Some Very Minor Christmas Preparations

Hello to all,
We have been busy working as usual, and have been getting ready for christmas. I haven't done any decorating this year, as no one but the cats will be here to enjoy it. I am spending tonight making cookies and a batch of Toffee. (Which may or may not turn out) We leave next friday, the Dr was concerned that I am flying this late, so I am having another ultrasound to confim everything is okay before I go. I'm sure it will be, Sprout seems fine, and very active. I got my hair cut the other day, so that was fun. It is pretty short, but cute. I am still working on gaining weight, and recently have been craving meat like crazy. I would love nothing more than to eat all steak for the next week. Jason took me out friday night and we got a nice pink, but sadly not bloody, steak for me. It was excellent. I will update with a new Ultrasound picture on wednesday, but until then everyone enjoy the season!

White Christmas

Today we had a snow storm all day, and to top it all off, we were rear-ended moments after leaving our house. A taxi skidded into us in our own parking lot. There was no damage to the car, but I did have some cramping, so I called my OB and they told me to go to the hospital. I spent 2 hours hooked to a fetal monitor. Everything was fine. It is very cold here, in the 20's and it's not supposed to improve anytime soon.

Belly Baby

Here it is in all it's glory, my first belly shot. I am amazed how all of a sudden I look pregnant. The baby moves quite a bit, seems to sleep for a while and then have a 30 min party, then sleep again. We went out today and got some bins and organizing stuff in preparation for Sprout. I wanted to go ahead and put up the changing table so I can start putting stuff on it. We also did some x-mas shopping, trying to get a head start. I am feeling pretty well, though by the end of the day I am pretty much ready to fall over. Have a great Thanksgiving!

A visit from Grandpa...

Mike came to visit us this past Thursday night. It was so nice to see him again. Hopefully he will be able to come back when sprout has actually sprouted. Jason and Mike went to DC on Friday and saw a few sights, then we went to Indian food that night, which was soooo yummy. We all love Indian food. Saturday we went to see Solon and family. They are all still sick. Gabriella is eating food now, and seems so much older. Alessandra was talking lots and lots. Mike left after breakfast on Sunday. The baby was truly jumping last night. It was pretty amazing. I am sure Jason will be able to feel it soon. The baby tends to stop moving when he wants to feel it. I am very frustrated with that! We are gearing up for christmas. I want to spread out costs this year, so I am starting early. I am looking forward to being home for christmas. I want to make Toffee again, which I have had no success with here on the east coast.

Kicks for the Kicker

Aunt Molly sent Sprout a lovely surprise today. Shoes just like Daddy's! They are so cute! I can't wait to put them on the baby. I went to the consignment shop today and got a bouncer for 7 bucks, and 10 outfits for 10 dollars. All very cute. I can't take pictures anymore, because my camera has died. I had another Dr appointment today, everything is fine. Baby was 147 beats a minute. Sprout is also moving lots today, rolling and turning frequently.

Happy Halloween

Flowers from Julie, Mom, and Dr Rahman after my surgery.
The Holiday fun outside our front door! The white one is the baby's. My wreath is a little lopsided.
We got pumpkins today. I carved them all this evening, while watching scary movies. ( Well, Disney style scary) I got my first white one, for the baby, and I love the way it glows all over. I will now have one as part of my halloween tradition. I am feeling fine today, trying to eat for the baby, which lately we have started calling "Sprout". Not much going on this coming week, I am back at work full time, and I have my 20 week appointment on Wednesday. I will actually be 21 and 1/2 weeks by then. The baby is a little over 1 pound now. All systems are set, so now all it needs to do is fatten up. The Dr said I need to gain at least 10 pounds over the next 19 weeks. I bought some real haggendaaz today so that should do the trick. Hope everyone has a great Halloween!

20 weeks and counting!

We went in for the 20 week ultrasound today. The baby is measuring very nicely. Heartrate was 148 beats per minute. I didn't get the best pictures today, sorry. But, I can give you a rundown of this one. Clockwise starting at 12 is the ear, below that is an eye, then below that is the nose, directly to the left is the upper lip, and the tounge is sticking out at us. It seems to have a distinct jaw like Jason's. The arms and legs looked great, all the major organs checked out. The baby was also not too embarrased about showing off it's sex, so now we know what it is. If you would like to know as well, email me at nillapuddin1978@yahoo.com and I will tell you. Otherwise we are not telling unless you ask. I had a follow up with my surgeon yesterday, everything is fine, and I will return to work tomorrow. I am looking forward to it, as I have been getting bored here at home.

One week out......

Today is one week since my hospitalization. I am feeling much better, still sore, and I am still trying to get my stamina back to return to work. I may need to go back half days for the next week. The stitches are itchy so that's a good sign. Andrea and Solon came over today to visit with the kids. It was weird not being able to pick them up. I was sitting in the cafe we went to for lunch watching them and realizing that soon we too will join the parent set officially. It seems so surreal. Gabriella is getting SO big, and active. She can really hold up her head on her tummy, and sit with help. She is drooling all over now, and putting everything in her mouth. Alessandra is talking a ton, and potty training. Most of her attention seems to be taken up by the bathroom right now. She seems to love the whole routine and wants to wash her hands frequently. She and Jason played a lot today and I played and talked to Gabriella. I trimmed her nails too, just to keep in practice. You forget how little those fingers really are. So, to change topics, my new 20 week ultrasound is now this coming Friday, with an OB appt the following Wednesday. The baby seems to be moving, and I had a frightening experience with Braxton-Hicks contractions yesterday. I had no idea they could start this soon. The Dr's office said that it is perfectly normal so that made me feel better. AND the big news is that Jason got the NRC postdoc that will give me health insurance for myself and the baby until we move. Such a huge relief off my chest. I was trying to figure out what the heck I was gonna do after the baby came. - That's all for now. I will post more when I have more news.

The other shoe has dropped!

Well, my pregnancy finally hit a snag. And what a snag it was! First the good news. The apartment that we live in has agreed to keep our rent the same for 18 more months! Hurray! So that means we don't have to move. Lovely. Then the bad news. On Friday night, I was feeling pretty rough at bedtime, but I figured it was heartburn. I took some zantac, then some tums, and went to bed at 9:30. I woke up around 1:00 am with gall bladder colic pain, which I have had in the past. I walked around, ate more tums, and rocked. Usually it goes away in a few hours. I took 2 tylenol, and they did nothing. I realized how much worse it was getting, so then I called my OB on call. He said to go to the ER now, since it sounded like it was more serious. I got Jason up then, threw up in the toilet, and got dressed. We had a rough drive there, since the road was bumpy. I had my little puke bowl though, so we were safe. We got to the ER and they were really quiet, thank God. I was brought back in about 30 min, in the meantime I was pacing, moaning, and crying. Then they brought us to a room, and we were left there for what seemed like 2 hours, but I think it was less than an hour. I was in so much pain at this point that I was literally ready to leave my body, however I now feel completely prepared for labor. I did my breathing through all of it, and it didn't seem to help reduce the pain, but it kept me from screaming. The nurse finally came in, attempted to put an IV in twice, failing twice, and took my urine sample. I threw up once more somewhere in there. They sent in another nurse, who got the IV into my elbow. They started IV fluids, antinausea meds, and morphine. They ordered a abdominal ultrasound, and a doppler to check the baby. I hadn't felt the baby move all night, so I was concerned. They used a weird,old fetal doppler so they were unable to find the heartrate. So I then convinced them to check it via ultrasound since they were going to do the gall bladder any way. We then went upstairs to wait for the US. They checked and found swelling and gallstones, which we already knew were there. I was unable to see the screen but Jason got to see the baby, and he said it was much bigger now, the hands and facial features were more prominent, and it seems to be running out of room. The heartrate was 150 still. We were eventually taken back to the ER, and waited for results, I asked for stronger pain meds, since the morphine wasn't cutting it. They gave me dilaudid, which is a stronger, synthetic morphine. It was great, I was finally able to get to sleep. I was still very nauseas though. Jason took me to the bathroom, and I was dizzy, and felt like throwing up. When I got back to the room I leaned over the guerney, and was going to get up on it, and then proceeded to throw up a ton of bile all over it. I felt very bad, and the nurses had to come in and clean it all up. They came in and talked about surgery, which I was very hesitant, because of the baby, my job, money, etc. They decided to wait, and keep me till morning, to see if the pain went away. They eventually took me upstairs to a room. Jason stayed all night in a straight chair, sleeping with his head against the wall on a pillow. I periodically threw up, sucked ice chips, and went to the bathroom. The pain would come back full force every 3 hours, and I could have the pain meds every 4. The OB came in to see me, and reccomended that I do the surgery, she said it was the perfect time to do it, since the baby was so low still, under my belly button. The risk to the fetus was low, and it could be worse for the baby to do it later.
I was convinced then to go ahead. The pain was so bad, even on the meds that I was willing to do anything to be rid of it. They brought me for surgery at 11:00 and I was under by 12:00. I was awake at about 2pm. They checked the baby carefully, making sure that everything was fine, the heartrate was still in the 140's. They made me get up and walk to the bathroom soon after going back to my room, I was very sore. I was also quite nauseas still, throwing up occasionally. I was allowed nothing but ice chips, which even those were limited. The pain was already much better. They had me on heavy duty antibiotics for all 3 days, the surgeon said that the gallbladder was quite infected, and scarred from years of these attacks. I developed a fever that night, but it never got very high. Jason and I slept poorly again that night, making trips to the bathroom, dealing with IV's, and vitals. They kept tabs on the baby every 4 hours, which made Jason and I feel better. The next morning they wanted me to eat, so I ordered a cherry popsicle, and pineapple juice. I kept those down, thankfully. They came in and checked me and said I could go home that afternoon. We were both ready for that. At noon I tried mashed potatoes, but that didn't sit well, so I ate another cherry popsicle. We went home at 3 pm, sat in traffic for an hour, and then arrived and slowly climbed the stairs. I got settled in the recliner and have been there since. The pain is tolerable, I am slowly eating some soft foods, and am trying to reduce my pain meds. The baby is moving, and reminding me that it is still here. All in all, a really wild week.

All clear.....

I finally got the results of the Triple Screen today. Everything was totally normal. I figured it would be, but you never know. I am feeling occasional movement daily. It makes it seem so real. I got a video Lamaze course today, so we will watch that and then see if we feel like we need to take a class as well. Jason is very busy at work these days. I am working 9 hour days mostly so by the time I get home I am pretty wiped out. I finally found a car seat pattern I can stand. It is moss green and cream. I have 3 weeks till my detailed ultrasound. Jason and I are looking forward to that. I hope we don't see the sex though. I still want it to be a surprise.

IT'S ALIVE!!!

I am now officially never "alone". At 2 am on Thursday night I felt a little kick, and then another. Very weird. Since then it has been kicking very frequently. I am trying to let go of my fears about miscarriage now. I am basically at a less than 1 percent risk now. I am excited for our 20 week ultrasound. Tomorrow is Alessandra's 2nd birthday party, so I am making her a poke cake today. I will post pics on Monday when I post about the triple marker results.

16 weeks and counting.......

We had our 16 week appointment today. They had so much trouble finding the heartbeat last time, and this time it was there right away. It was going at 150 beats per minute. They also drew the blood for the triple screen today. I will have those results by next monday. I had lost 1 more pound, so that wasn't too bad. I am getting ketones in my urine. I asked the Dr and he said that is a sign of starvation. Who knew I would EVER have THAT problem! I am supposed to start eating 2000 calories a day, starting now. I had been eating about 1300-1500 a day. All in all a great visit. In 4 weeks they will do the 20 week BIG ultrasound, that will tell us if all is well, and if all the parts are in place. We could find out the sex, but we won't! I am really trying to accept that this is really happening, everything is going well, and I can now just enjoy the ride. Amazing!

Keep on truckin'

I am at 14 weeks and 5 days now. Everything seems to be going well. I am tired but much better than I was. I am still having a lot of back pain, even though I think the kid is in the right position now. I am looking for apartments, and dreading the move. I still am losing weight, probably because I am still eating sporadically. Molly went home last Sunday so it has been very quiet and lonely here again. Our cat Lucy actually caught a fly tonight, so we were very proud of her. She has been trying for so long, and sucks so badly. That's the most exciting thing around here, sad huh? I will write more after our next appointment.

A Future Gymnast!!

Well, once again I did not need to worry at all. Little Don Rickles is Great! It is amazing to see the change in just 5 weeks. He or She was jumping around and turning like crazy. It was amazing to see the constant movement that I am so unaware of. The Placenta looked healthy and the heart was beating at 158 bpm. All very normal. The due date by measurement was March 11th so we are still in the same neighborhood. I feel fine today and I think I am starting to get over the first trimester fatigue. AND I still have not vomited once, which I am very pleased to report. Hope everyone enjoys the pics! I love having these, it makes it so real.

Start Spreadin the News......

I had an appointment yesterday. Everything seems okay, but they couldn't hear a heartbeat. They heard the placenta pulse, so that was good. The Dr is having me repeat an ultrasound tomorrow, so I should have some new pictures. He also let me stop the Progesterone, which I was more than willing to do. We told Jason's family last night. They were all very happy. Jeanine asked if we were going to give Patrick and Bridget a "run for their money". (3 kids in less than 3 years) I don't think so, since it took us 5 years to get this little miracle. I can't imagine how exhausting having 3 that little must be. One will be enough for at least 3-4 years I'm sure. I am very glad that Jason and I had these years though. Our marriage is so secure, and we are so deeply bonded, and I don't know if it would be the same if we had gotten pregnant right away. Sadly, we also know what we are giving up.... I'm sure that there will be times that we will look back fondly on the Sundays that we slept till noon. But supposedly it will all be worth it. More tomorrow.

This kid is addicted to Cracker Barrel!

Ever since I got pregnant I have been craving my favorite meal at Cracker Barrel really often! I think Don Rickles loves hushpuppies. I have my appt on wednesday to see if we can hear the heartbeat. I only have about 8 more days of the progesterone, thank the Lord! I am starting to feel the growing uterus when I lay on my stomach or lean against things. This whole thing is very strange. There have been a lot of reports about the chemical BPA leeching out of baby bottles into the milk and causing neural syptoms and hormone imbalances. The affected bottles are of course, the ones I already have, and the ones I used on Meg and Cy. SO SCARY! They are the polycarbonate bottles, which are everywhere. So, Jason doesn't think we need to change, I do. He thinks I am worried for nothing. After all, Meg and Cy turned out Great! I figure that for 20 bucks we can switch over to safe ones and not worry about it at all. We'll see who wins......

Changes all around.....

So, not only are we adding a baby to the mix, now we are looking for a new place to live. We are currently living in a 1050sq ft 2 bedroom apartment that is very nice but costs 1540 a month. That would be fine but they are raising the rent to 1710 a month. Crazy! So we need to find a cheaper place. I have been looking around and I think I can get us down to 1400. I still want 2 bedrooms if possible, mainly for all the guests we will have. My main priority however is safety. This area is very strange in that some areas are really safe and then 2 blocks away is the ghetto. The other twist is that Jason has decided that we need to stay 2 more years, so much to my dismay we will be here till 2009! I understand that it will be best for his career and our future but still! I am trying to make the best of it, but every day something happens that makes me hate it all over again. We'll see if the Baby makes a difference. Pregnancy wise, all is well, still tired but that's normal.

All is well......

Hello to all,
We are well into week 9. I am feeling fine, just very tired. Sleeping for about 9-10 hours a night and still feel sleepy in the morning. I got all the blood tests back. Everything was fine. I am A+ blood type which surprised me. I am now in the process of figuring out what kind of OBGYN I really want. I am trying my best to avoid a c-section, induction, etc. I need to find doctors that will go along with this. That seems to be difficult around here. This area is quite backward when it comes to medicine. By the way I bought a pair of maternity pants and I have decided I will wear nothing else for the rest of my life!!! They are jeans but they feel like sweats! So comfortable! They are really too big right now, I am still losing weight right now so it may be a while till they fit. I am eating well, but I am losing about a 1/2 pound a week. My metabolism is so much faster now, I must burn off all I am taking in. I need to concentrate on eating more snacks. Molly and I went to look at cloth diapers today, I am looking forward to getting all my supplies layed in for this little babe. I got 17 outfits today for 15 dollars at the consignment shop. Other than that we are just hanging in here. Keep up the prayers, every one counts!

A new month....

I have entered month 3 now. I went to the OB on Wednesday. The Dr took lots of tests for all kinds of levels and traits. Cystic Fibrosis, etc. I had lost about 5 pounds, I guess from not eating. The Dr answered all my billion questions, told me to do the Progesterone for 3 more weeks, and said I can still sleep on my stomach, thank goodness! Molly has been embroidering some really cute onesies and bibs for the baby. People around me are very shocked that we don't want to know what it is. I think it's fun to keep guessing! One day you think it's a boy, then, maybe a girl! We have been having fun thinking of names. For now we call it "Don Rickles" because most newborns look a lot like him. I am having very few symptoms, just very tired. I feel wiped out after work, I am looking forward to weekends much more now. I will post again after I get the results of the tests. All the best to all reading this! Kelly

The Best News Possible!

Well, everything went great today obviously! There is the little pollywog there. It has a heartrate of 147 beats a minute(perfect). It is 1/2 an inch long but already has little hand and leg buds. I am 7 weeks and 4 days so the due date is supposedly March 9th, 2008. Amazing. Molly and Jason both got to be there for the ultrasound and you could see the little heart beating away. Now I feel like I can truly relax a little bit and enjoy this. So next appointment is next Wednesday. They will do basic blood work and such. I will update then or sooner if anything happens. I expect prayers from all to support this little person, whether you believe in God or not you better pray to something!

Anticipation.....

Tomorrow is the big day. Finally! I hope that we see a heartbeat. Jason is excited and nervous, as am I. We told Solon and Andrea this weekend, and they were so happy for us. Alessandra was being her adorable self and cried when we had to go home. Gabriella is getting so big! She was really smiling at all of us. We all discussed the trials and tribulations of pregnancy, trying to get pregnant , and trying to stay pregnant. And after all that emotional stress, you look at the girls and it is somehow all worth it. More tomorrow.....

New Challenges

So, now I am pregnant, but can I stay that way? I went to the OBGYN on Monday and they drew the HCG and Progesterone. The HCG was up to 9,829 from 4,485 from last Thursday, so that is a good increase. However, the progesterone was 1/2 of the minimum. Only 7.5 and it should be over 15. So now I have to lay on my back with my hips elevated twice a day exactly 12 hours apart with progesterone on my cervix for half an hour. AND it costs 147 dollars a month! Crazy! But if we end up with a healthy baby it will be all worth it. I am approx. 6 weeks now so they should be able to see a heartbeat next week on the ultrasound. If there isn't one there I think I will be devastated. Mom cried just at the thought of a miscarriage. I feel like I will let my family down as well as myself if this pregnancy doesn't make it.

So, last week I was feeling really crummy, and tired. My period never showed up, but that is so not unusual for me. I had a pregnancy test at home from a previous time so I figured Friday night that I would take it Saturday morning. Well, I did and lo and behold it was POSITIVE, and it came up positive right away. I couldn't believe it. I cried, sobbed, in fact since we have been trying for 5 years. I went out and told Jason and he cried, and we just sat there staring at that little peed on stick. I was so stunned I took two more. We are still stunned and very scared. We are both so afraid to get excited, so scared to love this idea, of something we have both wanted for so long to come to fruition. Tomorrow is the first Dr's appointment. I see the Perinatologist next week. I will need to have the HCG level tested every 3 days and possibly have to go on Progesterone to maintain this little miracle. I am so scared at this point that they will do the scan and the tests and find that it has disapeared. We told my Mom of course, but Jason wants to wait to tell his family until we are sure this will last. I am not telling the rest of my family yet. They have all wanted this for so long, I don't want to get everyone excited and then make eveyone sad. So, what a sad start to this little blog, but hopefully it will have a much happier ending.