Complications and 2 ultrasounds

Ultrasound make my son mad apparently. He is now 0-6. I had my 3D scan at 29 weeks 3 days. We got a few really nice pictures in the first two minutes and after that he went into hiding. My placenta is in the front and he kept hiding behind it. It didn't help that my stinker went head down again, the night before the ultrasound!! If he had stayed transverse for 12 more hours we would have gotten some amazing pictures! So here are a few of the good ones

 Yawning and sticking his tongue out.

 That's placenta all in front of his face. and he has hair supposedly.

So Saturday, June 2, I got another visit from Braxton Hicks. What an ass seriously. These were different than the ones before. Far more irregular, anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes apart. Same intensity as the ones before. They went on all day, and into the night. My doctor says to call when I get 6 in an hour. I was only getting 5 an hour. But at the 9 hour mark I called. I had tried everything to get them to go away. Water, walking, resting, warm shower, you name it. NP had me take Motrin and try and sleep. This worked but taking Motrin freaked me out as Dr. L had told me after 28 weeks it was a no no.

I had my regular appointment on Tuesday. Not with Dr. L. He was on vacation and I saw Dr. A in his place. I. AM. IN. LOVE. Dr. A is amazing. He is so considerate and thoughtful. Explains thing exactly how I like and takes my concerns seriously. He asked if Dr. L had put me on bed rest. Um, no he hasn't. See previous post! So Dr. A was just as concerned as me about all the persistent BH. He ordered a cervical check ultrasound without me having to ask! He also prescribed me oral Terb.utaline. Just in case. He was glad the Motrin worked for me but the cut off for that is 32 weeks. And my doctor HAS to know I'm taking it. I feel so much more comfortable with Dr. A and have scheduled my next appointment with him. I will be asking procedure for switching doctors. I have absolutely nothing against Dr. L but I just feel like Dr. A is a MUCH better fit for me.

My SIXTH ultrasound went well. Tech asked if I was on bed rest too! (Is there something I should know?!?!?!?!) Cervix is holding strong at 3cm. The same it has been since 12 weeks. His head is right on my cervix. Even when she pushed on my stomach to see if he would move there wasn't even a millimeter between his head and my cervix. No funneling though so I'm trying not to worry. Which of course doesn't work! I try though, I really do. We ended up with a full growth scan which I was so not expecting! He is doing very well and estimated weight is 3lbs 6oz. Which she said is average. Dr. Google says hes anywhere from the 22nd percentile to the 55th. So I have no idea really but hes growing so I don't care!

Saturdays are apparently not good days for me. Because I got another long bout of BH. Once again tried everything. Nothing worked. Decided to take a shower before taking my Terb.utaline. Because I was gross and wanted to be clean before dealing with that hell. They stopped. So no terb for me yet but I honestly think it's just a matter of time. I have a week until my next appointment and that's 2 days before I head to Flagstaff for my baby shower. Which is on a Saturday.....Oh boy. Will try and update after my appointment on Tuesday.

All caught up!

This was my "belly" at 13 weeks. It was all chunk, bloat and what was already there. But we needed a baseline to measure future hugeness.

So just a few days after finding out it was a boy, we went on vacation! My dad had a conference to go to in CANCUN and invited us along. As you can imagine my dad really had to twist my arm on that one. We didn't get to many pictures, I was to busy eating all food that crossed my path on the beach. These two were my favorite though.

 BABY TIGER!!!! 3 months old. I was grinning like an idiot for hours. Tigers are my favorite animals.

My brother, my husband (he lost his glasses in the ocean and was wearing my dads) and me!

After we walked away I realized I had just had the most EPIC pregnancy brain moment ever. (I'm blaming that dang it, even though I think it was actually my being awestruck) I realized there was a baby lion too, and maybe I should have done pictures with it, seeing as we had decided on a LION King theme for nursery. But really, I got a picture with a real live baby TIGER!

After we got back much relaxing happened. Even though I had already done lots of that, I wanted more. OK, doctor said I wasn't allowed to work so I stopped looking for a job. I had some of the most epic headaches in the world from 12-22 weeks. Still get one here and there but it was almost daily before. At 20 weeks we did the anatomy scan (duh) and Stinker once again riled up our tech.

He started out being a good little boy and she got lots of the measurements she needed right away. She went to look at gender and he had his legs crossed the first 2-3 tries. Then he opens up and we see him in all his manly glory.

It was confirmed boy.

So we carry on and she gets all the measurements she needs but two. Spinal measurements. Well, my little stinker was on his back and WAS.NOT.MOVING. I got poked, he got shaken, and Nada. I'm over time. So they sent me into the waiting room to walk around and see if he would move and try again in 20 minutes. The other tech who worked there then gave it a try. My son must have liked her because we got another penis shot and both spinal measurements in 5 freaking minutes! We shall see if he's in a snarky mood again come Tuesday for our 3D ultrasound. He's 0 for 4 now.

So other than the trip to the hospital last week its been pretty boring on the gestation front over here. Unless swelling excites you, then we've got a party over here! My hands and feet feel like they are twice their normal size.

So the hospital. We were driving home from the last hockey game of the year (We'd been to 9 as my Coyotes went far into the playoffs this year) when some dick SUV decided he was to big and bad to need to check his blind spots like some PEASANT or something. We were in MY 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid. My husband with his amazing reflexes managed to somehow swerve to avoid being hit. It was literally a matter of inches. Well, about 15-20 minutes later my friend Braxton Hicks arrived. He brought his suitcase this time and had no intention of leaving. When I had 12 in just over an hour I (was forced) called the doctor. She sent me in to be monitored. I insisted on eating first! So we were there until almost 3am. My son decided to take offense to the probes and would not stop kicking them. But I had 6 measurable contraction in 45 minutes. I honestly took nothing seriously and was joking around the whole time. Until that nurse walked back in the room with a SYRINGE. Shit got real right then. Terbutaline. Now if you have ever had the misfortune of needing this HELL in a bottle I feel for you. THIS. SHIT. SUCKS. Anything for my baby, but daaamn.

The contractions subsided after the first shot and I was sent home an hour later. Had my doctors appointment that afternoon and all he said was "more rest" OK, how much more? He has said this literally every appointment since 12 weeks. Am I on any kind of bed rest? I honestly have no idea! I need to be more assertive and ask him these things instead of being intimidated by my doctor. I love him, I really do., but I feel so tiny and insignificant around him.

So I will wrap this up with belly pictures. I do not take them consistently but whenever the hell I remember. And when my bathroom counter doesn't look like big foot went on a rampage.

 Did this one laying down as standing up was all chunk. 17 weeks 5 days

 19 weeks 3 days.

 21 weeks 3 days

22 weeks 5 days. 

25 weeks 5 days. Think this is my favorite. So cute and ROUND.

It didn't last. He went from head down to transverse a few days later and now I look like this. Boxy belly. 28 weeks 5 days.

All caught up! I am 29 weeks 1 day now. Now I just have to keep updating regularly!

Earth falling, pt 2

We told my family about our pregnancy within a few days. We made a special trip up to Flagstaff and Williams just to tell in person. I was nervous to tell my dad. My mom had been saying since Mike and I got together that we weren't ALLOWED to have kids until 28, period. My dad never said otherwise so I assumed he felt the same. My MIL, no nerves whatsoever. We knew she would be over the moon. So we had to do something cute. My MIL got a onesie.

 My dad got to figure it out. I took off my sweatshirt and had this shirt on.

It took him about 5 minutes. He was so excited and happy. I freak over nothing, as usual!

So I was pregnant. Now what? The girls on my pregnancy group were getting appointments around 8 weeks. So I decided to wait a bit and use the extra time to do some research on OB's in my area. I was recommended Dr. L by about 10 people so decided to give him a try. at about 5 weeks I called to make an appointment expecting to wait until January. I ended up with one on Wednesday Dec 14. It was a basic meet the doctor, confirm pregnancy appointment. I got my lady bits violated for the first of many times, and orders for 2 blood tests. I was also given orders for an ultrasound, not to be used until doctor said so. Yeah, smart move giving the neurotic pregnant lady open ended ultrasound orders.

I didn't get the results from my beta until they had both in. First was 7,005 and second (3 days later) was 14,000. They were done at 5+6 and 6+2. I was given the OK to schedule my ultrasound for Thursday or Friday (I had already made the appointment for Thursday). So at 6 weeks and 5 days I headed to Arizona Genetics and Fetal Medicine. I was so nervous that my second vagina violation didn't even faze me.

So, I worked at my moms (an OB/GYN in case no one remembers) for many years and am pretty savvy about ultrasound pictures. So when at first all I saw was a nice big, seemingly empty, uterus I freaked a little. Where was my little tiny embryo.....

We finally saw this, after what felt like hours.

My child was hiding already! The embryo had implanted in a very unusual place. Very high up, almost at the top of my uterus. Measuring right on track for a due date of August 11, 2012. Heartbeat was 115. Relief, for now.

Had my first true OB appointment at the beginning of January around 8 weeks. More violation and more blood work. Also set up an appointment with the Insurance Liaison as I discovered my amazing, expensive insurance DOESN'T COVER MATERNITY! Seriously, who thought that was a good idea? What makes even more sense...they cover SOME complications, but not routine care. Screw you! AHC.CCS it is for me.

 I did end up getting AHC.CCS but it took them almost 8 weeks to approve me. It's supposed to take 3. Everything after Jan 1 was covered, except my 12 week NT scan. Since I already paid for that myself. So my NT scan finally comes and I was once again a nervous wreck. Once again for no reason. Little baby started waving the second that probe hit my belly.

Look! It's a baby, not a blob!

My little baby already had an attitude problem at this point. The NT scan is supposed to take 5, MAYBE 10 minutes. Nope, It took 30. Baby was not giving that tech a clean shot. (I have the same tech for all my scans at AZGFM) She eventually dubbed my baby Stinker, we still call baby stinker. She finally got the measurement and it was 1.8mm I think. Also got a cervix check as I have had 2 surgeries on it. Measured 3.3cm. Which is awesome. 

Now if I was evil I would stop this post here and leave gender reveal for another day. Leave my readers in avid suspense. Well, I am totally evil, but I have no readers to leave in suspense. OK, I have 3. But they already know the gender. So.... I got a private scan at 15 weeks, because quite frankly I think it should be considered cruel and unusual punishment to make a pregnant women wait until 20 weeks to find out what genitals they are carrying around in their uterus. Me, I've got a....

Penis. A very obvious penis inside me (I'm bad, I totally laughed at that)

My husband is thrilled. But not just because he gets a son. But, because he gets to buy a completely hideous rug and I can't say shit about it. It was several years ago (where is his goldfish memory when I need it!?) We were at Home Depot and we passed by their area rugs, almost all of these are so hideous that I find it hard to believe that anyone ever purchases one and thus they are 20 years out of style and have even less chance of selling. (It's an ugly carpet cycle) This is what happened:

Mike: *points at a particularly horrendous rug* Can we get that one?

Me:Sure....when I sprout a penis

Mike: Oh, OK then I'll get one eventually.

Me: Excuuuuuse me?

Mike: I just have to wait until you get pregnant with a boy.

Me: *slack jawed speechlessness* (I looked like a damn goldfish)

Mike: *runs as I picked up a piece of PVC piping and was contemplating where best to smack him*

So now my husband is rug shopping. And he's serious. He has absolutely every intention of following through and getting the damn ugly carpet. I did manage to make him agree to a small one. I have a fire pit out back. It won't survive long anyway. (I will leave you there for today) 

Fell off the earth

Wow. I really dropped the ball on this whole blog thing. Going to try and do better as I would like to have an account of this journey. First order of business. We are pregnant! 28 weeks 5 days. Second, we no longer live in Flagstaff. We made it to Phoenix, somehow... Life is completely different now than it was just a few months ago.

We ended up conceiving just 5 months after we started trying. I was both right and wrong about us having difficulty with it. If it wasn't for some amazing support groups I may never have heard of this little miracle in a tube called preseed. I honestly don't think we would have gotten pregnant without it. My body was still all kinds of messed up from my cervical surgeries and I wasn't making ANY fertile cervical fluid. It's all but impossible to conceive without this goop. Preseed is the only lube that mimics this stuff and wont kill sperm. First month using it and we got pregnant.

So backing up a bit. Moving was a nightmare, actually just finding a place was a nightmare. Everything was going wrong. We had to keep pushing back our "get the hell out of Flagstaff date." In Flagstaff, having cats or dogs rarely prevents someone from renting. In Phoenix, cats are evil apparently. Soon as we said there were 3 cats with us, landlords RAN. Our Realtors were telling us to lie, which I am SO not cool with. We were on our second or third tip to the Valley to look for houses and none panned out. We had one last day and our amazing new realtor sent us a list. Half the houses were rented by the next day. We got to see ONE. Just one house, and we loved it! I refused to get attached in case things fell through YET again. We told him we had three cats, he hesitated. We pushed, saying they were all fixed, well behaved little critters. He still wiffle waffled, then I said the magic words. "What if my current landlord will provide a letter attesting to their good behavior?" He love the idea. And my current landlord loved us AND our cats and were more than happy to sing our praises. We got the house!

Todd, our landlord, wanted a few weeks to finish fixing up the place. We set a move in date of Nov 3. We set a move out date of Nov 31 for our POS. Plenty of time, right? Well, not really. Mike and I were supposed to go to Colorado with my dad and brother for Thanksgiving, to see my moms family for the first time in 12 years. Mike and I got down to packing, taking a few car loads down to Phoenix early in the month. Things literally came down to the wire.

Now we were still TTC that month. I stopped with the temping as we were staying up until 3am to pack and waking up at 9am. I was supposed to ovulate the day before Thanksgiving. I didn't give the cycle much hope to be honest. On the 20th I got a positive OPK. I was ovulating EARLY, which was so not like my body. We had some fun with the preseed and then passed out. The morning of the 21st we picked up a 26 ft Pen.ske truck! We worked all day loading the thing, our help never showed up as he got tied up at work. We didn't finish that night and were now behind. Woke up at the ass crack of dawn the 22nd and continued. Our help arrived!

Things went quickly from there. When we were all loaded I took the precious loud mouth cats on ahead. Mike and Jeremy followed, with Jeremy helping Mike navigate the gigantic tushy of the truck. I only beat them by 30 minutes. We unloaded the truck in a rather pell mell rush. Seeing the toolbox unloaded was rather amusing as Mike and Jeremy are both pretty skinny guys and that box easily weighed in at 1,500 pounds. Jeremy went back that night. The following morning we returned the truck and hit the road for Colorado. It was a 12 hour drive.

We had fun in Trinidad and were finally able to relax. I had a few drinks with my family (I know, shame on me drinking in the tww) I had already decided we failed that month. Seeing my my family was bittersweet. Though my Great Uncle Tony is so cute. Hes in his mid 90's and still putters around the house insisting on doing everything himself. Despite the fact that there are close to 80 people in that house willing to help. I was sad to leave as we were not planning a return trip until 2013. (We are going this year now to introduce the newest family member)

The drive back was uneventful and we spent a full day cleaning the old POS before heading home for good at midnight. We got home Monday the 28th. Spent the next few days unpacking. I was EXHAUSTED and just wanted to sleep. And I was dealing with constant heartburn, so not a happy camper. I chalked it all up to the stress of the move, trip and now unpacking. On Saturday December 3, I decided I wanted to relax with a beer after a day of unpacking. Figured I should test *just in case* So at 6pm I peed on a stick. Stuck it back in its little foil wrapper and very nearly threw it away. Why the heck was I bothering? No way I was pregnant. The thought was complete INSANITY.

No way that's a line, I had to be seeing thing!

I scream (literally, my voice cracked) for Mike and he saw it too! But him being a man, he didn't really believe it, to faint. Total buzzkill. Stupid boy. So we went to the store and bought "real tests" (wanted to smack him at this point) to take in the morning.

 "So, do you see THAT one?"



And just in case he was STILL in denial. Yeah, buddy!

This post has now reached quite epic proportions so I am going to leave it here and pick up tomorrow. (I swear I will!) Plus, I haven't peed since I started writing this and I think that's a new record for me.