MONTH 6!

MOMMY:

Momma's at 6 months / 24 weeks and feeling it for sure! I feel pretty good for the most part, just trying to figure out how to get through 4 more months without exploding. My lower belly often feels like it's stretching and pulling which makes it hurt to walk around sometimes. I've also noticed that my heart rate beats really fast, especially in the mornings. My resting HR was 100 one morning. This is evidentially a sign of tacacardia which is common in pregnancy. I have a Dr. appt Friday so will be discussing all of these issues with her.

I've started looking for nery room stuff which is exciting. I registered at Baby's R Us for the everyday items which was fun but entirely overwhelming! I also signed up for a childbirthing class and breast feeding class. Miss Elie gets to go to a brothers/sisters class as well where she takes a stuffed animal or doll and learns to change diapers, etc. Shis is pumped... although she says poopie diapers are out!

We are still stressing over the name, but hope to get that nailed down soon. Graham, Ely, Jacob, are top names right now.

DADDY:

Little Ely is really coming along! Teshia covered everything pretty much. This month she really started showing. I just don't see how Teshia little belly is going to take much more... but I'm sure we'll find out just how much bigger she'll get very soon.

Only 3 more months. This is really flying by much faster than I thought it would.

22 Weeks!

While this isn't our baby, this is a great picture of where our little boy is right now! This is a picture of a baby at 22 weeks!

20 Weeks.....IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

MOMMY:
Nov 3rd, the day we had been anxiously waiting for. We went for the ultrasound bright and early. The nurse started showing us all the baby parts checking to make sure all things looked normal. She checked the heart, fingers, toes, brain, profile of the face which made me cry and then it was time for gender. She said well, "It's definitely a boy." I think I actually started to giggle. I was like a boy? What? I guess I just assumed we'd have a girl... never quite pictured myself with a boy. I guess the two dreams I had about having a boy was preparing me. My mom actually had a dream I was having a boy too. Everyone says boys love their mommies. I get more excited each day that passes. Finding a name continues to be a challenge though. Michael and I are having a hard time agreeing so it may be down to the wire.

I've been feeling pretty good these days. I actually started working PT so that's been nice. I even felt so good one weekend that I went camping with Michael and Ellie. Let's just say though that won't be happening again for quite some time. Those 3-4 bathroom breaks at night is not as much fun out in the woods. I feel like I can feel my stomach stretching. I have gained 12 pounds... yikes. I think a few body parts weigh at least 5-6 pounds each though for sure. :)

DADDY:
A son! WOW... Even though I voted for a son... I never actually expected that we would have one. I feel comfortable with sweet little Ellie. I'm good with a daughter. A boy is a whole new ball game! Despite my uneasiness... I'm fired up. I'm really excited to have a boy. A boy will do the things with me that no one else really wants to do. A boy will accompany me on the not so cleverly thought out plots that I seem to always get myself into!

It's been fun to watch T's reaction to the news. She was obviously not expecting a boy either. Her entire experience has been girls. She is great with girls and I think that has her nervous that she won't be great with a boy. I think just the opposite. I think she is going to really love having a son. She can throw a football and is as witty as any guy I know. Any boy in this house will appreciate and respect T out of sheer envy! Combine all of this with her amazing mothering/nurturing spirit and there's sure to be a tight bond between these two. I can't wait to watch it form.

The baby is growing to proper proportions these days. It is really starting to feel real! If we could just decide upon a name. So far Teshia likes Jacob, Jake, Tucker, Ethan and Hank among others. I'm a fan of Ely and tonight when I mentioned it to Teshia... she liked it! At some point we'll settle on something that we both like.

Month 4

Mommy:
She has risen!! I am finally having better days and I'm sooooo happy. I'm over the bronchitis too which wasn't much fun the past few weeks. My 16th week appt which was on Oct 10 went well. I opted not to do the special testing (down syndrome) etc. I wasn't sure what to do so just decided not to add extra stress to something that is out of our control. It is now the countdown to our Nov 3rd, 20 week appt, which is when we find out the sex of the baby. There are many rooting for a boy but I'm not sure I'll know what to do with a boy considering I have 4 nieces and Miss Ellie. We'll take whatever is healthy though that's for sure!! My belly you can see is defintely starting to show.

Daddy:
The first trimester is finally over and I'm happy to see that Teshia is starting to feel better! Despite the normal pregnancy emotional ups and downs, she is able to exercise with me and ... well ... get out of bed! Things are looking up!

I'm really looking forward to the 20 week ultrasound. I think once I know the sex of the baby, I'll better be able to connect. We're already trying to figure out how we are going to do so many of the things we currently do with a new baby. I'm going to have to start getting up at 5 in order to get the run in and to still be able to participate in the morning routine! Good Lord! We decided not to do some of the testing that is available at 16 weeks. I'm just not sure what difference it would have made for us to know earlier whether our child isn't perfect. No need for the added stress.

At some point in the very near future, we're going to have to start getting the nursery ready.

Druggy!

Good Grief!

Month 3

Mommy:
The 8 week appt went great. We got to see the baby via ultrasound. Michael and I were in awe... WOW!! I'm seeing a new Dr since my gynecologist is no longer delivery babies. Her name is Dr. Melissa Reynolds with Baptist Hospital. She seems very smart and cool... very comforting. She also gave me meds for my 24/7 nausea (Zophran) and my indigestion (Nexium). Goodness I thought I was gassy before. :) Reluctant to take anything I finally surrendered to the fact that maybe Dr. knows best and wouldn't give me meds if they were harmful. They have helped tons.... at least I can lift my head for a few hours each day rather than a few minutes. Poor Michael... he has been so great to make me grilled cheeses on a whim as he's headed out the door... he's not complained once and all I've done is complain to him. :) I've gone up a cup size already... Michael is thrilled and my pants are starting to feel a little more snug. I think I need to go shopping. Maybe the nausea will go away soon and I'll feel up for it... please go away soon!!!

Daddy:
Wow! 3rd month! This is a crucial one for us for sure. Finishing off this 1st trimester is obviously really important and should ensure a bit more of a smooth sail. Did I mention that Teshia has lots of air in her body that is forceably trying to exit all available portals? NO? Well rest assured that I'm far to noble to discuss the details of persistent burping and other such noise makers. I do feel bad for her... she's still feeling pretty puny and has actually begun throwing up. She somehow held off vomiting for the first two months. However, I think it's just been too much for her nowadays and she's had to throw in the towel. I'm feeling pretty good in a very guilty sort of way. I can't do a thing for her but to bring her grilled cheeses and listen to her complaints. A small price to pay! I can finally see a little belly on her this month. That helps me to connect with the new addition to our family. Before now, the only connection I felt was the gas. Our ultrasound was great and showed more definition than the initial paisley. We saw the heart moving which was extremely cool. 154 beats per minute. I ran the next day and noticed when my heart rate monitor posted the same. We find out the sex of the baby on November 3rd! That will really help me to feel more connected.

Ellie woke up for the picture this time!

Month 2

Mommy:
Ok so maybe the nausea likes to stick around for awhile. Sleep, sleep, pee, pee some more... that's not asking too much is it? Thank goodness I'm not having to board planes, trains and automobiles. What a blessing... He sure has good timing even when we don't understand it. I went to my regular gynecologist appt bc it just so happened I had my annual scheduled anyway. Once she sees me and confirms again I'm pregnant maybe it really will soak in. Again, it's just so hard to believe this is really happening. I went and it just so happened the ultrasound tech was working late and it just so happened according to how they calculate weeks that I was right at 6 weeks and they could do the ultrasound. Low and behold there was a cute little sac forming and a little faint heartbeat. Ok, so I really am pregnant!!!! I get to go back at 8 weeks bc that is when the OB will finally see me. They want you to wait 8 weeks before you come in. I sure am lucky to have seen what I did at 6 weeks... guess somebody knew I needed the confirmation for my sanity. So, eat a little, sleep, pee, try not to throw up, eat a little, sleep, sleep and sleep some more. Maybe the nausea will go away soon?

Daddy:
Teshia brought home a picture of our new baby... a very unexpected early ultrasound. Granted, our new child looks like a paisley... but still... we did that! The second month has been a hard one for Teshia. She feels terrible all the time. She's nauseous and has headaches and has a hard time with her digestive track... all of it! At this point, the books are telling me that she has a grapefruit sized uterus (I think it's the uterus). Anyway, I'm positive that is the source of her constant burping. Ellie is still looking very tired ... but is fired up to have a new brother or sister running around. I can't wait. My wife, for the record, is absolutely amazing. She feels terrible and yet she is still keeping everything in check and is looking great. She is awesome! By the way, she seems to be preparing for breast feeding quite well!!! I'm happy to see this "developing" so nicely! Interestly, her belly actually seems to have become smaller?

Month 1

Mommy:
Seven months of trying sure seems like an eternity so... taking a pregnancy test was like any other month... I was for sure I would take it and it would tell me once again negative. This month however was different. I took a test and it was positive! After 4 pregnancy tests and a blood test to determine I really was pregnant, I started to believe maybe I really am pregnant. Thank you, Lord!!!! Even if my mind couldn't believe the blessing that was forming inside of me, my body surely knew. Sleep, pee, sleep, eat saltines, sleep, chicken noodle soup, sleep, pee, pee some more. Nausea seemed to consume me.... surely this will pass soon.

Daddy:
Seven months of trying sure seemed fun! But seriously, finding out that we finally made something was and is incredible! Initial thoughts: I'm fired up and extremely excited. I can't believe that we get to have a child! I can't believe that we can create a new human being! There is also the responsible side of me that knows what this means... the responsible side of me knows what kind of responsibility this entails. Understanding the responsibility and the committment is something that pales at this moment to the excitement of a new baby! We'll get there and this baby will be fine. I have 9 months to prepare myself, my economic situation, my house, my brain and my psychie for my new sweet baby. I'm fired up! I just wish I could do something to make my wife not feel so sick all the time!