I was hungry or had a short temper with Fredrik, he kept poking fun at me that we might be pregnant. I was hopeful but still not convinced when I took two pregnancy tests as soon as the box said I could start seeing results. The first test was on day -7 and it was negative and the next one was on day -5 before my period was due. I was overly anxious about testing because I totally miscounted the days I was supposed to test. I really should have started at 5 days before but I jumped the gun a bit. So, I had convinced myself that it just wasn't happening this month and that we would try again the next. Well, my period due date arrived and nothing happened (which is NOT unusual at all) and decided to try the test again the next morning. Much to my surprise, I peed on that darn stick and the second line appeared indicating that I am indeed pregnant! I ran to the living room -- my husband had woken up early with my son and was napping on the couch -- and woke my husband up and told him the news! I am sure he said, "I told you so!"

It was Tuesday June 12th that we found out we were pregnant. I made an appointment to pee in a cup at the doctor's office to confirm the results. Until tomorrow!

~Monica~