9 Weeks

Im still feeling the same, very nauseous, extremely tired, and very very weak and lightheaded. Just a few more weeks and the first trimester will be over. Hopefully i will start to feel better by then.

Week 9: An inch to grow on

Fetal development in pregnancy week 9:



Congratulations! Your amazing growing baby has been accepted into to the fetus-club, a very exclusive and exiting new stage in their prenatal development. Basically, this means the little sweet pea has graduated from swimming embryo creature to a recognizable human being! This week in particular, the irises of their little eyes can function, but (frustratingly for them?) their eyelids remain fused shut for a while yet. Their external ears are formed and their inner ears are now filled with fluid—so your little one is already developing their sense of balance. Your baby's little swimmer legs are still relatively, although other bodily developments are going forward at a nice pace: their kidney is actually functioning now, which means they’ve started urinating (this might seem charming now but wait till you have to start buying diapers!).

And how's mom doing? You’re nearing the end of the first trimester and while there are plenty of dynamic and noticeable changes going on inside of you, not many changes are noticeable to you, with the exception of a mildly bulging midline-- which doesn't look pregnant enough to stop people from wondering if you need to Having a baby is the ultimate test for your body—if you take care of your health now you’ll come out of the pregnancy on top of your health and ready to be an energetic mother lay off the donuts. Although your body might seem a little boring right now, you can expect the creeping-up-effect of weight gain as you will gain roughly 1-2 lbs gain per week (some more and some less). It’s not a bad idea to chart this to make sure you’re not over or underfeeding both of you. As you’ve entered into the Fetal Period, it might be a good time to evaluate your personal health regimen—that is, if you haven’t already. Are you eating enough protein? Remember, protein can be found in beans, soy products and nuts—it doesn’t have to be a 12 ounce sirloin! Are you sleeping well, exercising right, drinking enough (non-sugary) fluids and getting your vitamin C? Having a baby is the ultimate test for your body—if you take care of your health now you’ll come out of the pregnancy on top of your health and ready to be an energetic mother, if not, well, let’s just say, you’re increasing the chances of suffering from depression, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, and a multitude of little nasty viruses (think colds and flues) that good health could've beat before you even noticed they’d invaded.

Christmas and Erica's birthday

We decided to stay the night at my parents house on Christmas Eve so Erica can wake up and see all the presents she got from Santa. It was really good to be there so my dad could enjoy Erica. Heres some pictures from the morning.

Playing Hungry Hungry Hippos during breakfast

Then we went up to Fillmore to have Christmas with Zach's family. I felt so sick all day and the drive sucked really bad. But i was a trooper and hung in there. I look horrible.. i did not want to do anything that day.

She looked adorable!

After we opened christmas presents, we had a little birthday party for Erica.

She kept telling us "shhhhh" while we were singing happy birthday to her. :-)

Blowing out the candle

Licking the icing

Playing with her new toys.

My brothers Visit.

I forgot to post about when my brother came to visit from California. He tries to make it out here at least once a year. I love having him here. Him and my sister in law always seem to make me laugh! Heres a few pictures.

Auntie Lorie bought her this cute dress for Christmas and this cute doll

8 Weeks

Things havent been getting any better, only worse. Theres been days that i cant even keep water down. Ive take the Phenergan that the doctor prescribed me, but it makes me very sleepy and its hard to stay awake. Smells are starting to get to me. Sometimes i cant even stand to smell my own husband and its even hard to change Erica's diaper (i know, horrible). I cant wait until i start feeling better. I have decided i am going to go all natural with this baby. No epidural.  As long as my doctor says its ok and my blood pressure doesnt get out of control, i want to be able to experiment childbirth all natural, just in case this is our last baby (which im thinking it might be)
Until next week..

Week 8: Goodbye sea creature, hello baby!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 8:embryo in second month


Woohoo! You've got one whole inch of baby inside of you! Your little embryo has finally reached the one-inch mark (30mm). And if it were possible to take a peek, you could actually see your tiny baby without a telescope! What’s more, your baby is finally starting to take on some very distinct human features. For starters, their little tail (really just the spinal cord) has disappeared completely. It’s nice to know your baby can no longer be mistaken for a sea creature! Additionally, both their toes and fingers are prominent with very little, if any, webbing. Upper and lower limbs all show recognizable joints (elbows and knees) and the lower limb bones are starting to ossify. But don’t expect your baby to resemble either parent quite yet. Right now, your baby’s head is disproportionately larger than the rest of their body--making up almost half of your little one’s height and weight!

And how's mom doing? Your slightly-larger-than-a-cherry embryo is also starting to have a physical impact on you this week—and not just hormonally, as you may be noticing a slight bulge at your midline-- mostly from water retention. Most people won't even notice the subtle change to your belly's shape, but since you’re if you have been extra moody lately, that may start to subside this week, as the placenta is beginning to take responsibility for your baby’s hormone production tuned in to every little change in your body, it hasn’t slipped past. Good news for the hormonally tortured: if you have been extra moody lately, that may start to subside this week, as the placenta is beginning to take responsibility for your baby’s hormone production. This means your body will soon be able to relax a bit from its over-production of hormones as the placenta starts to regulate your baby’s hormones-- allowing your body to focus on producing more normal levels of hormones for yourself (see Week 10).

First Doctors Appoinment

I had my first doctors appointment yesterday. It didnt go as good as i wanted it to. I got there and we had to wait forever in the waiting room, and i started getting all hot and sweaty and irritated that it was taking forever. They finally called me back and i got weighed. I had lost 8lbs (the only good thing about being so sick) Then they checked my blood pressure. The nurse didnt say anything, and just checked it again, then she asked "do you usually have high blood pressure?" and i told her that with my last pregnancy i had high blood pressure throughout my whole pregnancy. She told me it was 148/101. Then she took me back into the room where we had to wait for another half hour before the doctor came back. I love Dr. Astle. He is super nice and very helpful. i feel so comfortable with him. He told me that he wasnt going to check for a heartbeat because you normally dont hear it until around 10 weeks. I was pretty bummed that we didnt get to hear it. He checked my cervix and he said it was around 8 weeks. He gave me a perscription for nausea. He told me he was really concerned about my blood pressure and if its still consistantly high they were going to put me on a mild blood pressure medication. So after the visit he had me sit there for a while and had a nurse come back and take my blood pressure again. It was down to 124/90. So he didnt give me a perscription for blood pressure but he said we need to keep an eye on it. Overall, it was an ok doctors appointment. Our next one is on January 15th. And for sure we'll be able to hear the heartbeat.

7 Weeks

This last week has been horrible. The only time i dont feel like puking my guts out is when im asleep. So i have been trying to do alot of that lately. My mom has been great with letting me go to her house while Zach is at work and she has been helping me alot with Erica. Its been hard to not be able to play with her that much. but it seems everytime i stand up, i start to feel so sick. I havent had much of an appetite lately because my stomach is always hurting. So if i eat, its just a few bites. Im still way tired and cant seem to stay awake for more than 7 hours. which makes it hard for when im at work because i work 10 hour shifts. Those are really the only syptoms i have right now. Now i just need the next 33 weeks to go by fast :)

Week 7: Welcome to the hormonal rollercoaster!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 7:embryo in second month


Your baby is really beginning to develop more physical definition this week – their oversized head isn’t just large and oblong anymore, it’s actually a little bit pointy. The tiny receding tail bud is now starting to be overshadowed by the growth of their legs, which are now complete with knees and the beginnings of toes. Their eyes and ears are the most visible features on their head and their miniature bones are starting to harden throughout their body. You also have some variation on a boy or a girl at this point, although their genitals won’t be visible enough to determine which color cigars you’re going to buy until around the 16th week.

And how's mom doing? Your hormones are still out of whack because the placenta won’t take over hormone production for your little one for another couple of weeks. So until then, expect more of the same. At this point any close family or friends have undoubtedly noticed you’re a little more moody and/or irritable than it’s always worth the time and effort to explain to yourself and others the reason for your current emotional rollercoaster; you don’t have to be a monster just because you feel a little whacked out usual. And there are probably times where you’re ready to tell the world off (maybe you already have), but it’s always worth the time and effort to explain to yourself and others the reason for your current emotional rollercoaster; you don’t have to be a monster just because you feel a little whacked out. Focus on your breathing and energy levels. Take naps if you feel fatigued but don't forget the stress-reducing benefits of long walks outside for fresh air and exercise. Sit down if you start to feel nauseous, and take the time to eat healthy vitamin-rich foods when you’re hungry. Even though there’s no bi-weekly paycheck or boss, pregnancy is harder work than you might think and you need lots of positive physical and emotional energy to provide your baby with the safest strongest home possible.

6 Weeks

The last few days have been horrible. I havent been able to stay awake and function right. Im always so tired! If i havent ate anything for a few hours, i start to feel super nauseous and i end up running to the bathroom to make friends with the toilet. But nothing ever comes up. I was about 6 weeks when i started getting really sick with Erica. So i know this pregnancy will probably be the same. Im getting very anxious to go to my first doctors visit, which will be on the 18th.

Week 6: There's nausea everywhere!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 6:
 embryo in second month



This is going to be a busy week for your amazing little embryo. Their brain is still growing remarkably fast; miniature hand plates are starting to develop and the early formations of what will be their fingers are already visible. Also, the lower limbs do not develop quite as fast, so they’re pretty much still flippers. Up until this point, your baby has been very curled up with the head and tail in close proximity, but this week their trunk and neck are beginning to grow and straighten as their tail recedes into its resting position in the back. Even though your little miracle is only 6 weeks old, they’re already capable of demonstrating reflex responses to touch!

And how's mom doing? It’s official (grumble): if you’re going to have morning sickness, you’ll be feeling the unpleasant symptoms starting some time this week. If you don’t, then chances are you’re in the clear-- but don’t blame us if we’re wrong! There are always a handful of women who are officially morning-sickness To lessen your symptoms, you’re going to have to buckle down and focus on cleaning up your diet. Don’t eat fatty foods, drink lots of fluids, eat several small meals throughout the day, take plenty of naps, and don’t forget the prenatal vitamins! late-bloomers with another week or two before the nausea sets in. There are several factors that can help you determine whether or not you you’re one of the unlucky ones. If you are having twins (or more), or had morning sickness with an earlier pregnancy, or experienced nausea or vomiting with birth control pills, then you might expect to have morning sickness with this pregnancy. To lessen your symptoms, you’re going to have to buckle down and focus on cleaning up your diet. Don’t eat fatty foods, drink lots of fluids, eat several small meals throughout the day, take plenty of naps, and don’t forget the prenatal vitamins! (Have you consulted with your doctor of nutritionist yet?) For those of you without morning sickness: don’t dwell on it,you're just one of the lucky 20% of pregnant women who never actually experience morning sickness.

Tantrums

Lately, Erica will get in these moods (out of nowhere) and she will start to freak out. She will start screaming and kicking and crying. She will go hide in the room and wants nothing to do with me or Zach. We will try to calm her down, but nothing works. She gets so upset and we dont know why. Its so heartbreaking to see her act like that. She will go on for about 30 minutes straight before i can get her to calm down. I dont know if this is part of the "terrible 2's" but im so ready for this next year to fly by.

Am i really pregnant?

This was so me. I took about 3 different pregnancy test because i really didnt believe it. I have a cartoon for every week for this pregnancy, so i will be posting one every week.

All the things im Thankful for

This year has flown by and we have had alot of rough times, and alot of good times. And now that thanksgiving is just a day away, i thought i would list all the things im thankful for.

1. Family
I dont know what i would do without them. My mom has been amazing this whole year. Me and her have had alot of ups and downs, lots of fighting and name calling, but this year has been different. She has completely changed her attitude in so many ways. She is wonderful when it comes to Erica. She takes such good care of her when im sleeping in the day from working the night before, that i never have to worry about "is she getting her teeth brushed?" "is she getting bathed?" "is she eating healthy?" My mom is very uptight when it comes to being clean and safe and for once in my life, i am extremley grateful for that. She always goes out and  buys things for Erica. She has a bed, clothes, shoes, toothbrush, shampoo, etc... everything she needs is at her house so i never have to take anything over there and i know my mom has everything she needs. She has helped me in so many ways financially. She never hesitates to help. and she is always offering to help me in anyway. Although, my dad doesnt do much anymore, im so thankful that God has kept him here. He's been through alot physically and emoitionally. Ever since his heart attack he has just gone downhill. Everytime i look at him i just cherish the time that he is here with us still and that he's still hanging on. I hope one day he will have enough strength to get out of bed and be active. My in-laws are great. They always help out with Erica on the weekends when me and Zach want to go out and spend some time together, which we dont get too much. Erica always has so much fun with grandma and grandpa. They spoil her rotten. And everytime i take her there, i know she is having a blast.

2. Daughter
Words cant even express how i feel about my little girl. She is amazing in every way. She always puts a smile on my face. She is so smart and surprises me everyday with the things she learns. She has taught me so much in the last 2 years. She is the sun in my sky. Her smile just makes my heart melt. I am so thankful to have such a beautiful daughter. I love you baby girl... so much.

3. Husband
Zachary, We have been through SO much in the last 3 years. But in the end, we have worked through everything and our love is as strong as ever. I am so thankful for everything you do. This family would not be as strong as it is if it wasnt for you. As much as i hate it, im thankful that you work 6 days a week and make good money. Im so thankful that you have put up with me and that you love me for who i am, for whats inside. We always have fun together, even if its just sitting at home playing video games. Im so thankful that you wake up with Erica 4 nights and mornings a week so i can sleep after i come home from work. You are such a good dad to Erica and we both love you very much. 

4. Health
I am so thankful that my family is healthy as we can be.
5. Jobs
As much as i complain about Zach working so much, and me having to work graveyards, i am so thankful that we both have decent paying jobs. Especially when some people out there are getting cut hours or jobs.

And last but not least....

The new baby!
We are so very excited to having a new baby come into this family. You are going to be so very loved by so many people.. We cant wait to meet you.
   

Baby #2 !

We just found out yesterday that we are expecting our second child! We are very happy and excited!  Im just hoping everything is ok and we will have a healthy baby. Just like i was with Erica, i am very worried about having another miscarriage. So every little cramp or pain, i start panicking. I am just going to put this child in gods hands and pray that everything will be fine.

I started taking my prenatal vitamins today. I feel fine. Just very tired. I have some cramps sometimes and a little lower back pain.