As my doctor told me this morning, we are 3/5 of the way there (24 weeks)!! In some ways that feels good and, in others, it feels like I still have a long way to go!
I have not posted many baby bump photos yet but have been taking them. I do this at night so I look rough. Ha.
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Felt peanut move for the first time this week (August 4)! They say your due date is 5 months after that and my estimated date is January 4. Crazy. She is VERY active now. Mostly after meals and when I'm resting. She kicks and/or punches so hard that my whole stomach moves. Brad can see it across the room. Yesterday I felt her swipe a hand or foot across my belly when I was resting my hand there. That freaked me out but was sweet too. Ha. Doc said it will be more obvious since I'm slim. I seriously don't understand how some women can have no idea they are pregnant. Shocking....
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Ok, this one I took in the morning so I look a lot smaller. I get bigger as the day goes on.
This photo was taken a few minutes before I fell down our front steps. I FREAKED out. I landed full force on my back, over my right kidney. I mean didn't touch my hands or elbows down and didn't spill my water. So, I stayed home with my feet up per the doctor but knew the baby was ok. I, however, was in immense pain for a few days. Geez. So, I am super-careful near steps now!
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I am lucky that I can still wear prematernity clothes. I even wore some pants today but only for my doctor's appointment. They are binding when I sit so I had to change. I have a ton of stretchy dresses that will get me pretty far. Once it cools off, I will have to hunt for warmer dresses (don't want to stretch my sweater dresses) and maternity leggings. Not looking forward to spending money on that...
20 week sonogram. Mom went with us to find out the sex and she did a reveal that Saturday (post to come later). So much fun!
I found a deal on these Dr Seuss books and went ahead and started lil' one's library. So exciting!
And, just to document everything, the 8 week sonogram. Just one! I was hoping for two (crazy, I know) because I am not sure I can do this again.
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DISCLAIMER: I am about to document how crappy I felt in the beginning. Just so I know. Maybe I shouldn't but I want to remember what helped (little) if there is a next time.
Ok, so this all started on May 14. (Well, it really started years ago. I had been on Clomid for 6 months. Since I was so busy in April, I forgot to fill it and, don't you know, voila!!) I had been feeling a little weird for days and had a horrible headache. I was going to dinner with friends at Mexican and was worried about drinking (and taking headache meds) because I was suspicious I was pregnant. So, I took a test. Sure enough, positive! That week (week 6) started the downhill slide. I was crazy busy at work and we had two weddings that weekend so I had to power through that stuff. Nausea and weakness were awful. On Friday, I was helping do flowers for Liza and William's wedding and had to recruit Brad to help haul things. It was all I could do to stand in one place to cut and arrange flowers. I mean weakness so bad I thought I would faint. Food helped but it turned my stomach or came back up. I managed a few hours at each wedding but that was it.
I tried to cut back on my hours the next week at work without raising suspicions. I had been busting it since before Masters so leaving early or coming in late wasn't too hard. Other than work, I was on the couch or in bed. The last week in May, I finally told my boss and asked for his discretion until we were certain things were progressing well. The story to everyone was my Clomid had been doubled and it made me feel awful. So, I would come in one or two days for a few hours and be in the dark in bed working from home otherwise. When not working, I just laid on the couch like a zombie. I couldn't read (made me nauseous) and I couldn't concentrate on TV for long periods of time. Naps made me feel worse too, like I was majorly drugged.
Again, nausea and weakness were awful. I have been on Zofran from the beginning and it helps keep things down. I was living on fresh fruit, applesauce, English muffins, saltines and ginger ale for weeks. Maybe some pickles and chips (prepregnancy love), cream of wheat, ramen or granola bars. It was rough. I lost 15 pounds.
Along with the above, all my normal maladies were magnified. Reflux, headaches, congestion and back pain. Migraines so bad I would cry myself to sleep (or try to). I did finally get some stronger Tylenol from the doc but it doesn't work all the time. I tried different reflux meds but sticking with my Nexium seemed to work best. I still have the reflux but it doesn't feel like fire. The reflux and congestion just made my gag reflex worse too. The back pain is getting worse, as expected, and my sciatic nerve is being pushed on by little girl. For whatever reason, showers were (and still are) a huge struggle. I have almost fainted several times and dry-heave a lot. Brad has scrubbed the tub so I can sit down and a seat may be a purchase soon as I get bigger. I don't know if it's the steam, heat, constant movement or what but it stinks.
Until a few weeks ago, I literally struggled through work and did nothing else. Brad had to do laundry, clean, shop, etc for about 8 weeks. I am slowly getting energy back and can make small trips out of the house. I have been back at work for the last two months. I do work shorter days though because I still feel nauseous in the mornings and have to move slow. Starting around 4 I get really tired and weak again. Eating a lot of little meals helps. When the nausea and weakness started to get better, I was plagued with major migraines and GI issues (of course zofran makes GI issues worse). I won't go into detail but fiber one bars, fruit juice, whole grains, hot fluids and peri colace were helpful. The migraines have now shifted to daily morning headaches. Not disabling but they usually wake me up between 4-6 and going back to sleep is almost impossible. I think they are congestion-related but Sudafed doesn't help. I still have to sit in the dark like a vampire. Light is painful and usually brings on a headache. Oh, and dry eyes. Wth? But, yes, that is another pregnancy symptom. These aren't awful and I just use refresh when needed (no Visine allowed). I had one friend tell me hers were so bad her eyelids were sticking together and tearing overnight. Geez!
I feel like I have been a recluse. For the 4th, I sat at the Dozier lake house for a few hours. A few weeks ago, I was able to go to the Collins' pool and sit for a few hours. Brad's 35th (!) was Sept 6 and I was able to go to dinner for that. That was the first time since the May 18 wedding we had that I was out of the house past 5:30 pm. We have missed beach trips, lake trips, cookouts, etc. Brad had to stay with me in the early days because I could hardly move. Now he can go and do and I can manage at home by myself. He has been my rock! Especially since we got Sully during all this craziness.
I hope no one read this far; it's not pretty. But, it does get better and I know it will totally be worth it. Just not sure I want to go round 2. :)
Ok, enough of the bad stuff! More posts to come on the fun, exciting things we have going on!!!
