A New Chapter, A New Adventure

Week 33 appointment

2010-01-15T04:30:00.000-08:00

So I am now going to the doctors every two weeks. This appointment has, by far, been my favorite! I am not saying that sarcastically either. My appointment was at 4:15. I went straight there after school and was there by 3:45. I was out of the office by 4:00!! Awesome!

Anyway, everything was good. I gained a pound and a half from my last visit which brings me up to about 153. My blood pressure was good and the baby's heart rate was at 148. All is well! I go again to see Dr. Devlin in two weeks. The time is getting close!

Also, this week I sat down with my principal to discuss when I was going to leave. I originally intended to stay until my due date but Jim, I think, is starting to get worried about me. He convinced me to leave at least a week before I am due. Quite frankly I didn't need much convincing because my students have been a little wired this week! My last day of school will be February 19. I am sad to be leaving but excited to meet my baby!

Childbirth Class

2010-01-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Jim and I attended our childbirth class at Holy Redeemer Hospital. We had a choice of a one hour class once a week for about six weeks or a one day 9-4 class. The class wasn't that bad. We mostly just talked about what to expect and what is going to happen. We did some breathing exercises and watched a few videos. At the end we took a tour of the maternity ward. I enjoyed seeing where everything would be happening. The labor/delivery rooms are huge! The hospital encourages babies to stay with their moms in the room so the nursery is pretty small and empty but it is there if I need it. I am so excited to have this baby! I can't wait until March 1!!

Ultrasound Number 6 and Week 32 Appointment

2010-01-06T06:37:00.000-08:00

During the Christmas break I had my sixth, and ultimately my last, ultrasound! The baby was still sitting too low in a breach position for them to be able to get a good picture of the spine. Jim was working so I asked my mom to go to the appointment with me. The doctor called us back after looking at the pictures and basically said they were giving up all hope that this kid was going to cooperate! They knew everything was fine, but they just wanted that picture for proof. Great! My baby is a little bugger already! Besides being in the breach position we found out that the baby is also 3 pounds 12 ounces!

That week I also had a quick check-up with Dr. Devlin. Everything was fine. She told me that I just barely passed the diabetes test I had taken at the previous appointment. I don't know what just barely passed means but I do know I don't have to worry about checking my sugars everyday! The doctor also said everything else looked and sounded good. Now I am going to be starting to visit her every two weeks! The countdown begins!!!

Ultrasound number 5 and Week 29 appointment

2009-12-09T05:42:00.000-08:00

So within a week of each other I had my fifth ultra sound and my week 29 appointment.

The ultrasound was just like any ultrasound. I saw my baby. I was so excited to see the baby. The novelty just doesn't wear off for me. The doctor must have realized that because he ordered us back in a month for ultrasound! They are just not getting the perfect picture of the baby's lower spine. The technician told us that everything was ok. She said that the head is fine and generally if the head is fine the spine is fine, and visa versa, but they just want to have the perfect picture. So back we go on December 28 for ultrasound number 6!!!

My week 29 appointment was good. I had to have my glucose tested so three hours before the appointment I had to start fasting. One hour before my appointment I had to have finished drinking this terrible drink. It tasted a little bit like flat orange soda! I had to drink it in five minutes!! Ugg. When I got to the office they took me right back for my urine sample and to check my blood pressure (130 over 80) and my weight (150!!!). Then they took me to the lab room to draw blood. I guess I will get the results at my next appointment.

This time I saw Dr. Kramer. He has been my mom's doctor for years. The last time I saw him I was nine and sitting in the room with my sisters, mom, and dad, listening to Tess' heartbeat! Weird. Anyway, he was great. I was in and out in ten minutes. He said that everything was fine and to not worry about the ultrasounds. He said the same thing the tech told us, they were just looking for the perfect picture and once they had it we would be done!

My next appointment is in three weeks and then after that I start going every two weeks. The baby, at the ultrasound was 2 pounds 2 ounces but according to what I have been reading the baby is now about 3 pounds and the size of a head of cabbage. The baby is also probably as long as he or she is going to get. I am so excited for March!

Telling the Kiddies

2009-11-18T05:41:00.001-08:00

So the week before Halloween (I know I am behind in my posts!) the flu hit my school. On Monday I had eight kids out of ninteen out sick. There were between 50 and 60 out all week. As I was leaving on Monday Sister Theresa told me that she thought it was best if I took some time off. She said to come in the next day but to get a sub for Wednesday and Thursday. That was A-Ok with me! I started calling around for a sub and couldn't get anyone so Sister Theresa ended up asking our Religion Director, who only works part time, to come in for me. Andy was thrilled to do it.

By the time I got home on Monday night from working at Chestnut Hill I got a phone call from Donna, my grade partner. She said that her and Diane were very upset about me and that they didn't want me to go in on Tuesday either. Since we both had a lot of students out, and Fran was going to be out all week too with her son being in the hospital, they would just combine the classes. So Tuesday the classes were combined and Wednesday and Thursday they had a sub. Friday the students were off anyway.

When I came back on Monday I was congratulated by one of the parents. She said she was accidentally told by one of the teachers. Then a student came in and told me her mom told her that I was going tohave a baby. I told her to keep it a secret and she did. Her mom later told me that she had come home telling her I was absent because I had the swine flu and the mom didn't want her to spread that rumor so she told her the truth. I knew all the moms knew I was pregnant, I just was waiting for the go ahead from Sr. Theresa to spread the news. That day I said something to Sr. Theresa and she told me it was time to tell everyone so I e-mailed the parents that afternoon. I was going to wait until Friday's Show 'N Tell to tell the kids but I was too excited.

On Tuesday I brought in some of my ultrasounds. I had the little girl who already knew my secret pick out a book for me to read. She picked "I'll Love You Forever". I thought that was a pretty good pick. I read it to the students and then told them my secret. I then passed around some of the ultrasounds. They were excited. Some of the questions and statements I have gotten have been funny!

"When is the baby coming?"
"What is the baby going to be?"

(These first two questions were normal enough.)

"The baby eats whatever you eat through a tube that goes from your mouth to the baby's belly button. If you eat a pickel, the baby will eat the pickel."

(I thought that was pretty good for a five year old!)

"My mom only ate pickels when I was in her belly!"
"When did the baby get into your belly?"

(That was a funny one. I am glad that is where it ended though.)

"You don't look fat like you are going to have a baby."

(Gee, thanks kid!)

A mom came up to me and told me that her daughter was playing dress up. She put on tight gold, sparkly pants, a tiny shirt, and stuff a baby under the shirt and then said "Guess who I am!" I laughed and said, "Because I wear tight gold sparkly pants all the time!" The mom laughed too. I thought that was pretty funny.

This week the parents came in for teacher conferences and they were all telling me that their kids went home and gave them the report, that I was going to havea baby but that I didn't know what the baby was going to be or when it was going to come. I am glad that the kids are listening to me!

Week 25 appointment

2009-11-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

This month's appointment went very smoothly. We were actually in and out quicker than we have ever been! It must have been a quiet night for pregnant ladies. While I was there I was asked if I wanted the vaccine for the swine flu. Jim has told me that he didn't want me to get it but I was still up in the air about it just because I am dealing with all of the kids. In the end I had it. I figured teaching 19 five year olds it was the best decision.

The doctor had no complaints. I have gained a total of seven pounds from my original weight, remember I lost five pounds in the beginning. She didn't look thrilled at that small weight gain but she didn't say anything about it so I am not concerned. I did print out a list of what I should be eating anyway just to hopefully help me out with that area.

At my next appointment I am going to see Dr. Kraemer. I am excited because I haven't seen him since I was nine and my mom was pregnant with Tess. I remember him telling me and my sisters to call him Uncle Joel! Weird! He is a great guy though. I think Jim will like him. For that appointment I have to fast EXACTLY three hours before the appointment and drink a glucose drink EXACTLY one hour before my appointment. Everything has to be exact or the test is ruined and I have to try it again. This test is for diabetes. I am not looking forward to drinking that stuff. Plus I have to drink it in five minutes!! Ugg!

After that appointment I start going to the doctor's every two weeks instead of once a month. I am getting really excited. I can't wait for March now!

Stressful!

2009-10-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

So on October 19 Jim and I headed back to Holy Redeemer for a third ultrasound. We needed to get better pictures of the baby's heart since the baby was uncooperative at the last ultrasound! We both agreed that this technician was the best we had so far! After she got the pictures she needed she went back through everything to explain to us what we were seeing. She pointed out the amniotic fluid, the head, the mouth opening and closing, the organs, everything! She was great!

Here are pictures from that ultrasound.

At my week 20 appointment we met with a different doctor. There are four doctor's in the practice so I want to be able to meet with all of them just because I don't know who will be on call when I have the baby. The minute we left Jim said he didn't like this doctor. She was nice enough, but very hasty. She was flipping through my chart saying things weren't in there when they were. Stuff like that.

The day after the ultrasound I got a call from her while I was teaching. I called back and left a message. The next time she called I wanted to make sure I got her, I was just assuming that she was calling me about my blood test results, so I kept my phone with me while I was teaching. She called back while I was in the middle of a lesson with my boys, which can be stressful as it is! She told me that my fluids were low and that they still couldn't get good pictures of the heart and that she wanted me to a high risk ultrasound. Umm, excuse me but huh??!! High risk? I had no idea what low fluids meant and she wanted me to go to a high risk ultrasound! I was freaking out!

I called my mom to see what that all meant, she just told me to call my doctor and to call and make the appointment. I kind of think she just didn't want to upset me. I called to make an appointment and called my doctor. I waited all day for calls back from both places. Finally, when I was on my way home from work Doctor Devlin called me. She said that there was nothing to worry about. She said that in the report it gave a numberical measurement, which she said was never done at this stage so she doesn't know why it was even written in, that was low but right underneath that it said that the fluids were adequate. She said the same thing about the heart pictures, that one part of the report said they were oblique but underneath that it said they were adequate! She said to not worry about anything but to still go for the ultrasound. She said it wouldn't hurt anything and they would probably just tell me that there was no reason for me to be there. I felt a lot better after talking to her.

On Thursday I got a phone call confirming my appointment for the next day at 2:15. I never made the appointment but apparently when they couldn't reach me they just scheduled me for that time. I was a little stressed out that day anyway because my assistant Fran was out and one of my kids fell and needed stitches so that phone call set me off again! I figured Fran would be back in the next day and if I left at lunch she would be ok for the rest of the afternoon by herself with the kiddies. No such luck, her son's surgey was more that expected so I had to ask Sister Theresa to get me a sub. It all worked out because they needed a sub in the morning for the part time first grade teacher so she came to my room in the afternoon. I left at lunch, went home, got Jim, and we went out to the ultrasound.

This technician was fabulous as well. She printed out a ton of pictures for us too! Anyway, after the ultrasound we had to wait for the doctor to read the pictures and then meet with us. At this point I knew nothing was wrong but waiting still was upsetting. Anyway, the doctor called us back and said everything was A-ok. She also told us that the results of the blood test. She said that with my age the chances of down syndrome were 1 in 1000, after the blood test the chances went to 1 in 5000. We were happy about that. The doctor did tell us that because of the baby's position they couldn't get good pictures of the spine. She said she knew the spine had already been cleared but that she didn't want to rely on another doctor's findings so we need to go back to the high risk unit for ultrasound number 5 after Thanksgiving! Ugg! Oh well, I get to see more pictures of my baby!

Here are pictures from ultrasound number four!

This is the baby's face.

This is the baby's profile

That week we also went out to the hospital for a class about having a baby and a dog. We were given a few good pointers such as dowloading a cd of baby noises and letting the dog here it so she gets used to those noises, walking around with a baby doll so that she sees me holding a baby, not leaving children under three alone with a dog, and keeping the baby's room off limits to the dog but make sure that there is a baby free zone too. I didn't think it was worth the $15 and the 45 minute drive but I am glad we went just for the few tips that I am going to try.

Also, on Saturday we went to register at Babies R Us. I had already began the registry on-line but I wanted to see the big things in person before I registered. We don't have nearly everything we need on there but we did knock out a lot of the bigger things like the bedroom furniture, the bedding and bedroom decor, the stroller and car seat, and the pack and play. I go back on-line every so often to add a few more things. I am hoping that we get back out there soon to do some more at the store!

Update

2009-10-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy that I keep forgetting to update!

We went for our anatomy ultrasound at the end of September. I was told that I had to have a full bladder. I drank my water on the way to the hospital because I know how I am normally, let alone now being pregnant. Traffic, of course, was a nightmare. I made Jim stop at the Wendy's down the road from the hospital so I could go to the bathroom. I knew that by the time I got to the hospital I would have to go to the bathroom again anyway. I checked in, went back to ultrasound, and had to wait because there was one girl ahead of me. Luckily the girl working at reception was a friend of mine from high school and she bumped me up. I felt bad but the other girl was a walk in anway! I had an appointment! We were sitting in the hallway waiting for the tech to call us back. I heard her and the other girl talking about tattoos! I was ready to scream! I just wanted to get up on the table and get this over with. I felt like I was ready to explode! When we finally got back into the room the tech said, "Is your bladder full?" I said that it was and she said "They just tell everyone that. You can go to the bathroom!" I thought to myself "Are you kidding me!?!?" That is a terrible trick to play on a pregnant woman!

The baby was apparently being very difficult. Heather said "Just like mommy and daddy!" He was laying pretty low in my uterus so the ultrasound tech had a hard time getting some measurements she needed. She actually made me get up and walk around at one point to see if that could get him to move. No such luck! She said that depending on who read the results we may have to come back in for another ultrasound. There were some great pictures. I actually saw my baby's face!

By the way... I have now started calling the baby "he" just because I don't want to say it. Just so there is no confussion. Jim and I are not finding out the sex of the baby.

This week I had my 20 week appointment. I gained all my weight back, which is good. The baby's heart sounded good. Everytime I hear it I get a little more excited! The doctor asked me if I started feeling the baby yet and I said yes! In the last two weeks I have started to feel little bubbles. This week I was actually able to put my hand on my stomache and feel the baby moving. A couple of times something of the baby, either his head or rump, was sticking out of my stomache and then would slowly go back in. He must have just been turning around. It is the weirdest feeling!

At the doctor's appointment they took blood to test for nureological problems such as Down Syndrome. Hopefully the results that come back are good. It doesn't matter though because I will love this baby no matter what! THe doctor also said that we were recommended to go back for another ultrasound which wasn't really a surprise so I made an appointment for Monday October 19th. This time my bladder will not be full even though I was told I had to have a full bladder! On October 20th Jim and I are going to a seminar called Oh, Baby. It is about having a dog while raising a baby. It should be interesting!

Kids say the darndest things

2009-09-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

When school first started I sat down with my principal. I wanted to ask her how and when to tell my students and their families about my pregnancy and therefore leaving school. We decided to try to wait until after Thanksgiving to say anything. Sr. Theresa basically wants me to wait to say anything for as long as possible.

That being said, today while we were waiting for my students to be dismissed one of my little girls looks up at me and says "Mrs. G. That belt on your shirt makes you tummy look bigger." Provided it was a shirt that had a belt attached right underneath the breast line, but still! I don't think I am making it to Thanksgiving without telling everyone!

Week Sixteen Appointment

2009-09-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my week sixteen appointment. Jim was able to go to this appointment with me. I actually went to the other office for this visit and I loved it! We got in, sat, and barely had time to start talking before they called me back! It was awesome!

It turns out that I had lost one pound. Dr. Develin said that was ok as long as the bay was the size it should be. She said I was probably losing weight because I am eating healthier. I still could be eating even healthier but I am doing better than normal! We were able to hear the baby's heartbeat. This was the first time Jim heard it and he acted like a tough guy of course but I think he was pretty excited! The baby was up by my belly button. That is where the baby should be so Dr. Develin said everything was A-ok! The baby's heart rate was a little slower but not a problem. This time it was about 155. She did tell me that I had to get the flu shots, for the normal flu and the swine flu. I normally get the shot anyway but I wasn't sure if I should get it this year since I am pregnant. I was glad she mentioned that. She also told me that I am good to go to see Julie, my sister, for some pre-natal massage sessions! Exellent! Finally, after I told her that I was having a hard time taking my pre-natal vitamins she told me I could go buy Flinstones vitamins and take them. I felt like such a huge dork buying the gummie vitamins and knowing they were for me! Oh well, no one else at the store knew.

My next appointment is on October 13 at 7:15. I am going back out to the Huntingdon Valley office but I am seeing a different doctor. Dr. Develin's hours are early which makes it hard for me now that I am back in school. I can't leave early once a month for a doctor's appointment so I will just have to see the other doctors when I have to, which is fine with me!

Week Twelve appointment

2009-08-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

On Thursday I went to my week twelve appointment. Everything was good. I lost four pounds but I had been at camp the week before so it was all good!

I was able to hear the baby's heartbeat. It was an amazing sound. The doctor said the heartbeat was in the high 160s and that was fine. That is about where it was when I went for the ultrasound. Just like at the ultrasound the doctor had a hard time getting the baby in a good position to hear the heartbeat. The little bugger is already an active baby. Dr. Devlin said she could even hear the baby kicking! Oh boy! What are we in for?

My next appointment is September 15th.

Here is a picture of me at twelve weeks

Here is a picture of all the pregnant ladies at camp!
L to R: Amy (due any day now), Jess (due January 2), Me (due March 1), Maureen (due with twins March 5)

Our First Ultrasound

2009-08-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

We went to our first ultrasound today. It was at Holy Redeemer Hospital which is where we will be having the baby. The appointment was at 12:15. We were brought back into the room by 12:30. I was pretty happy with how quickly and smoothly everything went.

The technician brought us into the room and asked me to lay down on the table. She set everything up. I felt like I was laying there forever but I am sure it was only about five minutes before she finally showed me the baby. I was so surprised! It looked like an actual baby! I thought it was just going to be a little blob but there was actually a baby. A baby that was moving all around. I saw the heartbeat, but we didn't hear it yet. Hopefully at my next doctor appointment we will.

The technician told us the heart rate was 167. She said anywhere between 120 or 140 (I can't remember which) and 180 is good. She also said that I was 9 weeks and 6 days pregnant. She gave me a due date of March 6. Dr. Devlin originally told me March 1 so just a little different which is fine.

Here is our baby's first picture!

Telling the Folks

2009-08-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

On August 2 we invited our parents, siblings, grandparents, and Rosie over to Julie's house. We told everyone they were coming over for a party to celebrate Jim finishing the apprenticeship. My sisters already knew that we were pregnant at this point.

We called the party for 7:00. I found out later that Heather had to go to a ceremony to accept a scholarship from the Vietnam Society at 5:00. I was dying! She promised that she would get my parents to Julie's house no later than 7:30. She was good to her word. As soon as my parents got in the door and said their hellos I asked my mom to sit next to Jim's mom. I gave them each a gift. It was a book that was about Grandparents.

On the cover of the book was a spot for a picture. Obviously we had no picture yet so I just wrote "Coming Soon: Baby G March 1, 2010". The moms looked at each other and started laughing and then they passed the books off to the respective dads and then the grandparents.

Pretty soon everyone was hugging and screaming and crying. It was great!

My dad broke out the whiskey, people did a shot, and we had a nice rest of the night.

Here are some more pictures from the night!

Rosie and Babci

Jim

Us and the Grandparents

Us and the Great-Grandparents

Exciting News!

2009-07-31T08:02:00.000-07:00

After a month of waiting my doctor finally confirmed it. I am pregnant! I am so excited that I can finally tell everyone and finally start preparing for this new chapter in our lives!

It all happened while we were in Jamaica. I was bummed because I was supposed to get my period. Who wants their period while on vacation? Especially somewhere you basically walk around in your bathing suit all day? Anyway, our week long trip came and went and still no period.

As soon as we got home on July 2 I took a pregnancy test. It was one of those tests that shows the two lines if you are pregnant. The second line was barely visible but the directions did say no matter how light, if there is a line there is a pregnancy. I was excited but still hesitant so I decided to take another test in the morning.

The next morning I took two more tests. I took another test that shows the lines but I also took a test that says pregnant or not pregnant. Again the line was extremely faint but the other test clearly said pregnant. Later that day I took a third test to be sure and again the words PREGNANT showed up. Now I was really excited. I tried calling my doctor all day to make an appointment but since it was the day before the 4th of July I had to wait until Monday.

On Monday, June 6, I called the doctor's office. I scheduled an appointment for July 30. Almost a month away! I wished it was sooner, since we didn't want to tell anyone about being pregnant until I went to the doctor's, but I figured there was nothing much to do about it.

Two weeks later I was getting a little anxious and figured what the heck? I had one more test left over so I figured I would use it! Yes, I know, a little silly but hey! It wasn't hurting anyone. Yes, of course it said pregnant.

For all of July was sick as a dog. I never vomited but I was just so nauseous. After reading up and asking around I realized that I just had to keep eating and that may make me feel better. It worked! The dizziness and nausea left. I just kept making sure that I ate something every few hours.

This brings us up to yesterday. I had an appointment at 4:00 with Dr. Devlin. Jim came with me. I gave a urine sample, they weighed me (141 pounds) and took my blood pressure. They actually took my blood pressure three times! The first time the girl didn't believe what the machine said so she did it manually. My blood pressure was the same both times! It was a little high but I think that was because I was so excited. They gave me a bunch of forms to fill out and when I was done with the forms Jim and I were brought back to the exam room.

When Dr. Devlin came in she congratulated us. She was really sweet. Immediately she calculated a due date as March 1. She gave me a prescription for pre-natal vitamins. She then explained different things that would be happening over the next nine months. I will be going to the doctors once a month until about the seventh month and then I will start going closer, every two weeks and then once a week at the end. After we were done meeting with her I went into the lab and gave blood. I think the only think I was being tested for was HIV but in my opinion it was a lot of blood for just one test! Anyway, after that Jim and I checked out and made my next appointment for August 20th. When I was leaving they gave me a folder with all information about Holy Redeemer's maternity ward, which is where I will have the baby, and a book called While Waiting. I already bought another book but it is always nice to have two references, especially when one is free!

This morning I called Holy Redeemer and made an appointment for my first ultrasound. That will be on August 7 at 12:15. I am so excited about that.

That is all for now. I will post after the ultrasound!