My little kidney bean

Had my first ultrasound today and everything looks good -- from what they can see.  The baby is in the right place (....the uterus) and the sac around it is already developed!  So the baby + the sac around it is only the size of a kidney bean!  The baby him/herself is only a little bigger than a grain of rice.  It's crazy how something so small can create such huuuge changes in me: no appetite....the urge to sleep at every, single, possible opportunity! 

Photograph by: Martin Bernetti / AFP / Getty Images, National Post

Also -- I don't want to eat anything except for sandwiches (when I actually even feel like eating; which is about once a day).  And I'm craving grapefruit juice (which I normally HATE) and lemon juice mixed with water.  How strange, right?

Ohhh Chit

Today was Christopher's first swear word in a sentence.  It was....so adorable!  But, it just reminds me that I really need to watch it because those little ears are always tuned in -- even when I think he isn't listening!

Here's how it went down...
We were playing outside -- Rob was grilling chicken -- and Christopher dropped one of the balls he was playing with.  He got this really upset look on his face and said...."Uhhh oh.  Ohhhhh chit"    It was the first time he swore......and it won't be the last.  But hopefully we can kick the habit until his late teen rebellion stage.

Also -- got good news back from the doc.  My hCG levels are at 8,539 (which is perfect! Right on track -- healthy, growing baby!) and my first ultrasound is tomorrow.  Very exciting!

Feeling funny isn't fun

I'm still having some stomach cramps / pain.... I have no idea what from.  Christopher and I shared a strawberry shake a few days ago and he got sick after that (diarrhea...TMI! haha) and I haven't felt quite right since then either.  It tasted funny & I threw it away; but, that was only after we had downed a good portion of it. Today I feel lightheaded and dizzy and I'm not sure if it's because I haven't been able to keep much down or if it's something else?  Maybe these darn pregnancy hormones again?  Probably.  At 3 o'clock (that would be 48 hours since it started getting bad) if these cramps haven't gone away I'm going to call the doc and see what they think I should do.  I just don't want to take any chances.

Besides the cramps I've had a pretty good day though :)  It's my day off so I'm spending it with the little man.  We made a lego tower and had dump truck races down the hallway.  It was a blast.  Now I'm hoping he wants to take a little nappy-poo because I could use one, too!  Also -- hubby went back to work today.  He's been on vaca for awhile and it was SO nice having him home that I miss him.    Uh Oh......I don't hear Christopher.  That's bad news......when they're quiet?  They're getting into mischief.  GOTTA RUN!

Mission: Potty Training

Here's the deal: I've been doing a lot of research on the subject and I think for the next month I'm just going to get in the routine of getting Christopher used to the potty.  Take him in there immediately in the morning, before and after naps, and whenever I go to the bathroom.  Then, in 4 weeks, I'm going to try the "Diaper Free in 3 days" method.  Essentially. after the child is familiar with the potty, and used to going at regular intervals then you have them go naked below the waist over the course of 3 days.  During each day encourage lots of liquids and keep the potty chair handy and stay at home -- as there will probably be quite a few accidents.  Then when he starts to "go" just whisk him off to his potty chair and VOILA! Potty trained   :)  In 3 days...... (we'll see how that goes)  But I'm determined to have him out of diapers before the baby gets here!

Steak with a side order of nausea, please

Normally hubby's steak is delicious....by far the best steak I've ever had in my life.  (He's a really good cook)  Not anymore!!!  Now they smell like burnt rubber and asphalt and taste even worse!  Thanks hormones for ruining steak for me.  When I was pregnant with Christopher I couldn't get near cooking eggs or pork -- made me puke.  But, other than that and being tired, I feel great!  Went to the fish hatchery with Christopher yesterday and that was pretty fun!  Of course he wanted to stick his fingers in the water; however, that wasn't a great idea because a huge walleye was eyeing it up as dinner....

TGIF? No...TGIASAIGTSI -- Thank God it's almost Saturday and I get to sleep in

Completely. Void. Of. All. Energy.   


Must.....sleeep.........

New Beginnings

Went into the hospital today to have my 48 hour re-check of hCG levels.  Optimally (is that a word?....if not; it is now) my levels were supposed to double. Usually in early pregnancy they double every 30-72 hours.  Well -- mine TRIPLED!  On Monday they were at 233 and today they were at 763.  Last time she told me my levels, I could've sworn she said 312...but, she double checked, and is positive they were only at 233 on Monday.  You know? It's really funny how before I could've cared less about any of this stuff and, suddenly, even the tiniest detail matters!  Everything that would seem miniscule to an onlooker is pretty much my entire life right now!  Every day I wake up is one day further along....one day closer to being 5 weeks!  Then after that is 6 weeks....then 12...then 36....then BAM! Just like that you're already holding your baby and -- before you know it -- they're running.  Next thing you know they're saying words and feeding themselves.  It's crazy.  I think back to when I was pregnant with Christopher and it seems like yesterday.  It's flown by way to quickly and now he's a year and a half already!  AHH!  

Also --- I've begun potty training today.  So far I just pulled the potty chair down so he can get "acquainted" with it.  He sits on it and we bring it to the bathroom whenever I go so he gets used to that.  The reason I'm starting....well....actually there are 2 reasons.  First off I want him to be completely potty trained by the time the baby gets here, otherwise it's going to get way to hectic and I don't want him to be in diapers in kindergarten.  (Pottytraining is a challenge and I don't want to take on too much if we have a newborn.  Life will be stressful enough!!)  Second reason I want to start is because he's been taking poopie diapers off in secret.  It's disgusting because he's so sneaky about it and then -- even though he doesn't try to -- poop gets all over EVERYTHING!  And after sanitizing his room, toys, crib, blankets, and pretty much everything I could see for nearly 3 hours....let's just say I never want to do that again.  The time has come!

Just a little poke

Today I had some bloodwork done at the hospital on post because they were concerned about my hCG (pregnancy hormone) levels being too high and with the past miscarriage they wanted to have it checked ASAP.  Week by week the levels increase until they finally plane off towards the end of the pregnancy -- but in the beginning the hCG levels should double every couple days.  Sometimes if the levels are too high or too low it could indicate a problem with the baby or be the first signs of a miscarriage.  But -- for being 4 weeks along -- my levels are perfect!  Such a relief to hear.  I was literally in and out of there today: just a quick poke in the lab and that was it!  2 hours later the nurse called me with the results: 312.  I go back into the hospital in 48 hours to have my blood drawn again and the numbers should double (or at least be close to doubling).  If everything looks good then I won't have to be seen again until my first appointment!  YAY! 

"A fellow who jumps to conclusions is not always certain of a happy landing" -- anonymous

It took me FOREVER to figure out the weeks of pregnancy...again. It's so confusing!  You start counting the weeks from when Aunt Flo came to visit -- BEFORE you even do the dirty mambo.  So even though i'm only 11 days pregnant (technically) it actually turns into almost 4 weeks.  Crazy!  Again, got home from work today and paaaassssssed outttttt.  At least today I didn't leave a drool pool the size of Lake Erie on hubby's pillow!  Oopsies hehe.  He wasn't as impressed as I was.  Then Christopher and I brought some dinner to Rob because he's doing 24 hour guard duty on post.  It was fun!  He must've been super hungry because he ate a big sandwich, half of a zuchini, mashed potatoes, and 1 1/2 slices of pie.  I envy his high metabolism. And of course Christopher *had* to bring his fishy backpack; where Christopher goes, so goes the backpack.  Oh I also made my first OBGYN appointment for Sept. 13th at 10 a.m.  So exciting!  Now we wait.......

Positive or Negative? Plus or Minus? 2 or 1?

And the answer is......POSITIVE! PLUS! 2!  I'm referring to the pregnancy test I took last night....at 11:00 p.m. after I ran all the way to Wal-Mart at 10:30 to get it.  I think I was in shock for the first 20 minutes!  This is all too ironic because the appointment to have my IUC (Intra Uterine Contraceptive) *was* TODAY! HA!  I couldn't help but laugh -- so close yet so far away!  Aside from being crazy nervous and wondering how on earth we're ever going to manage 2 and trying to figure out how I'm going to make room in my heart for any other kid besides Christopher: I'm actually really excited! 

So far nothing out of the ordinary for a pregnancy -- I'm freaking tired.  No...tired isn't even the correct adjective. There isn't a word to describe how I feel but I think "completely drained of all physical energy making me want to crawl in my bed and never return for the next 3 months" would come pretty close.  That isn't a joke either, I seriously have no energy whatsoever.  It's like a terrible case of mono (I would know....I had mono before!).