Happy Birthday!!!

     

     On July 29, 2013, we headed to the hospital at 6:30 in the morning for a scheduled induction.  Our doctor felt like Baby Schritter was getting too big and we would be better off helping him to come rather than waiting for labor to start on its own.  After all the paperwork and preliminary stuff they started my pitocen around 8am.  At 11:15 our doctor came and broke my water.  By 3pm I was debating an epidural, but decided to hold out a little longer.  By 7:15pm, I was checked and had dialated to 4cm.  I asked for my epidural and felt pretty accomplished that I had held out this long to get it.  I was informed that my platelet count that morning from the blood draw they did was 104,000 and it had to be over 100,000 in order for them to do an epidural.  And since that was twelve or so hours ago, they wanted to do another blood draw to check.  So we did that.  After waiting until 9:30pm (and IV pain medication to “take the edge off” was NOT helping), I was told my platelet count was too low to receive an epidural.  I’m not gonna lie:  I started crying.  I was hurting so much by this point and I couldn’t imagine doing this without some sort of relief.  My doctor came in and we talked about it and discussed the risks of doing it anyway, and then he left to talk to the anesthesiologist and then she consulted with someone else, and eventually it was decided to go ahead with the epidural.  I can’t tell you what was going on behind my back, but I do know that when she was done I was numb clear up to my shoulders, and this was not good.  The nurses kept testing how much I could feel by putting an alcohol wipe in several places on my shoulders, arms, and chest and asking if I could feel “cold and wet” and every time my answer was no.  I couldn’t feel a thing from my neck down!  A couple of different times I was surrounded by a roomful of nurses and they turned me over from my right side to my left and then back from my left to my right.  Apparently the umbilical cord was getting squished and they were trying to give Baby Schritter more oxygen.  But since I was so numb I couldn't turn myself over!  They stopped all medication through my epidural and let it wear off, so after several hours I could feel all my pitocen-induced contractions again and I was getting pretty miserable.  They started IV pain meds to “take the edge off” again (Fentenyl?), but it was not helping me at all.  My doctor came in at 2am on July 30, and suggested we do a c-section.  My husband and I convinced him to let us try on our own for another couple of hours because I so badly wanted to avoid a cesarean delivery.  He was super nice and said okay, but that he would be back around 4 to check on us.  We tried different positions over the next couple of hours in a final, desperate attempt to have our son vaginally.  But at 4am our doctor checked me again and I had still not progressed so he gently broke the news that a c-section was what needed to happen to bring our son into this world.  I was prepped for surgery, a team was called to the hospital, Jake got dressed in paper scrubs, and at 5:14am, Carson Ryan Schritter was born, weighing 7 lbs., 15.6 ounces.  The doctor said he would have weighed 8 pounds but he tinkled as they pulled him out.  ;)  I missed seeing the fun stuff like his first bath, but Jake was able to go with Carson and take some pics.  I met up with them later in our room after I had been stitched back together.  After being awake and in labor for more than 24 hours, we were all three exhausted!!

       Carson has a bit of a breathing problem, but nothing they can really pinpoint or find a cause for.  He just breathes a little quicker than most babies do.  He had a chest x-ray to rule out fluid in his lungs, an ultrasound on his head to rule out bruising on his brain, and an echocardiogram to rule out a heart problem.  He passed all of these with flying colors.  After  a couple of days in the hospital, both my doctor and Carson’s pediatrician both signed off for us to go home together on August 2, 2013.  Happy Birthday, Carson!!  We love you! 

Due Date Plus __ Days.....

Yesterday was our due date, but Little Man has yet to make his appearance.  I went to work and did all the normal things, and my patients and coworkers and even people I didn't know were all telling me I was crazy for being there.  But what else would I be doing?  Sitting at home on the couch?  I might as well be making money while I still can if Baby Schritter is going to keep camping out on the inside!  It's really hard to still be pregnant after counting down the days until we meet our son just to have him be overdue!!  Today doesn't seem like it will be the day either.  Nothing unusual or exciting going on over here.  Jake is at work and I currently have Molly snuggling with me on my right side on the couch and Deuce on the left.  We are just enjoying some time together! 

Due Date on Thursday and No End in Sight

Our due date in this Thursday, July 25.  Today is Monday, July 22.  And I think I may be pregnant forever.  I know most soon to be moms probably feel like this, but with all the people I know and the friends of friends that I know that are giving birth this week or last week it makes me a little jealous that everyone has a cute little bundle in their arms and mine just likes where he is at and doesn't seem to be making a move anytime soon. 

Today we saw our doctor and I've gained 25 pounds this pregnancy, which is perfect.  I am measuring at 37 centimeters, and they want you to have one centimeter per week that you are pregnant, so actually I'm a little less than average there for 39 weeks and 4 days.  I'm still only 70% effaced (no change since last week) and one centimeter dialated (BUMMER!).  Since I have gestational diabetes, our doc wants me to have another ultrasound to see how big Baby Schritter is because is he gets too big they will do a C-section since there could be concerns with him getting his shoulders through where they are supposed to go.  So ultrasound #3 is scheduled for this Thursday.  And then our doctor will decide from there whether to induce or schedule for the C-section (which I do NOT want to do).  But from the looks of things one of the other of those will have to happen unless Baby Schritter decides to up and move out in the next day or two, but this is unlikely given my lack of dialating so far!!  I'm still working full time and just trying to take one day at a time. 

On a positive note, I got to talk to my brother in Afghanistan today.  It was really great to hear from him and to hear that he is doing well.  He has a plan for when he gets out and what he wants to do with his future.  I'm really proud of him and hope that everything works out the way he hopes!  I haven't heard his voice in several months and it was awesome to hear from him.  And hopefully he will be coming to visit in October to meet his new little nephew too!! Can't wait!

Ear infection and 38 weeks!

Last Saturday my left ear started hurting.  Of course, it would happen on a weekend when my doctor isn't in the office and there are no Urgent Care facilities in our area.  Joy.  So after suffering on Saturday, and losing hearing on that side on Sunday, Monday arrived and I was finally able to speak with my doctor.  He put me on antibiotics and Sudafed without even having me come in for an appointment.  I was super happy to start the antibiotics so I could hear again!!  It's annoying to not be able to hear anything!!  Fast forward to today: Friday.  I. Still.  Can't.  Hear.  >:(  We will come back to that....

This last week I have had to go to the hospital for non-stress tests.  The nurses hook you up to a machine and monitor Baby Schritter's heart rate and also any kind of small contractions.  The hope is that his heart rate goes up during a contraction or with movement. Which, it does, so everything is fine!!  I have to keep doing this next week too, but it only takes 20 minutes or so and I can go after work so it's not too bad. 

First thing this morning we had an ultrasound to see how big Baby Schritter is.  Since I have gestational diabetes (supposedly), they want to make sure he doesn't get too big before he is born.  The good news is that he looks great in there and is currently measuring to what equates to 7 pounds and 12 ounces.  I think this is WAY big enough, but apparently my doctor thinks this is just fine.  :/  The ultrasound technician showed us that Baby Schritter has hair on his head (quite a bit!) and the fact that he is definitely a boy.  :D

We saw our doctor right after the ultrasound.  This week marks 38 weeks along.  I gained another 2 pounds, which he is happy about, my blood pressure is still great. I'm 70% effaced and only one-half a centimeter dialated, so Baby Schritter is not coming to visit us this weekend and probably not next week either.  I'm a little disappointed because I really want to meet this little guy, and going to work is getting harder and harder.  I hate having to bend over or crouch down to pick things up, put things away, or do things that seem simple like refill water bottles under the cabinets.  It doesn't help that I swear I drop things WAY more often than I ever have before!!  I probably don't, but I sure do notice it a lot more nowadays!

Back to my ear problem. I had our doctor look in my ear today while I was there and he said I definitely have an ear infection, but it's not caused by wax buildup.  I must just have a lot of fluid in there.  I asked how long it will be before the fluid goes away and I can hear, and he said, "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but for some people, it can take months."  MONTHS?!!!  And there is nothing I can do about it.  So don't be offended if I have to keep having you repeat yourself if you talk to me.  I honestly can't hear very well at all.  My new favorite phrases are, "I'm sorry?", "Come again?", "What?", and my personal favorite, "Huh?", followed by, "I can't hear you!!!". 

36 weeks, 4 days

Today we had another baby appointment.  I gained two pounds since last time, but considering I had lost a pound, that puts me right back on track.  19 pounds gained so far.  I am measuring 37 centimeters this time, so that's almost right on track for being almost 37 weeks. My blood pressure is excellent (actually less than when I got pregnant).  I don't have an ultrasound scheduled until the 12th (due to the Fourth of July Holiday this week), so our doctor hooked up his little portable ultrasound to get an idea of how big baby boy is right now.  He is measuring approximately 6 pounds 8 ounces! 

In related news, our doctor has decided to place me on medication to help control my blood sugar.  I am still in denial about the whole gestational diabetes thing, so I although I will continue to eat like a rabbit, avoid any good-tasting food, and poke my fingers 6 times a day, I will continue to deny that I have gestational diabetes.  Hey, as long as I do everything he says to do, I can think whatever I want to in my head, right??  I also have to go in for non-stress tests twice a week starting next week.  Oh, the joys of pregnancy.  Maybe next time (if there is a next time after all this!) I can have a normal pregnancy where I can eat whenever and whatever I want. You can't really have pregnancy cravings when you aren't allowed to eat any of the good stuff!! 

We thought we had a name picked out, but we had decided not to share it with anyone.  Well the other night I asked Jake if we should look again just to be sure that we were both still okay with that name, and come to find out, I thought his name was going to be one thing, and Jake thought it was going to be something else!!  I'm still not sure how the miscommunication came about, but now we are back to square one with Baby Schritter's name.  Next appointment is next week, if nothing happens before then!  :)

Oregon Baby Shower and Deuce's 3rd Birthday!

Our very good friend Jayme wanted to throw us a baby shower, and I must say, she knows how to throw a party!!  I remembered to take a few pics for this baby shower and thought I should share! 

Me on the way to the shower!

Jake and I below the It's a Boy Banner!

Only a small sampling of the goodies!!  Micque made the guacamole, and the cake pops were made by Amanda and Jayme.  (Amanda also made our gender reveal cake, if you remember that post!  She is VERY talented!) We also had a variety of fruits and veggies, hamburgers, hot dogs, and potato salad!  Jake manned the grill and also made the potato salad from scratch!

Close-up of the cake pops!  The tags say "It's a Boy!"



Close-up of the water bottles.  I didn't know you could order wrap things like this!!  So awesome!

The decorating table for onesies and bibs!



An inside joke between Jake and his boss, Ray.

Jayme made this bib!

Micque made this bib!!  LOL!

Carrie made this one!! She is always calling Baby Schritter "Little Dude!!"

Micque also made this one!!  So creative!

Maryann brought her seven year old daughter, Sierra, who customized this onesie!

And I made this one, so we could include Molly and Deuce in the festivities!!  They are going to be great puppy siblings!
 

We had a really great time, and Baby Schritter got even more spoiled.  We are truly grateful to have such great friends here in Oregon.  Today was also our Weimeraner's THIRD birthday!!  Deuce started his day with a new tire-shaped toy, and then we took both dogs to the beach where they chased a ball into the ocean for an hour!!  Both dogs also enjoyed all sorts of special treats today (hash browns, ice cubes, and special duck and potato treats!) They are currently both passed out on the floor and sleeping soundly.  I think we wore them out! 

I think he has the most beautiful eyes......

He's a big boy now.  Happy Birthday, Deuce Tanner!  We love you very much and our family wouldn't be the same without you, buddy!

35 weeks and our 3 year anniversary!

That means only 5 weeks (or less!) until we meet Baby Boy Schritter.  We met with our doctor today.  Looks like I lost one pound since last visit, so I've gained 17 pounds this pregnancy so far.   My tummy measures 35 cm, which is exactly where it should be for 35 weeks!  Doctor says he seems pretty long.  He's pointed down like he should be, but he's still kinda far up so he hasn't "dropped" yet.  Our next appointment isn't for another two weeks, right after the fourth of July.  The closer he gets to coming the more exciting yet also more nerve-wracking my life gets!  We are really excited to meet our son and be parents, but that comes with all kinds of worries about raising someone that depends wholly on us!!  Not to mention that I've never gone through labor before so the unknown of that makes me really nervous.  As long as I can avoid a C-section I think I will be alright!!  Plus, I try to keep in mind that women have been doing this since the beginning of time.  I should be able to do it too!!  I think all of the basic stuff he will need is ready to go.  He has a crib and changing table, and a couple of packs of diapers to get us started, a dresser, two car seats (one for each of our vehicles), a rocker glider chair, a stroller, a baby bath tub, lots of other odds and ends. and some really cute clothes given to us by friends and family.  Next weekend my friend Jayme is throwing us a baby shower so I think the number of clothes might grow some!  I'm always amazed at how small the clothes are, and baby shoes are the cutest things ever! 

Our anniversary was on the 12th.  3 years married, but we've been together since 2008.  Jake does so much for our little family and I couldn't ask for a more caring, loving, attentive partner to go through life with.  He nearly always makes dinner for us every night after a long day at work, and he always does what he can to help my life (especially with this pregnancy!) easier.  He knows me better than I know myself.  I know he will be a fantastic Daddy because he is already a great husband!!  Usually for our gifts on our anniversary we have stuck to the "traditional" yearly gifts and this year was supposed to be leather.  I got him a new belt (which he needed), and a Fossil watch with a leather strap.  This year he strayed away from the traditional and bought me diamond earrings and a beautiful diamond necklace!!  I really am a lucky girl.  :)

Portland and 33 weeks!

This past weekend we went up to Portland.  There were several reasons for this trip.  First, Jake had an interview for the manager position at the hotel he does maintenance for.  After two and a half hours his interview was finally done.  Meanwhile I was at Babies R' Us, which, by the way, is the BEST store on the planet for an expecting mom, or a mom with smaller kids!!  They have EVERYTHING!!  I checked out the shoe section more than once.  Baby Schritter already has 5 or 6 pairs of shoes and he's not even here yet.  He's gonna be one well-dressed kid.  ;)

We checked into our hotel and then went out to dinner at Olive Garden!! It had been several years since either of us had been to one.  Right before dessert, Jake got a phone call:  they offered him the position!!  So, ladies and gentlemen, my husband is the new manager at the Coos Bay Quality Inn and I couldn't be more proud of him.  At this time last year he didn't have a job, and look at him now!!  He went from maintenance man to manager in 10 months!!  Oregon has been good for our little family.  The waitress even gave us a free dessert!!  :) 

On Saturday we went to the Saturday Market in Portland.  There were a lot of talented people selling their goods and a lot of....well....interesting people.  It was great for people watchers like us!  We made a stop at VooDoo doughnuts and then headed for the zoo!!  The zoo in Portland is HUGE!!  I think we were there for about 5 hours, just walking around and trying to make sure we saw everything! 

Sunday we headed home, but not before we stopped at the outlet mall in Woodburn!  I got some new clothes, Baby Schritter got some new clothes, and Jake got some new clothes too!!  Then we stopped in Salem for some Jimmy John's.  We sure do miss that place!!  So yummy.

Today we had another baby appointment.  So far I have gained 18 pounds, which our doctor says is just a little below average.  I told him it wasn't a race.  ;)  My blood pressure is normal, and I am measuring normal!!  Baby Boy's heart rate sounds great.  I talked to our doctor about the whole gestational diabetes thing.  I'm still in denial, but I bought the glucose monitor and the strips and all that, but I can't get in to see the dietician and the nutritionist and have them show me how to use it until a week from Friday.  So I've been talking to people that know about these things (as far as diet goes), and I told our doctor I could read the instructions and figure out how to use the glucose meter if he would tell me how often he wanted me to check my blood sugar.  I about fell over when he said 7 times a day.  7!!?!?!?  Yep.  Once when you wake up, then before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 2 hours after each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).  He said he knew that was a lot but that I should at least check it five times a day.  Holy crap-ola, mister.  Maybe we will start that tomorrow……..I don’t really have time to check my blood sugar two hours after every meal.  Two hours after I eat breakfast I am with a patient.  And two hours after lunch I am with a patient. So those are probably not gonna happen.  But that brings us to the five times he wanted so maybe that will be what happens….um…..tomorrow…….As you can see I’m trying to put off pricking my fingers as long as possible…….

Other than that we have nothing to report!!  We get another ultrasound at 37 weeks!!  Yay!

3 Hour Blood Glucose Test

Today we went and did the 3 hour blood glucose test and it was everything I expected it to be.

First they had me do a urine sample.  This surprised me.  No one told me about this part so I had actually just went before we left the house.  Luckily I was able to squeeze a little out.

Then they took the first blood draw.  This was not so bad.  I had the same lady I've had the past two times and she did a really good job.  Then I drank the nasty sugar drink like I was downing a shot.  Might as well get it over with, right?  Then we went back to the waiting area for the next hour.

That first hour was not so fun.  I kept having waves of feeling sweaty and lightheaded.  There were a couple of times I thought I might throw up.  Finally the hour was up and we reported for the next blood draw.  The same nice nurse asked how I was feeling.  I told her I didn't feel very good and told her about it.  She took my blood and then had me walk over to the OBGYN's office where they gave me a room where I could lie down for a while.  That's when I started to feel shaky and cold.  I had a blanket but I still felt cold.  And then I started crying.  I don't know why I was crying, but I was, and that upset me even more.  That was a hard hour.

Another nurse came by when the hour was up and took the next blood draw in that room.  I was starting to feel a little better so I sat up for about twenty minutes just to see how it would go and I felt like I could go sit in the waiting room area with everyone else, so we went back out there.  Eventually our time was up and it was time for the last blood draw.

Another different nurse took us and seated us.  She looked at both my arms that by now each had bruises on them.  When she pressed on the bruises they were tender.  I could tell she was nervous and that made me nervous.  She tied the band around my right arm (it was the right arms turn) but quickly changed her mind.  She kept saying "hhmmmm..." and "um....."  Thankfully she said she was going to have someone else come and look at it.  In walked the first nurse that I like!!  This made me feel a lot better.  She looked at both arms and asked me which one I wanted to have it taken from.  I asked her if she was going to do it.  She said yes!!  I said, "Then you pick.  You do a good job and I trust you."  She chose the left arm that had already been poked twice (first draw, and third draw).  She said she was sorry they had bruised and I told her the left arm didn't bruise when she did it the first time and that it was from the other nurse.  She took the last blood draw and I always have to look away.  This time I watched Jake's face and I could tell something was going on.  I asked him about it when we got back to the Jeep and he said she went right through the vein and had to wiggle it around and try to get back into it.  Joy.  This is why I can't watch these things.  That I don't like the sight of the blood getting sucked up into the vial.  *shudder*

Then we came home and ate some food and Jake went to work.  I took a two hour nap.  My house is a mess but that will have to wait until tomorrow.  My arms hurt!!  I know I'm a pansy but that's what my 3-day weekends are for and I think I can spend today recovering and tackle it tomorrow!  The puppies have been unusually good today.  I think they know that I don't have the energy to play with them and make them mind today.  They have been taking naps with me!! 

Hopefully the test results come back completely normal.  And hopefully they won't take two and a half weeks to tell me about them!!  This week marks 32 weeks, so only 8 more to go.  Jake has to work all this weekend but in exchange he has all of next weekend off, so we are going to Portland to celebrate our anniversary that is on the twelfth.  We are planning to go to the Portland Zoo!!  I'm pretty excited!! 

All right.....

3 hour blood glucose test scheduled for Friday. 

I'm slightly annoyed about it. 

But mostly apprehensive.  I hate having my blood drawn. 

Update to follow..........


(Help!)

Blood Glucose and 31 weeks.

In our last post I shared with you about the one hour glucose screening test and how hopeful I was that I wouldn't get a follow-up phone call for it.  I waited one week......no phone call.  I must be home free!!  They said if I didn't hear from them in a week I was golden!! YAY!!  Then the next week passes, and finally Tuesday this week rolls around (two and a half weeks AFTER the test).  And the lady on the message that was left tells me I failed the glucose screening test and that I need to come back in and take the 3-hour glucose test and that they can just go ahead and do that on Friday when I come in for my regular appointment.  Like it's no big deal!!  I have a few problems with this.  1.  I don't fail" things.  I don't accept the word "failure".  2.  I did some research on gestational diabetes and I don't have any of the risk factors or classic symptoms (I wasn't overweight before I got pregnant, I don't have parents or siblings with diabetes, I am not from an ethnic group predisposed to being diabetic, I haven’t previously given birth to a baby over 9 pounds, I haven’t had any unusual or increased nausea or fatigue, etc).  3.  I really didn’t like that they just decided we could come in on Friday and do it.  Since they have to take your blood four times for this test and you might feel lightheaded, they recommend you have someone with you that can drive you home after the test.  Jake has to work on Friday, and it is an important day for him to be at work and on time because the big boss is down and they are having an all staff meeting.  The closest family we have is 800 miles away, and my closest Oregon friend was leaving town on Thursday night so she couldn’t take me.  So a Friday 3-hour blood glucose test wasn’t going to work for me, plus, I wanted to talk with our doctor and see what our options were and the risks/benefits, etc.  I am a dental hygienist.  I wanted my informed consent before care!!  ;)

 

Fast forward to today: Friday.  I have only gained two pounds since my last visit and my blood pressure was 112/62.  Awesome!!  I feel like I gained so much more than two pounds.  I was really nervous that it would be way more than that since I feel like I have gotten so much bigger around in the past three weeks!  I measured 31 centimeters and that is perfectly on track for being 31 weeks!!  Baby Boy’s heart rate was good and his head was right in the middle today.  My doctor said he understands that the 3 hour test is kind of a pain in the rear to have to go through, especially if you find out at the end that you are not diabetic.  The only other option is to see if we can get a glucose monitor approved and have me check my blood glucose several times a day over a period of time and see what it is.  He went over the risks to the baby if I were to be diabetic and didn’t have my blood sugars under control.  He told us we didn’t have to decide today and allowed us to take the weekend to decide and call him on Tuesday.  I really like our doctor and I’m glad he took the time to go over our options with us instead of his nurse the other day on the phone just telling me what to do.  Jake was at the appointment but had to go straight to work so we haven't had time to talk about what we want to do.  I will update when we decide!! 

Third Trimester Begins!

We are officially in the third trimester!!  This sounds really exciting on one hand, but on the other hand, it really scares me!!  We are getting closer and closer to "The Big Day" which makes me super nervous.  Plus....we are almost parents!!!  :o

Today was another doctor's appointment.  First we went over to the lab and I had to drink the glucose water stuff.  It didn't taste as bad as I had prepared myself for.  But it still didn't taste good.  Luckily I didn't have to drink as much as I thought I did!!  Then we went over to the doctor's office while we waited for an hour for the blood draw.  Today he was planning on giving me the Pertussis vaccine, but I brought my vaccination record with me and he looked at it and said I already had it so I didn't need it again!!  :D  Score one for "Team Avoid Needles!!"  Yes!!  I'm right on target with my weight gain so far, and my blood pressure is great!!  Baby Boy's heart-rate is in the upper 150's and I am measuring good!  From now on our appointments will be getting closer and closer together.  Our doctor said our next one will be in 3 weeks and then after that we might have another 3 week one or we might change over to every 2 weeks.  Eventually we will be seeing him every week!  We went back over to the lab and they took my blood, which actually hurt more than the last time they did it, even though I had the same lady.  :/  Our doctor said he would call us in the next week if I failed the glucose test (which means I would then have to go take a 3 hour glucose test instead of this one hour and they would poke me MORE times and make me drink more of that nasty drink) or if I'm anemic (so he can put me on iron supplements).  Hopefully my phone doesn't ring.  ;)

This last weekend was really fun.  We had a baby shower in Pocatello, ID, while we were in town to get Jake's braces off.  My friend Denise had a really fun game planned involving candy bars and matching them to baby phrases and topics.  It was hard!!  Jake's mom made some DELICIOUS cupcakes (red velvet with a cream cheese frosting) that had monkey topper things on them.  They were super cute!!  Baby Boy was seriously spoiled by friends and family.  We got a lot of cute clothes, shoes, socks, and other essentials like diapers, burping cloths, bibs, wipes, and more!!  It was nice to know that so many people care about and love Baby Boy already.  <3.  Thanks, everyone!!

I don't have a any pics of the Baby Shower, but I do have this pic of my handsome husband with his braces off:

I'm such a lucky lady!!  He looks really good!!  Love you, honey!!  <3!!!   :D

Child Care?!

Today we pre-registered our un-born son for child care.  Yep.  I am almost 25 weeks pregnant and we already have signed him up to start sometime in mid-September.  Why so soon, you ask?  Well, there are only two places where we live that will take infants, and one of them is only open until 2pm.  We both need to be working full time, so that one is not really an option.  That leaves one place in Coos Bay that would work for us.  So, very warily, we went over there to check it out yesterday.  The place was GREAT!  Everything was clean and kept up nicely.  They have different classrooms for infants up to the age of one, then one for ages 1-3, then the kids go on to pre-school, and etc, all the way up to sixth grade!!  Everything is well scheduled, they help potty-train your child, snacks are provided, and they even follow your own feeding schedule for your baby!!  This place was a dream and I was very happy with it.  But they can only take 8 infants at once, and there were already 7 spots filled for this fall when we will be needing child care, so we had to pre-register NOW!  It's spendy, but Jake said he was actually expecting to pay more than that, so I suppose it's a good price?  I don't know.  If they knew they had a monopoly on us they could probably charge more!!  It makes me a little sad to think that we have to sign him up this early, but I'm kinda proud of myself for being a pro-active parent and getting things set up for him in advance so we won't have to stress about it later (or worse, not have child care for him at all!!)

23 weeks, 4 days

Today was another doctor's visit.  He said all the measurements from the ultrasound a couple of weeks ago are all normal.  They were not able to see very clearly some part of his abdominal wall and something else up by his aorta, but the doc said this is not uncommon to not see, depending on the positioning of the baby.   We have to do a follow-up one at some point, but they didn't schedule it right now, mostly because eveything else measures normal and he is not that concerned with it.  Baby's heartrate today was 160, and I have gained 10 pounds this pregnancy and doc says I'm on track now (only 7 pounds up from last visit, but he was okay with this and I didn't get a "talking to" again about gaining weight).  :)  Next time is the dreaded glucose test.  :(  He said to not eat for at least an hour beforehand because even a glass of apple juice can make you fail the test.  As I do NOT want to do this test at all, let alone fail it and have to do it AGAIN (for a 3 hour test instead of a one hour test), I am not going to eat all all beforehand.  So after dinner the night before will be the last food for me, and yes, I did schedule the earliest appointment available (8:30am).  And I will be looking over the internet to find out what not to eat for at least a week before.  I seriously hate having my blood drawn.  And if I pass this one we are done drawing blood.  So everyone cross your fingers.  No other news to report, other than the doc placed me on a 25 pound weight lifting restriction, but I have already been avoiding lifting heavy stuff (just because), so this is no big deal.  Our doc said we don't have to "count kicks" or anything, but just kind of make sure he is kicking every couple of hours or so.  If I haven't felt anything for 5 hours then to sit or lie down and maybe eat some carbohydrates and see if he kicks in the next hour or so.  If that doesn't work then we are supposed to call or come over to have him checked out and not to go any longer than that.  Good news is....I feel him kick every 2-3 hours so far.  :)  And he finally kicks hard enough that Jake felt him for the first time a couple of nights ago and that makes me happy.  I have been wanting him to feel our baby too!!  Our next appoinment is in four weeks, and then we have a couple only 3 weeks apart, and then taper down to every other week and then every week right before baby is born!!  :)  No luck in the name department yet.  Seems like all the names I like Jake doesn't like for one reason or another, and all the names he likes I don't like for one reason or another.  Or we like a name but he is the youngest of his family so his older siblings have already named their kid or their grandkids that name, or I already have first or second cousins with that name.  Grrr.....Hopefully we will figure it out soon enough.  Or at least before he gets here so his name is not "Baby Schritter" at the hospital..  :)

Dear Baby Boy

Dear Baby Boy,

Last night, March 29, 2013, your Daddy was finally able to feel you kick me.  I have been feeling your kicks for three to four weeks now, and I have been wanting you to kick hard enough for Dad to feel too!  We are so excited to have you in our family.  You have a puppy big sister, Molly, who will love and adore you.  She will snuggle with you and be your constant companion.  You also have a puppy big brother, Deuce, who will be a "boys" dog and play rough and tumble with you and teach you how to grow up as a tough little guy. 

We have been trying to narrow down a list of names for you.  I have a list of the ones I like, and Daddy has been working on his list.  Then we can compare lists and see if we have any names the same or if I have a name that Dad might like or if he thought of a name that I might like.  It's a slow process, but we have a little less than seventeen weeks hopefully before you arrive.  We have a car seat for you, and a crib that will convert into a big kid bed with you as you grow, and a couple little outfits.  This weeekend I am going to try to get the closet in what will be your room cleaned out or at least reorganized so we can put your stuff in it instead of Mommy's.  We are slowly getting ready and buying things so we have everything you need when you finally come!!

We love you, Little Man, and we can't wait to meet you!

Baby Boy and 20 week Ultrasound

Today was our full ultrasound to make sure baby has all his parts and is growing normally.  I had to drink 3 full glasses of water 45 minutes before the appointment.  This was super hard since I struggle to even drink three glasses in the whole day!!  But I did it and now the bathroom will be my best friend every thirty minutes or so for the next couple of hours!! 

The tech kept telling us over and over again how wiggly baby boy was being today!  His heartrate was 160, and she said based on the measurements she took today, he is 13 ounces.  He has both kidneys, four chambers in his heart, we saw his little stomach, his diaphragm, lots of parts of his brain, all of his arm and leg bones, and we even got to watch him yawn!!  I was impressed about how much information the tech knew about what she was looking at on the screen.  I was glad I had taken anatomy and physiology so I had an idea about what she was talking about too!!  (I guess that class DOES come in handy....)  Everything sounded good from what she was saying and from what I understood.  They take all these photos and measurements and send them to the radiologist on staff and then he sends the information he gathers from them on to our doctor who will discuss it more with us at our next appointment in April.  :)  It was good to see Baby Boy again, especially since he was moving around so much.  Seems like he is having a good time in there. 

Add caption

This is a pic of his fingers in a fist up by the top of his head!! 

It's a....................

Remember how at our appointment on Monday we tried to find out the gender of our little one but Baby wasn't cooperating?!!  Well, what I left out of the story was that our doctor is super awesome and told us to call on Wednesday after 11am when he thought he would be done with surgery and he would try to fit us in to try again!!!
YAY!! 

So on Wednesday Jake and I went back to his office, and he tried again to find out the gender of Baby Schritter.  This time he was able to see!!  We asked him to write down the results on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope and NOT to tell us what Baby is!  Then we gave this envelope to a friend of ours who baked and decorated a cake that was either blue or pink on the inside, but she was the only one that knew what color it was!!

So last night (Friday) we had some friends over (no family unfortunately because they all live almost 800 miles away) for a potluck and gender reveal party!!  We couldn't wait to cut the cake, so we cut it before we ate and the inside of the cake was................................

BLUE!!!  IT'S A BOY!!!  Well, 90% sure it's a boy, according to the doctor!!  We have an appt. on the 11th for the actual full ultrasound at the other office to verify, but 90% is good enough for me!! We are super excited and had a great time sharing the news with our friends here in Oregon!  My friend has better pictues of the cake I will post as soon as I get them from her.  She did a really great job!!  

Boy or Girl?

Today we had another baby appointment!  Our doctor had mentioned that this appointment he would tell us how to set up for the ultrasound appointment, which would take place at another office.  I called earlier last week because we wanted to know if we could get that set up this week, since Jake will be traveling to Idaho this weekend and might be able to pick up a few things for the little man or little miss.  The doctor said he didn't want to send us to the other office before 22 weeks (we are 18), but that he would do a quick one in the office today to see if he could see if Baby Schritter is a boy or a girl!! 

Needless to say, I've been very excited for this appointment since last week!!  Well, as our luck would have it, Baby was not cooperating today and the doctor could not tell the sex of our little one, so we will have to wait!!  Kind of a bummer, but we did get to see he/she moving a LOT and even got this cool pic:

Baby Schritter, Feb. 25, 2013

Baby was laying face down, but it's kind of neat to see the spine and everything!!  We saw a hand and a foot, and the doc said they will do a more detailed analysis at the full ultrasound, but that the heart and brain looked good today as well!!  The heart beat today was between 140-150 beats per minute!  Normal!!  :)

I guess I have only gained 3 pounds since our first appointment back in December, so I got a little lecture about needing to gain more weight.  Trust me, it LOOKS like I gained much more weight than three pounds!!  I eat as much as I can and I snack all day, but apparently I need to eat more!!  That's about all I have for today.  Although we were disappointed to not know the gender, it was still a great appointment to see him/her moving so much and looking healthy in there!! 

Love!

The table setting!!  One dozen roses and a potted orchid plant!

They are SO gorgeous!!  I love the vase!  Red roses on one side, white on the other!

Dinner is served: steak, asparagus, and mashed potatoes with a shrimp and mushroom marsala gravy.  SO SO SO good!

We had a really good Valentine's Day!  I came home to the living room picked up, the kitchen table cleaned off (and redecorated with a tablecloth, roses, more flowers, and rose petals on it), the bed made in the bedroom, and my sweet husband cooking dinner.  I sure am spoiled!  I got him some cologne he has been wanting for quite some time now (Lacoste).  After dinner I let him pick the movie and we went to the theater to see the new Die Hard movie.  At the end of the night, Jake gave me my last surprise of the evening: a new case of Mountain Dew Live Wire in the fridge (my fav!).  He sure knows the way to my heart!!! 

14 weeks, 4 days.

We are now in the second trimester and today we had another baby appointment!!  There is not much to report, but that's okay with us!  I have gained two pounds since the last appointment, but only gained one pound since our first appointment since I lost a pound between the first and second appointments.  Confused yet?  We got to listen to the heartbeat again today, and it was 160 beats per minute.  The last time we heard it it was 180 beats per minute, but our doctor says the slow down is normal.  My doctor keeps trying to convince me to get a flu shot.  I told him I will probably not do that one.  I just feel like the flu shot is not very effective since they try to guess which strain of the virus will be most prevalent that year.  So if another strain of the virus is the one that spreads around, the vaccine would have been a waste.  Then he reminds me about getting the whooping cough vaccine (pertussis), which I assured him I will get.  I'm not against proven, effective, timely vaccinations, I just don't think the flu shot is one of them.  :)  Feel free to chime in here if you want!  Our next appointment is not for another four weeks, and then we can make an appointment to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl!  They don't do the ultrasound at that office, so we will have our next appointment and then have to call some other office to make an appointment.  I can't wait to see if we will be welcoming a son or a daughter!!  We will keep you updated after our next appointment!

1+1=3

Happy New Year!!  This one will be a great one for Jake and I: We are expecting our first child in July!!  We are very excited and can't wait to be parents!  This has been a very long road for us.  We have been trying for a year and a half and suffered a miscarriage once, but this time things seem to be going well.  We have had two doctor's visits already.  The first visit with our new doctor here in Oregon was great.  He answered all of our questions and made us feel more at ease.  He even did a vaginal ultrasound (at 6 weeks!) just to make sure that everything was okay with Baby Schritter.  We saw the heartbeat at tht first appointment, and the pic we have was from that appointment as well.  It was very comforting to see the little blips on that screen and for us to know that so far everything was okay and progressing better than the first time!  Then came the part that I dread the most: The blood draws they do to test your blood and make sure everything is good that way.  I hate needles, especially when they are taking blood OUT of my body!  I need that stuff!!  Ha ha.  It's all for a good cause though!  Our second appointment was yesterday.  Our doctor went over my blood test results: everything is normal!  My thyroid is normal, blood counts are good, and.....I'm O+!!  I never knew my bloodtype until yesterday!  Our doctor did a regular ultrasound and we got to see Baby Schritter move his/her little hands and feet, and then we got to hear his/her little heartbeat: 188 times per minute!  It was such a good sound to hear.  So far I haven't really been sick too much.  I do have a little nausea almost every day, but it's not really that bad.  I've only dry-heaved once, and I learned from that that I need to keep food in my tummy so that doesn't happen again.  And the only other time I almost threw up, I didn't.....so score one for me!!  I absolutely hate throwing up though, so I avoid it at all costs!!  I know people say that you will feel better after, etc, but that is not the case for me.  I would rather keep it in and deal with the stomach churning than have it come out!  TMI?  Well, I don't really think many people read this blog anyway, so I'm not worried!!  I have discovered foods that I ordinarily love do not agree with me right now, so I am missing out on some things that I usually love.  But no special cravings yet, just foods I have to avoid for now!  We are almost at eleven weeks and I hear the second trimester kinda evens everything out so I am looking forward to that!  I feel chubbier than before I was pregnant, but according to the scale yesterday, I lost one pound since the first appointment four weeks earlier.  I chalk that up to the fact that muscle weighs more than fat and I must have lost some muscle tone!  :)  Doc says it's all good, and that the first trimester is more about maintaining weight so he is not concerned. 

That's all the updates we have for now!!  I hope everyone had a safe and happy new year, and that yours will be as blessed as ours will be!!