Easter Egg Hunting and Egg Dying

So today we went on an Easter Egg hunt in Fuquay-Varina (because we missed the one in town yesterday and didn't want to go to Raleigh, but this way Ryan got to join us). When I first asked Camden if he wanted to do the hunt, he immediately asked, "Will there be anything in the eggs?" Then he immediately stopped himself and said, "Oh, I don't care if there is or not. I like the searching part anyway. So yes, I want to go." (This was another one of those proud mama moments where you realize maybe something you have tried to teach actually seeped through!)


Here are some pictures of our hunting. The place was packed, the kids rushed as soon as they were let through to hunt, and it was all over in less than 5 minutes, though the boys (Camden and a neighbor that came along) kept looking for at least another 15 minutes or so - just in case.

We also dyed some eggs tonight. I've had this set of paints for about, oh, 2 or 3 years now. (Shows how often we do eggs, huh?) They didn't turn out quite like the box suggested they would... Oh well. It was still fun and they look ok.

OUR Eggs

The BOX

I have a bunch of pictures to post, but I have been trying since last night, and this thing is NOT WORKING. I am so frustrated and angry with my computer right now that I am really about to cry - that or throw it out the window! As soon as we figure out what the heck is going on and can do something to fix it, I will post the pics that were meant to go on here...................

The Name Game

I was originally going to write a post about names if we were having a girl - b/c there is a really funny story behind the names we have picked out. I'll tell that in a moment, even though we're having a boy. We had the boy name picked out, though. That was an easy one for us. And we thought we were all set.

Think again! No, we're not changing the name. But we are now considering how to spell it! That is just as important, is it not? (Yes, it is.) We had just assumed we would spell it Aiden. Then Ryan saw it spelled Ayden and liked that, as well. Then Ryan's mom mentioned Edgar Allen Poe uses the name Aidenn in one of his poems. That form of the name means "Eden, Heaven," whereas the other spellings mean "Fire." So - now we have three spellings that we are considering. We never really considered the others - there are so many (Aidan, Aden, Adin, etc, etc.). This is a big deal and we'll have to put some serious thought into it... Do we go with Aiden, Ayden, or Aidenn????????????

Our reasoning behind each spelling....
Ayden - Well, this is one Ryan likes, so you can take that one up with him. Though he has decided that he does like Aiden more than this. So this one may be off the table.
Aiden - This is a typical way to spell it lately and just the way we first assumed it would be. We also want to be sure that whatever name we pick - it will work for an adult b/c this child will eventually grow up and need a "grown up" name.
Aidenn - As the name Aiden/Aidan is becoming more popular, we don't want our kid having the same name as everyone else. This is the only problem I have with the name period. I love it, and I wish others weren't loving it as much either! But this spelling is not as typical, so the name would still have some uniqueness to it (which is a good thing). But I'm not 100% sold on the two "n"s yet. And we wonder if it's too girly. We're not quite sure...(and hoping no - if we do choose to spell it this way).

Now - the story about the girl names. I have always loved the name Bailey for a girl. And I just knew that if I ever had a girl, I would name her Bailey Elise. Love that name! Then Ryan comes along. He has a nephew named Bailey. And I want the name for a girl. We're not sure what to do at this point (though we're not even pregnant when this comes up, of course.) Ryan's sister says that her Bailey wouldn't mind and we can do that if we want.

Then one day, after we're pregnant, I turn to Ryan and say, "What about Avery for a girl? That is such a pretty name. I love it. Avery Elise." He just stands there, giving me this strange look. "What?....What is it?...What's wrong with that? Do you not like it?......What?" He continues to look at me, not saying anything. He finally tells me "Avery is Steven's middle name." Who is Steven, you ask? He is Bailey's big brother.

Yeah, that's right. Both GIRL names that I absolutely love are also the names for the only other BOYS in this generation of Ryan's family. How likely is THAT??? How likely that the guy I marry has nephews with the names I have picked out for a girl?! But we love the names so much, we still can't part with them. So, the plan was to pick one of these names for a girl, if we were having a girl (most likely Avery). Maybe next time. It is a funny story, nonetheless. I just couldn't believe the irony. Still can't. (And we are definitely reserving these names for our next - if we do get a girl next time!)

So anyway, back to this spelling of our boy's name......... That's our current challenge. We would love to hear (read - haha!) your thoughts. We'll ultimately decide on our own, yes, but it's still nice to hear what others think. :)

Soccer Season!

Soccer has begun again. Camden had his first game today - a "friendly" (real games start after Easter). Here are some pics from this morning. Mammaw was still in town and able to watch. :) They won their game - either 5 or 6 to 0.

I overheard some players from the other team talking, and one said, "I don't blame us for playing bad, the other team is hard!"

Baby Adkins is a....

BOY!!!

Aiden Joseph Adkins

Profile Pictures:

This shows the chest (right) and the mouth and nose (center of picture)

It's a BOY!!!

Face in 3D - from front

Side view of face in 3D

The ultrasound went great!

Little baby moved around so much - he just wouldn't be still for those pictures! Haha!

They also got a look at the placenta (after our worries from earlier and from my pregnancy with Camden), and that is looking good for now, as well. That means I can finally start walking and actually being active. :) Yay!

Camden is THRILLED that he's getting a little brother, too! :)

Nursery Furniture!!

It took us (ok, ME) a while to settle on baby furniture. We had to get something we liked, something simple but nice, something that was good quality (must pass the scratch test - and most do not!), and decent in price. Oh, and good reviews from people who already own the pieces! All of those together = hard to find!

But we finally found the perfect set of furniture. Babies R Us happened to get this special deal from Munire (great baby furniture but pretty pricey) to sell some of their designs (called Baby Cache) at a lower price than typical. And one set was exactly what we wanted - it fit ALL the requirements. Only thing is, it's new and very high in demand. But we were finally able to make our purchase this week. We also were able to combine two offers to get it all at a discount that you can't normally get with furniture, so we are ecstatic! Here is what it looks like:

Thank you sooooo very much to MawMaw Sharon for getting the crib for the baby!
(And for getting her name on the waiting list sooner than we did - which helped us order the crib sooner!)

Another BIG thank you to PawPaw Gary and Susan for getting the Combo Unit (the shorter dresser to also be used as a changing table) for the baby!

Once we get the furniture in and have the nursery cleaned out (it's being used for storage now...), we'll post pictures of OUR real furniture. :) It's actually going to be in sooner than expected (!!!), so we have to get on cleaning out that room! Ryan said he felt bad about getting it so soon b/c some parents are still waiting to order and already have their babies but want this furniture. I reminded him, this is why you plan ahead, and we are great at planning ahead (sometimes too far ahead, but that's a different story). So I don't feel bad. If others are choosing to wait just for this furniture, that's their choice. I might have done the same - it's really great quality, great price, and beautiful.

We also have our nursery bedding picked out (for a while now, actually - haven't bought it yet, but we'll get there). We wanted something that could make it through another child and could work for both a boy or a girl. We love this design and all the textures in it for baby to touch and play with. We're using neutral colors (in case the next baby is not the same sex as this baby, and plus we like neutrals) in the nursery, so this fit perfectly with that, too.

Tummy Tales

No belly pictures this week due to my illness and totally not feeling up to it. But I did take some shots of just my belly... And here are a couple tummy tid-bits.

As you may notice by the pic, my normally inny belly button is on its way to becoming an outy. Halfway there!

I know Braxton Hicks contractions can start around 18 weeks, sometimes a little earlier. But I have been getting them since week 13/14! At first it was just in the morning when I was lying down that I could feel them, but now I can feel them all throughout the day. I never felt any kind of contractions with Camden until I was in labor (after being prepared to be induced on my due date - I wasn't actually induced - the prep work they do put me into labor). So this is a new thing for me.

I am continuing to really grow. Mom saw me and said I was huge and that pictures didn't do it justice. She told this to Gene and her sister, Charlotte, too. Funny thing - I went to the dr before my week of enormous growth and just went back this week for being sick - no weight gain. So I'm definitely growing in size but not in weight. Hmmmm.... (I'm sure that won't be the case for too much longer! Haha! And I have managed to gain some weight, just not in the past few weeks.)

The baby hasn't been moving much since I've been sick, but last night there was a little more poking, which made me feel a bit better about that.

And tomorrow we go for our big ultrasound. We've been told it will last about an hour. An hour of seeing our baby - I am so excited for that. We also will try to find out the sex. Another funny thing - I know most people just count down the days for that and are so anxious for it to get here. I haven't been like that at all. I am excited, but I guess it's more that I'm ok with whatever it is and am just relaxed about waiting to find out (this is not normally like me - I'm typically very impatient!).
Side note: If we are having a girl, you might have to wait a bit on the name b/c we're still on the fence between two first names. If it's a boy, we will probably post it on here when we announce the sex b/c we are all in agreement on a name we love for a little boy.

Spring Break ~ Whoo-Hoo? Not Quite...

So let me tell you how my spring break has turned out so far.... (Ha...Ha...)

First of all, I get sick before it even begins. Ryan says last Wednesday night that his throat hurts a little, but then he's fine after that. I, on the other hand, catch whatever it is that he was carrying, since my immunity is down from being pregnant. I start coughing a little and it becomes more and more until it is constant and really hurts. This goes on all weekend. I miss Camden's last basketball game and spend the day/evening on the couch while he has his friend over for a sleepover (and goes out to eat, too - though he did want to stay at home with me until I told him it was his night and convince him I didn't mind). Then I have to miss church the next day (and life group that night). Meanwhile, I am only getting worse. I am taking the medication I am allowed to take while pregnant - but it is doing nothing at all to help. I'm doing all the home remedies I know of (and that mom suggests). I drink more tea in one weekend than I have since I became pregnant. I seriously am miserable. I haven't been this sick in a long time. (Maybe it sounds like oooohhhh...she had a "cough" as in, that's all? - trust me, this is much more than a little cough. I wouldn't complain about a little cough.)

And my mom comes in on Sunday to spend the break with me. Ryan and Camden pick her up at the airport (since I'm too sick to join them). They show up, and she tells me - "it only gets worse." Her uncle died late the night before, and she just found out when she got off the plane. :( So she needs to fly back home on Tuesday for the funeral, but she'll be coming back on Thursday (in time for the ultrasound). So we have all of this going on at the same time. Spring break is off to a great start for all, isn't it? I do manage to get to the dr on Monday - after calling for about two hours and telling them I have to come in now even if they are all booked up b/c I really am that sick. I even lose my voice while at the visit. The dr explains that it's harder on me b/c when you're pregnant you can't cough right. To add to all of this, any time I get sick with anything to do with my head or throat, I get a sinus infection. I'm just that prone. Starting Sunday, I'm showing signs of this, too. My head is pounding every time I cough, my sinuses have all this pressure, my eyes hurt, my ears hurt. Pretty much everything above my neckline hurts. But she can't prescribe any antibiotics unless I actually get the full blown infection (b/c of being pregnant and only doing what is needed, I guess). I do get a prescription for the same medicine I've been taking but with codine (so even if it doesn't work for the cough, it should help me sleep - by the way, it didn't) and instructions on what other meds to buy and take. I am warned that I can't take the good stuff, so I'm basically just riding out the storm here. And yeah, that's true. The meds aren't doing all that much, as many as I am taking.

So now we're on day five of whatever virus this is that I have (and hoping it actually gets better soon...). I woke up this morning with the sorest musles ever. I have coughed so much (and am now sneezing) that whenever I do anything that involves breathing or moving (haha!) all the muscles from my waist up to my shoulders hurt a lot (Mom laughs at this b/c, as she says, I can take pain from a major surgery or "even her arm being cut off" and not complain at all, but the tiniest thing such as blowing an eyelash off my finger is causing me to whine. Well, I expect major things to hurt - so no need to complain. I don't expect tiny things to hurt, so when they do, I complain.) Mom is back in KY and probably at the funeral home by now. I haven't slept at all in the last two nights. Poor Ryan is having to do all the work around here and is being kept up by my coughing - and he's being so great about it, too! (I have a great husband.) We're hoping by the time Mom gets back in two days that I will be well enough so we can have at least a couple days to enjoy.

Ironically, I was watching a show on tv Saturday, and someone said something about never relying too heavily on Plan A because Plan B will always show up when you least expect it (or don't want it!). So, Plan B - here we come.

Please keep my family in your prayers.

Rest in Peace ~ Norman Carby

Tagged

So, I have been "tagged" by one of my blogger friends to post 7 random things about myself. As I have a hard time not fulfilling these requests, here goes. And these are pretty random...

1. After I brush my teeth at night, I get soooo thirsty. When I go to take my bedtime meds (yes, for the morning sickness, still...), I want to down the entire bottle of water. I try not to since it is not the best idea for a pregnant woman to drink a ton of water at bedtime - not if she wants to sleep through the night without having to get up... But I certainly want to drink it all!

2. I have chronic insomnia issues. Always have. Mom says this was the case even when I was an infant. I remember in high school trying prescription sleeping meds, and after trying so many, the dr said he just couldn't help me - nothing worked! (That was nice - the dr giving up on me...) I have found one thing that works and is not habitual, but I can't take it while pregnant, and I don't like the idea of having to take meds for that all the time... I blame my not being able to wake up easily (at all! just ask my mom, ryan, or camden!) on my sleeping problems. Once I'm out, I'm out - but getting out is the problem. And add pregnancy sleeping problems on top of that - yeah, I'm having loads of fun with my sleepless nights these days!

3. I do NOT like exercising. Can't stand doing it just to do it. I LOVE being active, though. Give me an activity (hiking, swimming, walking, biking, etc, etc.) with my family or put me in a raquetball court with Ryan, and I will go at it - and love it. But working out just for the sake of working out. Yuck. It's just not fun. Pretty boring, in my opinion. I want to be active and be having fun at the same time. It is possible. I attempted to work out quite a bit in college - but I also made sure to take a lot of phys ed courses just to get me to be extra active a few times a week. And they were a lot of fun and got me in good shape, too. :)

4. I eat breakfast every single morning. I have never been able to go without it. (I'll actually get sick if I don't eat - and this is not just while pregnant but at any time.) I might eat it in the car...but I do always eat breakfast.

5. I love venison meat!! Man, there is nothing like a plate full of venison roast, mashed potatoes, peas, gravy, and rolls - all homemade of course! My mom would always make us our requested meal on our birthdays, and this has been my request for years and years. Love it! I also love most homecooked meals that you would expect to find in the home of a family living on a farm - probably because this is what I grew up on (and from being from farming families). I don't eat as much as I would like (for the fact that I would be in pants about four sizes what I wear now!), but I do love it all!

6. I don't know left from right. Regardless of how intelligent I may be, this will never happen! I just cannot - and never have been - able to do it. I even have to do the thing where you put out your thumbs and stick up your pointer fingers (and the side that makes an L is the left...), and I still have to really think about it. That's why I need a map when someone gives me directions - I get seriously anxious with written directions when I have no clue where I am going...

7. I graduated from college with the highest honors (summa cum laude - yes siree!) and will have my master's degree in just two months... And I still don't know what I really want to do with my life! (Except for being a mom - I swear, that must really be my calling!)

Ok, there are seven random things about me that you might not have known. :) Enjoy and feel free to let me know some random things about you. Haha!

Week 16 & 17 Comparisons - the week of GROWTH!

So I claimed before (couple posts ago) that I grew so much between week 16 and 17. It's very true. I couldn't believe what a difference 7 days made!

Don't believe me? Here are some pics to compare...

16 weeks * 17 weeks

Proud Mama Moment

Recently I went to visit with Camden's teacher for a parent-teacher conference. I already knew what we were going to talk about - Camden's constant chatting in class and other inappropriate times (like during a math test!). The child has had great behavior up until around December, which is a pretty good record for him. Not that he's a "bad" child. Not at all! He's a great student, and teachers always love him - but he has the tendency to be the talker in the room. (I was never like this, so I don't get it. I was always the shy, quiet student.)

So we do talk about this. He had a great week the week before and was going to have his best friend stay over on the weekend if that week was the same. Well....he had to turn his card that very day (right after we had said, the night before, "if you turn another card this week, Will can't come over"). The teacher said he even had a tiny tear coming out of his eye when he went to change the card - so she knew something big was not getting to happen as a consequence. (Camden knows we stick to our word in this house.)

Anyway, this isn't what I'm proud about. I will say that since this meeting and the teacher having Camden write checks on a paper whenever he is off task - his chatting has literally almost stopped! Yay! (And this weekend, he does get to have his friend over for a sleepover.)

What I am so proud about was from the second half of the meeting - talking about the CogAT test results. (Cognitive Abilities Test) I have always known Camden is really smart. He learned to read immediately in Kindergarten. He has never once had to study for a spelling test. He was tested at reading (and comprehending) at the 9th grade level in the 1st grade (another super proud mama moment!). School has just always been very easy to him (which is causing a bit of a struggle now that he's finding out he does in fact have to study and put more effort into larger projects...). So I expected good CogAT results - and boy did my expectations get surpassed. The boy scored in the 99th %tile for the verbal and quantitative (math) parts of the test and for the composite score (99th is the highest you can get and is in comparison to the national norms for the test). He slacked a bit (haha!) with the nonverbal and got in the 97th %tile, but from what we're told, that is the hardest part on the test. He missed no problems in the first two sections and only missed three in the nonverbal. My child is amazing!

I'm not trying to just brag on him here. But I am so freaking proud of him!! I have to share how incredible he is in this part of his life. (He's great at lots of other things he does, too, but this is what I am writing about this time.) Of course, I still have to worry about him performing at the level he is able - which is a common problem for smart kids. My mom says that was so frustrating when me and my brother were growing up (esp for her being a teacher!). I can remember things about my brother, who is actually much smarter than me. And I see some of that in Camden. He doesn't want to study. He gets frustrated the second something doesn't come naturally with school. If he can't get it right away, he claims he just can't do it. (Ha!) He's never had to try before, so it's hard for him to have to start now. We remind him that it isn't going to get easier! Ha again! Hopefully seeing me and Ryan focusing on grad school and exams will help out with that. I kind of dislike that any other kids I have won't see that. Camden has seen me go through college and grad school, so school is just a part of life, the way he sees it. Let's hope that continues, too! :)

Anyway, major props to Camden for his awesome test scores. You can't imagine how incredibly proud I am to be his mommy sometimes! This kid is just too cool! :)

Week 16 - A BIG week in many ways!

As of Sunday, I was officially 16 weeks pregnant. Lots of changes occurred during this week! First, we felt some movement! As Ryan mentioned in his recent blog, we started feeling some on Sunday. I felt a few pokes here and there and finally felt like it was enough to actually say it out loud. Of course, Ryan jumped up and came over to feel - and the movement stopped. (Of course!) But then that evening when we were lying in bed, he actually got to feel it. So cool!

All week long, here and there I have been able to feel little jabs and pokes. It is really so neat. Of course, there aren't many and they aren't very strong yet, but I know that will pick up quickly! :) Then I will be feeling this baby 24/7 (whether I want to or not!)

Another change - woke up Monday morning feeling about twice the size as I went to bed the night before. Ryan has even commented a couple times this week that my belly is soooo much bigger. (I did not take this to mean I was fat, trust me. I knew what he meant!) Everything seems to take much more work this week. Moving seems a little bit more challenging than even on Sunday. And I get a little out of breath easier, too. And bathroom stops are becoming a little more frequent.

BUT, just as my mother (who is great at keeping me grounded) said - I will have many more weeks like this! Haha! I know that there is much (MUCH!) more to come. I am, let's keep in mind, only 16 weeks along. I have 5 more months to GROW!

We also had another dr appt this week. We have been debating the whole c-section versus VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and I've been researching the pros and cons and thinking about what I really should do, etc, etc. I know the good and bad with either and am worried about a possible uterine rupture if we decide to labor (a rupture where the previous incision is) - that could cause serious problems. The other dr we have been meeting with said it was fine to go along with the c-section, but I've still felt a little unsettled either way. This dr wondered why we were considering either, and after hearing that the baby was large, said, yeah, usually the next ones will follow suit. But then after hearing HOW large Camden was (just shy of 11 lbs), she said they would definitely not even consider a VBAC b/c that would be too large. (I must agree - if the baby were that big - b/c Camden definitely would NOT fit through. Tried pushing for 2 1/2 hours - there was NO way.) So I feel much more settled with our decision to proceed with a c-section. We figured we would do this anyway, but now I'm not feeling like it's just a snap decision but it's one that is recommended for sound reasons.

OH - and we get to find out the baby's sex in just two weeks!!! Yay! I cannot wait for that ultrasound. Apparently it will last about an hour, so we'll get to see lots of our little baby. That's the best part!

Moving Around

This post is from Ryan. Well, I am pretty sure I felt the baby kicking in there last night. It was such a crazy feeling, and to think it will be here in just about 5 more months. Wow. We just can't wait! Things are still going pretty well so far. We are going back to the doctor on Tuesday (2/26) just for a checkup. Then, on 3/13 we get to find out whether we are having a boy or a girl!

Things going on in our lives other than the baby, Camden is still playing basketball, they have two more games left. Then he will start soccer, his favorite sport. I am getting ready for my next CPA exam, it is on Thursday (2/28). Then, I will have one more to pass and I will be done!
I am really looking forward to this summer and spending a lot more quality time with Daisy and Camden and getting ready for the new baby. I guess we should relax while we still can!

Candy Girl

I am definitely craving sugar with this baby. It's crazy!! I am typically not the type to raid the candy aisle - we never even go down that way! When Camden gets candy for Halloween, Valentine's, Easter, etc, we all eat a little bit here and there and then tend to forget about it and end up throwing the majority of it away after a while.

But things are a-changing! Yesterday I actually did a tiny bit of the grocery shopping since I was heading to Target anyway. (Ryan's been doing all of this so I can avoid all the smells and stay off of my feet per doctor's orders.) But I had - I mean HAD - to get some candy! One whole side of the aisle was dedicated to chocolate and jelly beans, neither of which I was interested in (and I am typically very interested in chocolate!). I was focused on the dum-dums, jolly ranchers, blow pops, and basically any type of hard sugary candy. I was amazed to discover that the only bag of dum-dums was a 300-count bag! I do NOT need that many suckers in my house! I would eat them all.

So I opted for the blow pops and jolly ranchers. And then Ryan shows up later in the evening with even more candy for me. I don't really need it, but I will either end up giving into my cravings and eating it all or I will not be so tempted now that I have it (which is actually very likely to happen). We shall see. Hopefully this craving will go away once the baby arrives because I certainly do not need to keep up this habit!

The Laundry

is FINISHED!!! Camden managed to finish all of the laundry on his own. It is all put away in his closet. Yay! Success!

Read Natural Consequences and Score! if you're not sure what the heck I'm talking about.

Doesn't quite make sense

I've mentioned before my aversion to spaghetti sauce. Typically a favorite in our household, as we have something with spaghetti sauce just about every week. I cannot stand the stuff these days! So...I am quite surprised when I discover I can certainly put away the chili but can't eat spaghetti. I know the two are different, but I tend to think of them as being in the same "class" of foods. I'm a bit surprised and not quite sure why I can't stomach spaghetti but can eat and eat chili... Doesn't make sense, but we are pleased to discover one more food I can eat (and that we can make a big pot of!).

Laundry update - Camden managed to wash and dry an entire load on his own yesterday. He did forget about the load he washed and left overnight (and will discover the annoyance of having to rewash those! I know he doesn't have to, but I would rather him learn to deal with the laundry right away then think it's ok to keep leaving it overnight... So maybe I'm bending things a little here, but hopefully he's learning a good lesson!). ;) He is not all too happy with this work he has to do, so hopefully he will soon come around. More on that later!

Score!

Read previous post before this one to understand what this is all about...

So we're getting in the car to go to Camden's basketball game when he mentions doing his laundry when we get back!!! I even ask, what made you decide that (mostly to be sure Ryan didn't break down and remind him! Haha!). He said that it was because his room was so messy with all the clothes! Yes! As a parent, this was wonderful to hear! Something I am doing to try to make a point might be working???

We're home now and are pretty busy eating dinner and getting ready to go visit friends (and see their adorable brand new baby!!!), so odds are the laundry won't get done tonight. And I believe I hear Camden playing in his room, but I still feel a little successful because he even decided that it was time to do laundry. We'll see how long it takes to actually get it done... :) Either way, I'm quite happy for the moment.

Natural Consequences...

So in an attempt to let natural consequences (or somewhat natural) teach my son a lesson, we have been on strike from doing his laundry for the past - oh, about three weeks now. We typically do all the sorting, washing, drying, etc. And Camden gets to put his own clothes on hangers or fold them and put them away. We will hang up the clothes in his closet since some are too high for him. But we have been getting such attitude over the little amount of work he has to do and got tired of having to repeat our reminders to put up the clothes. We got to the point where we decided - you don't want to do it, well, you'll learn to realize how good you really have it.

We explained this nicely. No yelling or anything like that. He tried to say, no, I'll appreciate it and stop complaining. Ha. Yeah, you will... After week one, he actually (on his own!) decided it was time to wash a load. I helped him with measuring the detergent and explained how to set the washer. He remembered when to put the clothes in the dryer, but then they were there for the rest of the night. After a few days, I needed the dryer, so his now very wrinkled clothes went on the floor next to the laundry room. You would think this would convince him to put them away. Nope. They sat there in a pile for a few more days until he managed to get them. Since then his laundry basket has been overflowing! He is running out of jeans (most of the ones left are a little short and have holes in the knees...) and today he comes to me, Mom, I don't know where my black shorts are for my basketball game. I gently remind him, I wouldn't know where they are and that is his responsibility. He manages to find them but then admits that his room is now a mess b/c of the clothes...

It's very tempting at this point to just wash the clothes myself! But NO. I will not. I will be on strike until he decides to come to us on his own and let us know he appreciates our doing this work and will keep this in mind when it is time to do the little we typically ask of him - or until he decides to continue doing his own laundry. Wishful thinking, you say? Perhaps, but I can wait this sort of thing out. (I'm typically quite impatient, but not with this type of thing!) Until then, he might end up resorting to wear dirty, wrinkled clothes from his floor, but I refuse to be bothered by this. I'm just too nice of a mom. ;)

Parenting Magazine

My first born... I love him!



Put your kid on a magazine cover...
http://covermaker.parenting.com/

Just Gotta Say...

...that although pregnancy does not seem to love ME so much...I absolutely love being pregnant! I love my growing belly, I love knowing there is this little being in my that Ryan and I created together, I love that I will soon be able to feel its movements. I just LOVE being pregnant (regardless of how crappy I may sometimes feel because of it).

Worth Your Time!

Dr. Randy Pausch - from Oprah

It's about 10 minutes long, but it's definitely worth it.

This video is from a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He has only a couple months to live and has three very young children. This isn't a pity-video. It's his Last Lecture and is very worth the time it takes to watch it. You will either be crying by the end and/or you will (hopefully) have a different perspective on a couple things in life.

Belly Shot at 14 weeks!

This is a big difference from two weeks ago! (We skipped last week b/c we were worried over our scare and weren't in the mood for pictures...)

Baby A is definitely growing!

I saw a lady in the bathroom today - someone I didn't know. And she asked if my belly was a little pooch (meaning a baby belly). I was so happy b/c it means that others that I don't know can tell I'm pregnant now, too. So it doesn't just look like I've gained a little weight now. :)

(Maybe now people will give up their seats on the bus so I don't have to stand...Hmmmm...)

It Is NOT Time To Wake Up!

So somebody needs to make it clear to my body that it is NOT time to wake up at 4:30am every morning! (Esp when you don't get to sleep until after midnight...) For the past week it seems, I just wake up around 4 or 4:30 like it's time to get up for the day. I manage to get back to sleep, but it's still not fun. And it's not like I'm waking up for any reason - just my body's way of messing with me, I guess. I really would like for it to stop, though. It's not that funny...

FOOD

Foods I typically love but can no longer tolerate at all:

• Anything with spaghetti sauce
• Garlic toast (that goes with the spaghetti sauce)
• Wheat bread (well, really ANY bread and especially the crust)
• Burritos
• Turkey burgers/dogs
• Salad
• Most vegetables (especially green veggies!)
• Most cereals that I used to eat
• Apples
• Nuts - esp walnuts
• Coffee/Tea (a couple times I have been able to tolerate a cup at night but just lately)
• Yogurt

Foods I can actually eat just about whenever:

• Waffles w/ maple syrup (yeah, that's what the baby needs...at least it is homemade and not from a mix!!!)
• BLT's (at least there is lettuce and tomatoe on it!)
• Goldenrod eggs (family recipe - not the worst, but not the healthiest either - but it is very yummy!)
• Egg salad from Whole Foods (again, not the healthiest)
• Milk (at least there are a few good things still on this list!)
• Avacado
• Asparagus (surprisingly!)
• Strawberries
• Canteloupe (Ryan is waiting for these foods to be IN SEASON - haha! Right now we get to pay premium prices for half-way decent foods...)

For those of you that know me, it is obvious that my good eating habits have gone flying out the window!! The worst part is trying to plan meals as most of our staples (quick to cook and lasts for more than one night!) are no longer working for me. Kind of frustrating, but -hey- at least I'm eating, right? I try to keep that in mind... I do still have to take my meds to be able to stomach anything. I've been late with a couple doses recently and was quickly reminded why I am taking them... I still have some bad days regardless of the meds, but I am grateful to have them and be able to eat at least something!

Date Night - Whoo Hoo!!!

Tonight Camden's school had a Parents Night Out, where they watch the kids from 6-10 while parents enjoy a nice night sans children. :) So we obviously took advantage! Ryan took me out to the new Japanese restaurant in town - Ginza. (I took the good medicine tonight. I couldn't drive, but I could eat!) :) It was really yummy and as always, entertaining. Then we went to the restaurant right across the parking lot to Stonewood (one of our favorites) for dessert. Mmmmmmm.... He planned this all out perfectly! When we got home, we cuddled up to watch a movie and ended the night by watching the slideshow that I created to use in our wedding. It was so much fun to get a little dressed up and spend some time alone.

Daisy & Ryan

Daisy - 14 weeks pregnant

What Will IT Be???

So we don't really buy into all those wives tales that claim they can determine the sex of the baby, but we still think it's fun to think about. So, we're trying to come up with a list of wives tales and see what everyone guesses Baby A will be! I'll continue to update the list as we find new ones we haven't heard of. Feel free to comment and let us know others you know so we can add them! We'll add an asterisk to the ones I am experiencing. And some you'll have to guess on your own - such as I'm not really sure if I'm carrying low or high yet b/c I'm not showing much. But we'll post pictures, and you can decide!

Be sure to vote, too! You can vote on the side of the blog - above our picture. Voting closes the day of the ultrasound!

BOY
Carry Low
*Gain weight more in just the belly area (but I'm not gaining much yet, so hard to tell)
Crave salty foods
Lower heartrate (baby) - less than 140
*Dad not gaining extra weight
Craving protein
Mother's age of conception and the year of conception are mixed between odd and even
Dream of girls
Less morning sickness (I don't buy this b/c I had 5 months worth with Camden!)

GIRL
Carry High
*Have more break-outs/acne
*Crave sweets (I want waffles all the time!)
Gain weight more over your body
*Higher heartrate (baby) - higher than 140 (Baby A is between 170 and 165)
Dad gaining extra weight
*Chinese birth calendar
*Crave fruit (definitely me - I need strawberries every day!)
*Refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread (and do not want the crust either!!! yuck! and i pretty much don't like bread much period - unless it's in the form of a waffle...)
*Mother's age of conception and the year of conception are both odd or even (27 years in 2007)
*Last born child of woman's mother will follow in the same pattern as the mother (my mom had a boy then a girl, I had a boy first)
*Dream of boys
*More morning sickness (see above for why I don't buy this one - but I am having it worse this time than with Camden, I think - it was terrible with both, and we still have to see how long it lasts this time around)

One other comment on this - not that it determines what we'll be having - but out of everyone that we know that has had a baby in the past year or is pregnant and knows the sex - almost all are boys! At least 11, while we only know of 2 that have had girls! all of our close friends have had boys. Wonder what is in store for us...

What He Does For Me

So I've been thinking about something that I noticed yesterday. I know that I have always felt comfortable with Ryan. He is great when I need someone to talk to or just to hug on and cry. He always just knows when I need that. It's like he knows me so well that the tiniest change in me clues him in to exactly what I need from him. He is awesome in that way.

Yesterday while in the waiting room at the dr office - while waiting to get the ultrasound and exam to make sure baby and mom were ok - Ryan and I were just sitting there. (If you haven't read previous post, you may be a little lost about this...) I was trying not to get too upset and keep my composure. I mean, we didn't yet know if anything was wrong, so I was trying to remind myself of that and wait until I knew before I got emotional. So Ryan reaches over and puts his hand on mine. As soon as his skin touched mine, tears started to form. I realized that he makes me feel so comfortable that just a touch can release what I am really feeling. He allows me to do that. But at this moment, I didn't WANT to do that, so I actually had to ask him not to. I felt bad, but he seemed to really understand. I knew that if he was close to me in that way, I would release everything and just start crying right there in the waiting room. So, we just sat and didn't show our emotions until we saw the baby on the monitor.

I've always known that I was so comfortable with Ryan, but guess I never quite realized just how comfortable he could make me. I never realized that one touch from him could push this button to allow me to let everything loose and show what was really going on in me. How incredible to be married to someone that can do that for me.

I love my husband.

Little Bit of a Scare

So come Sunday night - right after the Super Bowl started, actually - we got a bit of a scare. I discovered some bleeding that definitely should not have been happening. We called the on-call doctor at Duke, but that didn't help much. The doctor was way, way too chipper. I explained that I was 13 weeks along as of that day, and she proceeded to tell me - so matter of fact-ly and in that chipper voice - that if there was any cramping along with the bleeding, this could be a sign of a miscarriage, even at this point. Not what I wanted to hear and definitely not what I wanted to hear from someone who sounded so happy when I am freaking out. So we wait to call my doctor the next morning.

We went in today (Tuesday) to have an ultrasound to check on the baby and to see what was going on. I was very relieved that they took it so seriously and did that because it was what I needed. I know that the odds are in my favor here, but it is still so hard to keep that in check. Ryan is so level-headed with things like this. We don't need to worry until we know there is something to worry about. And he can DO that! Me? No. Plus, I had placenta previa with Camden, which can increase your odds to have it with other pregnancies, so I was worried about that.

The ultrasound showed our baby doing just fine! Thank God!!! Part of my fears were somewhat confirmed when the dr showed that there was some hemorrhaging with the placenta, which happened to be close to where it would be to diagnose placenta previa. It basically has pulled away from the uterus a little bit, but not enough to be worried about yet. Enough to tell me to take it very easy for the next couple weeks, though. No nothing basically. (I know that's a double negative - I cringe even writing it. But you know what I mean.) The dr said that apparently the placenta doesn't like to stick in me - since I have a history of this. Nice to hear, huh? Then we also discover another likely cause for the bleeding. This is kind of personal, but there was a small polyp in there, too. (Not in the uterus.) The dr said it's nothing of concern - just some loose tissue, and some women just get them more than others. We also found out it really is not uncommon and is more likely to happen during pregnancy - probably due to all these tons of hormones running around in me. I never had one before, but she just twisted it off, and that was that. I'm told to expect a little more bleeding today, but that problem should be resolved.

So, we know that the bleeding was caused by one of those issues. But we also know that the baby is fine! I was pretty scared going into the appt, so seeing and hearing that heartbeat was such music to my ears and so wonderful to see! No pictures this time, but this wasn't exactly a fun visit anyway! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers that there are no serious issues resulting from the placenta pulling away more.

Since this happened on Sunday, I noticed a difference in how Ryan and I feel about this. He admits he was scared, but says that he wasn't worried. I'm thinking, How can you be scared but not worried?!?! But to him it made sense. We don't always get each other, I guess. Not that he is wrong in how he feels. I know he loves this baby. We both want this baby and love it so much. We didn't happen to get pregnant. It was no accident. We wanted a baby so much, and this baby was very planned. I already feel so connected and bonded with the baby. I've seen it move and do all sorts of things with an ultrasound (3 now...). I've felt tiny flutters. I have noticed every single tiny change in my body since just a couple days after conception. I am already very protective over my growing belly. I go to sleep every night with a hand over my abdomen. Maybe I can't feel it most of the time (I swear I can sometimes), but just having my hand there makes me feel connected to this little being. So when that was threatened - or in my mind it was threatened - it was very real and very scary to me, and I was quite worried. I don't take for granted that it's ok without having some proof. This is not just a baby in me. This is my baby. You other moms out there know what I mean. There is an incredible bond that is like no other.

gDiapers

So we accidentally discovered gDiapers - and are so, so happy we did!

Some of us are actually leery of using disposable diapers. I mean, think about all the chemicals that are used in order to make them so absorbent - and they are right next to baby's bum ALL day and night. And then consider how many years each diaper is stuck in a landfill, going nowhere - about 500 years. And do we know how many diapers go into landfills each year? 18-23 billion disposables go into landfills each year. Each child alone will contribute about 8,000. Crazy, isn't it? Terrible for our babies and for our environment for many reasons.

Then there are cloth diapers, which is another option. (Some of you say, NO WAY!, but some of us would actually attempt that.) But then again, you have environmental issues to consider. Yes, it's better than disposables, but there is still the huge use of water for washing. (We have an energy efficient washer and dryer, but still...) And some use diaper cleaning services which add to environmental issues once you consider the amount of washing they do and the driving to pick up diapers, etc. Some say this option isn't much better than disposable when you're considering the environment, though I still say it is better in some ways. Plus, babies are potty trained sooner with cloth.

But now there are gDiapers. These things are amazing and what we plan on using. They are like a combination of cloth and disposable and are now being called the greenest option for diapering. There are pants that go on the outside, into which a liner is snapped. In that liner you place the flushable. The flushable is so great because you can dispose of it in a number of ways - you can flush it down the toilet, throw it away, or even compost it! It takes only a couple months to decompose into the earth (compared to the 500 years it takes a disposable!!!). Washing the "little g" pants is limited, too, because the liner keeps them dry. And price-wise, gDiapers are comparable to disposables. They can be slightly more expensive if you buy from the website (we're talking pennies here, though, guys!), but some stores (e.g. Whole Foods and diapers.com) sell them cheaper. Oh, and you can also use cloth diapers instead of the flushables if you want - or go back and forth with both.

So, for those of you having babies, considering having babies, having grandchildren, etc.... Please consider gDiapers. They are such a better option for your baby and for the earth. They have definitely won us over. Heck, even Julia Roberts brags about them! Here is the website to learn more about them - gdiapers.com. Plus, they are so adorable! :)

Another note - if you're considering getting us diapers when the baby comes, please either get these or buy some Nature Babycare diapers (what we'll use the first couple weeks until baby fits into the little g's and available at diapers.com and other places). We're trying to avoid disposables as much as possible. If there are better options, why not use them?! :)

Our Baby is Growing!

We went for an ultrasound yesterday. It was actually the first trimester screening, where they look for Downs Syndrome. But we mostly did it for the extra ultrasound, to be honest. It would be nice to be prepared for a child with DS, but we've already discussed what would happen in the case of having a child with any type of disability. We will absolutely love and parent to the best of our abilities ANY child that God decides to give us.

So we got the ultrasound. Wow! It never ceases to amaze, does it? We could see the baby so clearly. And it was moving around, turning some, moving it's little arms. We even got to see it swallowing. :) It is just absolutely incredible. The nurse doing the ultrasound kept commenting on how "good" and "cooperative" the baby was being - being still when she needed to take the pictures for the screening, and staying on it's side most of the time, so we saw the profile. Ryan and I couldn't help but say to each other later that it would be fine if the baby continues to be "good" and "cooperative" after it's born. Haha! :)

Something that is so incredible is how much this little one moves around and I can't even feel it!! Sometimes at night in bed, I think I can feel it a little bit, but then again, I could be feeling other things or just want to feel it so much that I'm imagining things (you other moms know what I mean!). I know it will happen soon enough, though. But it's so crazy to see it move so much and not be able to feel that!

Here are a couple pictures of our little one. There are more posted on our Picasa Albums (link to the side of the blog), along with more belly pictures, too. :)

The first is a profile of the head and belly, second is a little foot!, and the third is a 3D image of the head and a little arm next to the face (the nurse said, "it's being dramatic!"). More pictures on the albums online - we got plenty this time around!

Life Will Never Be The Same

We've all heard it said so many times - a baby changes your life forever. Well.......yeah. Of course it does. Nothing will ever be the same.

But what gets me is that so many things we do and decisions we make in life have that effect. When I went to college, I changed my life forever. I got married, changing my life completely! Then I got accepted into UNC and had a huge decision to make, along with my family. As we decided to move hours away from our families of origin as we began our new life together on our own in a different state, we obviously did something that changed our lives in incredible ways.

And now we're having a baby. Yes, this will change our lives even more. Even now our lives are already completely different. Our lives revolve around what I can eat, how much the baby is growing, what furniture we will put in the nursery, trying to make sure that Camden doesn't feel too overshadowed by the new baby (yes, already this is something to consider), etc, etc, etc. Our lives are definitely different - forever.

Now I'm not trying to make some point that it is completely ridiculous that people say these things about having a baby. I just think it ironic that they don't say it about the other half a million things that are constantly changing our lives forever. So many of our decisions have this impact, almost on a daily basis, if you think about it. Where we live, where we go to school, whom we marry, where we work, with whom we are or are not friends, the list goes on, doesn't it? We are constantly changing, and adding a baby is just one more thing to add to the list. And once that baby comes, we will continue to change. Our lives might just revolve more around the kids than it does around our own desires. I, for one, welcome these changes, as I welcome the other many, many changes that continue to come our way. Who knows what the next one will be.

A Lot of Changes (from Ryan)

Well, there has definitely been a lot going on lately. We are all getting back into our routines with work, school, basketball, etc. That little baby has been growing a lot and Daisy is starting to show a little now. We've also been doing a lot of shopping/researching/registering, well Daisy has. She has found us some great deals and also done a lot of research on the big things like the crib, stroller, car seat, stuff like that. She is really great about that. It can frustrate me a little because I just want to get something and be done with it but in the end I'm really happy she takes the time to really research things. So far, we have been really happy with everything we have found.

We go back to the doctor next week (the 29th and the 30th). Just for a routine checkup on the 29th and then for a First Trimester screening on the 30th. The First Trimester Screening is where they check for some genetic issues such as Downs Syndrome. We'll let you know how everything goes.

Starting to SHOW!

Wow - this baby has apparently grown a lot over the past couple weeks - or at least I have! I actually haven't gained much weight. I dropped back to my prepregnancy weight (due to the morning sickness ordeal we've been going through), and I think over the last week, I might have gained one or two pounds. But my belly is growing nonetheless! :)

We have also begun to baby shop! We have snagged some great deals on clothes for baby for this time next year. We got some especially adorable things from baby Gap - for very, very cheap, too! Of course, we're limited on what we can buy, not yet knowing the sex of little Baby Adkins, but we got what cute gender neutral items we could find. It's been a lot of fun!

Belly Shots! :)

11 weeks - Sunday, Jan 20th, 2008

Look at that little bump!

I am really loving having this belly and watching it grow!

Wedding Album - FINALLY!

Our wedding photo album is FINALLY complete! It has taken long enough....... But it is done. We don't actually have our album yet, but it is available for viewing online. Check it out if you are interested:

https://www.kcphoto.com/Sample%20Albums/DesignerPreview/ShroutDesignerPreview/AlbumlFrame.htm

Thankful

Went back to church today. Man, I have missed that place! I haven't been since early December before the morning sickness kicked in - either due to the m.s. or from being out of town so much for the holidays. It was so good to be back. And as usual - great music, great message. I love our church! I am so thrilled to be bringing up Camden in this place - and now to be introducing our new baby to what an awesome church can do for one's life. I am so thankful.

Other good news... I have been feeling better over this week. I think this medicine combination is working now that we've given it some time. The only problem now is actually wanting to eat. I typically have no problem with that! I just have no appetite, I'm not really getting hungry, and nothing sounds good (or tastes that great for the most part). Most foods just really turn me off. I have discovered that about the only thing I want to eat is...pancakes. Yeah, that's good for me... (rolling my eyes) So, I've been making some homemade waffles and pancakes. Camden's thrilled because it means once again I am also making one of his favorites - sausage casserole. I have been so turned off by meat lately, but this was actually yummy. And then I have discovered that I cannot get enough of strawberries! I am so happy to be enjoying something that is actually good for me! Of course, I don't know how long I can live off of waffles, sausage casserole, and berries, but we might just have to see. At least some of it is good for me, and it's homemade stuff, too, so I can knock out some of the yucky stuff and make it somewhat wholesome. Either way, this is better than it was a week ago! And that is another reason I am so thankful.

Baby Pics! Yay!

Last night I discovered that if I suck in my belly as much as I can - my belly still has a little bump sticking out! Not much, but enough for us to notice. :) I was really happy about that!

We went back to the doctor's office today for a little check up. They wanted me to come in to check my fluid levels, etc. I got to meet one of the doctors this time, and she is really great. I loved how she spoke to us, she seemed to have a great personality. I feel really good seeing her already. :)

So, everything checked out ok so far. The doctor seemed satisfied. She came in and said it was good and I was still gaining weight... I corrected her there. They apparently wrote in my prepregnancy weight (130 - yeah, I will say my weight) last week instead of what I weighed in at that time (137 - gained a little weight while eating lots of holiday goodies while on the good meds...). But this week, I was down 133.6, which means I really lost quite a bit of weight in the last week.

The doctor asked if we wanted to hear the heartbeat before we left, which of course we did! She tried to find it with her little wand on my belly but was having difficulty, and when she knew we wouldn't be back for two weeks, she said, "Well, I know you'll worry, so let's go....." I knew what she meant, and I wasn't going to stop her! It was ultrasound time! :) Below are some pics of our little bean! Heartbeat was pumping (we could see it - so fast!) at 170 beats/minute. I could tell what everything was on the screen, too. The picture was so clear. We could see the head, the heart pumping, the legs, an arm sticking up. It's truly amazing.


The first picture shows the baby's heart (in the little square).

This second one - if you know what to look for - shows the head, an arm, the legs, a foot, and the umbilical cord. Now, which of you can actually find all of that?

To see the pictures better (a little clearer and not so messed up from resizing...) - go to our online photo albums: picasaweb.google.com/daisyryan.adkins

Update from Ryan

Well, things could definitely be better with Daisy's morning sickness, but other than that things are going really well and we are all enjoying having a new baby coming in August. So far everything has gone pretty great with getting the doctor we wanted, finally, and finding some clothes for Daisy and some furniture and other items for the baby. Hopefully things will continue to go smoothly and Daisy will start feeling better soon.

Now we are thinking about how we want to move things around in our apartment. So, that will take up a couple of weekends but it should be fun once we get everything moved around. We are actually moving Camden into a bigger bedroom, so he should be happy about that.

Well, I guess I don't have too much more to add to what Daisy has already mentioned. Definitely keep her in your thoughts and prayers for the morning sickness though. It is really making it tough on her.

I am planning on calling the doctor today and seeing if there is anything else they can give her. We'll let you know how it goes.

Cheated today...

I got to eat today! Yay!!! Well, I actually cheated... I had some phenergan left over and took that instead of the zofran. We had brunch at the Cheesecake Factory (yum-yum!). Ryan got coffee, and the smell was just amazing to me! Oh how I wanted some! I knew it would irritate my stomach, but I did have a couple sips of his. Mmm-mm-mm. I wanted to bottle up the smell so I could take it with me. (Though it would probably make me feel worse if I wasn't on this medication, to be honest!).

Then we did some maternity clothes shopping. We certainly did some damage, but I got everything except for two items on sale, I do believe! ;) I felt so much better today after taking the other medicine. Wow - it makes such a difference!!! I feel like a completely different person altogether. We are definitely calling the doctor about some new meds on Monday, I'll tell you that.

We also made a quick stop at Babies R Us and started our registry there. Oh, who am I kidding... I started that thing online months ago! But we put some more on there and found the furniture we want for the nursery. It was fun. A little overwhelming because they have so many different types of cribs and changing stations (we want one that can continue to be used after the diapers are gone) and rocking chairs and mattresses... I just wanted a simple selection, but there is no such thing! We did find what we liked fairly quickly, though, and put a few more things on the registry. It was fun doing it together. Even Camden got to help out - he did all the scanning! :)

We told our Life Group (small group of folks from church that meet once a week in our homes) about the pregnancy tonight. :) That was fun! We actually had a cool way to tell them all planned out, but a different opportunity came up, and we couldn't resist. Jeff, the leader, was going over some dates coming up, to make sure we would all be at those meetings. We were agreeing that we would be there, and then Ryan said, "Well, we won't be there for a Sunday in August - the 10th - because that's Daisy's due date." It was really cute and a lot of fun. I think we have told everyone by now - except I have to tell my supervisor at my practicum, which starts back this week. I'll have to tell her right away since I'm still dealing with the HG and trying to find meds that work, but I'm looking forward to telling her. It's just such an exciting time, even if I do feel like poop.

NOT just morning sickness

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. HG is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening pregnancy disease. It is generally described as unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids. If severe and/or inadequately treated, it is typically associated with:

• loss of greater than 5% of pre-pregnancy body weight (usually over 10%)
• dehydration and production of ketones
• nutritional deficiencies
• metabolic imbalances
• difficulty with daily activities

HG usually extends beyond the first trimester and may resolve by 21 weeks; however, it can last the entire pregnancy in less than half of these women. Complications of vomiting (e.g. gastric ulcers, esophageal bleeding, malnutrition, etc.) may also contribute to and worsen ongoing nausea.

There are numerous theories regarding the etiology of hyperemesis gravidarum. Unfortunately, HG is not fully understood and conclusive research on its potential cause is rare. New theories and findings emerge every year, substantiating that it is a complex physiological disease likely caused by multiple factors.

For more info: www.helpher.org

Good news is, I've read some research and they say to eat whatever you can, regardless of nutritional value. Basically that's because women with this can typically eat so little, so you want to take in whatever you can. So I have this freedom. Too bad I can't do much with it...

Bad news is, they think it gets worse with each pregnancy, and it's also damaging to the liver, which will only get worse the more you have it (obviously).

The new medicine I am taking - Zofran - is NOT working as well as we had hoped. I've spent the last two days that I have been on it camped out on the couch, able to eat very, very little. True, it's not as bad as no medicine, but I am definitely not up to doing anything or eating anything, and I feel like crap. We might have to speak with that again doctor before school starts...

Other good news is I have the most amazing husband ever. He takes such good care of me, not complaining at all (and even reassuring me when I start to feel guilty). He offers to go and get me anything I think I could eat or drink. He cooks and takes care of Camden, and is just the most awesome person on this earth. I don't know what I would do with out him, and I am so thankful I don't have to find out. He is my hero every day through all of this.

Official EDD

We went to the OB today for our first visit. Lots of blood work and all that good stuff... Our official estimated due date is exactly what I thought it was - Sunday, August 10th. That makes us (well, me) 8 weeks and 4 days pregnant. :)

On the way to the dr office, I spoke with my mom, getting some last minute family history details... Apparently my lovely hubby is not the only one with mitral valve prolapse (a heart condition...). I have two, maybe three, family members that also have this condition. Not exactly music to my ears, but good to be aware of, I suppose. Definitely something I am glad I know to bring up to my doctor... I worry enough about Ryan having this; I can't imagine having a child with that issue, too. I know that may not happen, but knowing there is such a history in both families isn't too assuring. But I'll try not to worry about that for now. Another family history aspect that is very important - the big babies run in MY side of the family. (For those of you that don't know - Camden was 10 lbs, 15.2 oz - that's less than an ounce from being 11 lbs.... No wonder he was a c-section baby, huh?!) So....we'll see!

While there, I did get a different prescription for morning sickness meds... The nurse explained that I had better get something else if I would need to be driving because I should NOT be driving while taking the Phenergan, even if I take only half a dose (which does not make me drowsy at all). So a different prescription was written up (Zofran). When I went to the pharmacist, he explained that this medicine is actually more powerful. He also gave me the quick dissolve tablets that work faster. Then I see that it does not cause drowsiness, and I do not have to take it with food. I suddenly begin to question why they didn't prescribe THIS medication to begin with! I mean, I was starving and miserable because I couldn't keep anything down, and they gave me something that I had to take with food (and trust me, you did have to take it with food!!!). Hmmmmm.... Doesn't make sense, but I'll know what to ask for next time around, I suppose. Anyway, I have it now, right? Gotta keep it in perspective...

So overall, it was a good visit. Everyone was really nice. No bad experiences. Even the nurse doing the blood work was really nice and gentle with the needle. And now we have the due date and are preparing to let EVERYONE know about the pregnancy! THAT is the best part! :)

Quite a Christmas!

So....long time no blog. We just got back home from a wonderful trip to our other homes in KY and WV. It was so great to be around all of our family, and we got to see so many people that we have missed! Plus, we got to share our wonderful news! :)

But first...about the "morning" sickness.... The day before we left for KY I did manage to get myself over to the pharmacy to pick up some medication the dr called in. It took me a while, and a couple trips to the bathroom, but I got there. I had a ton of questions for the pharmacist, and he was so great about answering all of my questions (very patient even when he kept thinking I was done and would start to walk away. haha!). I was walking out with meds in hand and Camden beside me when I started laughing. On the side of the bottle: "Take with food." Is this a joke!? I am taking this because of my inability to eat, and I am expected to EAT to take this... Hmmmmmm. Doesn't really make sense to me. Somebody's idea of a sick joke in my opinion. Anyway, I managed to get down some crackers and took the medicine, and it knocked me OUT! Good thing was - I was able to eat something once I woke up enough to do so. I was first not so sure about this medicine thing, but now I have bought into it.

So we told the parents with gifts we had wrapped for each one, as I mentioned before. Well, when we get to my mom's house - at midnight - Gene (I should have seen this coming...) asks right away, "So, are you pregnant yet?" What am I supposed to say?! I can't say yes because we have planned how to tell them, and it is more special than this, so I lie. And I don't lie well. I don't like to lie and just feel too guilty when doing it. I'm sure they could tell, especially Gene, but they acted like they bought it. We let them open their gift the next night while the family was all together. Mom even guessed it might be something about being pregnant, but the looks on their faces were still priceless.

Mom & Gene

The good thing about letting them find out this way is that we got pictures of each set of parents discovering we were pregnant. That was so wonderful! Everybody was excited, some were very surprised. All in all, it was a perfect Christmas!

Dad, Lauren, and Lisa

Surprise Sharon!!!

Sharon and David

Susan and Gary

Gary is still reading and realizing what the note says (and he was very excited once he got it!)

Camden was the one that announced the pregnancy to extended family...with his "big brother" t-shirt. At the first gathering, an aunt saw the shirt, as we walk into the crowded room. "Why does his shirt say... What? You're not... Are you....." It was great! The other gathering was a little more difficult. All the Boyers (my father's family) met to eat at Hometown (the BEST pizza place ever), so Camden was sitting, making it harder to see his shirt. He kept trying to make it so people could see, and finally got to speak with one of my aunts. He turn to face her and kept wiggling, hoping to get her to notice. He finally pulls at his shirt, making it fairly obvious. It was hilarious. Everyone starts talking and yelling with excitement. Such a fun moment, really. I will not forget this Christmas, that is certain! I'm already trying to decide how we will ever match this when we have another...