My Goals for 2012....

2011 was a decent year. Nothing truly remarkable happened, besides the birth of my gorgeous daughter, of course. That was the best day, ever. She's so beautiful, and the absolute light of my life. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has entrusted Clint and I with this amazing spirit.

I'm determined to make 2012 a year of improving myself and my family. With that being said, the following is a list of goals I would like to accomplish for 2012 (in no particular order)....

*Project 365: I would like to take, and publish (via Facebook or my blog here) at least one photo a day. I'm hoping this will improve my photography and editing skills.
*Lose weight, be healthier: I won't put a number on it, because I'll get discouraged and quit. But I want to make healthier choices that will lead to a healthier body weight.
*Cut out soda.
*Make an effort to get ready every day. Sometimes I feel like being lazy, rather than do my hair and makeup.
*Learn to sew. I'd love to make cute things for my sweet McKynlee :)
*Make a budget, and stick to it. This will allow us to be financially responsible.
*Open a savings account. Use it for emergencies only.
*Move into our own place. Make that place a beautiful home.
*Try at least one new recipe every week.
*Scrapbook at least one page a week.
*Make at least one craft a month.
*Go out on a date with Clint at least once a month.

This is what I have so far. I'm sure I'll think of other things that I'll add later. I feel like I've got a good list going. What are your goals for 2012?

ABC's of Me...

Age: 26 (27 in just 4o days)
Bedsize: Queen. and honestly...we need a king. We're both bed hogs lol :p
Chores you hate: Um...all of them?? LOL but I do them. They're necessary.
Dogs: N/A!
Essential start to your day: Kisses for my baby girl!! Love waking up to her smiling face! <3
Favorite color: Turquoise or Black
Gold or silver: Silver or white gold
Height: 5'8"
Instruments you play: N/A
Job title: Customer Service Associate @ Wal Mart. Whoopee.
Kids: My darling McKynlee Ann!! Love her so much!! :D
Live: in Mesa, AZ
Mothers' Name: Sandra (birth mom) and Sharleen (stepmom)
Nickname: Clint calls me Beaker. Because I guess I sound like Beaker from the Muppets when I get sick and lose my voice? :p
Overnight hospital stays: When I had McKynlee a few months ago. Made it 25 years without a single hospital stay!! :D
Pet peeves: people chewing with their mouth open. Drives me batty. Mumbling. That drives me nuts too...now I understand why my parents always told me to "stop mumbling!" :p
Quote from a movie or tv show: "She's armed....he's dangerous" "....no." -Castle
Right or left: right handed
Siblings: I have 4 little brothers. William, Alex, Nicky and Ted
Time you wake up: Really depends on what time I have to work. Usually around 7:30 am though. McKynlee is usually ready to eat right around then :)
Underwear: I own some. I wear it. That is all.
Vegetable you hate: Lima beans. They're disgusting. Okra, too!
What makes you run late: McKynlee. LOL! I'm still learning how to manage my time to get us both ready on time :p
Xrays you've had: my right hand, both my feet.
Yummy food you make: I bake lots of yummy cookies. Texas sheet cake. All those yummy treats :)
Zoo animal: um....cheetah?? :)

6 Weeks

McKynlee Ann

6 Weeks Old

How is it possible that 6 weeks has already passed since you came into our lives?? It seems like its been a week, at most. We are completely enamored with you. We love you more than words will ever say. We can't remember our lives before you, and we can't imagine our lives without you.
You've started smiling at us. Not all the time. When we went to get your pictures taken on your 6 week mark, you wouldn't smile for any of the pictures....so the smiles aren't very frequent. We love them though, when you share them with us. Your eyes have lightened up, but we're not sure if they'll stay blue, or eventually change. (Daddy thinks they'll stay blue.) You're over 10 pounds now! Daddy calls you his little chunk. :) Everyone who meets you says you're gorgeous. We have to agree. :) You're holding your head up a little better every single day. I can't believe you're growing up so fast!

9/11/2001

Ten years ago today, tradgedy struck the United States. I turned on the tv that morning to watch the news as I got ready for school. It was very routine for me. I remember seeing the headline "Plane hits WTC." I remember thinking, "what is the WTC??" So silly, that I didn't even know what it was. Everybody remembers where they were, what they were doing, as the plane struck the second tower. Myself? I was a junior at Apache Junction High School. I sat in my math class, watching with my classmates in horror as the tower crumbled. We knew our lives would never be the same. I remember students at school holding candlelight ceremonies, moments of silence, etc. I took part in several of them.

So many people lost their lives today. Every year, we stop to remember. Remember the brave men and women who selflessly gave their lives that day. Remember the innocent civilians, whose lives were tragically taken from them. Whether or not we knew someone in the towers, we were all affected.

Ten years later, we celebrate the lives of those we lost. We reflect upon the amazing show of patriotism that occured in the weeks afterwards.

God Bless the USA.

Four Weeks Old...

How gorgeous is SHE??? :D

Forgive me for being such a terrible blogger. Its been a CRAZY week, so this post is actually a day late.

McKynlee is officially one month old!! Where has time gone?? My sweet baby will be headed off to kindergarten before I know it. I know that seems extreme, but its so true. I wish I could keep her little and cuddly forever. She loves cuddles with her mommy and daddy. She's got the most adorable chubby cheeks, and she loves kisses on them. We fall more in love with her every single day. Is that even possible?? Its happening. She's weighing in at 10 lbs 1 oz, as of her one month mark. We took her to the doctor, she's got a slight head cold going on. Good thing is its in her nose only. Hasn't migrated to her ears or her chest. We're using saline drops and a bulb syringe to remove boogers a few times a day. Also sleeping with a humidifier. Hopefully, she'll feel much better in a few days. Though, despite being sick, she's still such a great baby. She only cries when she is hungry, or wants/needs a diaper change. She fusses every once in a while. Usually because she's uncomfortable, or bored. She coos and "talks" to us all the time. Such a sweet girl, she is. Everybody loves her. :)

We're headed out of town for a few days next week. Just going up to St. Johns for some peace and quiet (hopefully). We'll go up to Big Lake and do some fishing. We cannot WAIT!! Its been far too long. We're curious to see how McKynlee handles the long car ride. She's not such a fan of her car seat for an extended period of time. Hopefully, she'll sleep most, if not all of, the trip.

Two weeks later....

McKynlee is two weeks old today. I can't believe how quickly time has passed. Mommy is sleep-deprived, but completely in love with my baby girl. Clint was home with us for a week, which was nice. He took care of her at night, when she's most awake. I was pretty doped up on pain killers, since I'd just had surgery. But he's since gone back to work. He hates it, leaving us every night. He'd much rather be home with the two of us. I've got about another 3 weeks of maternity leave left. The thought of returning to work and leaving her breaks my heart. I'll be a wreck when the time comes. For now, I choose not to think about it. :)

I still haven't shared McKynlee's birth story. I checked into the hospital at about 8 pm on wednesday night, August 10th. By 9:30, I was started on Cervadil (sp?) to begin the induction process. It was 12 long hours. I was almost always hooked to monitors. They took them off around 2 am, to let me get an hours sleep. It was the best hour, ever. :p At around 9:30 am, they removed the Cervadil, and checked me for progress. Nothing. Seriously?? The contractions were there. I swear it! Ok, lets try something else. Dr. Rowan decided to try prostaglandin (again, sp?). That was a 4 hour process. The contractions were pretty brutal. I was having back labor. The contractions were pretty painful, and made it impossible to get comfortable. I went through a ton of heating packs, trying to ease the pain. At the end of 4 hours, the nurse checked me for progress. NOT A THING! Oh my heck. Seriously? Dr. Rowan was in surgery at that moment in time, so they took a message to her, and I was told she'd be in to see me shortly. Within 20 minutes, she came in, to check me herself. I had made very little progress, from when she last checked me in her office (4 days prior). She told me we could continue with the induction process, but that I probably wouldn't give birth to McKynlee until late friday or even saturday morning. Or, she could c-section. If I had made any real progress at all, I would have opted to continue with the induction process. But, I couldn't have pain meds in the immediate future, because they'd slow down any potential progression even more. So, I opted for the c-section. Her head was too big to descend into the birth canal, which is why I wasn't progressing, despite the contractions. I love that she left the decision up to me.
The c-section was NOT that bad. Really. Everyone tried to tell me horror stories of c-sections. The absolute worst part of it, for me, was being numb from the ribs down. I know that sounds dumb, but I had a panic attack. I knew my legs were there, but I couldn't move them. Obviously. But it panicked me. I kept telling them that I wanted to stretch my legs out. They finally told me that my legs were as stretched out as they could possibly be. :p When they stretched my uterus to pull her out, I vomited. It was the most intense wave of nausea I've ever experienced. They told me it was completely normal. As soon as they stopped stretching my uterus, after she was out, the nausea passed. As soon as she was out, they pushed Valium into my IV. I assume it was to mellow me out, stop my panic attack. It worked, and the rest of the surgery is a blur. It seemed to go really fast. I remember Dr. Rowan talking about my placenta. You'll remember that I had a chorioangioma on it. Next thing I know, they were moving me to my bed, and wheeling me back into my labor & delivery room. There, I got to hold my sweet baby girl for the first time. She was/is so beautiful, and I fell in love at first sight. It was short lived, however. My blood pressure went completely nuts. It plumeted, and they rushed to stabalize it. She was taken from me while they pushed meds to fix it. At its lowest point, it was at something like 70/40. Then it shot up to something like 187/140. Numbers are a guesstimate, because I don't remember the exact numbers. Finally, it stabalized to 117/90, or something around there. They were satisfied enough to let me cuddle with my baby girl again, while still monitoring me very closely.
After about an hour, I was wheeled over into postpartum. I was still extremely nauseated, so I didn't spend too much time with the baby. I kept vomiting, for hours. I hadn't had anything to eat in 24 hours. I was used to eating every 2 hours, because of the gestational diabetes. I begged the nurse for something to eat. I told her I'd stop vomiting if I could just put a little food in my stomach. She finally brought me 2 saltine crackers and some sugar free jello. I ate it, extremely slowly. Sure enough, I stopped vomiting. Around 2 am, I really spent quality time bonding with McKynlee.
She's absolutely perfect. My nose, and my coloring. She's got adorable pouty lips. Lots of dark hair. The chubbiest cheeks. She's gorgeous. We tell her how beautiful she is a few million times a day. She's very, very loved by all. Spoiled rotten. Already has her daddy wrapped around her little finger.

Introducing....

Ms. McKynlee Ann McLaws

Born at 4:20 pm on 8/11/11

8 lbs. 4.7 oz. 21 inches long

She's beyond precious. So beautiful. We're completely in love.

39 Weeks- The Birth Plan

We made it to 39 weeks. We weren't sure that we would, for awhile there. Doctors were hoping I would, since babies of gestational diabetes sometimes have slower lung development. They've found that 39 weeks is an ideal number. If I had gone into labor on my own earlier, after 36 weeks, they wouldn't have stopped it. But she's content in there.

However, its eviction time. We're going in at 8 pm tonight to start the induction process. Hooray! We're anxious and nervous. We cannot wait to meet her. We're nervous about how the chorioangioma will affect labor and delivery. Only time will tell. I've been having contractions off and on for weeks now. But, still only dilated to about half a centimeter. So, our birth plan, is simple. We developed it with our doctor at our last appointment.

Tonight, I check in at 8 pm. They'll start me on Cervidil. Hopefully, that will actually do something. She's not sure if my body will respond to being induced, seeing as how my body hasn't responded to the contractions as of yet. My doctor is on call all day tomorrow, so she'll check me in the morning after the Cervidil. We'll then start me on another medication. Perhaps pitocin, if I'm dilating. If I'm not, it'll be something else. If, after those two attempts, I'm not dilating, then we'll cut our losses and do a c-section. She doesn't want to put me through tons of attempts if my body isn't willing to cooperate. Especially since we don't know how the chorioangioma will affect L&D.

So sometime, in the next...36 hours or so...our sweet McKynlee will be here. :) Kinda weird to think about!!! We're leaving the house, and coming home with a baby. Its very, very surreal.

Stay tuned for pictures! If you're on my facebook, you'll probably see pictures sooner :p

Oh, what fun we've had....

and yes, the title is heavy on the sarcasm. McKynlee is determined to give mommy and daddy grey hair before she even gets here. She's already a handful, and we still have about 6 and a half weeks to go. If we make it that far.

I've been in Labor & Delivery Triage 3 times in the last 2 weeks. The first was because I got overheated and dehydrated. Baby girl was perfect. Mommy was sick. A few IV bags of fluids, and I was sent on my way home to rest.
The second time was yesterday. We went to our doctor for one of our twice a week check-ups. They did an ultrasound, in which they do a biophysical profile. Baby girl has been scoring 8/8 on them. Yesterday? A 2/8. She wouldn't move. Wasn't practicing her breathing. The 2 points were given because the amniotic fluid was good. So, we were sent next door to the hospital for additional monitoring. We were there for a few hours. Hooked up to fetal monitors. Her heartrate was great. They did another ultrasound, checked her BPP. The tech literally had to stand over me and shake my belly....and I guzzled some ice water. But it woke her up, she started moving, and we were discharged.
Third time was today. She was fairly active around 7 am. Around 11, I realized it had been a little while since I'd felt any movement. Typically, one should feel about 10 kicks every 2 hours. I drank a little juice, ate a little cereal, and laid on my left side for a little while. By 12:30, I'd only felt 3 soft thumps. I called my on-call nurse, who recommended I go into L&D to be monitored. Especially since she only had a 2/8 just yesterday. So by 1 pm, I was in L&D. Hooked up to monitors. Again, her heartrate was good, but there was no evidence of movement. They ordered an ultrasound, brought me some ice water to try to wake her up, and told me to relax. Easier said than done. The on-call doctor came in shortly after to go over my chart with me, and ask questions that she had. She's not our normal doctor, but WE LOVED HER! She was so nice, didn't dismiss any of our concerns, and really did her best to put us at ease. A little while later, ultrasound came in to do their part. A typical BPP scan will last for 30 minutes, unless they find that everything is great sooner. Her heartrate was good. About 3o seconds into the scan, she started practicing her breathing. So far, so good. But, she wasn't moving. At 29:45, the little stinker finally moved enough that they were more than satisfied. Even the tech was like, "are you freaking kidding me?!?!" So, they reviewed the scan. And the on-call doctor called Phoenix Perinatal (high-risk specialists who've been conducting my Level 2 scans) to get their opinion. Shortly after, they were discharged. Her scans were perfect, so they saw no reason to keep me. Which we understand, but its frustrating. This corioangioma on the placenta can put her in distress at any moment. So when she goes periods of time with no movement, we worry. And the doctors insist we go back in for monitoring. We have an appointment with PPA next week. They're scheduling us for a consult as well. They may end up taking over my care for the duration of the pregnancy. We'll see. So for now, I continue what I've been doing. Try to take it a little easier from here on out. I can continue to work, unless the doctor at PPA says otherwise next week.

In other, better news....my shower is a week away. I can't wait! Its going to be fun to see all the family and friends again. :) And our due date is only about 6 weeks away. Which is SO CLOSE....yet still so far away. We're so anxious and excited to meet our baby girl! :)

31 Weeks

We had another Level 2 ultrasound this week. McKynlee's kidneys look fine, which is great news! The mass is larger. Almost 6 cm now....4 cm larger than 8-9 weeks ago. So at this point, we begin weekly ultrasounds to monitor its growth. Doctor said we may even need to bump it up to twice weekly ultrasounds. If the mass were to get too large, it could begin to put strain on her heart. Hence, the need for closer monitoring. It grows as she grows. The delivery plans are still if-y. Right now, she weighs about 4 lbs, 8 oz. We'll see what happens in the coming weeks, and then we'll decide on traditional delivery vs. c-section.

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 31 weeks, 3 days

Total Weight loss/gain: I have lost count! I have gained weight back, but I'm still below the 10 lbs doctor initially told me to lose. So, we consider it weight loss :)

Maternity clothes: I have one pair of jeans that still slip off me. I'm constantly hiking them up. I can still fit into my pre-maternity jeans, though they're slowly becoming more uncomfortable. My pre-maternity tops still fit just fine. My work shirts are just now becoming a little too short, as the belly starts to protrude more. :p

Best moment this week: She's been SUPER active the past 24 hours. I don't know if she's stopped for more than 5 minutes at a time. I love all her kicks, pokes, and somersaults. Though some of them are becoming slightly painful as she gets stronger and is getting more cramped in her space. :p

Movement: Again, she's BEYOND active!

Food craving: This week, I've been craving mexican food. Nachos, tacos, burritos....whatever! I'm not picky! Although I am trying to ignore said cravings and choose healthier choices to keep the gestational diabetes in check.

What I miss: decent sleep! The past week has become increasingly difficult to get a good nights rest. Between her midnight dance parties, aching hips and back, leg cramps, bathroom dashes....I'm up every few hours.

Sleep: see "what I miss"

What I'm looking forward to: McKynlee making her debut sometime in the next 9 weeks! We are so ready to welcome her into the world! Clint becomes more and more impatient by the day.

Belly Button: Still an innie. Although, its becoming more and more stretched as she gets bigger.

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks have made an appearance. I've had cramping as well, but doctor says its completely normal. Lack of sleep and energy. Achy hips, legs, back. Sciatic nerve pain. I've adopted a slight waddle in my walk :p Nausea is also starting to show again. I went about a month with none whatsoever...it was so nice!!!

I swore I was going to be better....

but I lied.

Just a quick check in tonight....Mommy, Daddy, and Baby are doing great. Mommy is miserably hot. Daddy has joined a gym. Baby thinks its great fun to play punching bag with Mommy's bladder. And sciatic nerve. And even the rib cage, the other day. Only about 10 weeks to go!

We had a check-up last week, where the doctor decided I am officially Gestational Diabetic.

Dang it.


SO Mommy is watching her carbs and sugars....and testing her blood sugars 4 times a day. YAY!!!....not. But so far, I'm controlling it with diet, so no need for any medications. Which is very, very good. :) We have another ultrasound on the 14th of June. We'll see about how much she's weighing. If she gets to 9 pounds, Dr says we'll do a c-section. Sooo....maybe I could have her early? We'll see. I'm ok with that. I'd rather have a c-section then try to give birth to a toddler. The McLaws' are not known for their small babies with tiny heads. But even with enlarged kidneys, a placenta mass and diabetes....the pregnancy has been fairly routine, and baby is super active, which doctors say is a great sign.

I'm off to bed. Volunteering at work tomorrow for our Childrens Miracle Network Carnival. Come by the store and see us! All proceeds benefit Phoenix Childrens' Hospital Childrens Miracle Network :) I'm doing a photo booth... :)

26 Weeks

This week we had another ultrasound to check out McKynlee's kidneys and the "mass" on my placenta. The tech was able to get a 3D image of her sweet face. Isn't she precious?? We like to think so. :) Her kidneys were not nearly as large as they have been the last 2 ultrasounds!! YAY! While they're still just slightly abnormal, its an improvement, and we're so happy to see that! We have another level 2 ultrasound next month. Hopefully, we'll see more improvement then! The "mass" on the placenta IS larger, but its in proportion to the growth of the placenta, so my doctor thinks everything is just fine. They're estimating her weight to be at 2 lbs 4 oz. She's actually about a week ahead of schedule, but its not enough so that they'll change my due date.

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 26 weeks 3 days

Total weight loss/gain: Holding steady. Nothing lost, but nothing gained

Maternity clothes: Still just in my one pair of jeans. I have a hard time spending $50 on a pair of jeans, so I've been shopping ebay. Nothing much out there this week. The pair that I DO have, is a little big still. I'm constantly pulling them up.

Best moment this week: Seeing her sweet face! Clint thinks she looks just like me. His mom sees a good mix of the both of us. What do you think??

Movement: Still a wiggle-worm!!

Food craving: I wanted a coke SO badly yesterday!!!! I got a raspberry lemonade instead.

What I miss: going a day without a headache. they've been brutal lately.

Sleep: haven't been sleeping to well the past week. I've been off the last 2 days, and I spent a lot of it sleeping. I'm a lazy bum.

What I'm looking forward to: the next 3 months passing very quickly!! Its getting unbearably hot.

Belly button: Still an innie!

Symptoms: Very sleepy. Headaches. (some) nausea. Heartburn like nobody's business lol.

25 Weeks....just kind of a slacker :p

The Bump at 25 Weeks Pregnant :)

So, I must apologize for being such a slacker. I really have no excuse for it. Just too lazy LOL. We did have a Level 2 Ultrasound a few weeks ago. McKynlee's kidneys are enlarged. There's no extreme concern right now. They're monitoring it with monthly ultrasounds. If there were to be a problem, it would be after she's born. Its fixable, surgically. We're hoping it fixes itself in utero. Obviously, we don't want our little girl to have surgery right after birth. So we pray for the issue to clear itself up. The concern level of the doctors is a 1, on a scale of 0-10. There is also a mass (for complete lack of a better term) on my placenta. The doctor believes it is just blood vessels. It only has one main blood supply, so the doctor doesn't anticipate it growing larger. IF it were, it could cause strain on her heart. That could mean they potentially take her early, IF that ends up being the case. She's super active though, and the doctor says that active babies are healthy children. We're confident she'll be just fine. :)






Pregnancy Highlights





How Far Along: 25 weeks, 2 days


Total Weight Loss/Gain: Still in the negative! I haven't gained anything. Awesome!


Maternity Clothes: I have one pair of maternity jeans that I bought on ebay for 8.99! Yay for good deals! I wore them out the other night, and they're actually still a little too big. I kept pulling them up.


Best Moment this week: Finishing up our registries! Thank goodness that's done! Its a daunting task.


Movement: Lil' Miss McKynlee thinks she's the next David Beckham. She's one active little bean! Constantly kicking and moving! She likes to kick mommy's bladder. She likes to kick mommy's sciatic nerve. She's a stinker <3


Food Craving: Salad! I've been eating salads like they're going out of style. Had a craving last week for nachos. And they were wonderful! :p


What I Miss: Waking up and not being nauseated. I was on a good run, but its slowly creeping back. I was warned by several pregnant friends that it might happen.


Sleep: It is MUCH improved since we acquired a new(er) mattress from a family friend. It is in MUCH better condition than the one we'd been sleeping on. I've noticed that my quality of sleep is greatly improved. :)

What I'm looking forward to: The belly getting bigger. I actually have a bump now!!! I'm sure when it does get bigger, I'll be wishing I was small again LOL. The summer is going to be long and hot.


Belly Button: Still in. BUT I've had some pulling sensations and itching in the area. I think some of it is from the scar tissue left over from surgery last year. They cut into my belly button and fed the camera through in order to do the operation.


Symptoms: Nausea. Super active baby girl. Heartburn. Fatigue.

21 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 21 Weeks 1 day

Total weight loss/gain: down 2 pounds from where I was at last week

Maternity clothes: Nothing yet. LOL. I don't know if I'll EVER be in maternity clothes, at this point :p

Best moment this week: Somebody asked me how far along I am! Hooray!!! :p LOL I was beginning to think people were thinking I've been making it all up :p

Gender: Still a girl :p

Movement: McKynlee is VERY active!!! She just kicked me so hard that I jumped. It completely startled me. But it is the absolute coolest feeling. I absolutely love it!

Food craving: Nothing this week.

What I miss: Being able to walk 5 feet without sciatic nerve pain. My sweet little girl just LOVES that nerve! :p

Sleep: Been sleeping fairly well. What I'm looking forward to: Still looking forward to the belly popping out :)

Belly Button: Still an innie!

Symptoms: Lots and lots of movement from baby. Nausea is still present, though it is easing up (FINALLY!).

McKynlee Ann

We think she has my nose :)

20 Weeks-Halfway there!

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 20 weeks, 2 days.

Total weight loss/gain: About the same, I think. We'll find out at the appointment on monday.

Maternity Clothes: None yet!! My pants are slowly becoming more uncomfortable, especially after I eat. So far, I am by far most comfortable in basketball shorts. I live in them on my days off.

Best moment this week: it actually happened about an hour ago! I was sitting here on the computer, gathering photos for inspiration for the baby shower to send to my decorator. My arm was lying across my stomach....and I felt a soft kick. I thought it might be gas, so I poked around a bit, and she kept kicking back! :D

Gender: Girl

Movement: She's VERY active at night. I feel her move a lot when I lie on my left side, kind of on my stomach. It tickles!

Food craving: Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd. I HAD TO HAVE ONE!! and it was SOOO good! :D

What I miss: cooler weather. I am SO hot all the time. doesn't help that we hit 100 degrees today.

Sleep: I sleep an average of 10-13 hours a night. And even then, I'm ready for a nap halfway through the day.

What I am looking forward to: my baby belly finally popping.

Belly Button: Still very much in

Symptoms: Sleepy all the time. small baby bump....I look more bloated than anything.

Week 19

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 19 weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: I've gained back about 5 pounds. Doctors cautioned me to be very aware of what I eat and drink. They'd like me to keep it as low as possible. The past few weeks though, I've felt pretty icky, so I've been eating whatever I can just to feed me and baby :)

Maternity Clothes: None yet!!! Got a very small baby bump

Best Moment this Week: Our Ultrasound. We have to go back on April 4th for another one, because baby wouldn't stay still long enough for the tech to get a good picture of the heart and stomach. What they did see though, everything looks fine. :)

Gender: ITS A GIRL!!! We're SOO excited!! We can't wait to meet McKynlee Ann in August!! :D

Movement: Same as last week. If I apply counter pressure to my stomach, I can feel her kicking and rolling. She's VERY active!

Food Craving: None, really. Still want cantaloupe. Its still not in season. Dang you, cantaloupe. :p

What I Miss: same as last week. Just energy.

Sleep: I could probably sleep all day, if I was allowed to. I napped twice today. I adore my sleep.

What I am looking forward to: finally having a baby belly. So far, its pretty non-existant. I swear, if I didn't have ultrasound pictures to prove a baby was in there, nobody would believe me. :p

Belly Button: Still very much in.

Symptoms: Still pretty nauseated in the morning. I take at least one Zofran a day. Heartburn is taking over my life lol. Very tired all the time. I have some sciatic nerve pain. Its usually how I can tell if she's moving or not. She shifts and sits on that nerve, and its just....painful.

Week 18

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 18 weeks, 3 days

Total weight loss/gain: 20 pounds lost, that I know of.

Maternity Clothes: none yet! my pre-maternity clothes are too big for me now!

Best Moment this week: feeling butterfly flutters when Clint was listening to my tummy. He does this daily, but this week, I started feeling movement when he was applying pressure to my belly. :)

Gender: Ultrasound is scheduled for 8:50 am on Monday morning! :D

Movement: see "best moment"

Food craving: nothing really. I haven't had much of an appetite at all. I tend to force myself to eat.

What I miss: energy. not feeling nauseated all the time. sleeping through the night without getting up to visit the bathroom. :p

Sleep: as long as I've got my maternity pillow, I'm fairly comfortable. I've had some sciatic nerve pain, and that sometimes makes getting comfortable for sleep a little difficult.

What I am looking forward to: finding out if its a boy or girl! can't wait to start buying gender specific items, planning the nursery, etc. :)

Belly Button: Still very much in!

Symptoms: fatigue, nausea, back pain, "chest" pain (if you catch my drift LOL), some "cramping" sensations. These are caused by my ligaments becoming more elastic as the baby grows (according to my book :p)

Oh hai there....

SOO this is my first post of 2011. Fail, huh? First thing I notice is that my background is non-existant. I vaguely recall getting notification that they'd be changing things around, and so my background would probably be erased. BUT, I forgot. First order of business was to update that so I have a pretty background again. :)

We have been up to absolutely nothing. Work, work, and more work. Our lives are thrilling. Truly, that's all we have done. I'd be lying if I said we did anything else.

Baby is growing strong. Heartbeat has been at a steady 150 bpm. With the exception of a couple weeks ago, when it was down to 136. I had the stomach flu, I think poor baby was stressed. But, it was still in the normal range, so doctor wasn't concerned. I sat around the house for a week to get rehydrated and get over the nasty flu. Then I got a double ear infection. Oh, dear sweet baby of mine....you're killing Mommy's immune system . You're going to be immune to every antibiotic known to mankind when you're older. But, we love you more than anything. :) We get to find out if the baby is BOY or GIRL on March 21st. That's in TWO WEEKS! We're SOOO excited!!! We have no preferance one way or another. We want baby to be healthy. :)

That's about it, for now. Nap time is quickly approaching. I get SOOO tired nowadays.