Induction Date Set for....

Brandon and I are so excited.  After our appointment today, Dr. Ross went ahead and scheduled our induction for TOMORROW!

I had progressed a little at

1 cm / 90% / -3

Dr. Ross did ask me if I had underwent previous surgeries on my cervix.  Of course I had two different hysteroscopies, as well as the egg retrieval and frozen embryo transfer.  He seemed to think that may have played a factor in my cervix's slow progression.

Nonetheless we are thrilled to have our induction set for tomorrow.  We have to be at the hospital at 6 am and all of the fun will start from there.  I will try to update as much as possible so that I can remember everything!

Please keep us in your prayers!  There's so many little things that I need to do to prepare, but I am trying to enjoy these last moments with Elliana as a part of me.  God has been so good to us.

May 15th Appointment and Cervical Check

Today's cervical check was not terribly disappointing.  I wish that I would have had more progression, but the Braxton Hicks really fired up yesterday and obviously caused a little bit of movement.

1 cm / 70 % / -3

This explains cervix effacement

This explains the "station" of the baby
(both photos taken from Prepared Childbirth book we were given at Brookwood)

Dr. Mac stripped my membranes today*.  This was something I was honestly terrified about, but it ended up not being too bad.  Cervical checks are not my favorite at all due to some issues with severe pelvic pain.  While he was checking, he continued to talk to me and then stripped the membranes in hopes of firing up more dilation and contractions.

Our original plan was to go ahead and schedule an induction for next week.  My step-dad and brother are leaving for China at the end of the month and I do NOT want them to already be gone when Elliana is born.  If we were to schedule the induction now, I'm at risk for a painful labor experience.  My cervix is NOT ready yet.  Right now our plan is to get to my next appointment on Wednesday, May 22, and schedule and induction from there if necessary.  But I could have my dilation progress or my water break between now and then too.  It's all a waiting game and I'm excited.  I've been opposed to an induction from the beginning because about 85% of them result in a c-section delivery.  If Dr. Mac doesn't think that we've made enough progression at my appointment Wednesday we will definitely schedule an induction as soon as possible from there.  It is very difficult for me to walk around now without feeling pain, but I'd rather keep baby girl safe and healthy until she's more ready to come out!

I've been nesting like crazy and find myself cleaning the most obscure things that I've never thought about before.  I walked outside in the backyard with Logan for 15 minutes yesterday and I had the worst BH contractions in this pregnancy to date. I ended up calling the nurse because they were so frequent and they told me to lay down, drink water, and take Tylenol.  Well if it happens today I'm not doing it.  I resolve to stay on my feet and keep them coming!

And whoever said that BH contractions aren't painful LIED!  Mine aren't terrible, but they're not pain-free either.  But now this truly feels real and my baby girl could be here with a matter of days or a week.  God is so good and I am overwhelmed with joy and happiness!

*Stripping the membranes. The doctor will insert a gloved finger into your vagina and move it back and forth to separate the membrane that connects the amniotic sac to the wall of the uterus. This is called "stripping the membranes," and it causes the body to release hormones called prostaglandins, which ripen the cervix and may lead to contractions. You may feel some cramping and have some spotting after this procedure. Usually this method of inducing labor is done in your doctor's office, and you'll be sent home to wait until contractions begin.

May 8th Appointment and Cervical Check

Our cervical check was a little bit disappointing.  Since last week I've made no progress.  I was just sure that I'd have moved along with effacement and dilation but nothing.

Fingertip / 60% / -4

The results from my Group B Strep were negative so I will NOT require antibiotics at birth.  My blood pressure is still great, and I have no swelling issues.

I know that she will come when she's ready, but the anticipation is building now.  Everyone said that the last month of pregnancy would drag.  Well, I've stayed so busy that it hasn't until.  The days still pass quickly, but I am eager to hold my precious daughter in my arms.

April 29th Appointment and Cervical Check

I didn't sleep well last night.  I woke up three different times in the middle of the night with pain from contractions.  Around 2 am I got up and slept in the guest room so B could rest and I could try and get comfortable again.  I'm so lucky to have another pregnant friend who always has pains around the same times as me.  Love you, Tiffany!!

The pain stopped and I was able to go back to sleep.  I was up before 6 am and got ready because Dad and I had planned to visit with Granny and get some stuff from her house.  I did call the OB nurse this morning to tell them about the pain, but we both agreed that I was alright to wait until my Wednesday appointment.  She told me to call if I had more pain or began spotting.  We were out at Granny's longer than we had planned, but I sat most of the visit.  On the way back home I started hurting and feeling pain from contractions along with sciatic pain and Elliana bouncing on my cervix.  We ate lunch at Full Moon BBQ and the pain was intensifying making me not able to finish a sentence, much less get up and walk.  I had already visited the potty upon our arrival and my panty liner was completely dry.  After lunch I went again, and my panty liner was extremely damp and did not smell of urine--yes I had to check.  (I do leak a LOT when I sneeze or cough, but I know when that happens.  I've had bladder issues for years and this is nothing new for me.)

I called the OB nurse and they wanted to see me because the contractions all happened so close to one another while I was sitting at lunch after not a lot of physical activity.  Dad got me back to my house and Brandon and I drove to Brookwood (since the doctor at Alabaster was already leaving for the day).  I was nervous on the way because I knew that I would have my first cervical check.  The leaking terrified me because it's too early for Elliana's arrival and I wanted to make sure she had enough fluid still in there for her.

We made it to Brookwood in record time and I was immediately called back.  My BP was great even though I was nervous and baby girl's heart rate was about 128 bpm since she was being so calm.
Dr. Adcock did my Group B Strep test and then checked me.  If you know about my past fertility history, you know that I've had issues with severe pelvic pain for years.  Brandon held my hand and put his other hand on my head.  I prayed and it was over in no time.  Of course my heart was racing and I was sweating like crazy.  My legs wouldn't move because I freeze up when I have exams there.  BUT I made it through the exam and did much better than I anticipated.

As of today, 36w2d, I am fingertip or .5cm dilated, 60% effaced, and -4 engaged.  It doesn't sound like a lot, but it's something!  Our next appointment is scheduled for May 8 unless we need to return sooner.

April 17th Appointment

Great appointment with Dr. Mac today!

I am super happy to report that Miss Elliana is HEAD DOWN!  

She was in a breech position at our last appointment and I had a feeling that she had moved in the past few days.  We had/have plenty of time still, but I'm so happy that she's in her delivery position!  No wonder I've been going to the potty more frequently.  (Nesia enjoys it because she likes to flush the potty!)  My blood pressure was good and both the nurse and Dr. Mac are happy with my weight gain.  I mentioned the increasing pain from carpal tunnel syndrome and he told me that it would only get worse until the end of the pregnancy.  I may invest in a brace to wear on my right hand throughout the day since it hurts the worst.  Buckling Nesia in her car seat is painful and I can barely chop/cut anything.

Dr. Mac looked at my belly and legs and said that I'm swollen but it's nothing to worry about.  He doesn't feel I'm at risk for preeclampsia so that was great!  My fundal height was 35 weeks which is perfect because I'm 34 weeks 4 days today.

I had written down questions to ask the doctor, but most of them had to do with Elliana not turning so I felt there was no need to worry about that for now.  He felt comfortable scheduling my next appointment for 2 weeks out.  We had originally planned on weekly appointments from here, but I'm glad that we're not there yet.  It makes me feel like I still have more "time."  My next appointment is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1.  From then I will be seen weekly and "checked" as well.  He will do my Group B Strep Test at the next appointment too.

I can't believe we're almost a month away from our due date now!

God is Good

April 3rd Appointment

Let me begin by saying that I just love Dr. McKenzie, aka Dr. Mac.  He is such a sweet and gentle man with a calming presence.  We couldn't have picked a better doctor!

Here's a rundown from our appointment:

• We heard Elliana's heartbeat and it was around 145 bpm.  
• Dr. Mac said that my blood pressure looks great, which is usually something he worries about in first pregnancies.  
• My body is swelling, but he said it's nmuch better compared to other women.  He did look worried when he saw me wearing a ring, but I assured him that its a much larger size than I typically wear.  
• He measured my fundal height and we're growing on track.
• He assured us that we will NOT have a big baby, but he sees us having a healthy 7 lb or so little girl.  
• Elliana is breeched again, with her head up under my left rib.  He took my hand to show me where to feel her little head and did the same with Brandon as well. 

Our next appointment is scheduled for April 17 at 34w4d with Dr. Mac.  That will be my last two week appointment and I'll start weekly appointments from there.  We're really in the home stretch now!

Dr. Mac said that he'd be interested to see Elliana's position at my next appointment.  We still have time for her to move into the head down position.  He hopes that she will be ready in position by 36 or 37 weeks gestation.  He said that we would have to consider either manipulating her or c-section at that point if she is not cooperating.  Thankfully, Dr. Mac understands our desire to have a vaginal delivery and is very positive about Elliana moving on her own before then.  If a c-section becomes necessary for us, I would still prefer to wait until closer to our actual due date as long as all is well with Elliana and myself.  In the past year and a half I've already had two different surgeries and one hospital stay.  I would prefer as little time in the hospital as possible, but I will not let those thoughts consume me unless they are a reality.  

God has brought us this far and Brandon and I will both continue to trust Him.  He's the only one who knows how it will all go!  I do have complete faith in His plan and Elliana's arrival.

Easter Weekend

We had a great weekend with Nate and Beth!  Driving to Northport to pick them up wan't much fun, and on the ride back Nate kept asking me if I was ok.  It was hard to get comfortable, especially when I could feel my tummy sitting on top of my legs! Haha!

Beth helped me in the kitchen a lot.  We made room for some of the kitchen items for Elliana and we cooked all weekend long!  I could sit and write down everything that we did, but that would be boring and look like we did nothing at all.

This is us on the way to our church's worship service Friday evening

Since we had extra hands, Brandon was able to get some stuff hung on the wall in Elliana's room.  It looks so much better in there now since the walls aren't bare!

The picture frame under her initials says "God danced the day you were born."

Her hair bow holder adds a LOT of color to the room and it lets me display all of the bows I've hand made for her.

In between the superhero pictures I plan on adding some black and white photos from our maternity photo shoot (in early May) and some newborn pictures once she's here.  

To say that our daughter's room is unique is an understatement.  I love that her crib is one of the giveaways that this is a room for a baby.  I absolutely despise the term nursery, and didn't want a bunch of baby-like pictures and such on the wall.  I've got one collage made from the transfer day that I need to have printed, but I'm very happy with the way her room is looking so far!

We went to Sunrise Service at church yesterday at 6 am.

I can't believe I got both of them up and they got dressed with no complaints!  Nate said he just didn't look at his phone for a while so he wouldn't know what time it was.

Brandon (and my Dad) were at the church around 5 am to prepare breakfast.  We also stayed for the 8:30 am service that we typically attend and then came home.  We had about an hour to rest before we had to drive to my Gran's in Pleasant Grove.  We all had a nice lunch and then Brandon and I came home.  Mom had the cutest Easter basket for us.

Brandon has wanted the Alabama National Championship Watch from the 2009 season for a long time now.  Uncle Chuck had a connection and helped Mom find this for him.  Brandon was super excited!
I also LOVE the onesie that Mom found for baby girl!  

I slept for about 1.5-2 hours before Walking Dead came on last night and then I was back in bed at 9:30 pm.  If you can believe it, I slept in until 8:30 am today.  Elliana is making me super tired these days!

This is random, but my hands and feet have been killing me for the past two days.  If I make a fist, my hands ache.  They are very puffy and all of my rings swell onto my fingers.  I noticed yesterday that my feet feel the same way.  I'm hoping this is just something strange and it goes away.  I'm seeing Dr. McKenzie this week so I'm sure that I'll bring it up to him.

I think it's also important to note that Elliana kicked for Beth.  My sister is the ONLY person to feel her move other than both Brandon and myself.  People touch my belly all the time but they never feel her move because she "shys away."  Plus I'm getting close to telling people to keep their hands to themselves.  My stomach hurts so much now and I do NOT like to be touched!  But it was so special for Beth to feel her move.  She made sure to tell everyone at church at Gran's that she's the only other person to feel the baby move.  I know that Elliana loves her Aunt Roo already!

March 21st Appointment

We had a awesome appointment today.  According to the scales at the doctor's office I've lost weight.  By my scales at home I've stayed at 155 lbs for quite some time now.  My blood pressure was on target and Elliana's heart beat was nice and strong.  My nurse prayed with me after going over my vitals.  It was awesome.  I've heard that the nurses often pray with their patients, but this was my first experience.

Dr. Radbill said that I'm measuring perfectly and I look great.  Elliana is no longer in the breached position, but her head has dropped into my pelvis, her booty is under my right rib, and her legs are under my left rib.  The likelihood of her moving again is high, but we'll just hope and pray that she's back into the right position around week 36.  It was really a quick appointment!

Our next appointment is scheduled for April 3rd at 8am.  Brandon should able to go to this appointment with me.  (He traveled to Mobile and Mississippi yesterday and is on his way home now).  He doesn't like missing appointments because he likes to her baby girl's heart beating.  Thanks to technology, I'm always able to record Elliana's heartbeat for him and then we can listen whenever we want!

I stopped by The Baby Station in Vestavia on my way home, but the store is very pricey!  They had a big sale going on but I could not see spending so much money on outfits that baby girl will only wear a few times before they're outgrown.  From looking around I did come up with some ideas for monogramming, but I wasn't really impressed by dresses priced at $69- even if they were marked down to 50% off.

After visiting the baby store, I also stopped by the jewelry store to see the girls.  My last day at work was Monday, and it was bittersweet.  While I was in the store I got the chance to change a watch battery while everyone else was busy.  I told everyone that I'd probably continue to stop by weekly, especially after doctor's appointments.

This was the highlight of my day

I've waited so long to park in this space!  Those spots used to make me angry.  I've waited until I was pretty big to take one of these parking spots, but I feel that I have worked for it.  God is good.

30 weeks 5 days

Countdown:  9 Weeks 2 Days 

(but who's counting?!? heehee)

I Passed the 3-hour GTT!

After failing the 1-hour sugar test, I passed the 3-hour GTT!  The nurses at the Alabaster office had told me that they believed I would pass the longer test and they were right.  To say that I'm thankful is an understatement!  I indulged yesterday and had a Dr. Pepper to celebrate and had some chocolate cake at church. Even though I passed the test I still plan on watching what I eat.  After grocery shopping today, I came home with NO sweets, but did buy some yummy fruit yogurt with granola.  My craving for sweets has been minimal lately, and I've been focused on making all of my food choices count (especially since we're in the home stretch now).

Here are my results from the GTT
Fasting          78
1-hour          176
2-hour          166 *
3-hour          126
*The nurse said that the 2-hour number was one point higher than they liked, but overall felt very pleased with my results.

My weight gain is still at a stand still.  My appetite has yet to completely return, but I am eating.  Right now I'm relying on staying hydrated mostly.  I don't want to force myself to eat multiple times throughout the day. Breakfast is my most important meal of the day.  No more waffles for this Momma, but I've been eating a bowl of Cheerios each morning.  If I feel like it's a good acid reflux day, I drink 8 oz of Orange Juice.  As long as I'm not going to church, I eat a small spoon full of peanut butter for snack(one of our kids at church has a SEVERE allergy).  At lunchtime I eat whatever is easy.  If I'm at work it's fast food, but if I'm at home I cook something healthy.  At dinner I'm not that hungry.  I'm not even eating an afternoon snack.  My belly looks and feels like it's grown, and I'm sure that my stomach doesn't have as much room for food now.  But I promise that I'm eating when I'm hungry.  Whoever came up with the concept of "eating for two" is crazy.  People tell me that all the time, but I read that a pregnant woman (singleton pregnancy) only needs an additional 300 calories a day.  I had Chick-fil-A yesterday and there's about 300 calories in one packet of their Chick-fil-A sauce!

My appetite was crazy during the first and second trimester, and I guess I needed the extra calories because I was working so much and Ellie was growing so quickly.  For now I'm just going to listen to my body and try to make wise food choices.  I knew that my appetite would begin to taper off and maybe I just started a little early.

Countdown to Elliana's Due Date:  10 Weeks and 2 Days!

Friday's Appointment, 3-hr GTT, and 3D

Friday was a busy day!  Because I had been sick, we rescheduled my glucose tolerance test for Friday along with my appointment and 3D ultrasound.

Traffic was backed up from an accident on I65N (what's new there?) so I was running late to start the test.  Once I was there they called me back and drew my blood (8:32 am) before giving me the drink.  At that point I was so thirsty that the sugary drink was a welcome sight.  I don't think the nurse had ever seen a pregnant woman so excited to drink the orange stuff!  She then got all of my vitals and went ahead and set me up in a room to see the doctor.  Dr. Mac had two Mommies pushing so he was seeing his patients as early as possible so there wouldn't be too many patients waiting throughout the day.  I hadn't seen him since my first OB appointment at 12 weeks.  He said that I looked great!  He was very satisfied with my blood pressure and weight gain.  My fundal height was right on track.  He said that I did have some mild swelling but it's nothing to worry about right now.

Dr. Mac told me that we would start doing internal exams around 35 weeks to assess my ability to have a vaginal birth.  The thought of delivery has caused me much anxiety.  Pelvic pain has caused me MUCH discomfort in the past few years.  If intercourse, pelvic exams, and vaginal ultrasounds leave me sore and torn, I cannot imagine how I will feel after birthing a baby!  BUT with all that said, I would much rather deliver Ellie than have a c-section.

After my appointment, I only had to wait a few minutes before my second blood draw (9:32 am).  Our Nanny has been in the hospital for almost two weeks now at Brookwood, so I visited with her while waiting for my third stick.  While there I was also able to visit with Brandon's mother (Mia) and our Aunt Anita (Aunt NeeNee).  I barely made it back on time for the third stick after fighting with all of the elevators.  After that stick I decided to stay in the waiting room.  All of the walking had worn me out!  By this time Brandon was on his way to meet me for the 3D ultrasound.  He swung by Nanny's room and picked up Mia to let her go to the ultrasound with us.  I thought it would be fun for her, especially because she had to cancel her weekend vacation and has been spending many days at the hospital with her mother.  The ultrasound tech called me back early but allowed me to wait on Brandon and Mia before taking me.

The ultrasound was amazing.  Tears flooded my eyes once I saw the first 3D image of  Elliana.  Seeing her face made her feel even more real.  She was very active from the sugary drink.  She opened and closed her mouth, yawned, smiled, frowned, and brushed her hands across her face.  The lab tech came in and did my final blood draw (11:32 am) during the ultrasound itself.  Once I was allowed to eat or drink I didn't even care because I was so focused on the screen watching Ellie.

As of now, Ellie is in a breached position.  I'm wondering if this is why my back pain has returned.  I often feel her little toes along my lower belly or up in my ribs.  It's extremely easy to find her head now, and it stays either up under my left or right rib.

I am so happy that we did the 3D ultrasound.  It was such an amazing experience, and has me even more excited for her arrival in May!

I hope to hear back from the doctor's office about my results from the GTT this week!  Let's hope that I passed it!

Bronchitis

I am so thankful that I only have Bronchitis! We were at the ER for a total of 4.5 hours today. We are both exhausted!

They ordered blood work, a flu test, and chest X-ray. My white blood cell count was still high at 13,000 but down from 17,000 last Wednesday. The flu test was negative an the chest X-ray was clean.

They have me a steroid shot in the hiney and two different Rx. I'm on yet another antibiotic (third new one in five days) and they also gave me some eye drops.

Brandon and I are both grateful that it's nothing too serious. I'm also thankful that they let me come home rather than staying overnight. Don't get me wrong, Bronchitis is NO fun either. I'm hoping and praying to start feeling better now. I'm going back to Brookwood on Friday for my 3-hour GTT, doctor appointment, and 3D ultrasound. It will be a busy day but we cannot wait to see our precious Elliana again!

Thank you for all of the support!

Still Sick - Sick Again

Brandon and I had a great time in Biloxi, but I've somehow gotten worse.

We ate dinner Thursday evening at a restaurant along the Bay.  I ate Cajun Fried Shrimp, and we had Crawfish Nachos for an appetizer.  It was amazing, but I paid for it.  I was up two different times during the night throwing up stomach acid.  My acid reflux kicked my butt and I will think more than twice before eating anything else fried for the duration of this pregnancy.

Brandon and his rep (Monica) had a few stops to make on Friday.  We ended up not leaving Biloxi until around 4 pm and that's when I started feeling bad again.  My throat had hurt all day from the stomach acid.  My ears started feeling pressure and then I started feeling like I was getting sicker.  I woke up twice last night.  I stayed up for an hour from about 3-4:30 am watching Duck Dynasty and King of the Hill.  I drank hot tea, blew my nose about 20 times, had a couple of nose bleeds, coughed up stuff from my throat, and just felt all around miserable.

At 6:30 am I couldn't sleep anymore.  Brandon took me back to the doctor and they said that I'm trying to get Bronchitis.  My right eye is swollen and is oozing stuff whenever I sleep or cry.  There's fluid behind both of my ears and my throat is still sore.  The doctor said that I was resistant to the first antibiotic, so he gave me something different along with some nose spray.  I desperately hope to start feeling better.  Today's been a rough day for me, but I'm lucky that Brandon has taken care of me all day.  I don't say it enough, but I have one amazing husband who is always exceeding my expectations.  =)

Sorry to have written such a debbie downer post.  I'm just ready to feel better again.

Sick

Brandon came home from Mississippi yesterday to find me sick.  I kept trying to tell myself that it was just  acid reflux making my throat hurt.  Boy was I wrong!  My throat started hurting mid afternoon yesterday and just got worse as the evening moved on.  I took a glass of water to bed with me, but it was all but impossible to take a sip.

I woke up this morning (at 2 am as usual) and felt awful.  When Brandon got up I could barely talk because it hurt so much.  After going to the doc-in-the-box, I found out that I have strep throat.  They gave me a shot in the hiney and a prescription for antibiotocs (pregnancy safe).  It was quite nostalgic to get stuck in the butt after enduring so many progesterone in oil injections during the first 12 weeks of our pregnancy.  There was no way that I could work today because I felt awful along with being contagious.

Now I'm sitting at home waiting on Brandon to get back from Wednesday night dinner and LIFE at church.  I'm looking forward to travelling with him tomorrow to Biloxi, MS and going on a date.  One of his sales reps there has us set up at a casino for tomorrow evening so we're going to treat it as a date.  It will be nice to go out to dinner together somewhere different.  We'll most likely come home sometime Friday afternoon.

I guess seeing how I do with this trip will determine if we can go on a true Baby Moon.  Being in the car is not one of my favorite things right now, but Brandon traveled Monday and Tuesday and has been gone all day today.  It will be nice to spend some time with him.  I can't wait to post some pictures from our trip and update on Saturday as we enter the SEVENTH MONTH and THIRD TRIMESTER!  I'm just a little bit excited!

3-Hour Test Scheduled

My Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 5 at 8:15 am.

I found the below guidelines for abnormal results:

Interval                Abnormal Reading

Fasting                   95 or higher

One hour               180 or higher

Two hours            155 or higher

Three hours         140 or higher

(information taken from American Pregnancy Association)

With my GTT in a week, I am hopeful that I will pass the test with flying colors!  My friend took the GTT today and wasn't able to complete it because she got sick.  Instead of making her retake the test, they went ahead and gave her the diet guidelines for Gestational Diabetes.  

In recent weeks I have given up Oreos entirely!  My obsession with Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies also came to a close with a little help.  When I've been in the grocery store I've been abstaining from purchasing ANY sweets, but buying yogurts with granola and always buying some yummy strawberries or cantaloupe.  

Before I was pregnant I never had to worry about what I was eating.  My metabolism had just begun to slow down, but I was able to eat whenever and whatever I wanted.  Pregnancy has definitely changed me and my eating habits.  Before, I only ate one or two meals a day.  No snacks, no nothing in between.  I only drank water at dinner.  Now I cannot get enough water during the day!  My caffeine addiction was out of control and now I have to remind myself that it's alright to have one "real Dr. Pepper" a week as a treat.

I do hope that I can continue with my healthier habits once Elliana is here.  Brandon laughs at all that I want to do differently with her.  I'm sure that we'll make concessions, but for now I know without a doubt that I do NOT want her drinking soft drinks or eating fast food.  I'm sure it will happen occasionally, but I want it to be a treat when it does happen.  I barely ate anything when I was little and I started drinking Diet Dr. Pepper and coffee by age three!  I've still never eaten a whole candy bar and I don't plan on changing that.  I've definitely got my odd quirks, but I hope that Elliana will be a much healthier little girl than I was.

1-Hour Sugar Test

Brandon went with me to my appointment yesterday morning for the dreaded sugar test. Surprisingly enough, the sugary drink did not taste bad at all.  It was only difficult for me to abstain from drinking anything else within the hour.  I stay so thirsty now!

Throughout the course of this pregnancy I have made it my personal goal to meet all of the doctors early.  I didn't want our first meeting to be when it's time for those lovely cervix checks and such.  We met Dr. Adcock yesterday.  He was great.  He seemed very interested in my upper back pain and trying to find a solution.  He wondered if switching up and taking my acid reflux medication in the evenings along with a small snack would help.  (It didn't.)  He seemed more concerned with my back issues than the other two doctors so far.

I failed the sugar test.  They wanted my number below 139 and mine was 160.  The doctor's office is supposed to call on Monday and schedule my 3-hour Glucose Tolerance Test.

I'm not excited about the thought of having nothing to eat or drink for three hours, but I'll do it for the baby!

Before I left, the nurses gave me a sheet instructing me to keep up with Elliana's fetal activity.

This made Brandon nervous at first, but I'm very aware of what times my baby girl is awake now.  She is quite the mover and kicker after mealtime.  I think that B was afraid that this would cause anxiety for me.  By no means will I even try to track her movements until after I've had a meal or snack.  Feeling 10 separate movements will be no problem at all for us!

As I mentioned above, my back still woke me up in pain this morning.  Today is the 20th day in a row that I have woken up in pain that makes it difficult to breathe.  At least my back only causes problems at night and not during the daytime.

For now, my next scheduled appointment is on March 8 with Dr. McKenzie.  On that day we will also have Ellie's 3d ultrasound.  I think that I"ll have appointments every two weeks from here through the end of our pregnancy.  I'm not looking forward to scheduling the 3-hour test, but the nurses feel positive that I'll pass that one.  But if this is the worst thing that happens during our pregnancy, I guess I can't complain!

February 12 Appointment

Today I met Dr Ross for the first time. He was great! He made me feel comfortable and at ease and answered all of my questions.

Unfortunately it looks like my bladder problems are a common occurrence of pregnancy. Dr Ross was concerned with my back pain, mostly because it's high on my back. He gave me a prescription for a safe muscle relaxer to use at bedtime in hopes of me sleeping through the night.

I did discuss my weight gain concerns with Dr Ross and he isn't worried at all. He said that I looked healthy and was making wise food choices. I promise- I haven't had Oreos in over a week!

Overall it was a great appointment. I still have an appointment next week for my one-hour sugar test for gestational diabetes.

January 22 Appointment

Everything went well at our appointment yesterday.  They documented Elliana's name under my information in the computer.  =)  My blood pressure must have been good because they didn't mention anything about that.  BUT when I stepped on the scales, the nurse had to push the nob all the way over to the "150" block.  (That's never happened to me before.)  I think she seemed surprised by my weight, but accounted a few pounds for my cowgirl boots and layered sweater.

When the nurse came in to listen to Ellie's heartbeat she kept laughing.  She said that Ellie was very active and she was chasing her all over my tummy.  Then Ellie started kicking the doppler.  It was hard to find her heartbeat then because I couldn't stop laughing.  Once I quieted myself, she slowed down for us to hear her precious heart beating at 147 bpm.

Dr. Radbill came in and measured my tummy and said that I'm right on track.  I showed him where my stomach hurts (RPL) and he said that it's very common in pregnancy.  All I can do is rest when it hurts.  I told him that my job required me to be on my feet a lot and he didn't seem as concerned when I mentioned that I would only be working through the end of March.  He told me to rest when it hurts.  He said that wearing the maternity support band was a great idea to help with the pain as well.

It still hurts during the day, even with the support band.  I'm wearing the band at night and it helps my back as well.  Once I'm standing and moving I'm alright, but if I have to bend over or sit down again...the pain starts all over.  It makes for a long day when you frequent the restroom countless times and must sit down and get up from the potty.  As long as I move slowly the pain isn't too terrible.  

We talked about my weight gain and he said that I was doing great to be tall and skinny.  I've never thought of myself as tall, and it was nice to still be referred to as skinny.  He did tell me to think about my food choices as I eat dessert.  For now-no more sweets except for after dinner.  Last night I cut my Oreo intake in half from what I would usually eat.  =( (Ellie and I love Oreos)

Overall it was a great appointment and the doctor thinks that we're doing great.

Our next appointment is scheduled for February 21, and I will complete the 1-hour sugar test.  Also, I'm planning to schedule our 3d/4d ultrasound today-somewhere between weeks 28-30.  Brandon is so excited to see Ellie again!

Flossing

I went to the dentist yesterday for the first time in over a year.  When you get so caught up with your fertility doctor, you gradually forget about all other important appointments.

My gums had been starting to look puffy and bled often so I made a call.  From reading different books I was terrified that problems with your teeth could lead to preterm labor.  In general, I have been pretty stress-free about our pregnancy, but this issue worried me since I had noticed some changes with my gums.

The cleaning wasn't too bad, but there was so much blood.  Nothing was uncomfortable, but my gums were very irritated.  The general consensus was that I need to floss more.  Pregnancy hormones along with my complete lack of flossing has made my gums super sensitive!  My new routine: brush teeth, floss, and brush teeth again.

Since cutting caffeine out of my routine again, my teeth look great.  I've even started using baking soda and they appear whiter.  I guess they'll look even better if I keep flossing.  =/

Sorry this was a random and boring post about my teeth.  But to all of my pregnant readers:  Remember to Floss!  And this goes to all of the IF Ladies too; taking all of the added hormones.

It's Finally Here!

Anatomy Scan at 10:30am!

Surprisingly enough, I was able to get through yesterday at work.  I made sure to keep busy all day long so the day would pass quickly.  The store is still in chaos mode from Christmas, so we were able to get some organization started.  Plus, we're gearing up for Valentine's Day now!

I'm so excited, because I purchased some more maternity shirts at Ross.  On my lunch break yesterday, I was able to find 13 different tops for $126 total (with tax).  Shopping hasn't been as much fun recently because it's hard to find things that fit.  When I realized that Ross had a small maternity rack I was thrilled.  Now I have enough items to get me through the next couple of months at work.  I'll still need to find some sun dresses as Summer approaches, but I've got more than enough items to work with for now.

Vivid dreams are common with pregnancy, but mine have been extra crazy for the past two weeks.  During the heat of Christmas, I was dreaming about PANDORA jewelry and wrapping gifts every night.  No lie- I would wake up in the middle of the night looking for gifts I had wrapped in my dreams.
I kept dreaming about the appointment today last night.  I woke up at 4:30 am for my early morning trip to the potty, and then couldn't go back to sleep.  (If I get up, my mind starts to wake up and then I'm either thirsty or hungry.)  But this morning was different...I think my back woke me up.  I'm having a lot of trouble getting comfortable during the night.  Again, I've always slept on my stomach, so I'm still adjusting to lying on my side.  I'm trying to work with my body pillow and batman pillow, but I get so hot.  I do have to admit here that my husband is amazing.  It was 4:30 am, and me and the baby were hungry.  Sneakers got up and brought me a glass of chocolate milk and I was able to go back to sleep after about 30 minutes of watching Family Guy in bed.

I'm still feeling the baby move around during the day.  I know Brandon's ready to feel The Sneak kick.

I will post about the gender as soon as we have told our friends and family.  We've got so many people to tell, and I would be devastated if anyone close to us found out from any other source than us.  My plan is to announce here by tomorrow or Sunday.  We're headed to Tuscaloosa tonight to eat dinner with my Mom and Stepdad (and little brother and sister) to share the news with them in person.  I just can't wait.  Today is our Christmas, getting to know if there's a little boy or girl growing in my tummy!

Tomorrow's the Day!

We find out if The Sneak is a boy or girl tomorrow! 
I am so excited.  When I scheduled this appointment in November it seemed so far away.  I cannot believe that we just have to make it through one more day to find out if our precious little one is Brayden or Elliana.

18 weeks 5 days

Speaking of names... our boy name is Brayden Scott, after my hubby who is named Brandon Scott.  Our girl name is Elliana Joy.  The Hebrew meaning for Elliana is "The Lord responded."  The middle name is after our friend Joy and her daughter.  If The Sneak ends up being a girl, I'm sure some people will call her Ellie.  (I love the nickname Ellie, but I would prefer to use her real name because of it's meaning.)  Brandon and I both see ourselves calling our little one The Sneak for years to come, regardless of the gender.  We like silly nicknames!

I still feel like there's a Brayden in my tummy.  Most of the girls who are due along side me have had crazy issues with sickness and they're all carrying girls.  I just have a gut feeling that it's a boy, but I could be wrong.  I mean, there's a 50% chance I'm right-and a 50% chance that I'm wrong!  Brandon and I will both be super excited nonetheless.  Tomorrow is going to be SUCH an exciting day!