Pregnancy Memories

I am completely copying Heather today because I thought this would be a great idea just to help me remember some details about my pregnancy.

1. Wes and I decided to get off birth control around Halloween, both thinking it would take a while to get pregnant.  The week in between Christmas and New Years, we went to ride 4-wheelers with our friend Jonathan.  We were riding for a while and I just didn't feel right.  Of course when we were the furthest away from our cars, I had to pull over because I thought I would be sick.  I just had to take a breather and then went slow the rest of the time until we finally got to our cars.  I was thinking..maybe I'm pregnant but I would only be 2 weeks if I was.  So I really didn't think that was possible to already have symptoms.  Over the next couple days I was burping constantly (not like me at all) and my co-worker who just had a baby said...you are pregnant!! She told me to go get a test to take in the morning.  I told her I was still like 10 days away from my period that it was just to early to tell...

2. Meanwhile Heather called me during all of this to tell me she was pregnant! I was so hoping I would be able to tell her the same thing in a couple days!  On Saturday, January 7th I decided to take the test.  Wes was home but I didn't tell him what I was doing (I think we both knew I was pregnant though).  Within seconds the test said "Pregnant" even though I was 10 days away from missed period it was still reading pregnant.  I went in the living room and told Wes.  Neither one of really knew what to say :)  (of course I took a couple more tests)

3. We decided not to tell friends and family yet because I wanted to go to the doctor first.  (I did tell Heather so we could compare everything..we were 3 weeks apart).  My first doctors appointment wasn't until January 25 when I was 6 weeks pregnant.  That is a long time to keep that secret!  We even were all together for my Dad's birthday too.  I didn't feel good at all (not sick all the time just felt like I had the flu for 8 weeks) so I am shocked no one really asked me what was wrong because I know I wasn't hiding it much.

4. Wes's birthday is Jan. 23 and mine is Feb. 9th and we usually get together with both parents at my moms house to celebrate birthdays.  It is usually around my bday but this year I asked Mom to have it earlier.  I had to work late that night and they were all waiting for me when I finally go to my parents house.  I came in with a cake with 9-19-12 on it and my mom figured it out.  So our families finally knew we were pregnant.

5. I told everyone to keep it a secret until I was closer to my second trimester.  I had a doctors appointment when I was 10 weeks and I was going to tell everyone after that.  I thought I would hear the heartbeat then but my doctor really wanted to wait until week 12 just in case it was hard to find he didn't want me to worry.  So that was 2 more long weeks to wait!!  At my 12 week appointment, my mom and I FINALLY heard the heartbeat!! It was amazing :)  I was able to tell everyone after that!

6. The first trimester was not my friend at all!  I guess I was lucky that I wasn't sick every morning.  I was sick once or twice a week just one time a day and then felt better.  So nausea wasn't fun but could have been a whole lot worse.  I just felt like I had the flu and so tired!  Since I wasn't visibly pregnant...Wes had a hard time understanding why I felt so tired and sick.  He was like...you aren't even that pregnant yet.  Men :)

7. Finally the second trimester hit.  Around 14 weeks I was finally feeling much better.  I was wearing some maternity clothes.  At each doctors appointment my blood pressure was getting higher and higher.  At first they didn't seem concerned but then around week 20 it was like 180-90 (to me that is scary high considering I am always around 125-65).  So they finally gave me some medicine to take.  I hate I had to be on medicine and diet didn't work.  I changed how I ate and actually lost about 6 pounds (proud to say I only gained 20 my whole pregnancy) but my blood pressure still got higher and higher.  They say some people just get high bp when pregnant..I was one of those lucky ones I guess. 

8. When I was 18 weeks pregnant, Wes and I went for the big ultrasound! I was so excited to find out if we were going to have Paige or Thomas!  Yes we already had names picked out for either sex!  The strange ultrasound tech did all of her measuring and everything looked great and it was finally time to see.  Well our baby decided to take a nap and we almost didn't get to tell if it was going to be a boy or girl.  It took a few pokes and shakes and finally she said we were going to have a girl! I of course would have been happy either way..but I secretly wanted a girl :)

9. I called Mom to tell her and she wanted me meet up with me before I went back to work..she gave me Paige's first dress!  Then I went and bought "Its a girl" balloons to put on my mother in laws car.  She is a teacher and I wanted to tell her right away but couldn't call her and I didn't want to email her.  So I put the balloons on her car.  She loved it!!  She always brought us some cute girl clothes that afternoon.

9. You know how I told you my bp was high?  Well when I got on the medicine I then had to go to the doctor every week from week 20-24 just to make sure it was in the right range...and it was!

10. I thought I was finished with my weekly appointments for a while but I was wrong.  It was time for my glucose test at week 25.  I was dreading this so bad.  I have heard terrible things about the drink.  I was stressing that I was going to fail.  So I went in and requested the Fruit Punch flavor and it wasn't bad at all!  I was shocked.  But of course, I failed the one hour.  I just went in my car and cried...yes I am emotional during the whole pregnancy.  Even though everyone told me so many people fail the one hour and pass the 3 hour...I just didn't want to deal with it along with worrying about my bp too! 

11. I went back the next week for the 3 hour.  I did everything I was supposed to with my diet and fasting.  They took my blood before I drank and then right afterwards and said I was in the right range.  They also told me I could leave and run errands or something but just to be back in exactly an hour.  So I went to CVS to pick up some bday/fathers day cards and made it back in time.  The checked my blood and it was still in perfect range.  They told me that usually you don't have to stay the third hour if your numbers are this good.  I stayed at the doctor and read my book until the next hour and my numbers were great again and I got the approval I could leave and not finish the third hour...I was thrilled!  No gestational diabetes here!

12. I could finally try to enjoy being pregnant now.  My bp was under control, no diabetes and was over half way through!  It was time to start getting the nursery together.  The room that we were using has been storage/junk room so it took a while to clean everything out.  Then Wes painted her room and I was ready to get furniture in there!

13. It was time to go register!  We went to Buy Buy Baby and picked out everything we needed/wanted.  Mom bought us the crib too!  I couldn't wait to get it all together.  Registering was a bit overwhelming to say the least but we got it done!

14. I was feeling really good this part of the pregnancy (minus not sleeping the way I want too!)  It was time for baby showers.  I had several, one at my church given to us by my mom's Sunday School class, one in Clemson with my friends there, one with Wes's side of the family and then finally one with friends and family friends in Greenwood.  I also had 2 surprise showers with my volunteers I have at work.  So needless to say, Paige was spoiled!

15. I was in "get nursery ready" mode and that was all I wanted to do.  My mom and mother in law came over one day and that is all we did.  My mom was ironing Paige's clothes and bedding.  Tommie was cleaning up, and putting up things for me and I was organizing.  It was great and the nursery was basically finished with a few weeks to spare!

16. When I was 29 weeks pregnant I had the 4D ultrasound.  Me, Mom, Jodi and Tommie went to Greenville on Saturday to have it done.  It was amazing and worth every penny! I absolutely loved every single second and I got to see my sweet baby girl's face!  She has an Oliver's nose too!

17.  Swollen feet!! I had some majorly swollen feet when my bp was so high around week 20 but that lasted about a week.  Then around early-mid 30 week they were back.  They were swelling up every day but they always went back down after having them raised above my heart for about an hour in the evenings.  I know it was a mixture of the 100 degree weather, the AC not working at my office and sitting at my desk, but I was over it.  Finally around week 35 or so, they stopped swelling so much.  I mean they are a little bit but nothing to complain about.  Around week 37 I couldnt wear any rings anymore..I miss my rings!

18. Around week 32 or so, my blood pressure starting getting pretty low.  It was like 90 something/60.  So they cut me back on my medicine and I'm taking half of what I was taking.  Every appointment since then was been perfect again.  My doctor said...Ive never had to lower this medicine during a pregnancy before, especially at the end.  Yay!

19. About that same time, my doctors were noticing that Paige was having some growth spurts.  She was always measuring right on the week until around week 32 or something.  So I had an ultrasound and they were right..she was measuring about 2 weeks ahead.

20. Since she was big and measuring big at each appointment, I had two more ultrasounds.  At the second one at week 36 she was measuring 7 pounds 9 ounces and in the 90% percentile.  I know ultrasounds aren't 100% accurate with weight, but that's a big baby to still have a month to go!  So two weeks later they wanted another ultrasound and if she was still that big (90% percentile) they wanted to schedule a c-section.

21. Of course when you tell people that you may have to have a c-section, the people who had a baby naturally all say, "don't let that doctor make you have a c-section..blah blah blah" and those people who have had a c-section are all like "if they tell you to have one there is a reason!"  That has been one of my biggest pet peeves this pregnancy..people telling me what to do and what not to do.  My doctor wouldn't schedule a c-section if it wasn't medically necessary.  They would prefer you to go naturally.  But when you have a big baby, there is a risk of tearing (I was terrified of that because I know people that has happened to), then the risk of going into labor only to find out you still have to have a c-section.  So needless to say, I wanted a c-section.  Yes I know recovery will be worse, but not as bad it I was ripped all up and messed me up for the long run?  You do what you have to do!   Sorry about my rant!

22. At the last ultrasound at 38 weeks pregnant, Paige was still measuring in the 90th percentile and weighing around 8 pounds 9 ounces.  So she had the possibility of weighing close to 10 pounds if I were to have her naturally in week 40-41...no thank you!

23. Meanwhile let me tell you, the last month of pregnancy is NO FUN!  It hit me around week 37.  I am miserable.  For a awhile, she was right on my ribs and it was painful every time she moved.  She dropped a little so now she is on my bladder!  I have to re-adjust how I am sitting all the time to get comfortable.  I have to get up every 2-3 hours just to turn over.  I cant just roll over either.  I have to get up and since I am up, I might as well go to the bathroom, then I have to lay back down in the other direction.  I know my sleep will only get worse once she is here but hopefully once I recover from c-section I will be able to move a little better!

24. At my last doctors appointment after going over the ultrasound with my doctor, he wanted to schedule a c-section for week 39.  So we looked at the calendar and I had the choose between Wednesday, Sept 12 or Thursday, Sept. 13.  (I'm glad 9/11 was still my week 38 because I didn't want Paige to have her birthday on that day).  All I could think about is I want it soon as possible.  Well the thing at my doctors office is that you see multiple doctors throughout the pregnancy just so you meet them all because you never know which one will be on call the day you have your baby.  There were 3 that I really liked and I wanted to make sure I was there on one of the days they were there.  The 4th person was a new doctor and I never met her and the 5th one I wanted to avoid!  He may be the best doctor ever but I saw him one time and I about throw up.  He had SO MUCH cologne on that I could barely breath.  That's all I can think of when I hear his name too.  So the lady scheduling me said Dr. Cologne (no I'm not saying his name on here) will be delivering on Wednesday or Dr. Russell (one of my favorites and who Ive been seeing the last few appointments) will be working on Thursday.  So I picked Thursday because I wouldn't be able to handle Dr. Cologne (who may be the best one ever..but oh well!)

25. So now Wes and I have a date for a baby to arrive.  She will be here in 3 days..that is so crazy!  We enjoyed our baby free weekend...he went hunting and playing with friends (he is scared he wont be able to do that anymore haha) and I enjoyed my house, Gracie and football.  It was a nice last weekend as a family of two.  (Wes and I spent Sunday together around the house)

26. I hope to take Tuesday and Wednesday off of work this week so I can relax and just have some time to myself at home before craziness begins!

27. I go to the hospital Wednesday morning for my pre-op.  Never had surgery or anything before, so I really don't know what to expect!  I will find out what time to be at the hospital on Thursday morning..all I know is that it will be bright and early!

28. I have my hospital back almost packed...just have to put in a few last minute items.

29. Oh..I almost forgot.  I felt Paige having hiccups for the first time last night..it was so neat!!

30.My next blog post will hopefully be announcing Paige's arrival!!