The sweetest sound!

11 weeks today!! Had my second appointment with the midwife. Today my appointment was with Bridgette. There are 3 midwives in the practice and I will get to meet them all. We went over all my health history information. I have a healthy family if I do say so myself. Of course the donor has a squeaky clean health history so that is pretty uneventful.
The plan, next appointment is in 2 weeks. I have to do an early glucose test (because I am overweight). So I have to drink the yummy orange sugar drink then go get my blood drawn. They will do other blood tests also. I declined any genetic testing or testing for down syndrome, neural tube defects, ect... They have a high rate of false positives and I wouldn't terminate the pregnancy anyway so it is pointless. I will get to have an ultrasound at 19 weeks. Around the beginning of February. I will have it done at the OB office that they consult with. The OB likes to meet all the patients at least once. That way if there is some sort of emergency I will have met the OB. Knock on wood. That;s when we will find out if we are having a boy or girl!!

The most exciting event of the day was hearing the heart beat!! About 160 beats/minute! What a sweet sound! I am sooooo relieved!! When I told my mom she said "Your having a girl." LOL, I think I am having a girl. My friends think I am having a girl. No one has said they think I am having a boy. Tracy wants a boy soooo bad! I really don't care. Really, I don't. Strange.

Oh... got diaper making supplies in the mail today. Next week I am going to start making some serious cloth diapers!! Pictures to follow!!

Midwife

So it was a no brainer decision for me to see a midwife. I am a nurse and it just makes sense to me. It surprise me how few people choose to go to a midwife. I wanted to have a real person that I can connect with deliver my baby. I didn't feel like I could get to know a OB in 5 minute visits once a month. Then to have him/her just show up in time to catch the baby. I don't know I just feel like I deserve better than that. With a midwife I get a birthing companion. She will see me for a minimum of 30 minutes at each appointment. I can give her MY birth plan and she will respect it. I will get all the same tests and monitoring as an OB. And I will be informed what all the tests are for and be given the option to decline. Why would I have test done to check for birth defects if I have no intention of terminating the pregnancy? And the best part ever is that when I get to the hospital my midwife will be with me until I deliver!! How awesome is that!! It just feels great to know that I will have a great advocate!!
On another note, how am I feeling? Not to bad. Just feel like a sleeping machine!! Getting some of my energy back, slowly but surely.
We have decided to use cloth diapers. And then I decided I would take a shot at making my own fitted cloth diapers. I have made a couple of prototypes. Working out the kinks. There are great resources online. The fabrics also has to be ordered online. I am waiting for some more fabric now to start making some more.
So other than that just hanging out. Hoping to have a change in my work schedule soon so I can come off night shift. I think that would make me feel a lot better!!

7 weeks 3 days ultrasound!

Here is our little bean!! OMG, it has grown so much in just over a week!! Nice strong heart beat!!

6 week ultrasound. Little gestational sac with a tiny heartbeat in the upper left corner.

Another great, AMAZING, ultrasound!!

Monday I had another ultrasound. Saw our little bean, with a healthy little heart beat. Measuring ahead of schedule at 7 weeks 5 days. My mom was there. She cried, Tracy cried, I was just so relieved to see a healthy little bean. I was released from the care of the fertility clinic. Going to call the midwives tomorrow to make my first appointment.
My mom took us shopping at babies-r-us. She wanted to buy some stuff cause she lives so far away and wanted to be able to enjoy the experience together. She bought us a car seat stroller set, a pack-n-play, a swing, a changing table pad, a crib mattress, some baby towels, receiving blankets, cloth diapers, and several odds and ends. I was not expecting that at all! Very exciting!! We also went to the fabric store and bought fabric for a baby quilt.
Hopefully I can get some ultrasound pics posted.

Little Flicker!!

Had my ultrasound on Wednesday. I was able to push it up a day cause some scheduling stuff changed. So I didn't have to much time to stress about it. After a few minutes of intense searching we found the heartbeat!!! It was a little tiny flicker in the upper left corner of the sac. So small but it was definitely there! Phew, pretty darn relieved!! Next ultrasound is Monday Nov. 15th. Hope my mom wants to come!!
I have tried a million times to upload the ultrasound picture but it just won't do it!!! I will try again in a few days. Going to rest, work the next 2 nights then off to the beach with my mom!! Yay!!! A happy vacation!!

Just some blah blah

Today is Monday and I am just waiting for Thursday to roll around. Just want to get this ultrasound over with. I am nervous but not as nervous as last time. Last time I cried everyday because I just knew something wasn't right. This time, I don't know it's just different. Maybe my pregnancy symptoms are more convincing. My breasts are very sore. It is worse some days than others but it's always there. No morning sickness but when I get hungry I must eat immediately or I get nauseous, light headed, and start to feel like I can't eat anything even though I am hungry. I have some strange pulling sensations in my lower abdomen. Mostly when I stand up real quick from sitting. I am definitely emotional, yesterday I cried when Brett Farve got hit in the chin during the game. Then I cried when Tom Brady hugged Randy Moss. Seriously!!

Just really trying to stay positive about this ultrasound but also trying to be guarded as well. If things go bad I have to be prepared. I will not really have anytime to have a melt down. I have to work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. Then I am driving 5 and half hours by myself to the beach on Sunday after I get up. Then I have to spend the night alone at the resort before I pick up my mom on Monday morning. Yikes, I don't know if I am that strong. Hopefully I won't have to worry about it and everything will be good and I can celebrate!! That is what I want to do is celebrate. I am tired of disappointment.

Tracy and I have always overcome the hardships handed to us. And I think we handle them with grace. We have lost a house, been through foreclosure. Had job changes, working opposite shifts and days, surgeries, been through nursing school twice, phlebotomy school, cared for an impossible individual in our home, had some problems with alcohol and fighting, had to put a dog down, dealt with vacations alone, and the loss of a baby. I am sure there is much much more. It always seems like when get through something hard we are rewarded with something better! I hope this trend continues!!