10 Weeks!

10 Weeks!
Sunday, February 20th



My parents came up today!!! It was so great to see them. I wish they could have stayed longer, but I have a feeling they will once the baby gets here. There's so much to look forward to; I can't wait! At the same time, I'm trying to take everything in and enjoy every part (minus the nausea).

Symptoms: Still nauseous and tired. I'm really hoping that it will end soon. They say it usually goes away after the 1st trimester...I'm almost there. I have had some days where I've felt really good and that's so exciting. I try to do as much as I can on those days. I can't remember if I listed this earlier or not, but this whole time I've had really crazy dreams. It's so weird. I'm still really sensitive to smells, BUT my principal at school fixed my window so at least I can get some fresh air now. That has helped a ton.

My belly is also getting bigger. My students noticed this week. The secret is out. It was so funny...the student was so afraid to ask. It went something like this:
Student: "Mrs. Isaacs I have a question to ask you, but I don't want to ask."
Me: "What is it?"
Student: "I don't know if I can ask, I don't want you to be mad if I'm wrong."
Me: "I don't think I'll be mad. What's your question?"
Student: "Nevermind. I can't ask."
This went on for a while. She really struggled with saying something. All the other students knew what she was talking about and they were giving her a hard time, telling her to just ask. Finally another student came up to my desk and whispered it and I said yes, 10 weeks. They were all so excited! Then they all claimed that they've known for weeks and that there have been rumors that I was pregnant going around for a while. Probably so. I'm surprised it's taken them this long to ask. One student said she knew I was earlier that week when she saw me shoving a huge bagel in my mouth during class....hahah.

Food: Still avoiding most food. I've been mostly sticking to bagels. I have found a few things that I like this week though. Fudge frosted pop tarts are the greatest thing on the planet right now. I've been having them every day...sometimes twice a day. I also really like Cheeto's cheese puffs. I've nearly eaten the entire bag. Not the healthiest selections, I know, but at this point if I think it sounds good, I'm eating it. I did buy some carrots and cucumbers, but they've been sitting in the fridge all week. That's as close as I can get them to my mouth. I know I need to start eating better. Hopefully I can stand the thought of real food soon. It seems to be getting better!!!! Yea!

Baby: Our baby is slightly more than 2 inches long now, about the size of a lime. That's big! But then again, I compare that to the 21 inches of baby that I'll see at birth....holy cow that's huge! I still don't understand how something that big is going to come out of me.... Anyway, our 2 inch long baby is forming hair follicles along with fingernail and toenail beds. Our baby is pretty active rolling around in there doing stretches and summersaults, but I can't feel a thing at this point. Also, if it's a boy, testes are developing and if it's a girl, her ovaries are forming. I've been convinced that it would be a boy up until this week. Now I'm having thoughts that it might be a girl. Who knows....I can't wait to find out!

Thoughts: I go back to the doctor on March 7th. I doubt they'll do another ultrasound, but I'd love for them to. I want to actually see all the changes that have taken place. I just think this miracle that's growing inside me is so incredible. It just blows my mind when I think about it. All the changes that are happening and new things that are forming all the while I'm just going about my day. Seriously, the biggest miracle of my life is going on inside me and I'm not even doing anything. God's doing it all. As I think about that I think about my life. What would my life look like if I lived it that way...if I didn't do anything or get in the way and God just completly took over and worked through me?

Favorite this week: Hands down...fudge pop tarts. I could eat a box all at once. I love that something finally tastes good!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Next Year

So I've been trying to figure out a plan for next year. That's really the only reason I've tried to keep this somewhat of a secret. I didn't want to tell people at school until I knew what I was going to do for the next school year. After talking with everyone I know that might have some insight or advice, this was my plan: Start the year, use my maternity leave, then use the rest of my sick leave. That would take me through the entire 1st semester and I'd still have my paycheck and insurance through December. Then I wanted to do a leave of absence for the 2nd semester. I wanted to be upfront with the administration in my school so they could plan on finding someone for pretty much the whole year. Well, the superintendent didn't like that idea. She said I might need to do a full year leave of absence. That would mean NO pay at all and NO insurance coverage... Needless to say, it's been a frustrating situation.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

9 weeks!

Sunday, February 13th





Ok, I know...I'm a little behind and it's taken me forever to update my blog. That's kinda the theme right now. I feel behind on everything. Oh well. I'll catch up at some point.

Symptoms: Tired & nauseous still. I stayed home on Monday because I just didn't feel well. When I wake up feeling bad and think about driving all the way to Miami to be stuck in a stuffy smelly room all day, it makes me just want to roll over and go back to sleep. I have a lot of sick days to use, but I still have to be pretty selective on how I use them. With state testing right around the corner, I feel like I need to be there. Since we were out so many days because of the snow, I'm behind at school too.

Food: Still don't like it. I'm mostly eating bagels, crackers, and cheese. I really can't wait for the day when I can have hot wings or mexican food with extra queso. Right now I can't really handle the thought of it though.

Baby: Our baby is nearly an inch and a half long and the size of a prune. Bones and cartilage are forming, and small indentions on the legs are developing into knees and ankles. His or her tiny arms can even flex already. Little teeth are also forming under the gums. Our baby's stomach is producing digestive juices, the kidneys are producing larger quantities of urine, and, if it's a boy, he's already producing testosterone.

Thoughts/Favorite: This is combined this week. One of my favorite things is getting to share our exciting news. I love that I have such great family and friends. Everyone has been so excited for us and I love that. There have been several people that I've told that have teared up because they know about our struggles and that it took a while. They have been praying for us and I truly believe that they are almost as excited as we are. That is incredible to me...that people are so caring and supportive to us. We are so blessed! I love that others are sharing in our excitement. I also love that so many people I know are pregnant right now! It's so fun! In a couple of weeks, I'm taking a couple of friends from church (we're all 3 due within a couple of weeks of each other) to Tulsa with me to shop at the Just Between Friends sale for maternity clothes. I can't wait.


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

I have a Baby in my Belly!!!!

February 9, 2011 1st Ultrasound....


First of all the day started out with another snow storm. I was determined to make it to my appointment though. I live in Carl Junction and my doctor is in Carthage. It usually takes around 15 minutes to get there, so it's not too far. However, it was snowing really hard and the wind was blowing like crazy. I could hardly see the road. As I parked in the parking lot I really hoped that my car wouldn't get stuck when I tried to leave. The lot hadn't been shoveled and it was pretty deep. Thankfully it was all light fluffy snow and I didn't hit any slick spots. Driving in that kind of mess tends to stress me out. The drive home was much better. The roads were still covered, but it wasn't snowing very hard and the wind wasn't blowing like it was earlier. I could actually see the road.
Anyway, I wasn't sure if they'd do an ultrasound or not. I called the day before and talked to the receptionist. She didn't think they would do one. I didn't know what to expect. They did all the regular exam stuff and then brought in a small ultrasound machine! Yea! I was a little nervous because I didn't know if she was going to say "woah, you have 18 babies in there," or "everything looks great, you've got one." Thankfully she went with the second. I have one happy healthy beautiful baby in my belly!!!! I guess I've just been retaining a lot of water or I'm really bloated or something. I'm not really sure why my stomach is sticking out. She said I would start to show sooner because I was small, but that it was probably mostly just bloating. She said to avoid things like raw broccoli that will make it worse...sure thing. I'll make sure I stay away from that. HAHA. I guess she doesn't know I don't eat green vegetables. :) Anyway, back to the exciting stuff. She moved the wand around and said everything looked great and she pointed out the tiny heartbeat. It was incredible to watch. I'm in love! She printed off two pictures. The picture above is a picture of the picture...I couldn't scan it in. I think if you click on it, it will come up bigger. I really don't know anything about ultrasounds. I've been trying to figure out what's what. What do you think? I'm thinking that the head is on the right and then those tiny little dots are the hands and feet???? Or am I just imagining things? The doctor said she's going to stick to Sept 19th as the due date, but the ultrasound read Sept 21st which is Audra's (my sister-in-law's) birthday! Pretty cool. :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

8 weeks

February 6th. 8 weeks!



Haven't been making the bed lately or really doing any housework. I'm really wondering how people that already have kids have the energy to do anything when they're pregnant. Um do you notice anything about this picture? My belly is sticking out even more! Woah! I've been taking these pictures first thing in the morning, before I eat or drink anything. At this point I'm starting to wonder if there is more than one in there. I don't feel like I should be showing at this point.

Symptoms: Big belly. I can't button any of my pants anymore. Thankfully I bought a BeBand last week. It has been a lifesaver. I don't know what I would have been able to wear to work this week if I didn't have one. Best $16.99 I've spent so far. Basically you wear it over your pants and you can wear your pants undone. Ahhh. Again, we had another snow storm this week. I only had to go to school Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday was long because we had parent teacher conferences, but I had the rest of the week off after that. This really couldn't have come at a better time. I don't know how I'm going to manage when I have to go back for a full week. I've been sleeping quite a bit. I tend to fall asleep at 7:30 right in the middle of my favorite shows. I can't fight it.

Food: Still pretty nauseated. I still have a lot of food aversions. I'm sticking to the bland for now, but I'm able to tolerate the thought of some foods. I think my nausea is getting better. Hopefully.

Baby: He/She is the size of a medium green olive (1 inch). New organs (liver, spleen, and gallbladder) are forming. The head has straightened out and the ears are more prominent. He or she is also making spontaneous movements of his or her arms and legs now that minuscule muscles are beginning to develop. Our little athlete :)

Thoughts: I got to have my first ultrasound this week!!!! It was so incredible to actually see the tiny little heartbeat. Check out my ultrasound post.

Favorite:
Actually the BeBand is my favorite for this week, but I don't have a picture of it. I did make it out to Old Navy Monday night. Everything was an additional 30% off. Since I'm trying to keep it a secret at work for now and I'm already busting out of my clothes, I took advantage of the sale. I bought 4 looser fitting shirts that aren't so snug against my body. The sweaters were $3.50 and the other shirts were $5. I was so thankful to find a few bargain things to help me get by.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

7 Weeks

January 30th. 7 weeks!



I decided for the first few weeks I'm going to take the same picture (same shirt, same pose). I thought this might help in seeing changes. I know it's early, but I feel like my stomach is starting to stick out a little.

Symptoms: Feeling really really nauseated. I tried eating ginger candy...no help. I called in sick Monday. I felt pretty bad and the thought of being stuffed in a room with smelly students all day really made me want to barf. That's been another symptom. I've never really been able to smell things unless it really strong. That's changed. I smell everything and pretty much everything makes me want to barf. Thankfully, we had a major blizzard this week and I was out of school Tuesday - Friday, so actually I didn't go to school at all this week. I needed that. It was good to relax at home.

Food: I pretty much hate all food right now. This is new to me. I usually love food and love to eat. Not anymore. Nothing sounds good. Everything tastes different and weird. Even water doesn't taste right. I'm forcing myself to eat though and I try not to let my stomach get empty...that's when the nausea gets pretty unbearable. I've mostly just eaten crackers, cheese, and fruit. There was one night that pancakes sounded good...it was the first time ANYTHING sounded good. So Chad got out in the blizzard and took me to IHOP. He has no idea how greatful I am for that.

Baby: He/She is now the size of a raspberry (1/2 inch). The upper lip, nose, and eyelids are starting to form, along with fingers and toes. His or her heart is beating at the rate of 150 times per minute. Crazy! I really wish I could get a microscope and see for myself. It blows my mind that something so small can have so many features forming.

Thoughts: I really am just 1000% excited! I'm not really worried about anything. I love that. God has given me such a peace that everything is going to be just fine and that I need to just take it all in and enjoy it. He's continually reminding me of His promises and I just feel honored to get to have this baby.

Favorite:
These are my new prenatal vitamins. I love them. Why? I'll give you 3 reasons:
1. Everything is in one pill. My old vitamins had two...one vitamin and one fish oil or something. This one has everything all in one.
2. It has a vanilla coating. I HATE the taste of vitamins. The aftertaste makes me want to gag. These are much easier to get down.
3. I get them for free! My doctor gave me a promo card that pays your copay if your pregnant and on these prenatal vitamins.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

6 weeks

January 23rd. 6 WEEKS!!! I think...


I went to the doctor on January 24th to fill out all the paperwork and do some blood work. She told me I was 6 weeks and my estimated due date was September 19th. I think it should be a little later than that. I think I'm actually 5 weeks, but I'm just going to go with what they said.

Symptoms: Oh my word! I've never been this tired. Seriously. I can't keep my eyes open. I also have to go to the bathroom all the time. The other major symptom I have is that my boobs are soooo sore. I'm not going to write about that one from week to week, but it's an obvious symptom. I kinda like having all of these symptoms. I told Chad I thought I'd want to keep taking pregnancy tests all the time just to make sure, but really I don't feel the need. I feel pregnant and that's comforting.

Food: I'm super hungry. I've been eating a lot of salty stuff, especially chips and salsa.

Baby: He/She is the size of a blueberry (1/4 inch). The biggest growth this week is the baby's head. New brain cells are being generated at the rate of 100 cells per minute. That's pretty incredible. I love that I have this little miracle going on inside of me. This is the coolest thing ever!

Thoughts: I am sooo excited! It's taken longer than I thought it would, but that's generally how everything in my life goes. Haha. It seems like there's always something great behind a struggle. God has blessed me so much! I am so thankful.

Favorite:
I started feeling nauseated at the end of the week. I found these and they help a little. I don't think they are a miracle cure for nausea, but it's a flavor that I can tolerate and it momentarily helps me get rid of the nasty taste I have in my mouth all the time. I think of these more as candy, not nausea medicine. The raspberry flavor is pretty good. Way better than ginger candy.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Can you see it?

Look closely! Can you see it?



Yes! There are two lines. Very, very faint, but definitely 2 lines!!!

I had gone to the doctor on Wednesday, January 12th. I was told that I wasn't pregnant, but that it still might be a little early to tell. My doctor talked with me a while about the next steps. We were going to bump up the dose of Clomid (the medicine that will make me ovulate) for the next round and see if that helped. Well, no need for that. :) I woke up EARLY on Saturday and couldn't go back to sleep so I got up and took a test. I was still half asleep and I kept squinting and staring at the stick. My eyes weren't adjusted yet. Was that really a second line?!? Yep! I ran into the bedroom and tackled Chad. We are both thrilled!

This was one of the cheap tests I bought at www.early-pregnancy-tests.com. Check out the site, they have lots of really cheap ovulation tests and pregnancy tests. I took another regular test (not the cheap kind) a couple of days later and it was positive!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

I've got a secret!!!!!!

I've got some exciting news to share! I'm waiting a little longer to tell my coworkers, so please don't post anything on Facebook. I just want to figure out what I can do about teaching/not teaching next year and using my sick leave before I tell everyone I work with. My original plan was to wait until spring break to tell them, um, but...pretty sure I won't be able to hide it that long. I made this blog private a while back. I didn't have a lot of email addresses. If you know of any friends or family that would like to read my blog, let me know their email address and I'll set it up where they can.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

....and more snow...

Snowing again! And we're supposed to get more on Sunday and again on Wednesday! Next week is parent teacher conference week which means really loooong days on Tuesday and Thursday. Selfishly, I'd really be ok with taking more snow days next week. :) Since it's a state of emergency, I really don't think we'll have to make them all up...we'll see.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Applesauce

I saw this on couponcloset.net and wanted to give it a try. All you need is a 3 lb bag of apples and 1/2 c water. Slice and peel the apples. Put them in the crockpot for 6 hours on low. I added a little sprinkle of cinnamon to mine and that's all! Yum! If you like it a little smoother, you can put it in the food processor. However, if you just stir them for a min, it smooths out on it's own.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Blizzard!

Tuesday morning...





Trying to shovel one strip of the driveway...I couldn't even get all the way to the concrete!


Diving in...


I measured several places...on average, this is what I found...



Check out our neighbor's fence...


Neighbors behind us...



Pretty sure they won't be getting our trash anytime soon...




Freshly shoveled drive...all Chad, not me :)


Seriously deep...




My hero :)




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A little snow :)

More pics to come...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad