25 Days!

The latest

How far along: 36 weeks 4 days

Weight gain: Not too sure. It wasn't discussed at my last appointment.

Blood Pressure: "Excellent"

Baby's Heartbeat: 154 bpm

Maternity clothes: Of course, but more still able to wear some of my regular ones

Stretch marks: Nope

Sleep: Normal

Movement: Still sticking her feet into my ribcage on occasion. She has just enough room to move her little bum from my right side to the left, and back again.

Cravings: Summer fruit

Driving me crazy: Although it's improved, acne is still my biggest complaint.

Names we have in mind: Just when we think we've settled on a name, our minds are changed.

What I miss: lime margaritas

What I'm looking forward to: Having the renos completed! And, of course, seeing our sweet girl 'nuggle with her daddy.

Overall: Still feeling pretty darn good! Yes, I can be uncomfortable when I eat too much and then sit down, and my body is pretty sore after a day of cleaning the house. But really, how can I complain about that when the first part of my pregnancy was so terrible? As far as crappy pregnancy symptoms go, I don't have swollen ankles or fingers, sausage toes, constipation or hemorrhoids. I don't need a special pillow for sleeping, nor do I have leg cramps, stretch marks or varicose veins.

At my doctor's appointment this past Tuesday, I was tested for Group B strep, and have officially graduated to weekly appointments to have my super fun internal exams. Go cervix, go!

Pics and Ultrasound #9

Horn Lake, 35 weeks

American nursery

American nursery

American nursery

Maternity photo shoot with Studio Christy (Portland)

Our triplets - Maternity shoot with Studio Christy (Portland)

Maternity photo shoot with Christy Rimrodt of Studio Christy (Portland)

Maternity photo shoot with Christy Rimrodt of Studio Christy (Portland)

Peter, Erin and Kaden hosted my Canadian shower

Cake made by Joanna for my Canadian shower

Diaper cake made by Erin (Canadian shower)

Party favours at Canadian shower

Cyballs opened some gifts, too.
My in-laws, Jerry and Linda hosted my American shower

July 3rd - Along the Columbia River in Oregon, 31 weeks

Work baby shower
I had the 9th ultrasound of this pregnancy on Friday. Once again my docs want to ensure our girl is growing. Of course the tech can't tell me much about what he was seeing, but he did say she's weighing in at just over 6 lbs and is measuring at
35w3d (which is bang-on). The other bit of interesting news is her position; her head is so low in my pelvis, he couldn't see anything above her mouth/tip of her sweet little nose. He pointed out her heart, kidneys, bladder, ribs and spine, as well as noting that her legs are crossed just under my right rib (which I already knew because of the slight pressure I usually feel). At the time, her bum was on my left, but the only movements she can make lately is moving her bum from side to side in my uterus.

I have one more ultrasound booked for August 22, but if Dr. H. is satisfied with her growth, I won't have to go to that appointment. I'm slightly anxious to talk to Dr. H. on Tuesday since the tech was asking me some abnormal questions.

All in all, I feel great!

On Track

My sister and good friend hosted my Canadian shower on the 10th, and it was more than I could have ever imagined; everything was personalized and every last detail was perfect. We were incredibly spoiled, but most importantly we were definitely feeling the love!

In my last post, we had just had our first set of maternity photos taken. We recently got them back and couldn't be happier!

Stay tuned for pics from my showers and our shoot with the fabulous Christy.

Here's the latest stats:

How far along: 33 weeks 3 days

Weight gain: Nadda. In fact, for purposes of this post, it should read "Weight Loss." I'm down a couple lbs. I have no idea how, but I'm losing and she's gaining. Once again, the doctor isn't concerned because my uterus is measuring at 33 weeks, so she's definitely growing. Today at my appointment, Dr. H. went over the radiologist's report, pointing out the different measurements that were taken. Of all the measurements, supposedly the abdominal circumference is the most significant/telling, and Our Girl was measuring 29 weeks 5 days (I was 30 weeks 0 days when I had the ultrasound). And while we're talking about weight, at the time of the ultrasound, Little Miss was topping out a whopping 1655g (that's 3 lbs 10oz, approx.).

Blood Pressure: "Perfect"

Baby's Heartbeat: 160 bpm

Maternity clothes: Yes, but still able to rock a number of my oldies as well.

Stretch marks: Nope

Sleep: Normal, normal, normal. The last couple of weeks has found me tiring more easily; thankfully I can nap whenever I need it.

Movement: We've had a lot more movement during the day. She's taking to stretching those (long?) legs of hers into my right ribcage, but if I push on her foot, she'll move it.

Cravings: Water and nectarines

Driving me crazy: Although it's improved, acne is still my biggest complaint.

Names we have in mind: We think we have a winner, but nothing's set in stone.

What I miss: lime margaritas

What I'm looking forward to: Finishing up the details in her nurseries.

Overall: Her head is down, the placenta is well out of the way of her exit. She just needs to bulk up a bit more, and we'll be ready to go. Sadly, the reported also noted that my twins are no longer visible on a sonogram. From a medical standpoint, they are thrilled with the way this pregnancy has progressed after the loss. This was difficult to hear, but at the same time, welcomed news; we're so very happy our miracle has thrived and survived the chaos of her first 8 months of life. The radiologist also noted in his report that no malformations were evident. Aside from being a little tired, I'm feeling pretty darn good. I can't bring myself to work out in the gym as much as I would like, but I am managing pool workouts about 3 times a week.

Busy, Busy, Busy

What a busy couple of weeks we've had! The end of the 2010/11 school year marks the beginning of 14 months in my new role. My co-workers threw me and another woman a fantastic shower before the end of the year rolled around, and last night, my mother-in-law hosted our American baby shower. We were spoiled, but are so thankful to have so many wonderful people in our lives. I squeezed in an appointment with Dr.H., an ultrasound and a visit to my trusty counselor, all before leaving for Seattle.

Speaking of our American home, Baby F's nursery has come together nicely. It isn't quite finished yet, but the new carpet is in, the crown molding is up and the furniture is in its place. We haven't put any of the decor items up yet or filled her shelves, but we're getting closer.

The July long weekend found us in Portland visiting with Cyball's brother, his wife and their children, which was a bonus because the purpose of our trip was to have our maternity pictures done. We had a fantastic afternoon with Christy of Studio Christy. We worked our way around the Pearl District of beautiful Portland, in some uniquely urban maternity poses. Christy was fantastic to work with, and we're looking forward to seeing 2.5 hours worth of photos.

How far along: 31 weeks 4 days

Weight gain: Nadda. Dr. H. said it's unusual for a woman with my pre-pregnancy weight to have only gained 15 lbs at this point in her pregnancy, but at our ultrasound on June 28 (exactly 30 weeks), Baby was measuring 30w 1d. Dr. H. said I could put the weight on at the end, but as long as she's measuring bang-on, he's not concerned

Blood Pressure: Perfect

Baby's Heartbeat: 154bpm at ultrasound on June 28, 152 bpm at Dr. H.'s office later that day.

Maternity clothes: Yes, but still able to rock a number of my oldies as well.

Stretch marks: Nopers

Sleep: Normal, normal, normal. With the beginning of summer vacation, I feel as though I have more energy, so I no longer tap naps in the the later afternoon.

Movement: She's quiet during the day, but picks it up after 4pm

Cravings: Nothing

Driving me crazy: Although it's improved, acne is still my biggest complaint.

Names we have in mind: We have no idea. Hopefully she arrives with a name tag (and a manual).

What I miss: With the arrival of summer, I'd love to enjoy a refreshing adult beverage!

What I'm looking forward to: Obviously her arrival, but I'm enjoying being pregnant, and plan on soaking this all up.

Overall: I feel fantastic! To best describe it, I don't feel pregnant, or have yet to develop any of the uncomfortableness that goes along with being 8 months pregnant. I expect this to change, of course. But in the mean time, I realize how lucky I am to still have ankles.

Happy Father's Day Cyballs

On Father's Day, Cyballs and I, plus our friends Matt and Amanda, went to Som Viaso for a visit with our girl via 3D/4D ultrasound. The tech described her as a "drama queen," pointed out all of her hair, and noted she enjoys sucking on whatever she can get in her month (arm, hand, umbilical cord).Our sweet girl was also kind enough to stick out her tongue and even open her eyes!



Seeing our Sweet Girl's face for the first time.

7 Freakin' Months!

What's new: Well, I fell down the stairs last Thursday, landing on top of a gift I was carrying. I wasn't able to put my hands down to stop the fall because I had bags looped around my wrists, so I landed baby-side down, and scraped up my right shin quite badly. I ended up in the hospital for monitoring and thankfully all is well.

I went to my regularly scheduled OBGYN appointment today. Dr.H. was away, so I saw another OBGYN he recommended. Dr.S. was very chatty and nice. He acknowledge the craziness of my journey, and brought up the whole high risk pregnancy thingy(a label I've been hoping to ignore). We now have another 3 regular ultrasounds booked to monitor Baby F. He has some concerns about the selective reduction causing damage to Baby's placenta. Bring on the worry.

On the nursery front, we're making much progress. In Canada we added some of the pink accents, a picture ledge and a rocking chair, while down in the U.S. we've painted, ripped out shelving in the closet and the carpet in the entire room. On Thursday, we're having new carpet installed in not only the nursery, but in our room as well. At this point we'll be able to put together the crib and all the furniture from our Ikea shopping spree.

Finally, we've been so blessed to have so many offers to host baby showers for us. First up, this upcoming Monday, my co-workers are throwing a tandem shower for me and another girl who's pregnant. Next, our American shower, hosted by my mother-in-law,is on July 6th, and my Canadian shower, hosted by my sister and good friend, Lacey, is scheduled for July 10th. Many thanks for honouring us and our baby!

How far along: 28 weeks

Weight gain: 2 lbs

Blood Pressure: "Bang-on"

75g Load Diabetes Test: "Passed with flying colours"

Baby's Heartbeat: "Perfection"

Maternity clothes: Yes, but happily wearing a number of pre-pregnancy clothes

Stretch marks: Nope

Sleep: Normal, normal, normal.

Movement: All the time. She's most active between 1am-3am, 4pm-5pm, 8pm-10pm

Cravings: Nothing in particular right now, maybe eggs.

Driving me crazy: Nothing really. Although the acne is still present, it's not as bad as it has been.

Names we have in mind: Our list keeps getting longer instead of shorter. Adrianna, Leah, Natalie are some of the others tossed around. We found a unique name we both like, but we're going to keep it to ourselves for the time being. If we go with this name, her middle name will likely be Katherine.

What I miss: It would be really nice to enjoy a nice glass of wine once in awhile

What I'm looking forward to: We booked a 3D ultrasound for this Sunday. Although we're nervous, we're also thrilled we'll be able to see her sweet, sweet face.

Tuesdays

Every Tuesday when I wake up, I thank the Universe we've made it another week. 26 weeks. Wow. And, this Monday will mark the beginning of the end - Trimester 3!

There were times - many times - when I wondered if we'd ever get here. Today I thought of how many women are still trying. Agonizing. Dying inside for the opportunuty to be a mom. I am eternally grateful to be given the chance to experience life growing inside me. This miracle will never be taking forgranted. Never.

To my sweet baby, I'm so so so excited you chose me to be your mom. I'm already head over heels in love, and I haven't even the opportunity to meet your beautiful self. Lately, your dad and I have been anxious to see your perfect little face, and learn all about your ways and your personality. We already know you're a fighter, but we often wonder if you'll be as fiesty and head-strong as you appear to us from the outside. We can't wait until September so we can cuddle you, adore you and shower you with all the love your heart can hold. Keep fighting, Sweet Girl! xo

The End of T2

It's hard to believe I'm in the final weeks of my second trimester. Today I offically graduated to bimonthly OBGYN appointments, and have instructions to go for my gestational diabetes screen (75g load). I can't wait to spend a perfectly good morning camped out in a blood lab. With needles. Multiple needles.

At my visit with Dr. H. today, he went over my usuals. All in all, he's happy, so I'm happy.

Uterus: 24cm (has grown 1cm since I saw him 8 days ago). Should grow about 1cm for each week a women's pregnant. I'm 25w3d.

Blood pressure: "Perfection"

Baby's Heart Beat: 148/minute (normal is between 130-160)

Weight gain since last month: Nada. I was concerned when the nurse told be this, but the doctor isn't worried as long as she's growing. This means I've put on approximately 10-12 lbs. And while we're on the subject of weight, I'm happily rocking a good chunk of my regular clothes. Yesterday I wore a pair of pants I've had for years, and had 7 people comment that from straight on and from behind, they couldn't tell I was pregnant. Also, when I had my measurements taken the other day, my bust had grown by almost 2 inches, and my hips by 1/2 an inch in comparison to my pre-pregnancy stats.

Baby's Movements: I've had some fairly powerful jabs lately, jabs that cause me to call out in surprise. While in a meeting on Wednesday, Little Miss was kicking (hiccuping?) in rapid succession. It could be compared to a child tugging on your sleeve over and over, calling "mom, mommy, mom, mom, mommy, mommy, ma, ma, mom." I loved it.

Cravings: Eggs and biscuits (yes, like Tim Horton's biscuits).

The Canadian Nursery: Cyballs brought the crib up from Seattle and he put it together this past weekend. He and my mom also applied one of the wall decals over her crib. We love how when we open the double doors to her room, the crib is centered on the wall with the beautiful quote hovering above.


DADDY PUTTING TOGETHER HIS BABY GIRL'S CRIB


GRANDMA AND DAD PUTTING THE DECAL ON THE WALL OF THE NURSERY


THE WALL QUOTE


THE UNFINISHED NURSERY


BABY GIRL'S CRIB

Pictures

BABY'S SHELF

BABY'S DRESSER/CHANGE TABLE

THE CANADIAN NURSERY. WE CHOSE "LIGHT LIME" FOR THE WALLS. WE'LL SOON BE ADDING HOT PINK ACCENTS, AND BLACK AND WHITE DAMASK BEDDING

PAPA PUTTING TOGETHER BABY GIRL F'S NURSERY FURNITURE

THE PUMP WE'VE CHOSEN

ERIN, OUR BABY GEAR EXPERT

CYBALLS TRYING ON THE BREAST FEEDING PILLOW

KADEN CAME ALONG

CY LOVES THE GUN

Viability

Today we achieved viability! This is the milestone we've been working towards, and although we have another 3 months to go, we're relieved to have made it here. This means that if anything were to happen to our daughter, she'll have a chance of surviving outside of me.

However, we've been hesitant over the past 4 days because on Saturday I began to cramp and later, spot. Other changes such as some tissue being passed, pressure in my lower abdomen and much less fetal movements, had us panicking. But, today Dr. Hunt found her heartbeat, and was happy to report my cervix is long and still very much holding strong. I've been instructed to "take it easy and get a lot of rest," and as long as the spotting has subsided, I can resume normal activities in a week's time.

On a separate, bitter-sweet note, had I still been pregnant with my triplets, this week or next would have seen me being admitted to B.C's Women's Hospital to have my babies. Crazy and heartbreaking how life unfolds, isn't it? Sigh.

Anyway, here are my 6 month stats:

How far along: 24 weeks

Weight gain: I'll find out the official number next Thursday.

Maternity clothes: Yes, but I can still rock some of my regulars.

Stretch marks: Nope. But speaking of stretching, my belly button looks nothing like the deep hole it once was. My naval piercing is no long in my belly button, but rather in the middle of my abdomen. I often have people commenting on my "outtie", and then often get a laugh when they see what's actually causing it.

Sleep: Fantastic

Movement: Oh, yes! I love it!

Cravings: Citrus fruits, especially oranges.

Driving me crazy: acne and spotting

Gender: As far as we know, she's still a girl

Names we have in mind: This is proving to be a challenging task. Ella, Kenley and Aubrey are still on the list, and we have began to toss around some names we visited in our first pregnancy: Ally (with Allyssa or Allyson as her full name) and Brooklyn. Her middle name will still be Ray.

What I miss: Enjoying a nice glass of wine and my somewhat flat tummy.

What I'm looking forward to: Next Thursday when I get to see her and hear her heartbeat again.