So, I have always heard that women have a heightened sense of smell during pregnancy and that strong smells can be highly offensive and agitating. It's not that I didn't believe that this fact was true, but I gained a new knowledge of how agitating smells can be just the other day, and no, I am not talking about my own body odor.
Thus far, Liz had been free of the vomiting and morning sickness that is associated with pregnancy. We had both feared that she would be very sick in the mornings because of her vertigo and already nervous stomach, but we made it through the first trimester with no hang ups. She had mentioned a few times that smells were offensive to her. For instance, when we saw the new Harry Potter movie in a crowded movie theater at a midnight showing on opening night, a girl sat down next to Liz that smelled to high heaven of cigarette smoke. I was sitting a seat over and could still smell the reek of this girl (who, consequently, was extremely annoying to be sitting near in a movie theater anyway). I was a little afraid that the smell would get to Liz and make her sick before the end of the movie, and I offered to switch with her, but she turned me down. Nonetheless, Liz made it through the movie with no real problems. Considering that I also found her smell offensive, I thought that maybe smells wouldn't offend her too badly.
Fast forward to a few nights ago after I got home from work. Ants have found their way to Winnie's (one of our dachshunds) food bowl. We had already combated this issue once by moving the bowl further away from the back door and spraying outside. This time, however, we had to spray Raid inside. So I cleaned out Winnie's food bowl and went to work spraying the baseboards and window by the back door. The smell of "country fresh" (yeah, right) Raid permeates the house. Liz begins to cough, and I turn around. The color has gone out of her face and she starts gagging. She rushes through our bedroom to our bathroom and the sound of vomiting commences. Granted, the Raid doesn't smell great and is very potent, but it did not even occur to me that it would affect Liz to the point of throwing up.
We spent the next three hours locked in the bedroom. We even ate dinner in there. Finally, after running the vent hood over the oven and the exhaust fan in the guest bathroom and turning on the Scentsy, the smell cleared out. Needless to say, next time I need to spray anything (cleaning supplies or whatever) in the house, I will make sure Liz is out of the room and that she stays out until the cloud room clears. Lesson learned: pregnant women have a heightened sense of smell, for real.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Week 15
Week 15. Having firmly moved into the second trimester, I can definitely feel the promised increase in energy (most days anyway). Today, we went in for our third doctor’s appointment. The doctor was out of the office so we just met with the nurse. I’ve gained 3 lbs. since the start of the pregnancy, the baby’s heart rate is a steady 150 beats, and I can take over the counter meds for sinus pressure and heart burn, all good news. We set the all important sonogram appointment to find out the sex of the baby on August 28th. That is if the baby cooperates. One of our friends told us they had no idea what their daughter was because she refused to show them. It’s getting harder and harder to resist buying baby clothes and I’m ready to finish the nursery so I really hope we’re able to find out on the 28th.
On the subject of names, we don’t have anything specific picked out yet. But we do have some favorites. Shelby and I each made a list of names we like and then we looked over the other person’s list. We each had veto power of the other person’s list, crossing out any names we hated or were strongly opposed to. So what we have left is a pretty healthy set of options. We’ve decided not to narrow it down any further or to choose a name until we know the sex of the baby. Also, I think we quickly realized not to share with people names we really liked. For some reason, when reactions or comments are negative or unenthusiastic, it changes my feeling about the name (even though I know it shouldn’t). I also feel a little like sharing it to soon takes the power out of the name, makes it less special, if that makes any sense. Once we do decide, we will let people know. Until then you can ask, but expect to get a name we’ve already discarded.
I have a few new favorite things I’ve discovered. First is a prenatal yoga video that is watch instantly on Netflix, Yoga Mama. I’ve always liked yoga and this video doesn’t push too hard and it was super relaxing. I’m glad I found it early on so I can use it through out the whole pregnancy. My second new favorite thing is a consignment store here in town called Children’s Exchange. I found maternity jeans and a top, plus when the time comes, super cute (and cheap) baby clothes. Shelby and I are all about using second hand stuff when it comes to clothes and toys since from everything we’ve seen the kid out grows them so quickly. Although some of the stuff still had tags on them. Last, I’m totally in love with the website, babycenter.com. At the recommendation of my friend, Darla, I signed up and every week I get an update about the development of baby. For example, this week the baby is the size of an apple and it can sense light. Even though its eyelids are fused together if I shined a flashlight on my stomach the baby would move away from the light. (I won’t be doing that though. It seems kind of mean. I don’t like it when someone turns the lights on when I’m asleep.) I love knowing what the baby is up to, especially since I can’t see or feel it yet. Although according to the website (and the nurse) I should be feeling this kid move any day now. I’ll let you know when I do!
On the subject of names, we don’t have anything specific picked out yet. But we do have some favorites. Shelby and I each made a list of names we like and then we looked over the other person’s list. We each had veto power of the other person’s list, crossing out any names we hated or were strongly opposed to. So what we have left is a pretty healthy set of options. We’ve decided not to narrow it down any further or to choose a name until we know the sex of the baby. Also, I think we quickly realized not to share with people names we really liked. For some reason, when reactions or comments are negative or unenthusiastic, it changes my feeling about the name (even though I know it shouldn’t). I also feel a little like sharing it to soon takes the power out of the name, makes it less special, if that makes any sense. Once we do decide, we will let people know. Until then you can ask, but expect to get a name we’ve already discarded.
I have a few new favorite things I’ve discovered. First is a prenatal yoga video that is watch instantly on Netflix, Yoga Mama. I’ve always liked yoga and this video doesn’t push too hard and it was super relaxing. I’m glad I found it early on so I can use it through out the whole pregnancy. My second new favorite thing is a consignment store here in town called Children’s Exchange. I found maternity jeans and a top, plus when the time comes, super cute (and cheap) baby clothes. Shelby and I are all about using second hand stuff when it comes to clothes and toys since from everything we’ve seen the kid out grows them so quickly. Although some of the stuff still had tags on them. Last, I’m totally in love with the website, babycenter.com. At the recommendation of my friend, Darla, I signed up and every week I get an update about the development of baby. For example, this week the baby is the size of an apple and it can sense light. Even though its eyelids are fused together if I shined a flashlight on my stomach the baby would move away from the light. (I won’t be doing that though. It seems kind of mean. I don’t like it when someone turns the lights on when I’m asleep.) I love knowing what the baby is up to, especially since I can’t see or feel it yet. Although according to the website (and the nurse) I should be feeling this kid move any day now. I’ll let you know when I do!
Friday, July 22, 2011
What dreams may come...or well, that was weird!
I’ve always had very interesting dreams. Here’s a fun fact about my normal dreams-I can’t read in them. I’m completely illiterate. I can’t read road signs or books or directions. I know that I’m supposed to be able to read but the letters turn upside down, backwards, or just into scribbles. Words become ancient runes I have to decipher. This can be problematic when the plot of the dream involves grading papers or following a map. Shelby thinks it’s weird that I can’t read in dreams but there it is.
I’d read in pregnancy books and on websites that my dream life might change a little. However, I don’t think anything could have prepared me for the vivid, weird world of pregnancy dreams. Normally in dreams I know that I am, in fact, dreaming and when I realize this I wake up. Now, I wake up completely disoriented because the reality of the dream is so believable. I also remember almost everything I dream. In the past my dreams have been your ordinary, day to day settings—my classroom, my house, etc. Lately though my dreams have taken two very different directions—baby related dreams and dreams with weird, science fiction under tones. Let me give a few examples.
The Over-alls Dilemma- This dream wasn’t super extraordinary but it was weird how many elements were pulled from real life. In the dream, the doctors and everyone else told me I was having a boy, so for whatever reason I proceeded to buy only over-alls for the baby to wear. Then, surprise, I had a girl. So it’s time to have the baby’s dedication, and the poor girl has nothing to wear but over-alls. I was very upset that everyone mistook my baby girl for a boy because of how she was dressed. This dream came from a conversation I had with my sister-in-law about over-alls. What I think is so funny is how logic doesn’t apply. Why didn’t I go buy girl clothes? Who buys ONLY over-alls for their kid? Well, maybe my Uncle Tirey would.
The Surgery- This kind of dream is apparently fairly common among pregnant women. I dreamt that for some reason the doctors had to cut open my stomach. The baby was fine and still in the womb but I was walking around with an open wound and my intestines hanging out. Eventually, the wound turned green and bruised but the doctors said I was fine. It didn’t seem to matter too much to me because the baby was okay.
The Harry Potter- Having finished reading book 7 again, going to the midnight release, and seeing the cast interviewed on every talk show, it’s no surprise this entered my subconscious. In the dream, I met Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway after his show, and he confided in me that he really was Harry Potter. I wasn’t allowed to tell anybody though, for safety reasons of course. But he did take me to Hogwarts, via broomstick. I have to say that was pretty sweet.
The Time-traveler- This one was so strange. I could travel forward through time. There was a child that traveled with me, but it wasn’t my child. Anyhow, we traveled to keep up with a family that was very prosperous. But in my final travel, I discovered that this family had fallen on hard times. They were living in a run-down dirty apartment and the father of the family sat in a recliner, crying. I felt terrible that in the jump I had missed all the hard times this family had encountered. I honestly have no idea where this one came from!
Post-apocalyptic Water World- This has been my favorite dream thus far. Shelby and I were patrolling in a police boat when we were almost rammed by a huge, fast steel tanker. We pursued the tanker to a dock. The dock was covered in derelict house boats and there was floating metal in the water. There were police and anti-terrorist personal all over the docks. Turns out the steel tanker was a bomb. So Shelby and I get out of the boat to help. Shelby hands me a key or code or something like that and tells me to put it in my pocket. Shelby goes to man a machine gun on the dock and it’s then I discover that he’s working with the terrorists. So I decide to run, but there is water and steel floating everywhere, so I have to swim and dodge it. Then I over hear some terrorist saying, “We’ve got to find her. She’s got the code.” Turns out Shelby gave me the code to the tanker bomb thinking I would stay with him. So in order to hide from the bad guys, I find a straw to breathe through and pull a Robin Hood. Along the way, I collect items that might help me escape or disarm the bomb. I woke up before I could save the world. Honestly, it was so cool. I wasn’t afraid, just excited and intrigued.
Here’s the weirdest thing to me. Last night, I could read in my dream!! I wonder if that will continue after I have the baby. I would love to hear about your weird dreams, pregnant or other wise!
I’d read in pregnancy books and on websites that my dream life might change a little. However, I don’t think anything could have prepared me for the vivid, weird world of pregnancy dreams. Normally in dreams I know that I am, in fact, dreaming and when I realize this I wake up. Now, I wake up completely disoriented because the reality of the dream is so believable. I also remember almost everything I dream. In the past my dreams have been your ordinary, day to day settings—my classroom, my house, etc. Lately though my dreams have taken two very different directions—baby related dreams and dreams with weird, science fiction under tones. Let me give a few examples.
The Over-alls Dilemma- This dream wasn’t super extraordinary but it was weird how many elements were pulled from real life. In the dream, the doctors and everyone else told me I was having a boy, so for whatever reason I proceeded to buy only over-alls for the baby to wear. Then, surprise, I had a girl. So it’s time to have the baby’s dedication, and the poor girl has nothing to wear but over-alls. I was very upset that everyone mistook my baby girl for a boy because of how she was dressed. This dream came from a conversation I had with my sister-in-law about over-alls. What I think is so funny is how logic doesn’t apply. Why didn’t I go buy girl clothes? Who buys ONLY over-alls for their kid? Well, maybe my Uncle Tirey would.
The Surgery- This kind of dream is apparently fairly common among pregnant women. I dreamt that for some reason the doctors had to cut open my stomach. The baby was fine and still in the womb but I was walking around with an open wound and my intestines hanging out. Eventually, the wound turned green and bruised but the doctors said I was fine. It didn’t seem to matter too much to me because the baby was okay.
The Harry Potter- Having finished reading book 7 again, going to the midnight release, and seeing the cast interviewed on every talk show, it’s no surprise this entered my subconscious. In the dream, I met Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway after his show, and he confided in me that he really was Harry Potter. I wasn’t allowed to tell anybody though, for safety reasons of course. But he did take me to Hogwarts, via broomstick. I have to say that was pretty sweet.
The Time-traveler- This one was so strange. I could travel forward through time. There was a child that traveled with me, but it wasn’t my child. Anyhow, we traveled to keep up with a family that was very prosperous. But in my final travel, I discovered that this family had fallen on hard times. They were living in a run-down dirty apartment and the father of the family sat in a recliner, crying. I felt terrible that in the jump I had missed all the hard times this family had encountered. I honestly have no idea where this one came from!
Post-apocalyptic Water World- This has been my favorite dream thus far. Shelby and I were patrolling in a police boat when we were almost rammed by a huge, fast steel tanker. We pursued the tanker to a dock. The dock was covered in derelict house boats and there was floating metal in the water. There were police and anti-terrorist personal all over the docks. Turns out the steel tanker was a bomb. So Shelby and I get out of the boat to help. Shelby hands me a key or code or something like that and tells me to put it in my pocket. Shelby goes to man a machine gun on the dock and it’s then I discover that he’s working with the terrorists. So I decide to run, but there is water and steel floating everywhere, so I have to swim and dodge it. Then I over hear some terrorist saying, “We’ve got to find her. She’s got the code.” Turns out Shelby gave me the code to the tanker bomb thinking I would stay with him. So in order to hide from the bad guys, I find a straw to breathe through and pull a Robin Hood. Along the way, I collect items that might help me escape or disarm the bomb. I woke up before I could save the world. Honestly, it was so cool. I wasn’t afraid, just excited and intrigued.
Here’s the weirdest thing to me. Last night, I could read in my dream!! I wonder if that will continue after I have the baby. I would love to hear about your weird dreams, pregnant or other wise!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Here We Are
It has been a strange and difficult journey, but stability prevailed and Liz and I felt that the time was finally upon us to begin our own family. It wasn't a decision that we made lightly, and just because we made a conscious decision doesn't mean it hasn't been the easiest thing in the world, but it seems that nothing worthwhile in life ever comes easily.
So (as Liz already chronicled), when Liz started craving corn dogs and jalapenos, I knew something was going on. In all the times I have had a box of corn dogs in the freezer (which has been often, I love corn dogs), I remember her asking for a corn dog one time before pregnancy, and that time, she just picked off the breading and left the hot dog, so that was indicator numero uno. We picked up on this pretty quickly and got iron clad confirmation as quickly as possible in the form of three pregnancy tests.
The cravings subsided quickly, which was honestly a little disappointing to me. I was really hoping for inventive combinations like pickles and ice cream, but alas, I have been disappointed. There has been an interesting change, nonetheless. Liz is normally someone who craves the same thing for weeks at a time, but when pregnant, she has deep insatiable cravings that subside after she eats it once. This leaves the fridge and cake keeper full of goodies that I feel compelled , nay obligated, to eat. Needless to say, I have begun to put back on weight that I lost earlier in the year, but I mean, I can't let the food go to waste, right? My brother-in-law, Josh, has commentated and warned me of this phenomenon, but I am afraid I have already been sucked in.
Some of the most amazing experiences thus far have been the sonograms. I was afraid before the first sonogram that I wouldn't be able to see anything I could recognize as a living being. I pictured myself as a character on a sitcom (like I have seen a thousand times before), who ironically is the only character that can't recognize the baby in the pictures. The audience would get a kick out of it, but I would be very sad. Luckily, this was not the case, I could instantly recognize the head and appendages. It looked most like a gummy bear to me, with no definable hands or feet yet. The second sonogram was even better in a lot of ways. The first and foremost being that he or she actually moved while the camera was on. The movement really hammered home the fact that there is a living thing in there, and it will eventually be here in the world. The second time, we could also recognize hangs and feet, along with fingers and toes.
Another of the truly fun parts of this whole deal has been getting to share the news with our friends and family. We had a blast making the video to tell our parents and siblings. The video is here: The Ultimate Scrabble Game, by the way. I also have had good experiences and responses from my friends. One of my best friends, Daniel, got me the book Fatherhood by Bill Cosby at a library sale. I think he intended it as a joke, but honestly, I am looking forward to reading it.
Being the researched driven person that I am, I am soon to embark on a vast discovery of childbirth and parenthood through books. Does anyone have any good recommendations? I do tend to learn things better from books, and while I know you can't learn things like love and affection from a book, I can learn how to parent a lot better. And I might just pick up a little along the way of how to make my child a super genius. I mean, I'd be doing him or her a favor, right? Can't go wrong with making your kid a genius.
There is much more to come . . .
So (as Liz already chronicled), when Liz started craving corn dogs and jalapenos, I knew something was going on. In all the times I have had a box of corn dogs in the freezer (which has been often, I love corn dogs), I remember her asking for a corn dog one time before pregnancy, and that time, she just picked off the breading and left the hot dog, so that was indicator numero uno. We picked up on this pretty quickly and got iron clad confirmation as quickly as possible in the form of three pregnancy tests.
The cravings subsided quickly, which was honestly a little disappointing to me. I was really hoping for inventive combinations like pickles and ice cream, but alas, I have been disappointed. There has been an interesting change, nonetheless. Liz is normally someone who craves the same thing for weeks at a time, but when pregnant, she has deep insatiable cravings that subside after she eats it once. This leaves the fridge and cake keeper full of goodies that I feel compelled , nay obligated, to eat. Needless to say, I have begun to put back on weight that I lost earlier in the year, but I mean, I can't let the food go to waste, right? My brother-in-law, Josh, has commentated and warned me of this phenomenon, but I am afraid I have already been sucked in.
Some of the most amazing experiences thus far have been the sonograms. I was afraid before the first sonogram that I wouldn't be able to see anything I could recognize as a living being. I pictured myself as a character on a sitcom (like I have seen a thousand times before), who ironically is the only character that can't recognize the baby in the pictures. The audience would get a kick out of it, but I would be very sad. Luckily, this was not the case, I could instantly recognize the head and appendages. It looked most like a gummy bear to me, with no definable hands or feet yet. The second sonogram was even better in a lot of ways. The first and foremost being that he or she actually moved while the camera was on. The movement really hammered home the fact that there is a living thing in there, and it will eventually be here in the world. The second time, we could also recognize hangs and feet, along with fingers and toes.
Another of the truly fun parts of this whole deal has been getting to share the news with our friends and family. We had a blast making the video to tell our parents and siblings. The video is here: The Ultimate Scrabble Game, by the way. I also have had good experiences and responses from my friends. One of my best friends, Daniel, got me the book Fatherhood by Bill Cosby at a library sale. I think he intended it as a joke, but honestly, I am looking forward to reading it.
Being the researched driven person that I am, I am soon to embark on a vast discovery of childbirth and parenthood through books. Does anyone have any good recommendations? I do tend to learn things better from books, and while I know you can't learn things like love and affection from a book, I can learn how to parent a lot better. And I might just pick up a little along the way of how to make my child a super genius. I mean, I'd be doing him or her a favor, right? Can't go wrong with making your kid a genius.
There is much more to come . . .
And baby makes three...
On July 30th, Shelby and I will celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. Before we got married we talked about waiting to have kids until we had been married five years. For a really long time, I was good exactly were I was. I wasn’t ready to be anyone’s mom. I liked my husband, my job, and my free time. I was content. Then about year and a half ago, I caught the fever. Baby fever. I blame it on the fact that some of the people I’m closest to were having babies left and right. Hearing what they were experiencing, good and bad, started to tug at me. I wanted to be able to identify; I wanted those experiences. I was ready. But life kept popping up, and while I was ready, it wasn’t part of the plan yet. So I waited, some days patiently, some days not so patiently. I fielded the question often, “So, when are ya’ll gonna have kids?” with a smile on my face and a twinge in my heart. Things were out of my hands, and I had to trust that God’s plan was better than mine.
But if I had to wait, at least I wasn’t going to do it sitting down.
In the last few years, I hadn’t been taking very good care of myself physically. I made lots of excuses. I was busy. I’d start during the summer. I was too stressed. This cake is so good. You get the idea. I weighed more than I ever had in my life. To be honest, I don’t know how big I got. I was too embarrassed to get on the scale. Then, my Dad had a heart attack. It scared me. I am my father’s daughter, genetics and all, and I knew pretty soon I needed to get my weight under control. I decided that if I had to wait to move forward with the life I wanted, I might as well make the life I’ve got better. In January, we joined a gym, and I started dieting. The first time I got on an elliptical, I was pretty sure I was going to die. I barely ran half a mile in 30 minutes, and I was certain I’d either pass out or my heart would explode. Eventually it got better. I started seeing some progress, and when I first weighed in I was about 195 lbs . I’m pretty sure I must have topped off at over 200 lbs , but I’m glad I didn’t see it on the scale. At my doctor’s suggestion I joined Weight Watchers, and that’s when things really started happening. I was alternating running on the elliptical and doing the circuit room 3-4 times a week. I was eating right, thanks to accountability at school and at home. To be honest, it was fun. The week before I found out I was pregnant the scale read 175 lbs . I am the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life. My motivation was simple. I wanted a baby, but I didn’t want a baby and be over 200 lbs . That’s too much for my little frame. While I’ve come to accept that I’ll never be tiny, it was enough for me to know I could put on baby weight and be comfortable.
Jalapenos and corn dogs. That’s how I knew I was pregnant. Let me explain. I hate corn dogs. Ever since the sixth grade science class when Mr. Dawson explained what and how they were made, I have detested all things hot dog. And yet I wanted a corn dog more than anything. Shelby
We held off on telling people until we were sure everything looked good and that the kid was going to stick around. We made a video to tell our parents and siblings, although they all seemed to have guessed it was coming. I walked around the school with a goofy smile on my face, sure at any moment everyone would be able to figure out why I was in such a good mood. Or bad mood, depending on my mood swing! There was a minor drama in which I discovered my OB/GYN was no longer delivering babies. So I was forced to find a new doctor. Thankfully, a good recommendation led to a doctor both Shelby
I’ve been feeling really great. Although, this whole pregnancy thing is not all it’s cracked up to be at times. I never really had morning sickness, but that’s not to say I always felt good. There was one day I woke up at , was up for an hour and half, took a nap, woke up, then proceeded to take another nap. It felt like jetlag without the fun of getting to travel overseas. I also haven’t been as productive as I hoped to be this summer. But thanks to the second trimester I’ve been able to catch my second wind. I’m cleaning out closets and going through boxes that haven’t seen the light of day in a while, and our attic is finally being put to good use.
I have another appointment next Wednesday and we’ll hopefully know the sex of the baby by the end of August. I’m ready to start buying clothes and to finish decorating the nursery!
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