I feel like I've been caught in somewhat of a "writer's block" again when it comes to my blog. I love blogging, but lately, I feel that the only posts I write are my weekly pregnancy update posts. I feel like I never have anything else to talk about, which I know to a certain extent is because of the fact that I really don't do much outside of my normal, every-day routine of taking care of Rylee here at home.
We don't get out of the house much, partly because we don't have much of ANY money to spend (not that you have to spend money every time you leave the house, but I mean even just using gas to go anywhere), but mostly because the heat this summer has been particularly overwhelming. To say that it has been HOT this summer seems to be quite an understatement. Just walking out to the mailbox to check the mail wears me out, and that's at 10 o'clock in the morning. It's definitely not a good idea for a pregnant woman and a one-year-old to be out in the heat unless we really have to. So, my days consist of pretty much nothing but playing on the living room floor with Rylee (while I still can... I know the bigger I get as my pregnancy progresses, the harder it will be for me to play on the floor with her, especially since it appears that my sciatica is starting to act up again). When she takes her morning nap, I do my Bible study (I'm currently on week 4 of an 8-week study called "No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern-Day Idols" by Kelly Minter). When Rylee takes her afternoon nap, I usually take a nap myself. Although I've been feeling a lot better overall (as far as nausea and whatnot) for a month or so now, I still get pretty sleepy during the day, so I usually take advantage of a nap when I can. Unfortunately, though, I'm probably going to have to cut out some of those afternoon naps, because that is the only real time I have to get things done around the house without having to keep up with Rylee at the same time.
I know I've mentioned it before, but I've been seriously lacking on my duties around the house lately (especially since I got pregnant). For the first several weeks of my pregnancy, I didn't feel like doing anything, because I was nauseous and exhausted all day. Now... well, I don't have as much of an excuse. I truly desire to keep a clean, tidy house, but I've realized that I'm lacking the self-discipline to fuel that desire. My "job" is to be a stay-at-home wife and mom, and although my first priority in that right now is taking care of Rylee, I also need to be getting things done around the house. I have been failing miserably at that half of my job (and therefore, in some ways, also failing at my job of parenting Rylee, because I'm not setting good examples for her). If taking care of things around my house was a "real" job that I was getting paid for, I'm afraid I would've been fired a long time ago, and I'm ashamed to admit that.
God has BLESSED me with the opportunity to stay home with my babies. Jordan works very hard outside of the home so I don't have to, so the least I should be able to do is work hard inside our home. When I don't take care of my home the way I should, I am not honoring God, my husband, my kids, or even myself. I am not taking care of the blessings God has given us.
My biggest struggle, as insignificant as it may sound, is washing dishes. I HATE washing dishes. We have a dishwasher (praise the Lord!), but as you all know, not ALL dishes will fit in a dishwasher, meaning they need to be washed by hand. This would not be a hard task at all, if I would just wash the couple dishes I dirty up each day. However, I will let them sit in the sink and on the counter, telling myself I'll wash them later or the next day, and before I know it, several days have passed by, and they have piled up all over the place. Then, I feel overwhelmed by them, so I pretend they're not there, allowing them to pile up EVEN more... and it just gets crazy. It's totally unacceptable, and I know that. What makes me feel terrible is that sometimes, Jordan is the one who finally ends up washing the dishes. I should NOT let that happen... he works hard enough, and has very little time at home. When he is home, he should not have to worry about doing things around the house that I can easily take care of on a daily basis while he's working.
God has been pricking my heart on all of this for quite a while now, and I'm tired of running away from Him and from the responsibilities He has given me. I am ready to get serious about being a more Godly wife and mother, and a huge part of that is taking care of my home. I have a couple verses from Proverbs 31 quoted at the top of my blog, and I want what those verses say to ring true in my life. I desire to be a woman worthy of being compared to the Proverbs 31 wife, and right now, I am far from that. I'm praying that, with God's help, that will soon change.
Having said ALL of that, I sat down today and made a list of all the household responsibilities I could think of that need to be taken care of on a daily and weekly basis. It's a "rough draft" for now, as I'll probably think of stuff to add to it over time, and I would like to convert it to something more attractive and permanent to display in my home somewhere (probably in the kitchen) as a daily reminder/check list. (Right now, the list is written on the back of the sheet of paper my doctor's office gave me yesterday telling me when my next appointment is. Hey, it's the first sheet of paper I grabbed. Like I said, it's a rough draft.)
Anyway, here's what I've come up with so far:
Daily Household Responsibilities
- load/unload dishwasher
- wash sink dishes
- wipe off kitchen table, counter tops, and stove
- clean cat litter box
- pick up Rylee's toys
- sweep and vacuum all floors (maybe not necessarily EVERY day, but at least every other day or so... our floors get dirty very quickly between having a toddler and a cat)
Weekly Household Responsibilities
- change bed/crib sheets
- take out trash (this is one of the few things I prefer Jordan do)
- do laundry
- clean bathrooms (toilets, bathtubs/shower stall, and sinks)
- dust (wood/glass furniture, ceiling fans, air vent, etc.)
- mop kitchen floor
- clean refrigerator
- clean windows, mirrors, and TV screens
Am I forgetting anything obvious? I know there will probably be many days and weeks when I fail to accomplish everything on these lists, but at least by having them, it will give me more motivation to get the tasks done. It's already hard enough trying to get stuff done while taking care of Rylee, and I know it's going to be twice as hard once Baby Ryan is here, so I want to try to get in at least somewhat of a groove now so hopefully I'll be able to keep it going. Anyway, I guess that's about it for now. Pray for me as I strive to make these necessary changes in my lifestyle!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
21 Weeks
Yesterday, I entered the 21st week of my pregnancy with Ryan. I have now officially been pregnant longer than the amount of time I have left before he is in my arms! 19 weeks to go!
I wanted to wait until today to do this post, because I went to the doctor for another check-up earlier today. Boy, let me tell you about that! (Don't worry - everything is fine with me and the baby.)
My appointment was at 11. Rylee and I pulled into the office parking lot at 10:40. Jordan was already there waiting for us (he headed straight there once he got off work from UPS). I could tell as soon as I pulled into the parking lot that they were busy - I had to park all the way down on the side of the building. I've never had to do that before (usually there are at least one or two spaces available directly in front of the building. Anyway, Jordan met me at my car to get Rylee, and we walked into the office together. The place was PACKED. I signed in and found the only available seat left. Jordan had to sit on the floor next to me with Rylee. We waited. And waited. And waited. 11 o'clock came, but the room was still packed, and I knew my name was nowhere close to getting called. I told Jordan he might as well just take Rylee home, because she was going to be getting hungry for lunch soon. They left, and I continued to sit and wait. And wait. And wait. SLOWLY, the people in the room around me were called back one by one. I checked the time on my phone every little while. 11:30 passed. Then 11:45. And still, I waited. After over an hour of waiting, I asked a receptionist if I could go back to the restroom and go ahead and leave a urine sample, since I knew they would need one anyway. When I was done, I went BACK out to the waiting room and waited some more. I'm actually not sure what time it was when I FINALLY got called back, but it had to be close to 12:30. I was the last person in the waiting room. Even people who had arrived after me got called back before I did. Figures.
Anyway, I made my way back to an examination room, and a nurse checked my weight, blood pressure, and Ryan's heart rate. I now weigh 113 pounds, which means I've gained 4 pounds since my appointment four weeks ago. (I've gained a total of 6 pounds since my starting pregnancy weight of 107 pounds, or 8 pounds if you consider the fact that I lost two pounds in the beginning of my pregnancy.) My blood pressure was good, as always. Ryan's heart rate was nice and steady at 148 beats per minute, which is what it was the last two times they checked it before today as well (in the ultrasound last Monday and at my appointment four weeks ago). So I guess he's found his groove.
Anyway, after the nurse got the information she needed, she left the room, and I sat and waited SOME MORE. Finally, Dr. D came in. I could tell by the expression on his face that it had been quite a day. We had a good chat, and he said I looked great, as always. And then finally, about 10 minutes before 1 in the afternoon, I walked back out to my car to go home.
Next time, I'll remember to take a pillow and a blanket so I can take a nap or something until they're ready for me. Or at least a Sudoku puzzle book or something to help pass the time a bit. Anyway, that's the only real updates I have for now, I guess. Still no major new developments, which is fine. All is going well, and I'm thankful. And so, Ryan and I embark on another week together. Grow, Baby, grow!
Here's the belly picture Jordan took of me last night:
Getting bigger! Until next time...
I wanted to wait until today to do this post, because I went to the doctor for another check-up earlier today. Boy, let me tell you about that! (Don't worry - everything is fine with me and the baby.)
My appointment was at 11. Rylee and I pulled into the office parking lot at 10:40. Jordan was already there waiting for us (he headed straight there once he got off work from UPS). I could tell as soon as I pulled into the parking lot that they were busy - I had to park all the way down on the side of the building. I've never had to do that before (usually there are at least one or two spaces available directly in front of the building. Anyway, Jordan met me at my car to get Rylee, and we walked into the office together. The place was PACKED. I signed in and found the only available seat left. Jordan had to sit on the floor next to me with Rylee. We waited. And waited. And waited. 11 o'clock came, but the room was still packed, and I knew my name was nowhere close to getting called. I told Jordan he might as well just take Rylee home, because she was going to be getting hungry for lunch soon. They left, and I continued to sit and wait. And wait. And wait. SLOWLY, the people in the room around me were called back one by one. I checked the time on my phone every little while. 11:30 passed. Then 11:45. And still, I waited. After over an hour of waiting, I asked a receptionist if I could go back to the restroom and go ahead and leave a urine sample, since I knew they would need one anyway. When I was done, I went BACK out to the waiting room and waited some more. I'm actually not sure what time it was when I FINALLY got called back, but it had to be close to 12:30. I was the last person in the waiting room. Even people who had arrived after me got called back before I did. Figures.
Anyway, I made my way back to an examination room, and a nurse checked my weight, blood pressure, and Ryan's heart rate. I now weigh 113 pounds, which means I've gained 4 pounds since my appointment four weeks ago. (I've gained a total of 6 pounds since my starting pregnancy weight of 107 pounds, or 8 pounds if you consider the fact that I lost two pounds in the beginning of my pregnancy.) My blood pressure was good, as always. Ryan's heart rate was nice and steady at 148 beats per minute, which is what it was the last two times they checked it before today as well (in the ultrasound last Monday and at my appointment four weeks ago). So I guess he's found his groove.
Anyway, after the nurse got the information she needed, she left the room, and I sat and waited SOME MORE. Finally, Dr. D came in. I could tell by the expression on his face that it had been quite a day. We had a good chat, and he said I looked great, as always. And then finally, about 10 minutes before 1 in the afternoon, I walked back out to my car to go home.
Next time, I'll remember to take a pillow and a blanket so I can take a nap or something until they're ready for me. Or at least a Sudoku puzzle book or something to help pass the time a bit. Anyway, that's the only real updates I have for now, I guess. Still no major new developments, which is fine. All is going well, and I'm thankful. And so, Ryan and I embark on another week together. Grow, Baby, grow!
Here's the belly picture Jordan took of me last night:
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
20-Week Ultrasound Pictures
Today, Rylee and I went over to my parents' house for dinner (yummy taco soup made by Mom and a cake baked by me, simply because I wanted some cake), and while we were there, my dad was nice enough to take a few minutes and scan the pictures from my ultrasound of Baby Ryan yesterday into their computer so I could save them on my jump drive and upload them when I got home.
So, without further ado (since I've been keeping you waiting since yesterday), here they are!:
We also saw some good images of his profile (the side of his body) during the ultrasound yesterday, but unfortunately, when the technician was trying to get still shots of it for pictures for us, he kept moving, and she wasn't able to get any. I was kinda bummed, because the profile shot is my favorite. That little stinker! (My son, not the ultrasound tech) Oh well.
Anyway, there's our baby boy! Oh, I can't wait to meet him!
P.S. One year ago today, I posted my very first blog entry. I can't believe I've been blogging for a year already. SO much has happened in that year. It's been a fun journey thus far, and I'm so thankful to have this outlet to document these precious moments in my life. Here's to many more years of blogging!
So, without further ado (since I've been keeping you waiting since yesterday), here they are!:
 |
| my sweet boy's sweet face |
 |
| another (better) shot of my sweet boy's sweet face |
 |
| both of his feet (I think they look really long!) |
 |
| see - DEFINITELY a boy! |
Anyway, there's our baby boy! Oh, I can't wait to meet him!
P.S. One year ago today, I posted my very first blog entry. I can't believe I've been blogging for a year already. SO much has happened in that year. It's been a fun journey thus far, and I'm so thankful to have this outlet to document these precious moments in my life. Here's to many more years of blogging!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Ultrasound Says: IT'S A...!!!
After I finished my blog post last night, I went to bed and TRIED to go to sleep. I'm not sure how long I laid there before I did finally doze off, but once I did, I dreamed that, instead of finding out what we were having today, I gave birth to twins. A boy AND a girl. It didn't hurt at all, either. And right after I had them, Jordan took both of them and left the hospital to show everyone. Yeah. It was pretty silly.
Anyway, I woke up this morning feeling more excited than I have in quite a while. My stomach was a ball of nerves. I'm glad my appointment was at 11:30 this morning, because if it had been any later than that, I think I would've gone insane.
Jordan, Rylee, and I got to my ultrasound appointment 15 minutes early. We didn't want to risk getting caught in traffic, and I don't think I could've waited around the house another minute. My mom met us at the office. We went inside and I signed in, and thankfully, the ultrasound technician called me back within 5 minutes of arriving, even though I was a bit early. I stopped in the bathroom real quick to relieve myself, and then I quickly made my way down the hall to the ultrasound room. Jordan, my mom, Rylee, and the ultrasound tech were already in there getting ready. I climbed onto the cushioned table thing (seriously, what are those things called? They're not tables, and they're not beds, and they're not chairs... I don't know what they are) and pulled my shirt up so the tech could put the gel stuff on my belly and get the "party" started.
I kept taking deep breaths, and she kept asking me if I was okay. I told her that I was just nervous. I told her about the families I mentioned in my post last night, so she made sure she was very thorough in her examination (as I'm sure she always is). She had to check all of the baby's organs and stuff first to make sure all looked good before she got to the "fun part" of seeing if the baby was a boy or a girl. It felt almost like time was frozen. I started tearing up. I just laid there waiting for the tech to tell me something didn't look right, but she knew how worked up I was, so she talked me through everything she was doing and was quick to tell me that each area she checked looked good. With each area she checked off as okay, I breathed a little easier. The baby measured at 20 weeks and 4 days, weighing 13 ounces with a heart rate of 148 beats per minute.
Finally, it was time for the tech to see if the baby was a boy or a girl. When she was still doing the examination of all the other organs and stuff, I caught a couple of quick glimpses of the baby's private area, and I was pretty sure I knew what it was. I didn't want to get too excited about it until the tech confirmed it, in case I had seen something wrong, but deep down, I knew right then what it was, and it was all I could do not to jump right off that table thing. Sure enough, the tech got a good view between the baby's legs, and it was quite clear. We are having a BOY - Ryan Parker Price!
I am so thrilled I can hardly stand it! Now that I've "announced" it, I don't even really know what else to say. My mind feels like it is racing a million miles an hour, but there's really only one thought running through it. All I can think is "It's a BOY!" "I'm having a BOY!" "I'm going to have a son!" "Rylee is going to have a baby brother!" My heart is still bouncing around inside my chest. I am just so excited and humbled that God is giving me the opportunity to be Mommy to a little girl AND a little boy.
I can't wait to meet him. I can't wait to look into his eyes for the first time. I can't wait to hold him in my arms and kiss his sweet little cheeks and nose. I can't wait to feel his little fist wrap around my finger. I can't wait to see who he'll look like. I just can't wait. January, PLEASE get here fast!
We got a few pictures from the ultrasound today, but unfortunately, I won't be able to include them in this post, because I have to scan them into a computer first, and we don't have a scanner. I'll post them as soon as I possibly can, but for now, I at least wanted to share the exciting news.
IT'S A BOY!
Anyway, I woke up this morning feeling more excited than I have in quite a while. My stomach was a ball of nerves. I'm glad my appointment was at 11:30 this morning, because if it had been any later than that, I think I would've gone insane.
Jordan, Rylee, and I got to my ultrasound appointment 15 minutes early. We didn't want to risk getting caught in traffic, and I don't think I could've waited around the house another minute. My mom met us at the office. We went inside and I signed in, and thankfully, the ultrasound technician called me back within 5 minutes of arriving, even though I was a bit early. I stopped in the bathroom real quick to relieve myself, and then I quickly made my way down the hall to the ultrasound room. Jordan, my mom, Rylee, and the ultrasound tech were already in there getting ready. I climbed onto the cushioned table thing (seriously, what are those things called? They're not tables, and they're not beds, and they're not chairs... I don't know what they are) and pulled my shirt up so the tech could put the gel stuff on my belly and get the "party" started.
I kept taking deep breaths, and she kept asking me if I was okay. I told her that I was just nervous. I told her about the families I mentioned in my post last night, so she made sure she was very thorough in her examination (as I'm sure she always is). She had to check all of the baby's organs and stuff first to make sure all looked good before she got to the "fun part" of seeing if the baby was a boy or a girl. It felt almost like time was frozen. I started tearing up. I just laid there waiting for the tech to tell me something didn't look right, but she knew how worked up I was, so she talked me through everything she was doing and was quick to tell me that each area she checked looked good. With each area she checked off as okay, I breathed a little easier. The baby measured at 20 weeks and 4 days, weighing 13 ounces with a heart rate of 148 beats per minute.
Finally, it was time for the tech to see if the baby was a boy or a girl. When she was still doing the examination of all the other organs and stuff, I caught a couple of quick glimpses of the baby's private area, and I was pretty sure I knew what it was. I didn't want to get too excited about it until the tech confirmed it, in case I had seen something wrong, but deep down, I knew right then what it was, and it was all I could do not to jump right off that table thing. Sure enough, the tech got a good view between the baby's legs, and it was quite clear. We are having a BOY - Ryan Parker Price!
I am so thrilled I can hardly stand it! Now that I've "announced" it, I don't even really know what else to say. My mind feels like it is racing a million miles an hour, but there's really only one thought running through it. All I can think is "It's a BOY!" "I'm having a BOY!" "I'm going to have a son!" "Rylee is going to have a baby brother!" My heart is still bouncing around inside my chest. I am just so excited and humbled that God is giving me the opportunity to be Mommy to a little girl AND a little boy.
I can't wait to meet him. I can't wait to look into his eyes for the first time. I can't wait to hold him in my arms and kiss his sweet little cheeks and nose. I can't wait to feel his little fist wrap around my finger. I can't wait to see who he'll look like. I just can't wait. January, PLEASE get here fast!
We got a few pictures from the ultrasound today, but unfortunately, I won't be able to include them in this post, because I have to scan them into a computer first, and we don't have a scanner. I'll post them as soon as I possibly can, but for now, I at least wanted to share the exciting news.
IT'S A BOY!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
20 Weeks!
Today, I am 20 weeks pregnant with Baby Price! Half-way to the finish line! Woohoo! I can't believe how fast the weeks have gone by so far, but I'm getting so excited!
Unfortunately, I don't really have any updates to share in this post, partly because I really can't think of any real updates for this week (except for the fact that I think I've started having mild Braxton Hicks contractions), but mostly because even if there are updates, I'm too distracted by my excitement for tomorrow to think clearly.
Tomorrow is my ultrasound appointment. Tomorrow, at 11:30, I will finally get to see my precious baby again! Tomorrow, I will finally be able to call the baby by an actual name, instead of "it" (that is, as long as the baby cooperates and shows us his/her "stuff"). I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it! As excited as I am, though, I'm also really nervous.
When I was pregnant with Rylee, I was so naive to so many of the things that can be discovered during what seems like a perfectly "normal", healthy pregnancy. When I got my 20-week ultrasound done with Rylee, all I was concerned about was finding out if she was a boy or a girl. I didn't really realize that the technician was also going to be looking at her brain and all her organs and everything to make sure everything looked as it should. Thankfully, Rylee looked perfectly healthy, and she was/is. However, since she was born, I have followed the "stories" of three families (one that I know personally) whose worlds were turned upside down by a "simple" ultrasound that didn't look quite right. Their babies weren't healthy. I could go into details about each of their situations, but I don't think I have the energy for that tonight. I will say, however, that two of those precious babies (the ones whose families I don't personally know) are unfortunately no longer alive, and the third baby is now an 8-month-old living miracle (praise God!). Following their journeys has opened my eyes to all of the possibilities and "what if's" pregnancy carries with it. And so, I'm scared. I hate to say that, because I know none of those families would want me to feel that way going into a day that should be very exciting for me (and like I said, it is). But I can't help it. People who know me well know that I am a worrier by nature. I certainly don't want to be (and I don't worry near as badly/as much as I used to - honest!), but I like to say that I come by it honest. My grandma Parker was the biggest worry-wart. Anyway, now that I know what COULD happen, I just can't help but be a bit nervous. What if my baby doesn't look "normal"? What if something doesn't look quite right? I honestly don't know how I would handle that. Tomorrow, I'm expecting that ultrasound technician to look around for a bit and announce "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!" and tell us the baby looks absolutely perfect. I'm just scared that, for whatever reason, that won't be the case. I know this is just Satan's way of trying to get an edge into my heart and crack my faith in God. Satan knows my weaknesses, and he knows how to use them to his advantage. He knows this is an exciting time for me, and he wants nothing more than to mess it up as much as he possibly can. I just have to remind myself that, no matter what, this baby is in God's hands. He/she was God's child before he/she was ever mine. This baby is already a miracle. I cannot let the enemy win. I cannot give him the satisfaction of making me worry myself sick over something that hasn't even happened. It's so silly how worked up we can get over the possibilities and "what if's" in life, huh? Anyway, I could continue rambling here, but basically what I'm trying to say is just that I'm praying all will look well with the baby. Boy or girl... it doesn't really matter. I just pray my baby is healthy.
I will be back tomorrow to post the exciting, much-anticipated gender announcement (can't wait!), but for now, here is my belly picture for today:
Be back tomorrow!
Unfortunately, I don't really have any updates to share in this post, partly because I really can't think of any real updates for this week (except for the fact that I think I've started having mild Braxton Hicks contractions), but mostly because even if there are updates, I'm too distracted by my excitement for tomorrow to think clearly.
Tomorrow is my ultrasound appointment. Tomorrow, at 11:30, I will finally get to see my precious baby again! Tomorrow, I will finally be able to call the baby by an actual name, instead of "it" (that is, as long as the baby cooperates and shows us his/her "stuff"). I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it! As excited as I am, though, I'm also really nervous.
When I was pregnant with Rylee, I was so naive to so many of the things that can be discovered during what seems like a perfectly "normal", healthy pregnancy. When I got my 20-week ultrasound done with Rylee, all I was concerned about was finding out if she was a boy or a girl. I didn't really realize that the technician was also going to be looking at her brain and all her organs and everything to make sure everything looked as it should. Thankfully, Rylee looked perfectly healthy, and she was/is. However, since she was born, I have followed the "stories" of three families (one that I know personally) whose worlds were turned upside down by a "simple" ultrasound that didn't look quite right. Their babies weren't healthy. I could go into details about each of their situations, but I don't think I have the energy for that tonight. I will say, however, that two of those precious babies (the ones whose families I don't personally know) are unfortunately no longer alive, and the third baby is now an 8-month-old living miracle (praise God!). Following their journeys has opened my eyes to all of the possibilities and "what if's" pregnancy carries with it. And so, I'm scared. I hate to say that, because I know none of those families would want me to feel that way going into a day that should be very exciting for me (and like I said, it is). But I can't help it. People who know me well know that I am a worrier by nature. I certainly don't want to be (and I don't worry near as badly/as much as I used to - honest!), but I like to say that I come by it honest. My grandma Parker was the biggest worry-wart. Anyway, now that I know what COULD happen, I just can't help but be a bit nervous. What if my baby doesn't look "normal"? What if something doesn't look quite right? I honestly don't know how I would handle that. Tomorrow, I'm expecting that ultrasound technician to look around for a bit and announce "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!" and tell us the baby looks absolutely perfect. I'm just scared that, for whatever reason, that won't be the case. I know this is just Satan's way of trying to get an edge into my heart and crack my faith in God. Satan knows my weaknesses, and he knows how to use them to his advantage. He knows this is an exciting time for me, and he wants nothing more than to mess it up as much as he possibly can. I just have to remind myself that, no matter what, this baby is in God's hands. He/she was God's child before he/she was ever mine. This baby is already a miracle. I cannot let the enemy win. I cannot give him the satisfaction of making me worry myself sick over something that hasn't even happened. It's so silly how worked up we can get over the possibilities and "what if's" in life, huh? Anyway, I could continue rambling here, but basically what I'm trying to say is just that I'm praying all will look well with the baby. Boy or girl... it doesn't really matter. I just pray my baby is healthy.
I will be back tomorrow to post the exciting, much-anticipated gender announcement (can't wait!), but for now, here is my belly picture for today:
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Missing Grandma
One year ago today, after almost 95 years of life on this earth, my grandma Parker joined my grandpa in Heaven and met Jesus face to face.
In some ways, I can't believe it's already been a year. Rylee was only 2 months and one day old when my grandma passed; unfortunately, she (my grandma) never had a chance to meet her first great-grandchild. (Thankfully, she did get to see a few pictures of her, though.)
I miss my grandma (and grandpa) so much. When I was pregnant with Rylee, I would always call Grandma after every doctor appointment I had to update her and let her know how my pregnancy was going. She would always tell me the same thing: "Make SURE you take your vitamins EVERY DAY." That was Grandma. You had to love her.
After I left my first doctor appointment with this pregnancy, I grabbed my cell phone and instinctively began to search for my grandma's number in my contacts to call her and let her know how my appointment went... but her number wasn't there. Somehow, I had momentarily forgotten that she is no longer here for me to call. That was pretty hard. I would give anything to hear her tell me - even just one more time - to take my vitamins.
Grandma, I miss you and Grandpa so much! You were truly the most amazing grandparents I could've ever had - God definitely blessed me! I'm so thankful to know that you guys are with Jesus, and I'll see you again soon. I love you!
Love, Your "Sweetie Pie"
P.S. I promise I'm taking my vitamins EVERY DAY.
In some ways, I can't believe it's already been a year. Rylee was only 2 months and one day old when my grandma passed; unfortunately, she (my grandma) never had a chance to meet her first great-grandchild. (Thankfully, she did get to see a few pictures of her, though.)
I miss my grandma (and grandpa) so much. When I was pregnant with Rylee, I would always call Grandma after every doctor appointment I had to update her and let her know how my pregnancy was going. She would always tell me the same thing: "Make SURE you take your vitamins EVERY DAY." That was Grandma. You had to love her.
After I left my first doctor appointment with this pregnancy, I grabbed my cell phone and instinctively began to search for my grandma's number in my contacts to call her and let her know how my appointment went... but her number wasn't there. Somehow, I had momentarily forgotten that she is no longer here for me to call. That was pretty hard. I would give anything to hear her tell me - even just one more time - to take my vitamins.
Grandma, I miss you and Grandpa so much! You were truly the most amazing grandparents I could've ever had - God definitely blessed me! I'm so thankful to know that you guys are with Jesus, and I'll see you again soon. I love you!
Love, Your "Sweetie Pie"
P.S. I promise I'm taking my vitamins EVERY DAY.
Monday, August 15, 2011
19 Weeks
Well, another week is gone, and it's time once again for another pregnancy update. Before I get to that, though, I figured I'd share a bit about this past week.
On Thursday, my parents and sister got home from the family reunion they went to up in Wisconsin. I REALLY wish I had been able to go, but unfortunately, it didn't work out. I missed them while they were all gone, so it was good to see them when they got back. Rylee and I went to town with Mom and Amanda on Friday to get some school supplies for Amanda. It wore me out pretty quickly, but it was nice just to be with them for a while. We ended up getting some Marco's Pizza for dinner before we headed home, so that was a definite treat.
At some point this past week, I caught a glimpse inside Rylee's mouth, and noticed that she is FINALLY getting her third tooth! One of her two top front teeth has officially broken through her gums. Having said that, it actually looks like her entire top front row of teeth are going to come in at any moment. She has had just her two bottom teeth for about four months now, so it'll be weird to see her with more. I'm just hoping the teething won't be too bad for her. So far, it doesn't seem to be bothering her. Let's hope it stays that way.
Last night, Jordan, Rylee, and I had dinner and hung out with our friends Phil and Hayley and their three little girls (their youngest is the baby I posted about back in early July). We got some burgers from Steak 'n Shake, put a Disney movie (Tangled... super cute if you haven't seen it yet) on for the girls, and played a couple rounds of Uno. It was a pretty laid-back visit, but it was full of laughter (as always), and I had such a great time. I am so thankful to have friends like them. We've only known them for about a year, but it is such a blessing to have friends our age who are at the same stage in life as we are (a young married couple raising young kids). Most of my good friends my age (the ones I graduated high school with, etc.) aren't at the same stage in life as I am anymore (yet) since I got married and started a family so young. Although I love them all dearly, it's nice to also have friends whom Jordan and I can relate to as a married couple and parents.
That's about all I can think of in the way of updates from this past week, so I reckon I'll move on to the pregnancy update part of this post now.
Yesterday, I entered the 19th week of my pregnancy. I can't believe I am just one week away from the halfway mark now. Overall, I think this pregnancy has gone by pretty quickly so far. Rylee keeps me busy, so I don't have much time to think about the fact that I'm pregnant.
Everything still seems to be going well so far. I'm feeling pretty good overall, other than the fact that I have noticed that my sciatica is definitely starting to flare up again as of this past week. It's not NEAR as bad (so far, anyway) as it got while I was pregnant with Rylee, but it makes me nervous that it's starting to bother me again, because I know how bad it could potentially get, and I am NOT looking forward to dealing with that again. We'll just have to see what happens... unfortunately, there's really nothing I can do to prevent it.
I feel the baby kick every now and then, but so far it's still not much movement. I'll take what I can get, though - I love feeling those precious kicks. It seems to me that this baby is much lower than Rylee was at this point in my pregnancy. When I first started feeling her kick, I think I remember it being more in the middle of my stomach. It feels like this baby, however, is kicking me in my "personal area" a lot of the time. I don't even know how it's possible for him/her to be that low without just falling out.
I woke up in the middle of the night for the first time last night because I had to go to the bathroom. I'm not ready to have to start doing that every night yet, but I know at some point, it'll probably be inevitable.
We find out in ONE WEEK from today if our little miracle is a boy or a girl. I am so ready to know, I can hardly stand it! And of course I'm excited to just "see" my baby again. He/she is going to look SO different from that little "blob" we first saw at 7 weeks. I am praying everything (the heart, organs, etc.) will look just as it should... I just want my baby to be healthy. I will do an "announcement" post with pictures from the ultrasound as soon as I can after we get home from the appointment. I know I will be itching to share the exciting news, whatever it is.
My belly is definitely growing quickly. Here is a belly picture and a couple of full-body pictures Jordan took of me last night at exactly 19 weeks:
That's all I have for now. Until next time...
On Thursday, my parents and sister got home from the family reunion they went to up in Wisconsin. I REALLY wish I had been able to go, but unfortunately, it didn't work out. I missed them while they were all gone, so it was good to see them when they got back. Rylee and I went to town with Mom and Amanda on Friday to get some school supplies for Amanda. It wore me out pretty quickly, but it was nice just to be with them for a while. We ended up getting some Marco's Pizza for dinner before we headed home, so that was a definite treat.
At some point this past week, I caught a glimpse inside Rylee's mouth, and noticed that she is FINALLY getting her third tooth! One of her two top front teeth has officially broken through her gums. Having said that, it actually looks like her entire top front row of teeth are going to come in at any moment. She has had just her two bottom teeth for about four months now, so it'll be weird to see her with more. I'm just hoping the teething won't be too bad for her. So far, it doesn't seem to be bothering her. Let's hope it stays that way.
Last night, Jordan, Rylee, and I had dinner and hung out with our friends Phil and Hayley and their three little girls (their youngest is the baby I posted about back in early July). We got some burgers from Steak 'n Shake, put a Disney movie (Tangled... super cute if you haven't seen it yet) on for the girls, and played a couple rounds of Uno. It was a pretty laid-back visit, but it was full of laughter (as always), and I had such a great time. I am so thankful to have friends like them. We've only known them for about a year, but it is such a blessing to have friends our age who are at the same stage in life as we are (a young married couple raising young kids). Most of my good friends my age (the ones I graduated high school with, etc.) aren't at the same stage in life as I am anymore (yet) since I got married and started a family so young. Although I love them all dearly, it's nice to also have friends whom Jordan and I can relate to as a married couple and parents.
That's about all I can think of in the way of updates from this past week, so I reckon I'll move on to the pregnancy update part of this post now.
Yesterday, I entered the 19th week of my pregnancy. I can't believe I am just one week away from the halfway mark now. Overall, I think this pregnancy has gone by pretty quickly so far. Rylee keeps me busy, so I don't have much time to think about the fact that I'm pregnant.
Everything still seems to be going well so far. I'm feeling pretty good overall, other than the fact that I have noticed that my sciatica is definitely starting to flare up again as of this past week. It's not NEAR as bad (so far, anyway) as it got while I was pregnant with Rylee, but it makes me nervous that it's starting to bother me again, because I know how bad it could potentially get, and I am NOT looking forward to dealing with that again. We'll just have to see what happens... unfortunately, there's really nothing I can do to prevent it.
I feel the baby kick every now and then, but so far it's still not much movement. I'll take what I can get, though - I love feeling those precious kicks. It seems to me that this baby is much lower than Rylee was at this point in my pregnancy. When I first started feeling her kick, I think I remember it being more in the middle of my stomach. It feels like this baby, however, is kicking me in my "personal area" a lot of the time. I don't even know how it's possible for him/her to be that low without just falling out.
I woke up in the middle of the night for the first time last night because I had to go to the bathroom. I'm not ready to have to start doing that every night yet, but I know at some point, it'll probably be inevitable.
We find out in ONE WEEK from today if our little miracle is a boy or a girl. I am so ready to know, I can hardly stand it! And of course I'm excited to just "see" my baby again. He/she is going to look SO different from that little "blob" we first saw at 7 weeks. I am praying everything (the heart, organs, etc.) will look just as it should... I just want my baby to be healthy. I will do an "announcement" post with pictures from the ultrasound as soon as I can after we get home from the appointment. I know I will be itching to share the exciting news, whatever it is.
My belly is definitely growing quickly. Here is a belly picture and a couple of full-body pictures Jordan took of me last night at exactly 19 weeks:
That's all I have for now. Until next time...
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Quick Partial Review of the Past Week/ 18 Weeks Prego Update
This past week was a pretty great week, for a few reasons.
First of all, Jordan had the week off of work from UPS, so Rylee and I got to spend some extra much-needed time with him, which was really nice. We miss him so much during the week when he's really busy working his two jobs. We're so blessed to have such a loving, hard-working husband/daddy providing for us, though. Anyway, we mainly hung out around the house, but we did get out and about a little as well.
On Wednesday (August 3rd), we decided to splurge a bit and go to lunch at Olive Garden (my request, of course). We had a coupon, so I didn't feel quite as guilty about spending the money to eat out. After our yummy lunch there, we went to Target to buy Rylee her first pair of tennis shoes. She's getting pretty good at walking now, so we wanted to get her a good pair of shoes to wear so she's not always walking around barefoot. We're also hoping that wearing the tennis shoes will keep her from walking on her tip-toes all the time. It's cute to watch, for sure, but we don't want her to be walking around on her tip-toes forever. Anyway, when we got into Target, I immediately headed for the women's clothes section of course (hey, just because I don't have any money to buy any clothes doesn't mean I can't LOOK at them...), so Jordan went ahead and took Rylee to the shoes section to start looking for a pair of shoes. I only looked around the clothes section for a minute or two, but by the time I got to Jordan and Rylee, he already had a pair of shoes on her feet, and she was sitting in the buggy seat swinging her feet back and forth, kicking the buggy with a too-cute two-teeth grin on her face. She liked the shoes, and they were a perfect fit. And they were adorable. I was quite proud of Jordan for picking them out. We let Rylee have her fun with them for a minute, and then we decided to take them off so we could head to the checkout line to buy them. As soon as Jordan started pulling the shoes off her feet, she started crying. It was pretty pitiful, but we assured her (whether she understood us or not) that we were getting the shoes for her so she could wear them again. Since then, she has worn the shoes a few times, and although she was a little hesitant/reluctant to walk in them at first, she is used to them now and is doing great walking in them. Here are a few pictures that I took on Thursday (August 4th) of Rylee wearing her new shoes:
Isn't she just too cute?! I can't get enough of her!
Anyway, later Wednesday afternoon, after we had gotten home from Target, I was a bit hungry, so I ate a leftover bread stick with some Alfredo sauce from Olive Garden. I'm guessing the baby must have really liked it, because shortly after that, I felt him/her kick! I was so excited. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I've been feeling some slight questionable possible movements for a few weeks now, but this was the first time I could say for sure that it was definitely the baby.
Then, on Friday, Jordan and I were lying in bed, getting ready to go to sleep, and suddenly, I felt the baby kick. I looked at my stomach, and when he/she kicked again, I could see my stomach poke out real quick. I grabbed Jordan's hand and put it on my stomach, and after a few seconds, he felt the baby kick! Not just once, but a few times. I was so happy. When I was pregnant with Rylee, he didn't get to feel her kick until I was 20 or 21 weeks, so I was surprised that he could/would be able to feel this baby when I wasn't even quite 18 weeks yet. I guess since this is my second pregnancy, and I know more of what to expect and how it feels, I noticed the movement/kicks a lot sooner, and therefore, Jordan had the opportunity to feel it sooner as well. It's just exciting to me, because it makes the pregnancy feel even more "real" to me. There REALLY IS something growing in there. Anyway, I laid in bed for a while, savoring every little kick, and after a few minutes, I think the baby got the hiccups, because I'm pretty sure I could feel them as well (Rylee used to get them ALL the time when I was pregnant with her, so I remember the difference in the feel/consistency of the movement between a hiccup and an actual kick). Anyway, definitely an exciting new "development" in the pregnancy. I am SO happy I can feel the baby now. It is the most amazing part of being pregnant to me.
Having said all of that, I reckon I'll do my weekly pregnancy update now, although that was the majority of it right there. Anyway, today, I am 18 weeks pregnant, meaning I am now in the 5th month of my pregnancy. I can't believe I'm almost halfway to the finish line already. And in two weeks from tomorrow (only 15 more days... but hey, who's counting?), we find out if "Baby R" is a boy or a girl. Have I mentioned I can NOT wait?! Not only am I excited to find out what we're having, but I'm also just looking forward to "seeing" my baby again. I'm praying everything will look good and healthy. Anyway, that's about all I can think of for now, so I'll go ahead and wrap this post up with my weekly belly picture. Here are me and Baby at 18 weeks:
First of all, Jordan had the week off of work from UPS, so Rylee and I got to spend some extra much-needed time with him, which was really nice. We miss him so much during the week when he's really busy working his two jobs. We're so blessed to have such a loving, hard-working husband/daddy providing for us, though. Anyway, we mainly hung out around the house, but we did get out and about a little as well.
On Wednesday (August 3rd), we decided to splurge a bit and go to lunch at Olive Garden (my request, of course). We had a coupon, so I didn't feel quite as guilty about spending the money to eat out. After our yummy lunch there, we went to Target to buy Rylee her first pair of tennis shoes. She's getting pretty good at walking now, so we wanted to get her a good pair of shoes to wear so she's not always walking around barefoot. We're also hoping that wearing the tennis shoes will keep her from walking on her tip-toes all the time. It's cute to watch, for sure, but we don't want her to be walking around on her tip-toes forever. Anyway, when we got into Target, I immediately headed for the women's clothes section of course (hey, just because I don't have any money to buy any clothes doesn't mean I can't LOOK at them...), so Jordan went ahead and took Rylee to the shoes section to start looking for a pair of shoes. I only looked around the clothes section for a minute or two, but by the time I got to Jordan and Rylee, he already had a pair of shoes on her feet, and she was sitting in the buggy seat swinging her feet back and forth, kicking the buggy with a too-cute two-teeth grin on her face. She liked the shoes, and they were a perfect fit. And they were adorable. I was quite proud of Jordan for picking them out. We let Rylee have her fun with them for a minute, and then we decided to take them off so we could head to the checkout line to buy them. As soon as Jordan started pulling the shoes off her feet, she started crying. It was pretty pitiful, but we assured her (whether she understood us or not) that we were getting the shoes for her so she could wear them again. Since then, she has worn the shoes a few times, and although she was a little hesitant/reluctant to walk in them at first, she is used to them now and is doing great walking in them. Here are a few pictures that I took on Thursday (August 4th) of Rylee wearing her new shoes:
 |
| happy girl! |
 |
| I love those cute, chubby legs in those cute new shoes! |
 |
| I know you can't see the shoes in this picture, but she is being silly, pretending to "talk" on my cell phone. She does this all the time. |
 |
| silly girl! |
Anyway, later Wednesday afternoon, after we had gotten home from Target, I was a bit hungry, so I ate a leftover bread stick with some Alfredo sauce from Olive Garden. I'm guessing the baby must have really liked it, because shortly after that, I felt him/her kick! I was so excited. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I've been feeling some slight questionable possible movements for a few weeks now, but this was the first time I could say for sure that it was definitely the baby.
Then, on Friday, Jordan and I were lying in bed, getting ready to go to sleep, and suddenly, I felt the baby kick. I looked at my stomach, and when he/she kicked again, I could see my stomach poke out real quick. I grabbed Jordan's hand and put it on my stomach, and after a few seconds, he felt the baby kick! Not just once, but a few times. I was so happy. When I was pregnant with Rylee, he didn't get to feel her kick until I was 20 or 21 weeks, so I was surprised that he could/would be able to feel this baby when I wasn't even quite 18 weeks yet. I guess since this is my second pregnancy, and I know more of what to expect and how it feels, I noticed the movement/kicks a lot sooner, and therefore, Jordan had the opportunity to feel it sooner as well. It's just exciting to me, because it makes the pregnancy feel even more "real" to me. There REALLY IS something growing in there. Anyway, I laid in bed for a while, savoring every little kick, and after a few minutes, I think the baby got the hiccups, because I'm pretty sure I could feel them as well (Rylee used to get them ALL the time when I was pregnant with her, so I remember the difference in the feel/consistency of the movement between a hiccup and an actual kick). Anyway, definitely an exciting new "development" in the pregnancy. I am SO happy I can feel the baby now. It is the most amazing part of being pregnant to me.
Having said all of that, I reckon I'll do my weekly pregnancy update now, although that was the majority of it right there. Anyway, today, I am 18 weeks pregnant, meaning I am now in the 5th month of my pregnancy. I can't believe I'm almost halfway to the finish line already. And in two weeks from tomorrow (only 15 more days... but hey, who's counting?), we find out if "Baby R" is a boy or a girl. Have I mentioned I can NOT wait?! Not only am I excited to find out what we're having, but I'm also just looking forward to "seeing" my baby again. I'm praying everything will look good and healthy. Anyway, that's about all I can think of for now, so I'll go ahead and wrap this post up with my weekly belly picture. Here are me and Baby at 18 weeks:
Monday, August 1, 2011
Doctor Check-Up
Today, I went to my OB/GYN for another pregnancy check-up. The appointment was pretty quick today - in and out in less than half an hour, I think. As usual, everything seems to be going well so far, thankfully.
I weighed in at 109 pounds today, meaning I've gained 4 pounds since my appointment four weeks ago, and overall, I'm up 2 pounds from my starting pregnancy weight of 107 pounds.
My blood pressure was good, as always.
Baby's heart rate was 148 beats per minute, which is much slower than it was at our last appointment, but still fine. I always love hearing that beautiful sound... it is music to my ears.
We chatted with Dr. Dupre for a few minutes, and then it was time to schedule my next appointment and head home. Dr. Dupre will be out of town during my 20th week, but he said I can go ahead and go into the office for an ultrasound on the 22nd so we don't have to wait an extra week to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. Then, I'll just go back again the following week on the 29th to see him for my regular check-up. I am so happy we only have to wait three more weeks - instead of the usual four - to find out what our baby is... I think I would've gone crazy that last week.
So, we're getting close... 21 more days until we can start calling "Baby R" by an actual name. Can't wait!
I weighed in at 109 pounds today, meaning I've gained 4 pounds since my appointment four weeks ago, and overall, I'm up 2 pounds from my starting pregnancy weight of 107 pounds.
My blood pressure was good, as always.
Baby's heart rate was 148 beats per minute, which is much slower than it was at our last appointment, but still fine. I always love hearing that beautiful sound... it is music to my ears.
We chatted with Dr. Dupre for a few minutes, and then it was time to schedule my next appointment and head home. Dr. Dupre will be out of town during my 20th week, but he said I can go ahead and go into the office for an ultrasound on the 22nd so we don't have to wait an extra week to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. Then, I'll just go back again the following week on the 29th to see him for my regular check-up. I am so happy we only have to wait three more weeks - instead of the usual four - to find out what our baby is... I think I would've gone crazy that last week.
So, we're getting close... 21 more days until we can start calling "Baby R" by an actual name. Can't wait!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)