24 weeks

How Far Along?:  24 weeks

Produce Of The Week: Ear of Corn

 

Jeff's Item of the Week: Chicago Hot dog

 

Dr. appts: [WARNING! Rant coming!]

I saw a midwife yesterday and was not impressed.  I've seen the midwives before and had concerns (apple cider vinegar does not fix all problems!) but from now on it's Dr's for me.  She did not bring in my file or talk about my recent hospital visit. When I asked her about my liver levels and if they are testing them again that day, she said "We can if you want to!".  Um no, we will, because you and I both need to know they have gone back to normal. RIGHT? Am I taking crazy pills here people? I also had the glucose test without any notice, since it was supposed to be on my next visit. Praying I passed that one.

 

Next up was Endocrinology,  It didn't go much better.  She didn't seem to think my last three spikes in TSH over the last 8 months were alarming.(trust me, this is alarming).  She kept saying it was because they were stimulating my ovaries (that did not happen, bc I did not use my own eggs, which I explained).  Then she told me she would have just upped my dosage at 4 weeks pregnant and had me come back at 10 weeks.  Well that's really intereting since RBA had to check my TSH almost biweekly the first 10 weeks bc my TSH was out of control.  Now I lack all confidence in this Dr.  

She also told me she'll see me in two months - Oh, great, so you'll check to make sure all is ok just weeks before the baby arrives? - gee thanks! I decided that the bloodwork drawn yesterday will be very telling, but either way it turns out I'm going to request to be checked at least once every3-4 weeks until baby arrives.  Next frustrating discussion was about postpartum depression in women without a thyroid.  I've been told by trusted reproductive endocrinologists that I need to be uber careful after the baby comes with my dosage and should be watched closely.  Her suggestion was to go back to "pre-pregancy Synthroid levels" and I'll be just fine.  

1. Who knows what my "pre-pregnancy level" was? NO one. I was all over the charts this past year. 

2. She says she guesses it would be 112mcgs, YOU GUESS?  That makes me feel great.

3. I really believe my RBA doc about the relation to zero-thyroid and post postpartum depression and I'm taking that sh*t seriously.  She grabbed my hands on my last appt. and looked me in the eye and told me she was worried about me. That's the real deal and I trust that woman.  Also - she got me pregnant so there's that too.

4. I need a new Endo Dr. or I'm just going to have to make lots of lab appointments in her office and monitor the TSH myself to get her to pay attention to my levels.

 Whoa- pent up rant from yesterday just dying to get out.  

 

Cravings: candy   

 

Best Moment of the Week:The weekend!  We spent Easter with lots of friends and had a really nice Sunday.  Also Jeff shaved his beard of terror.

Looking Ahead:Buffalo Shower in two weeks! Theme; You are my sunshine! love it!

In Other News: Our Master Bath is really coming along nicely.  Jeff has tile finished and grouted this weekend, it's a white subway tile with a light grey grout, I love it. He doesn't like when I take progress pictures, he prefers I only show the final project but I'll get a few for everyone to see!

 

Bump(y) Bloopers:

 *Jen & Crissy, just realized your little pillow made it into the bump shot (in the crib!)

23 weeks

How Far Along?:  23 weeks

Produce Of The Week: a Mango

Jeff's Item of the Week: a softball

Symptoms: reflux and just sore muscle, nothing I can't handle

Dr. appts: April 1st for endo and OBGYN

Cravings: sweeeeets

Aversions: nothing 

Best Moment of the Week: FAMILY weekend!

Looking Ahead: Easter with friends, Nursery completion, Baby showers in Buffalo & Atlanta, sunshine and warmer weather! Also of importance, Jeff shaves his beard on March 30th!  AMEN.

In Other News: We had a great weekend with my brother in law and sister in law, and their beautiful baby girl!

 

 Fun at the GA Aquarium

 Sophia! 

 

 

 Bump(y) Bloopers:

22 weeks & a lazy liver

How Far Along?:  22 weeks

(this was post-hospital-discharge-no-make-up)

Produce Of The Week: summer squash

Jeff's Item of the Week: Chipotle Burrito

Symptoms: acid reflux & general stomach pain

Dr. appts: April 1st for endo and OBGYN...more on my recent dr visit later.

Cravings: nothing?!  just sweets but I've got that under control.

Aversions:  nothing that stands out, sometimes I make or buy something and find I just can not eat it. 

Best Moment of the Week: Hearing that my grandpa asked about me and wished me well from his hospital bed.  love him xo

Looking Ahead: I want to be 24 weeks, I'm really anxious to pass the big viability mark and move forward with less fear.

In Other News: Week 21 was pretty awful. I've been feeling awful, lots of gas pain, heartburn, stomach cramps, and just run down with stomach pains. It really got out of control, I have a severe/sharp pain my in right side of my back.  Classic inflamed Gallbladder, or so I'm told. I made a dr. appt with my OBGYN for Friday morning. I spent about 10 minutes with my dr and she was very concerned by both my symptoms and my current state. I was in rough condition, I probably could have passed out I was feeling so sick. They advised me to go to Labor & Delivery and get checked in to the hospital right away, which I did. I spent the next 30 hours doing bloodwork, getting ultrasounds, lots of IV fluids and 5 shifts of different nurses. Only to learn from two different doctors that I do not have an inflamed Gallbladder even though I present with all the symptoms, instead I find out I have increased liver levels. On Friday they were high enough to be concerns and for me to stay the night for monitoring of me and the baby. By Saturday my levels were still high but had fallen. This is literally all I know because Jeff asked for me to be discharged! We are still just keeping an eye out on my digestive system, I'm on a low fat diet which seemed to help this weekend but the pain on my side/back is now back. The jury is still out and I'll keep you all updated when I know anything else! The good news is I Ioved the hospital and the nurses so having my baby here will be one less thing to worry about.

This is day one, hour 4.  I was still sane here!

Bump(y) Bloopers:

He just keeps pressing the button even as I tell him to STOP! haha

Side note: Jeff felt the baby veggies were lame, so he is now giving his weekly version. You can find those now at the top of each weekly post. His are likely to be funny and sometimes inappropriate, we shall see!

21 weeks

How Far Along?:  21 weeks

Produce Of The Week: length of a Carrot

Imagine a carrot here :)

Symptoms: Stomach and gas cramps

Dr. appts: April 1, another OBGYN appt & Endo appt to monitor my TSH.I I had a little scare last week, we had my TSH tested and found it was at 17 (normal is generally between 1 and 2).  This was really upsetting that my bod just absorbs the Synthroid differently.  I saw my Endo right away and they agreed that they will not monitor me the rest of my pregnancy and I'm very happy for this so I don't have to worry anymore.

Cravings: nothing?!  I just like sweet but I need to pump the breaks.

Aversions: just not happening!

Best Moment of the Week: A crib arrived.  I know this may not seem like the biggest deal but it really made me so happy. I always thought I could plan my nursery forever but without a baby on the way I knew the crib was so far away, the crib really makes it all seem so real. My person will sleep there!  Nursery update coming soon...

Looking Ahead: Family fun in two weeks!  So excited for my people to visit!  Also, I have two showers scheduled and I'm so excited, one in Buffalo and one in Atlanta, can't wait to see everyone and celebrate baby Tuds!

In Other News: My family had a very rough week.  My beloved Grandpa Bob suffered a heart attack last weekend and on Thursday went into cardic arrest and received a breathing tube. It's incredibly difficult to be so far away as we all were unsure of his future. He has fought very hard and today they were able to remove the tube and he has been breathing on his own.  I love this man and I love my Grandma so very much, I can't wait to see them both very soon.  I debated flying home on Friday but decided to stay, mostly because I knew I didn't want my last memory  of him to include a breathing tube.  I kept holding on to my last memory which was Christmas Eve when Jeff and I were able to finally and officially tell everyone we were pregnant.  His face lit up and he gave me the best smile and hug.  I miss my entire family so much right now, but I'm also so grateful for our friends here in Atlanta who have been so supportive of us.  Thanks ya'll.

bump(y) bloopers

So this happened on Sunday night.... 

Katie - "Maybe I should just hold a Banana??"

Jeff - "No, Buddy is going to attack your Bump!"

 Jeff  - "let me go first"

Katie -"wait, I'm not ready-stop!"

Katie- "Do I look fat?"

Katie-"Stop taking photo's, stop making me laugh!"

Katie- "All the photo's you took are blurry, keep your damn man hands STILL, let's try this again!"

 Katie -"Ok, TAKE IT! ....we are never doing this again!"

I hope you all enjoyed this interruption to normal programming :)

20 Weeks - half way, bam!

How Far Along?:  20 weeks

Produce Of The Week: length of a Banana! approx. 11 oz.

Symptoms:  the stomach pain has subsided and now just some muscle strengthing pains

Dr. appts: We have our 20 weeks appt on Monday March 4th with our OBGYN. 

Cravings: nothing. but I did buy a 12 pack of Squirt, maybe a craving at the time haha

Aversions: maybe this won't happen?!

Best Moment of the Week: more consistent baby moves! and I think I really "popped" this week.  I only have about 5 lbs of weight gain so I'm hoping I can keep that under control.

Looking Ahead:  We bought a crib (white jenny lind crib), mattress and toddler rail.  I'm getting excited because as soon as the master bath is done we are going to finish the nursery together and get our glider.

In Other News:  We have visitors coming!  I'm so excited to host my SIL & BIL and their beautiful baby girl! They will be here in 3 weeks for a fun filled family weekend in Atlanta!

Half way, when did this happen?  July will be here before we know and it and now we are thinking about daycare, diapers, maternity leave, birthing classes....oh my!

19 weeks 2 days

I forgot to tell you that I'm actually a new week on Sundays, so 20 weeks this Sunday!   Today at our 19w2d appt here is what we have in store...

 Hand

 Feet

baby head, love the lips and nose!

I love this baby so hard.

19 weeks

How Far Along?:  19 weeks

Produce Of The Week: Heirloom Tomato

Symptoms: 

heartburn

Gas-not usually gas but more like gas cramps/painful bloating. 

Dr. appts: On Tuesday we do not see our Dr. but we are going to a specialist to have the anatomy scan performed.  I'm excited to see baby because I know it will be a long time before our next ultrasound. 

Cravings: nada, almost the opposite, I have no interest in eating.  I need to start just force feeding since I am only 1 lb up from where I was in November. I don't crave Strawberries but I do love them and this was my birthday cake at the office...yum!

Aversions: um nothing, when does all this start!?! 

Best Moment of the Week: more baby movements felt this week! I love it

Looking Ahead:  We have our anatomy scan on the 26th! 

In Other News: I'm including some photos of our current project, the Master Bath!

We have put up the kerdi shower system to prevent any water leakage.  I'm super excited to have our master bathroom back in working condition.  We will be tiling a really simple/modern white subway tile.  We also installed heated floors. holla!

 and some other photo's....

 Grace & Lila, my visit to Buffalo

 A baby Bump

 our glider!

18 weeks - I'm back!

Hi friends, the last three weeks set me on my a$$, a sinus infection got the best of me and i spent most nights breathing through my mouth and eating only strawberries.  I'm back and on my second round of antibiotics and I'm feeling much better so back to regular baby updates are coming your way!

How Far Along?:  18 weeks - this is happening so FAST!

Produce Of The Week:  a Bell pepper

Symptoms: 

• heartburn
• GAS - not usually gas but more like gas cramps/painful bloating. 
• I don't know if this is a symptom of being sick or pregnancy but I get really hungry and when it comes time to pick food to eat nothing looks good.  I've been force feeding myself lunch the last few weeks because I know I need to eat but I find nothing enjoyable for the most part. This has also caused a considerable weight loss.  I'm sure at this point I should be up at least 5 pounds but I'm still holding steady at my original weight at Transfer. I need to start adding more calories but I'm in no rush to gain tons weight.

Dr. appts:  I met with a hematologist and he agreed with my other Docs that I could safely stop taking Heparin.  You can guess I did a happy dance!  no more shots!
Cravings: sweets & candy. ugh not good if Im trying to avoid a large ass baby!
Aversions: um nothing, when does all this start!?! 
Sleep:  sleeping so well these days (now that I can breathe!)
Best Moment of the Week:  

#1. I now have a little bump which makes me happy and i find that sometimes during the day when I'm alone I just rest my hands on it and feel so happy and grateful.  

#2. I felt the baby, I've felt baby maybe 5 times in the last week.  My sister describes it as a fish or eel swimming and that's exactly what I felt.  It's pretty special to start feeling baby move and I can't wait to feel more! 

#3 Going home to surprise my bestie for her big 30th birthday party.  I had such a great weekend visiting with my BIL & SIL and their beautiful baby Sophia!  I also visited my cousin Danielle/David and their lovely ladies, Grace & baby Lila.  It was so great to see all my people, friends, family, sisters. Just what I needed!
Looking Ahead:  We have our anatomy scan on the 26th!  I'm very excited to see baby again and all the movements.  We are not finding out the sex and I'm now feeling very at peace with this decision.  I'm committed to giving us this special moment at birth and not before.  I'm infamous for ruining a lot of surprises so this ensures I'm  in for the surprise of my life.  I know people say it's a surprise any time you find out but  know we've thought a lot about this and we are not changing our minds (so stop trying sisters!! haha)
In Other News:  We are in construction mode right now. The master Bath has been demo'd and now we have heated floors, a new toilet, new lights, fan, vanity.  Soon Jeff will start tiling and building the shower stall.  I'm so excited and ready for a true master bath especially for late night pee breaks!

weekly programming will begin again tomorrow.

A stubborn sinus infection with lots of travel have knocked me out.  Baby Bell Pepper (18 weeks) update coming soon!