28w4d - 80 days to go and MORE pics!

Hi all!

Wow...I've been posting a lot lately! Well, only 80 more days and I can't believe how quickly it's going. Cankles have become ankles again thanks to drinking lots of water, keeping my feet up, and cooler weather. Makes me happy to see them again!

Here are the u/s pics from Sunday's elective u/s. He was 28w2d here. I think you can tell what most of the pics are, but I have labeled several that were a bit hard to see. It seems we might have a thumb-sucker on our hands. For most of the u/s, he wanted his R hand near his mouth trying to suck his thumb, and he loves his L arm up and over his head. He assumed that position in the previous 3D u/s too! I'm curious to see if that's how he sleeps after he's born. Okay, here's the proud mother showing off her little one!

Boy Parts

Hands Covering Face Face

Sucking Thumb

Left Arm Above Head - Favorite Position!
R Arm by Chin, L Arm by face - Favorite Position

Well, that's it for now. Hope everyone is doing great!

xoxo Yo!

28w2d - New Belly Slide Show

Hi all!

Okay, so I've been remiss on taking belly shots for the past 3 weeks, but we have just been so darn busy! But, there is DEFINITELY a change in my belly since the last shot - here you go! (Remember, some times it take a few cycles to load - just let it cycle a few times. Should go up to 28 weeks!)

We're getting an elective u/s today and I'll have more 3D pics to post...can't wait to see my little guy again. He's moving so much now - I can't believe it when I look at my belly and it morphs into different shapes!

Oh, we went on our first hospital tour and it made everything seem much more real. We're deciding between 2 hospitals and our 2nd tour is Oct 8. The hospital we went to yesterday has private LDR rooms (labor, delivery, recovery) that you're in until about 2 hours after the birth, and FREE private postpartum rooms. They have fold out chair-beds for DHs, and you can send the baby to the nursery anytime you need a break. I can't believe I'll be holding my little one in mid-to-end December...best birthday/Christmas present EVER! (Due date is Dec 19...birthday is Dec 14.)

Okay, that's it for now...I'll be back later to post some u/s pics! Hugs and love to everyone!

xoxo Yo!

27w3d - Lost the Game...but Won the Fashion Show!

Hi all!


Well, had to do a quick post to show everyone the shirt I had made for our UCLA football games! If you don't know the story, here goes. Season ticket holders were given this shirt to wear to games:

FRONT OF SHIRT

BACK OF SHIRT

Well, I came up with this idea...I could have a similar shirt made using a maternity shirt, putting the saying "UCLA Bruins" from the front of the shirt on the back of the maternity shirt, and the saying from the back of the shirt on the front of the maternity shirt...so I came up with this:

SHIRT I HAD MADE!
"Champions Made Here"

Well, it went over so well! At least 50% of the people we passed either said something directly to me about how cute it was, or we saw them tap the person they were next to and overheard them tell the other person to look at the shirt and how cute it was! I was so happy with how it turned out. DH LOVED it too and wouldn't let go of my hand, which made me smile too! He loved the attention we got and was proud to "flaunt" me around! Bummer that our team lost so badly...well, it is a rebuilding year with new coaches. We just can't wait until basketball season! ;-)

Other than that, I'm getting bigger and bigger...keep forgetting to take a weekly belly pic, but will definitely do one next weekend. I'm finding that I get tired more easily and I have a touch of morning sickness back - didn't know that could happen, but I guess my progesterone rises again to prepare my bbs for breastfeeding. I also get low back pain if I do too much, which happened yesterday when I decided the bathroom needed to be cleaned thoroughly! Sleep is a bit harder as well, but I think I'm managing so far. Nice that I am working part time so I can make sure of that!

Oh, got the paper saying I'm eligible to take the board exam, so the next step is to schedule this puppy! I am hoping I can do it on Oct 7 or 14...I have to log on to see! I so can't wait until I am DONE studying for good and I can relax and look forward to just having this baby!

Well, that's all for now. Love to everyone!

xoxo Yo!

27w0d - Naked Belly Picture!

Hi all,

Okay, so I've been a lot more tired lately, but I think it more due "stuff" happening than the pregnancy. Neighbor played video games from 1am-4am (our rooms have a common wall), DH had to get up for work at 4:30am for a special project. But, I am pooped today! It hasn't affected me at work, but when I get home at 2pm after starting at 7am, I feel like I have to nap!

One word about work - I have a patient who has a very-likely terminal condition. I am treating this person for an orthopedic problem. I so admire him and his wife because they are so positive. I pray for him to get better, but I know that it may not happen. The most I can do is to help him live a better life right now and to not be afraid of his disease. I feel blessed every day that I can work with this person and am blessed that he is in my life. I hope that I can be a shining light like he is to someone some day.

Okay, enough about that, here is the naked belly shot. I've been afraid until now because I just feel fat, but I kind of like this picture:

Hope everyone else is doing well. Shout out to Monty - you are so normal for having ups and downs, and I hope that your "break" from online stuff helps you take a step back. I also can't wait for the day I can celebrate your pregnancy with you and to help you through the uncertainty of the initial stages. You are a strong woman, and I admire you.

xoxo Yo!

26w5d - WHAT? 3rd Trimester Already?

Hi all!

Okay, so I just noticed the my babygaga ticker showed me in my last trimester as of today. WHAT? REALLY? Are you sure? I did the math, and 40 weeks divided by 3 = 13.33 weeks per trimester x 2 = 26.66667 to end the 2nd trimester...I guess that math works out. Wow, the 2nd trimester went so fast. Okay, so I hear that the last trimester gets pretty hard, but so far so good...even though I'm probably hours into it! I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed that I can continue to work and feel pretty good.

Cankles are doing much better. I've been watching my salt intake, went in a nice cool pool yesterday, drinking lots of water, and wearing TED hose at night occasionally. Yes, the kind of stockings that you see old people wear in hospitals to reduce swelling. But, as a physical therapist, I would suggest this to my patients, so it should work for me too!

We're just now starting to schedule hospital visits and birthing classes...word to those who are PG out there...DO THIS EARLY. You can always cancel the appts or change them, but at least it will be on your calendar and not get in the way of stuff. The third trimester comes so much! quicker than you realize.

My back pain has been better lately and I think exercising is helping. Sleeping is still tough, but I'm managing at least 7 hours a night...even though I wake up frequently. Rolling over is getting harder, but using pillows helps. The carpal tunnel / ulnar nerve issues are still there, but I'm managing them pretty well. My little guy is kicking up a storm lately and it's fun. It took a while to get used to, but I'm embracing it more. I can imagine it feels "lonely" after the birth.

Well, that's it for now...must get back to studying. I just wanted to welcome in my third trimester with a posting. Love to everyone who reads - feel free to post a comment! Just had my first "random" comment from a nice person with twin boys! (I had no idea people other than my "message board friends" were reading, but I welcome any new faces. Just hope I can help people in their journey by sharing about my experience from TTC to birth.) So thanks to all the lurkers!

xoxo Yo!

25w5d - 100 days left...and cankle pics!

Hi all,

Okay, this will be short today, but...

100 days left!



How has time gone by so fast? I can't believe I'll have my baby boy in 100 days. I feel blessed by all those who have helped me so far in this journey.



Okay, as promised, here is a picture of the cankle:

This is my left ankle with me pushing my thumb into the flesh.

This is the thumb print I made and the lack of an ankle bone!

Other than that, I'm doing great. Dr appt yesterday was awesome - got to see the little guy again! My dr told me I would probably swell for the rest of the pregnancy, and that as long as I wasn't gaining a ton (of water) and that my blood pressure was good, there was nothing to worry about. She said there's a good level of amniotic fluid and the baby was active...she also said we need to pick a hospital soon!

That's it for now. Love to all!

xoxo Yo!

25w2d - Life is good!

Hi all!

Okay, just had to share what DH and I did this afternoon. After having a lovely brunch, we went to:



Now my little guys is kicking up a storm...hummm....wonder why? Couldn't be all that sugar mom just ate, could it? Ha-ha!

Oh, and my new favorite dessert: chocolate, chocolate, chocolate s'mores! You use chocolate graham crackers, chocolate marshmallows, with chocolate chips! Mmmmmmmm good!

And, here is my updated belly slide show. I'm getting bigger and bigger. Funny, even when I think I'm "huge" already, I'm still pretty little for being pregnant. 15 more weeks will definitely put on some more girth.

DH spoils me and we're going to start working on the nursery set up today. It will be a long process, but I'm very excited.

Oh, and I got a new job and started working last Friday! I work as a PTLA (physical therapist license applicant) and will take my board exams sometime in the beginning of October. I really need to get my butt studying! (I've started...a few girlfriends and I go the the library a few times per week for 4-5 hours.)

That's it for now. Life is good and I feel blessed.

xoxo Yo!

24w4d - What did you just say???

Hi all!

"Interesting" story that made me super mad...

DH and I were at a football game yesterday night, and our team was winning until the last play when the other team tied the game as time ran out. We sit in the same season-ticket seats every year, and kind of "know" the people around us. After the play, one of the older men in our area turns around to me and says, "This is HIS fault!" with a laugh and pointing towards my belly.

WHAT???

I said something dumb back to him about how my baby was screaming just like the rest of us for our team to block the play.

I can't tell you how protective/angry I felt that he would imply that my baby "cursed" the game. You would "blame" and unborn fetus even as a joke??? What is that about???

I know my hormones played a huge part in how I felt, and once I calmed down know that how I felt was an over-reaction, but don't ever say something like that about my child. It was the first time during the pregnancy that I felt like a lion protecting her cub. Don't you DARE ever say something like that about my little one.

I'm doing fine with it now, and know he just didn't realized that his "joke" was NOT funny, but was interesting to feel that kind of protective reaction about my little almost 25-week developing fetus.

Other than that, my "cankles" are doing okay after spending 9 hours at a football game, the left one has more swelling than the right. I'll put on some more kinesio tape to help it and keep them up when I can. I've also been very careful to stay away from salty items to not add to the problem.

Today, I'm sitting at home waiting for my possible employer to call me with an offer. I think the call should come before 11am, and am VERY excited at the possibility of working soon. I so want to be a financially contributing member of my household...oh yeah...and getting paid to do something I LOVE to do! Bonus!!!

That's it for now...thanks for letting me share my story.

xoxo Yo!