Thursday, May 24, 2012
My Beautiful Baby
So, like most parents I am sure, I think that I have the most beautiful baby in the entire world.
Only the difference between me and other parents is that I really DO have the most beautiful baby in the entire world.
And, we are hoping to use her beauty to get her scholarship money for college...because at the rate college tuition is increasing, she won't be able to go otherwise.
You can vote for my beautiful baby here:
Sophia's Sunhat
So, if you have stumbled across this blog and read this post, please go vote for my Sophia!!
Only the difference between me and other parents is that I really DO have the most beautiful baby in the entire world.
And, we are hoping to use her beauty to get her scholarship money for college...because at the rate college tuition is increasing, she won't be able to go otherwise.
You can vote for my beautiful baby here:
Sophia's Sunhat
So, if you have stumbled across this blog and read this post, please go vote for my Sophia!!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
First Day Alone
Well, tomorrow is the big day. The first day that I am home alone with Sophia. I have been absolutely spoiled to be able to have my Mom here during her first two weeks. I can't imagine doing all of this without her - she has probably saved the doctor's office quite a few phone calls!
Today I drove Mom to the airport, and as I was driving away I was crying and realized that for the first time it was just Sophie and I in the car - no Chris or Mom or anyone else with us. So, we went shopping :) The Mall of America is about a 30 second drive away from the airport, and Sophie needed a sunhat because she is not supposed to wear sunscreen unless absolutely necessary. I thought walking around the mall would be a good idea, because I wouldn't cry if I was out in public. I was *mostly* right, though I teared up a bit here and there. Anyway, we bought a very cute sunhat and then went to Paciugo (a gelato place in the mall) and bought some "Fat Tire" beer flavored gelato for Papa (my Dad) when he comes into town in two weekends.
Then we drove home, and I cried a little more - probably best just to get it all out! Anyway, I am really looking forward both to having my Dad in town at the end of May, and having my Mom and sister come into town at the end of July. I am quite lucky to have family coming as often as they are, and grateful for all of the help that I've been given!
Tonight our small group provided a meal for us as well, which was awesome! We had Cane's Chicken (my FAVORITE!) for dinner and enjoyed some great fellowship. The women in that group are going to be a big help to me as I take this little venture into motherhood, and I am looking forward to what I am sure will be many helpful conversations about raising children in a godly manner. I thank God that he has given Chris and I the supportive family that we have, and that he has led us to a church with such a wonderful group of young married individuals who are such a blessing in our lives.
I will be posting many pictures soon! Stay tuned :)
Today I drove Mom to the airport, and as I was driving away I was crying and realized that for the first time it was just Sophie and I in the car - no Chris or Mom or anyone else with us. So, we went shopping :) The Mall of America is about a 30 second drive away from the airport, and Sophie needed a sunhat because she is not supposed to wear sunscreen unless absolutely necessary. I thought walking around the mall would be a good idea, because I wouldn't cry if I was out in public. I was *mostly* right, though I teared up a bit here and there. Anyway, we bought a very cute sunhat and then went to Paciugo (a gelato place in the mall) and bought some "Fat Tire" beer flavored gelato for Papa (my Dad) when he comes into town in two weekends.
Then we drove home, and I cried a little more - probably best just to get it all out! Anyway, I am really looking forward both to having my Dad in town at the end of May, and having my Mom and sister come into town at the end of July. I am quite lucky to have family coming as often as they are, and grateful for all of the help that I've been given!
Tonight our small group provided a meal for us as well, which was awesome! We had Cane's Chicken (my FAVORITE!) for dinner and enjoyed some great fellowship. The women in that group are going to be a big help to me as I take this little venture into motherhood, and I am looking forward to what I am sure will be many helpful conversations about raising children in a godly manner. I thank God that he has given Chris and I the supportive family that we have, and that he has led us to a church with such a wonderful group of young married individuals who are such a blessing in our lives.
I will be posting many pictures soon! Stay tuned :)
Best Sad Song Ever
Yesterday, my Mom, Sophia, and I went to see the Pirates! Band of Misfits movie. Well, Sophia slept (and ate) rather than watched the movie... I enjoyed it - very cute. Probably my favorite part was the sad part of the movie, where they played this song from Flight of the Conchords:
I'm Not Crying
So, you're leaving, aren't you?
I knew it when you said just then when you told me you were leaving
That's when I definitely knew
But if you're trying to break my heart
Your plan is flawed from the start
You can't break my heart, it's liquid
It melted when I met you
And as you turn around to leave
Don't turn back to me
Don't turn around and see if I'm crying
I'm not crying
I'm not crying
It's just been raining
on my face
And if you think you see some tear tracks down my cheeks
Please, please, don't tell my mates
I'm not crying
No, I'm not crying
And if I am crying
It's not because of you
It's because I'm thinking about a friend of mine who you don't know who is dying
That's right, dying
These aren't tears of sadness because you're leaving me
I've just been cutting onions
I'm making a lasagna
For one
Oh, I'm not crying
No
There's just a little bit of dust in my eye
That's from the path that you made when you said your goodbye
I'm not weeping because you won't be here to hold my hand
For your information there's an inflammation in my tear gland
I'm not upset because you left me this way
My eyes are just a little sweaty today
They've been looking around
They're like searching for you
They've been looking for you
Even though I told them not to
These aren't tears of sadness
They're tears of joy
I'm just laughing
Ha ha ha-ha ha
I'm sitting at this table called love
Staring down at the irony of life
How come we've reached this fork in the road
And yet it cuts like a knife?
I'm not crying
I'm not crying
I'm not cry-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-ing
I'm Not Crying
So, you're leaving, aren't you?
I knew it when you said just then when you told me you were leaving
That's when I definitely knew
But if you're trying to break my heart
Your plan is flawed from the start
You can't break my heart, it's liquid
It melted when I met you
And as you turn around to leave
Don't turn back to me
Don't turn around and see if I'm crying
I'm not crying
I'm not crying
It's just been raining
on my face
And if you think you see some tear tracks down my cheeks
Please, please, don't tell my mates
I'm not crying
No, I'm not crying
And if I am crying
It's not because of you
It's because I'm thinking about a friend of mine who you don't know who is dying
That's right, dying
These aren't tears of sadness because you're leaving me
I've just been cutting onions
I'm making a lasagna
For one
Oh, I'm not crying
No
There's just a little bit of dust in my eye
That's from the path that you made when you said your goodbye
I'm not weeping because you won't be here to hold my hand
For your information there's an inflammation in my tear gland
I'm not upset because you left me this way
My eyes are just a little sweaty today
They've been looking around
They're like searching for you
They've been looking for you
Even though I told them not to
These aren't tears of sadness
They're tears of joy
I'm just laughing
Ha ha ha-ha ha
I'm sitting at this table called love
Staring down at the irony of life
How come we've reached this fork in the road
And yet it cuts like a knife?
I'm not crying
I'm not crying
I'm not cry-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-ing
Friday, May 11, 2012
Announcing Sophia Alexis Pitts!!
So, the part everybody wants to know when babies are born: 7 lbs, 10 oz, and 20 3/4 inches long :)
She was such a sweetie, letting me graduate and everything first before she was born. I wasn't sure if I would be able to walk, and I did get to walk and it was a very cool experience that I don't regret!!
Okay, okay, I am a little bit late. Once more I must warn that, as with the pregnancy, there are going to be some details about the birth that you may not be interested in reading. Since I have warned you, it's fair game. No complaining, because you are choosing to read from this point forward.
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 I woke up just like every other morning. I had an ultrasound in the late afternoon, as well as a non-stress test, so we could see how the baby was doing before inducing labor early on Friday morning. Mom and I went to the Minnesota Historical Society and walked around the history museum in the afternoon, and then went straight from there to the doctor appointment.
At the end of my ultrasound, I felt my first REAL contraction around 4:30 or so. Up until this point I had felt the "preparation" pains that felt like period cramps, but this one was different. It felt kind of like somebody stepped on a full bladder... I am not sure how else to describe it. It was a sharp, actual kind of pain. Then, 7 minutes later, I got a second real contraction. Right away, I was having contractions 5 to 7 minutes apart. The doc checked and I was about 2 cm dilated. He sent us home, because if it was real labor then I probably had a few hours to go until I would be at the hospital.
On the way home we stopped at Cane's Chicken to pick up some dinner :) I wasn't really able to eat much, and I had to eat in between the contractions because they were reallllllly painful and steadily getting worse. Chris went to small group and I stayed home with my Mom, timing my contractions and watching Beauty and the Beast and reading Harry Potter (the 6th book).. I was trying to stay as distracted as possible from the pain. So about halfway through Beauty and the Beast, the contractions were so bad that I was not really able to talk through them anymore. I tried going on a walk outside to see if they would slow down or stop, but they stayed consistent and painful and left me doubling up at various times throughout the walk. At this point I was consistently 4 to 5 minutes apart. I called the doctor, and we headed to the hospital!
Once there, my contractions were down to 3 or 4 minutes apart and really really painful. It was quite the experience. And the epidural could not come fast enough. By the time they checked me, at around 10 or 11 p.m., I was 5 cm dilated. The epidural was probably the most wonderful thing in the world. The anesthesiologist warned that it might take 10 to 15 minutes to start working, but it worked immediately and was wonderful. Really truly an amazing thing.
At midnight, the nurses told me it was time to start pushing. It was weird, because with the epidural it was hard to tell if I was pushing right, but I must've been doing it pretty well because after the first push she said "You're doing great! Most women would push for 2 hours before being at this point!" Which made me think "Wow... I hope I don't have hours more of this!!" but I didn't... at 1:10 the doctor came in, and at 1:25 a.m. Sophia Alexis Pitts was born, at 7 lbs. 10 oz. and 20 3/4 inches long, with a 13 inch head circumference. Her Daddy cut the cord :) It was a weird feeling, pushing her all the way out. I didn't even feel a tear and I thought for sure I would. They also asked if I wanted to see the placenta, etc., which I did, and it was pretty cool. It is amazing that what kept the baby alive was that organ and cord. Right away they wiped her down and put her on my chest for the skin-to-skin contact. She had the sweetest little cry!! She managed to find her lungs about 2 nights later when the nurse was taking her temperature in her armpit (she HATED that) and since then has kept those lungs going. What is amazing is that I have already forgotten how bad the pain was... I know it was terrible, and I remember my body shaking and crying out in pain, but I really don't remember how painful it was, which is probably for the better (and maybe Sophie won't be an only child).
What was really nice was Chris had the ability to take off 3 days of work and spend it at the hospital with me. It was great to have him there, especially at the beginning where it was all a new experience. He was a good sport too, because the "bed" that he was using at the hospital was hardly a comfortable one, and there were often nurses coming in and sleep was frequently interrupted by the baby girl who was initially nocturnal. The food was quite fun though :) I loved ordering my meals, and they actually had pretty good food. I even had coconut-crusted tilapia for dinner one night!
She was immediately a good nurser, which I am very thankful for. She loves to eat and eats very well, from day 1. The hardest part about nursing initially was the soreness, and the cramps that happened when I nursed because the uterus was contracting back down. A few days of ibuprofen and I am all back to normal :)
She is quite a good baby. The first three nights were kinda rough, and the 4th night we started wearing earplugs, but she has settled into a nice routine now where she eats around 10, sleeps until 2, and then sleeps again from 3 until 6 or 7 or so. I am getting sleep in 3 to 4 hour shifts, which is very nice. She is just a sweetheart - I swear she can smile already (or it certainly seems like it!). She also has some great awake moments, and just has the prettiest expressions! I love my little princess. I will have to post some pictures here. Praise God that she is here and healthy and we are settling into our new family routine! It is nice that she is here in time for Mother's Day :). I think the best gift is that my Mom has been able to stay with me for the first couple weeks, because otherwise I would be at a loss with what to do with this little princess.
God bless!!
She was such a sweetie, letting me graduate and everything first before she was born. I wasn't sure if I would be able to walk, and I did get to walk and it was a very cool experience that I don't regret!!
Okay, okay, I am a little bit late. Once more I must warn that, as with the pregnancy, there are going to be some details about the birth that you may not be interested in reading. Since I have warned you, it's fair game. No complaining, because you are choosing to read from this point forward.
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 I woke up just like every other morning. I had an ultrasound in the late afternoon, as well as a non-stress test, so we could see how the baby was doing before inducing labor early on Friday morning. Mom and I went to the Minnesota Historical Society and walked around the history museum in the afternoon, and then went straight from there to the doctor appointment.
At the end of my ultrasound, I felt my first REAL contraction around 4:30 or so. Up until this point I had felt the "preparation" pains that felt like period cramps, but this one was different. It felt kind of like somebody stepped on a full bladder... I am not sure how else to describe it. It was a sharp, actual kind of pain. Then, 7 minutes later, I got a second real contraction. Right away, I was having contractions 5 to 7 minutes apart. The doc checked and I was about 2 cm dilated. He sent us home, because if it was real labor then I probably had a few hours to go until I would be at the hospital.
On the way home we stopped at Cane's Chicken to pick up some dinner :) I wasn't really able to eat much, and I had to eat in between the contractions because they were reallllllly painful and steadily getting worse. Chris went to small group and I stayed home with my Mom, timing my contractions and watching Beauty and the Beast and reading Harry Potter (the 6th book).. I was trying to stay as distracted as possible from the pain. So about halfway through Beauty and the Beast, the contractions were so bad that I was not really able to talk through them anymore. I tried going on a walk outside to see if they would slow down or stop, but they stayed consistent and painful and left me doubling up at various times throughout the walk. At this point I was consistently 4 to 5 minutes apart. I called the doctor, and we headed to the hospital!
Once there, my contractions were down to 3 or 4 minutes apart and really really painful. It was quite the experience. And the epidural could not come fast enough. By the time they checked me, at around 10 or 11 p.m., I was 5 cm dilated. The epidural was probably the most wonderful thing in the world. The anesthesiologist warned that it might take 10 to 15 minutes to start working, but it worked immediately and was wonderful. Really truly an amazing thing.
At midnight, the nurses told me it was time to start pushing. It was weird, because with the epidural it was hard to tell if I was pushing right, but I must've been doing it pretty well because after the first push she said "You're doing great! Most women would push for 2 hours before being at this point!" Which made me think "Wow... I hope I don't have hours more of this!!" but I didn't... at 1:10 the doctor came in, and at 1:25 a.m. Sophia Alexis Pitts was born, at 7 lbs. 10 oz. and 20 3/4 inches long, with a 13 inch head circumference. Her Daddy cut the cord :) It was a weird feeling, pushing her all the way out. I didn't even feel a tear and I thought for sure I would. They also asked if I wanted to see the placenta, etc., which I did, and it was pretty cool. It is amazing that what kept the baby alive was that organ and cord. Right away they wiped her down and put her on my chest for the skin-to-skin contact. She had the sweetest little cry!! She managed to find her lungs about 2 nights later when the nurse was taking her temperature in her armpit (she HATED that) and since then has kept those lungs going. What is amazing is that I have already forgotten how bad the pain was... I know it was terrible, and I remember my body shaking and crying out in pain, but I really don't remember how painful it was, which is probably for the better (and maybe Sophie won't be an only child).
What was really nice was Chris had the ability to take off 3 days of work and spend it at the hospital with me. It was great to have him there, especially at the beginning where it was all a new experience. He was a good sport too, because the "bed" that he was using at the hospital was hardly a comfortable one, and there were often nurses coming in and sleep was frequently interrupted by the baby girl who was initially nocturnal. The food was quite fun though :) I loved ordering my meals, and they actually had pretty good food. I even had coconut-crusted tilapia for dinner one night!
She was immediately a good nurser, which I am very thankful for. She loves to eat and eats very well, from day 1. The hardest part about nursing initially was the soreness, and the cramps that happened when I nursed because the uterus was contracting back down. A few days of ibuprofen and I am all back to normal :)
She is quite a good baby. The first three nights were kinda rough, and the 4th night we started wearing earplugs, but she has settled into a nice routine now where she eats around 10, sleeps until 2, and then sleeps again from 3 until 6 or 7 or so. I am getting sleep in 3 to 4 hour shifts, which is very nice. She is just a sweetheart - I swear she can smile already (or it certainly seems like it!). She also has some great awake moments, and just has the prettiest expressions! I love my little princess. I will have to post some pictures here. Praise God that she is here and healthy and we are settling into our new family routine! It is nice that she is here in time for Mother's Day :). I think the best gift is that my Mom has been able to stay with me for the first couple weeks, because otherwise I would be at a loss with what to do with this little princess.
God bless!!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Almost...there!!
Wow. Blogger got a new look and that really threw me through a loop!!
Well, here we are for the Month 10 (weeks 37 through 40) post!
I can't believe that I've reached this week. It doesn't seem that long ago that reaching 40 weeks felt like it was AGES away, and now my due date is fast approaching. Not only that, but this is going to be one action-packed week. My parents are flying in in two days, the graduation ceremony is in 3 days, and the "due date" is in 4 days. I say "due date" in quotations for all of the obvious reasons.
New for this month of pregnancy? Extreme fatigue. Like, worse than in the first trimester extreme. I didn't even know it was possible to exist and be that tired, but I am sure it is just a *touch* of how tired I am going to be once our little princess decides to enter the world. I would wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, and (if the day allowed) I would go back to bed for a morning nap. Some days didn't allow me to do that, so I spent the day feeling (and likely looking) like a zombie. Then, this past weekend I came down with a nasty head cold that wiped me out, and left me with an awful sore throat, nausea, and that foggy-headed feeling for the entire weekend. I think I was only awake about 8 hours total between Saturday and Sunday. Good thing I started getting that "nesting" desire a couple of weeks ago, because if I had waited to clean until now I would probably just look at the mess and then fall asleep in it.
Braxton Hicks contractions seemed to hit with a vengeance these last couple of weeks. One night I woke up at 2 a.m. from a painful contraction, and then was awake until about 5 or 6 a.m. having contractions. I was worried that I should start timing them or something, because it was just one painful contraction (with back pain) after the other. Then, nothing happened. However, it made me nervous enough that I finally packed my hospital bag (something that I have been putting off because it just seemed sooo unnecessary).
A couple more nights of leg cramps too, and of course, heartburn. I am just not sure what I would do without Tums. They are sitting by my bed, in my car, downstairs, in my purse...always accessible.
The doc estimates that she is about 7.5 pounds (or, at least that is what he thought she was at last Thursday). That would surprise me, because that is a rather small baby (considering the 'normal' size of babies in my family). He also said that he has been fooled before. Let's hope not - I would rather push out 7.5 pounds instead of 9.5 pounds.
Leaking has not been a problem, for which I am glad... I was worried that I would have problems with that, which could be kind of awkward, depending on if and when I started leaking. But, so far so good!
I have also had difficulty sleeping at night (likely contributing to my zombie-like state during the day). I more often than not wake up 2 or 3 times in the middle of the night, and have difficulty falling back asleep. I have managed to make it almost halfway through the Harry Potter series (again) and finished the Hunger Games trilogy (for the second time) during my sleepless nights.
It has been a fun month though, because it's just exciting knowing that really any moment (especially in this last week here), baby could make her grand entrance into the world. She has decided not to, yet, but that is ok. Maybe she'll be nice and wait for me to graduate on Friday before trying to come? Otherwise, it'll make a good story 5 years from now or so...
I had a great time this month with some showers that were thrown for me. I have had 4 showers, which is absolutely amazing. My friends and family in Utah threw me a virtual shower, and then I had a shower at church, and most recently Chris' side of the family threw a second virtual shower for me in Ohio. That was a lot of fun - we had my Nana in AZ and my Mom/sis in UT on the call, as well as Chris' Dad's cousin in KY on the call. Then my classmates threw me a surprise shower, which was totally unexpected and very fun! I had thought we were going to have a Student Academy of Audiology meeting, when I walked into the room and saw pink balloons, streamers, an "It's A Girl" sign and an amazing home-made cake (I'll post pictures!). Such fun! This little girl has already been crazy spoiled.
We also have the nursery all put together! It looks wonderful. I will post some pictures of that up here as well. I can't believe how well it all came together. I'm so excited to start using it! The diaper pail, diapers, wipes, bed, clothing, and everything are all ready to go! This next week is definitely going to be full of fun and surprises, whatever ends up happening.
Here are some pictures of the OH virtual shower:
Some pictures from the school shower:
Well, here we are for the Month 10 (weeks 37 through 40) post!
I can't believe that I've reached this week. It doesn't seem that long ago that reaching 40 weeks felt like it was AGES away, and now my due date is fast approaching. Not only that, but this is going to be one action-packed week. My parents are flying in in two days, the graduation ceremony is in 3 days, and the "due date" is in 4 days. I say "due date" in quotations for all of the obvious reasons.
New for this month of pregnancy? Extreme fatigue. Like, worse than in the first trimester extreme. I didn't even know it was possible to exist and be that tired, but I am sure it is just a *touch* of how tired I am going to be once our little princess decides to enter the world. I would wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, and (if the day allowed) I would go back to bed for a morning nap. Some days didn't allow me to do that, so I spent the day feeling (and likely looking) like a zombie. Then, this past weekend I came down with a nasty head cold that wiped me out, and left me with an awful sore throat, nausea, and that foggy-headed feeling for the entire weekend. I think I was only awake about 8 hours total between Saturday and Sunday. Good thing I started getting that "nesting" desire a couple of weeks ago, because if I had waited to clean until now I would probably just look at the mess and then fall asleep in it.
Braxton Hicks contractions seemed to hit with a vengeance these last couple of weeks. One night I woke up at 2 a.m. from a painful contraction, and then was awake until about 5 or 6 a.m. having contractions. I was worried that I should start timing them or something, because it was just one painful contraction (with back pain) after the other. Then, nothing happened. However, it made me nervous enough that I finally packed my hospital bag (something that I have been putting off because it just seemed sooo unnecessary).
A couple more nights of leg cramps too, and of course, heartburn. I am just not sure what I would do without Tums. They are sitting by my bed, in my car, downstairs, in my purse...always accessible.
The doc estimates that she is about 7.5 pounds (or, at least that is what he thought she was at last Thursday). That would surprise me, because that is a rather small baby (considering the 'normal' size of babies in my family). He also said that he has been fooled before. Let's hope not - I would rather push out 7.5 pounds instead of 9.5 pounds.
Leaking has not been a problem, for which I am glad... I was worried that I would have problems with that, which could be kind of awkward, depending on if and when I started leaking. But, so far so good!
I have also had difficulty sleeping at night (likely contributing to my zombie-like state during the day). I more often than not wake up 2 or 3 times in the middle of the night, and have difficulty falling back asleep. I have managed to make it almost halfway through the Harry Potter series (again) and finished the Hunger Games trilogy (for the second time) during my sleepless nights.
It has been a fun month though, because it's just exciting knowing that really any moment (especially in this last week here), baby could make her grand entrance into the world. She has decided not to, yet, but that is ok. Maybe she'll be nice and wait for me to graduate on Friday before trying to come? Otherwise, it'll make a good story 5 years from now or so...
I had a great time this month with some showers that were thrown for me. I have had 4 showers, which is absolutely amazing. My friends and family in Utah threw me a virtual shower, and then I had a shower at church, and most recently Chris' side of the family threw a second virtual shower for me in Ohio. That was a lot of fun - we had my Nana in AZ and my Mom/sis in UT on the call, as well as Chris' Dad's cousin in KY on the call. Then my classmates threw me a surprise shower, which was totally unexpected and very fun! I had thought we were going to have a Student Academy of Audiology meeting, when I walked into the room and saw pink balloons, streamers, an "It's A Girl" sign and an amazing home-made cake (I'll post pictures!). Such fun! This little girl has already been crazy spoiled.
We also have the nursery all put together! It looks wonderful. I will post some pictures of that up here as well. I can't believe how well it all came together. I'm so excited to start using it! The diaper pail, diapers, wipes, bed, clothing, and everything are all ready to go! This next week is definitely going to be full of fun and surprises, whatever ends up happening.
Here are some pictures of the OH virtual shower:
Some pictures from the school shower:
 |
| The entire 3rd-year, soon to be 4th-year, audiology class |
 |
| This is the amazing homemade cake - isn't it gorgeous?? |
 | |||
| This is from the virtual shower in Utah |
 |
| Copper helping me get the diaper bag ready :) |
 |
| Her already-full closet :) So excited!! |
 |
| Baby crib all set up |
 |
| All of her homemade blankets, crafted by people far more talented than me (the pink blanket from Lilah Donnelly, a woman from church; the pattern blanket from Chelsey Daimler who I have known since I was 5; the white blanket from Chris' Aunt Nancy; the one on the farthest right from my Aunt Lynne) |
 |
| The nursery in full. Dresser, changing pad, chair, bookshelf, infant swing, giant teddy bear, crib :) |
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Month 9
*Warning: Contents in this blog post may qualify as Too Much Information"
Weeks 33-36
Well, I have made it this far! Woohoo!! This is the month where it seems to get hard again. The middle of the pregnancy was kind of a breeze - the morning sickness stopped, the baby was big enough to feel movements, but I was stil able to breathe :)
The last couple of weeks, it has been definitely difficult to bend over, get out of my car (because the seat is low) or get out of comfy chairs and couches. The belly is also big enough that I have trouble breathing sometimes, or get really uncomfortable if I sit in the same position for longer than 20 to 30 minutes. I kind of thought that since I hadn't had back pain yet that I wouldn't get it...but that turned out to be not true also. It started one day when I was driving home, and all of the sudden I was so uncomfortable I didn't even know if I could make it all the way home - and it wasn't lower back pain, but it's pain up in the middle of my back.
What I very much dislike is the "practice contractions". Several times a day I'll get a feeling that is kind of like a period cramp, and it lasts sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes longer than a minute. Sometimes I just get one, and sometimes I get like 10 in a row. It's weird. And as we get closer to the due date, the stronger and more frequent they are becoming.
Frequent urination has come with a vengeance. I don't think there are many times when I make it longer than an hour or so without having to use the restroom...
I have been fortunate to have not swollen up like a balloon (at least, not yet) but the weather has also been fairly chilly with the exception of a couple of 75-80 degree days that were a big fluke.
In most ways, though, I am really enjoying being pregnant. I have had people let me cut in line to use the bathroom ;) and I love feeling the baby moving. It is fun to think that there is a life inside of me that I am supporting, and that she eats what I eat, drinks what I drink, and notices when I'm moving or when I'm not moving. It is kind of funny to see my belly go lopsided if she is hanging out on one side or the other.
The doctor's visits are all going well. Now I am seeing the doctor once a week (starting with the appointment yesterday). However, the bad part about the appointments is that now they are a lot more *detailed* than they were before, for lack of a better euphemism. I had to get some fairly uncomfortable scrapings yesterday to make sure that I don't have a particular bacteria, and the doc also checked to see if I am dilated at all. I'm not. But I guess you don't have to be at this stage, and as the due date approaches I'll probably start to get more and more that way. The doctor always tells me that my pregnancy is a "textbook case" and asked me this week if I could talk to his other patients :) I like hearing that - textbook is good in this case!!
It is exciting to think that there are only 4 more weeks to go. Chris and I are finishing putting the nursery together. I have been folding clothes, organizing, reorganizing, trying to plan out what I need...all of that stuff. We installed the car seat in the back of the car last week, and I have been practicing putting up and taking down a pack and play that I got at the baby shower my church threw for me so that I can easily do so when she is here.
It will be interesting to see how the end of this month plays out! Graduation is April 27th, and I pick up my cap and gown earlier that week. My parents are flying in the evening of the 26th - we'll have to see if I am still pregnant, in the hospital, or whatever else! 5 years from now this will make a good story I think :)
God bless!!
Weeks 33-36
Well, I have made it this far! Woohoo!! This is the month where it seems to get hard again. The middle of the pregnancy was kind of a breeze - the morning sickness stopped, the baby was big enough to feel movements, but I was stil able to breathe :)
The last couple of weeks, it has been definitely difficult to bend over, get out of my car (because the seat is low) or get out of comfy chairs and couches. The belly is also big enough that I have trouble breathing sometimes, or get really uncomfortable if I sit in the same position for longer than 20 to 30 minutes. I kind of thought that since I hadn't had back pain yet that I wouldn't get it...but that turned out to be not true also. It started one day when I was driving home, and all of the sudden I was so uncomfortable I didn't even know if I could make it all the way home - and it wasn't lower back pain, but it's pain up in the middle of my back.
What I very much dislike is the "practice contractions". Several times a day I'll get a feeling that is kind of like a period cramp, and it lasts sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes longer than a minute. Sometimes I just get one, and sometimes I get like 10 in a row. It's weird. And as we get closer to the due date, the stronger and more frequent they are becoming.
Frequent urination has come with a vengeance. I don't think there are many times when I make it longer than an hour or so without having to use the restroom...
I have been fortunate to have not swollen up like a balloon (at least, not yet) but the weather has also been fairly chilly with the exception of a couple of 75-80 degree days that were a big fluke.
In most ways, though, I am really enjoying being pregnant. I have had people let me cut in line to use the bathroom ;) and I love feeling the baby moving. It is fun to think that there is a life inside of me that I am supporting, and that she eats what I eat, drinks what I drink, and notices when I'm moving or when I'm not moving. It is kind of funny to see my belly go lopsided if she is hanging out on one side or the other.
The doctor's visits are all going well. Now I am seeing the doctor once a week (starting with the appointment yesterday). However, the bad part about the appointments is that now they are a lot more *detailed* than they were before, for lack of a better euphemism. I had to get some fairly uncomfortable scrapings yesterday to make sure that I don't have a particular bacteria, and the doc also checked to see if I am dilated at all. I'm not. But I guess you don't have to be at this stage, and as the due date approaches I'll probably start to get more and more that way. The doctor always tells me that my pregnancy is a "textbook case" and asked me this week if I could talk to his other patients :) I like hearing that - textbook is good in this case!!
It is exciting to think that there are only 4 more weeks to go. Chris and I are finishing putting the nursery together. I have been folding clothes, organizing, reorganizing, trying to plan out what I need...all of that stuff. We installed the car seat in the back of the car last week, and I have been practicing putting up and taking down a pack and play that I got at the baby shower my church threw for me so that I can easily do so when she is here.
It will be interesting to see how the end of this month plays out! Graduation is April 27th, and I pick up my cap and gown earlier that week. My parents are flying in the evening of the 26th - we'll have to see if I am still pregnant, in the hospital, or whatever else! 5 years from now this will make a good story I think :)
God bless!!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Best Weekend Ever.
So a few weeks ago, the last weekend in February, the Minnesota Academy of Audiology (MAA) had their annual conference. I typically have my doctor's appointments every other Friday, and was not planning on attending the entire conference on Friday or the banquet afterwards. Chris convinced me that I should go to the banquet because "it would be a good networking opportunity" and said that he would meet me there.
At the banquet, they do an awards presentation for people in MAA that year. I was watching the awards ceremony and they named the "Outstanding Student Leadership" award to me - I was shocked! They then started reading some personal information, stuff that I have done while in school, as well as personal stories. They contacted classmates, family, friends etc. for stories. It was a really neat experience. I can't believe all the background work that went into getting the information. And after they had finished reading everything, they asked me to come up and get the award. I turned the corner, and my Dad was there! I still can't really believe he was here for the weekend. He flew in from Utah just for this and had been there all day at my in-laws house and I had no idea. It was really a very neat surprise, and such a special time! Both of my in-laws were also there, my father-in-law flew in from TN :) It was really cool.
While my Dad was here for the weekend, he decided to build a bookshelf for the baby. It was neat seeing Daddy and Papa working together making a bookshelf for our little girl! Pictures below show the story from start to finish :)
At the banquet, they do an awards presentation for people in MAA that year. I was watching the awards ceremony and they named the "Outstanding Student Leadership" award to me - I was shocked! They then started reading some personal information, stuff that I have done while in school, as well as personal stories. They contacted classmates, family, friends etc. for stories. It was a really neat experience. I can't believe all the background work that went into getting the information. And after they had finished reading everything, they asked me to come up and get the award. I turned the corner, and my Dad was there! I still can't really believe he was here for the weekend. He flew in from Utah just for this and had been there all day at my in-laws house and I had no idea. It was really a very neat surprise, and such a special time! Both of my in-laws were also there, my father-in-law flew in from TN :) It was really cool.
While my Dad was here for the weekend, he decided to build a bookshelf for the baby. It was neat seeing Daddy and Papa working together making a bookshelf for our little girl! Pictures below show the story from start to finish :)
Friday, March 9, 2012
Coming down the home stretch!
Month 8 (Weeks 29-32)
Not much new to report here with our little lady bug, but no news is good news!! Everytime I go to the doctor he says "It couldn't look any better if I got it out of a textbook"...which is exactly the kind of thing that I like to hear. She is kicking and squirming like crazy. Actually, that is the fun part about pregnancy now. I love feeling the baby move, and now she is big enough that I can feel more specific body parts moving and kicking, like I can actually feel her knee or her foot pushing against my stomach. It also makes my belly go into weird shapes.
Other than that, no other new symptoms. Heartburn seems to have come back with a vengeance, so I'm doubling up on the Tums again. It is also getting difficult to ride my stationary bike - I can no longer easily bend down to get the water bottle, it's almost a workout by itself trying to reach down there.
In addition to coming down the pregnancy home stretch, I am also just about done with school :) I passed my oral examination last week, which essentially means that I have my Master's Degree now! I don't have the official sheepskin in hand yet, but everything else is done. I contacted my family and told them that they may now call me "Master Pitts"! The only things I have left to get my Au.D. are my capstone, capstone defense, and externship! I can't believe I have already been in this program for 3 years. Time has absolutely flown by.
7 more weeks until graduation, or childbirth, or possibly both...depending on when she decides to make her grand entrance into this world. I am looking forward to having my family here and celebrating all of these exciting changes in my life!
As Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us".
This verse is my prayer - here's to finishing with strength! God bless.
Not much new to report here with our little lady bug, but no news is good news!! Everytime I go to the doctor he says "It couldn't look any better if I got it out of a textbook"...which is exactly the kind of thing that I like to hear. She is kicking and squirming like crazy. Actually, that is the fun part about pregnancy now. I love feeling the baby move, and now she is big enough that I can feel more specific body parts moving and kicking, like I can actually feel her knee or her foot pushing against my stomach. It also makes my belly go into weird shapes.
Other than that, no other new symptoms. Heartburn seems to have come back with a vengeance, so I'm doubling up on the Tums again. It is also getting difficult to ride my stationary bike - I can no longer easily bend down to get the water bottle, it's almost a workout by itself trying to reach down there.
In addition to coming down the pregnancy home stretch, I am also just about done with school :) I passed my oral examination last week, which essentially means that I have my Master's Degree now! I don't have the official sheepskin in hand yet, but everything else is done. I contacted my family and told them that they may now call me "Master Pitts"! The only things I have left to get my Au.D. are my capstone, capstone defense, and externship! I can't believe I have already been in this program for 3 years. Time has absolutely flown by.
7 more weeks until graduation, or childbirth, or possibly both...depending on when she decides to make her grand entrance into this world. I am looking forward to having my family here and celebrating all of these exciting changes in my life!
As Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us".
This verse is my prayer - here's to finishing with strength! God bless.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Graduation!!
It is hard to believe that my time with the Au.D. program is coming to an end. It feels like I just barely started it, and it has already been over two and a half years. Another couple weeks and it'll be halfway through my last semester of classes (well, class... I only have one class this semester).
Almost all of the tests that I have been dreading for the past two and a half years are over. I passed my Comps, I passed the Praxis, and now I have the HID exam next week. After that, my oral defense and then working on my capstone for the rest of the semester. Woohoo! It all seems so much more manageable now that I have starting knocking some items off of the list. The last final I will ever have to take is also at the end of April, but I have arranged to take it a little earlier in case something DOES happen early :)
Graduation is April 27th, and my due date is April 28th. Likely, because as everybody keeps telling me first babies tend to come late, I will be at graduation about the size of a whale. I am just hoping for her to come a little earlier ;) but she'll come when she feels like it.
I am just really excited for everything that is coming in the next couple of months. It is going to be a busy, fun time. Most of the time I think it's just a blessing that everything is keeping me busy - it keeps my mind off of things and forcing me to take life all one step at a time.
Almost all of the tests that I have been dreading for the past two and a half years are over. I passed my Comps, I passed the Praxis, and now I have the HID exam next week. After that, my oral defense and then working on my capstone for the rest of the semester. Woohoo! It all seems so much more manageable now that I have starting knocking some items off of the list. The last final I will ever have to take is also at the end of April, but I have arranged to take it a little earlier in case something DOES happen early :)
Graduation is April 27th, and my due date is April 28th. Likely, because as everybody keeps telling me first babies tend to come late, I will be at graduation about the size of a whale. I am just hoping for her to come a little earlier ;) but she'll come when she feels like it.
I am just really excited for everything that is coming in the next couple of months. It is going to be a busy, fun time. Most of the time I think it's just a blessing that everything is keeping me busy - it keeps my mind off of things and forcing me to take life all one step at a time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)