And then there were 3...
October 7, 2012: This is the day that I took my SIXTH pregnancy test, and it finally showed up POSITIVE!! I think after 5 negative tests most people would have just accepted that they weren't pregnant. But, I KNEW I was pregnant. I could just feel it! I just wanted to cry when I saw the second line appear on the test. One of my happiest moments. Unfortunately Stephan wouldn't get home until late and I had to go to bed early because I had work the next day. So, being the impatient person that I am when it comes to sharing good news, I made signs and put them all over the bathroom because I couldn't wait to tell him! :] --- And thus started our long journey...
The not so fun stuff...Pregnancy Symptoms
1. Nausea/Vomiting: From weeks 9-17 I was so sick! Luckily I had afternoon/evening sickness rather than morning sickness. This made getting up at 5 for work and clinicals much easier. I still had absolutely no energy, but I wasn't puking up my guts before the sun had risen. Gotta look at the bright side! :] But eventually the nausea went away, and I finally enjoyed eating again! I can't even explain how wonderful it is to not gag as I make dinner.
2. Super Human Sense of Smell: I don't know why, but Stephan was fascinated by this symptom. I, however, hate it! Makes the nausea part so much worse.
3. Migraines: I can't WAIT to be able to take Excedrin again...
4. Cravings: French Fries and Salad. Weirdest combination, but these were the only two foods that actually sounded good for the longest time. Now, I just want food. Period. At 33 weeks I am starving all of the time. You would think that I would be the size of an elephant right now, but luckily I have a little piggy inside me eating all of the extras :]
5. Food Aversions: Broccoli was the only specific thing that I couldn't eat for a long time. However, anything I ate or cooked when I was super nauseous now makes me gag! Unfortunately for Stephan, 90% of those dishes are his favorite foods! He's still pretty bitter about that because I don't make them as often now. He says that the next time I am pregnant I can only make/eat foods that he doesn't like. Luckily for me that list is pretty long! :]
6. No Sleep: Body pillows help, but I can't remember the last time I slept for more than 2 hours straight. I wake up throughout the night to change positions because my hips are on fire. I feel like I'm 90 years old with arthritis! I think this the Lord's way of preparing me to never get a good night's sleep again! However, since I'm awake a lot I get to hear Stephan talk in his sleep more! I haven't laughed this much in a long time! He says some pretty crazy stuff. I've started documenting our "conversations" so I'll be posting them in a future post!
The things you look forward to! ....
1. The first heart beat!: I thought that I was excited when found out that we were pregnant, but nothing compares with hearing the first heart beat. After having a miscarriage, hearing that little thump thump thump was the best sound I have ever heard. I of course lost it, and I think Stephan finally let himself believe that we were actually having a baby. It was a good day.
2. Weekly Development updates: I loved going onto thebump.com and seeing what new fruit or vegetable or baby's size compared to. I don't really know how a baby compares to a Rutabaga, but it was fun to see the development anyways!
2. Boy or Girl??: I found out quickly that 20 weeks is a LONG time! We were both so anxious to find out our baby's gender, so of course it went by so slow... January 28th rolled around and we went in for our first ultrasound. Stephan went in with hopes of a boy that he could take shooting and teach how to pee on a tree. I went in dreaming of bows and frilly dresses! Apparently during the ultrasound the tech kept saying "his head" and "see his arm there", so Stephan thought she had seen the gender and we were having a boy! I didn't even notice because I was captivated by our tiny little squirmer! As suggested by my sister-in-law, Aimee, I drank a glass of orange juice before coming so the baby would be moving enough to see the gender. However, we have an already active child, so orange juice was like crack! She did not stop moving once. This made finding the gender a challenge, but our tech was prepared. She finally got a couple shots...and to Stephan's surprise (and at first disappointment) we found out that we're having a GIRL!! Brooklyn Patrick officially made her debut. I couldn't have been happier. And although Stephan was angry at the tech for getting his hopes up, I think he's pretty excited to have a daughter. I know she's going to have him wrapped around her little finger from day one. He has already nick named her "Brooke" and asks regularly how "his two girls" are doing. :] I love seeing him get more and more attached! It's rare to see his sensitive side, but he does have one even if he keeps it hidden. :]
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| It's a girl!! |
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| Gender Reveal Cake Pops |
3. Kicks, Flutters, and Hiccups: The first time I felt an unmistakable kick was on January 5th. I had just come home from work and sat down on the couch. All of a sudden I felt this weird little popping feeling in my lower abdomen. I have to admit that was a pretty weird experience. I almost felt like I had an alien inside me or something. (That's what I get for having a husband that LOVES Sci-Fi). From that moment on her kicks and little flutters came more frequently and got stronger. Now whenever I sit down by people they just stare at my stomach because my bump is constantly shifting and moving. You can see every kick and move that she makes! I love it! Probably one of my favorite things about being pregnant! I also recently started feeling her hiccup. At first I thought it was my abdominal pulse, but then it became irregular and I don't have any heart problems. I of course went online and found out that I was feeling her hiccup! Adorable, and a good sign of neurological development!
4. A Growing BUMP!
So I am 33 weeks now! In 3 days I'll be a college graduate. In 4 weeks I'll be done with the NCLEX and officially an RN. AND in 7 weeks we will finally get to meet Brooklyn! It has been a fun and exciting journey, and I just can't wait to hold her in my arms!!
