What a crazy day :D

It started out with me feeling very sleep deprived, as I'm still fighting this horrible cough and didn't get a good nights sleep, but I couldn't help but feel excited because we had our 3rd doctor's apt. today and were going to get to hear our little one's heartbeat again :)

The morning flew by pretty uneventful and George and I headed out around 11:30am to go get some Subway before our apt. at 1pm. We decided to leave early enough, so we could stop by the Lab and get my blood work done before our apt. with Dr. Brooks.

So, we arrived at the Lab around 12:20 - I signed in, was called up to sign the appropriate paper work and told to go sit back down and wait to be called. So, GG and I are sitting there reading the magazines, when all of the sudden all the lights in the waiting room/office dim very slowly and then begin to flicker (like a strobe light). Turns out we quickly find out that a Electric/Utility Pole over at the Walgreens has caught on fire. So the lights continue to strobe and I had to close my eyes to keep from getting sick, as the time passed by. We continued to hear them telling everyone that the Ultrasound and XRay machines were down, but that they were still doing Lab work. So, I ask GG to run up to Dr. Brooks office to find out if we were going to still have our apt., since it was now 12:45ish. Just after he left the nurse calls me up and asks if I can go to the Westlake location because my lab work is so extensive and with the lights out, etc. it was iffy. I was of course more than happy to do so, I wasn't sure I wanted someone trying to find a vein in my arm with strobe lights flashing anyway :) - not my idea of a fun time!

So, I headed out to find GG and ran into our nurse Kelly in the hallway, who greated me with a nice warm "Hello Vicki" - I was surprised she remembered my name :). She explained the situation - which I was obviously aware of and said they were trying to get ahold of Dr. Brooks, who was on her way in. But, said for me an another patient (a LOT further along than me) to go on upstairs and they'd probably do our apts, since they were pregnancy check ups. So, the other girl, George, and I hiked up the 3 flights of stairs. I definitely felt bad for the very pregnant girls - but I know it was good for all of us :)

We get check in and Nadine - the front desk Admin comes and says "Did you realize your apt. is at 1:45pm?" oops....I clearly did not. Anyway - it all worked out and Kelly called us back probably around 1:15ish. Kelly took my Blood Pressure and weighed me and then sent me off to the restroom to give her a sample of urine - which I was glad to do :). I came back and shut the door, so Dr. Brooks would know we were ready. So while waiting, GG and I were just talking and looking around he says to me "So what are we at now, week 15?" and I was like "Um...No we are at week 17!" And he's like "How'd that happen?" I'm like "2 weeks have gone by :D) So then, all of the sudden the exam table I was sitting on started to shake. I was like 'Okay...why is the table shaking" and started to ask GG if he felt that, when he asked me if I felt the shaking too. Craziness - it continued to shake for at least 10+ seconds I'd say. So, we were like - umm Earthquake?

So, a few min. later Dr. Brooks walks in and we ask her if she felt the building moving and she's like what? Basically, I think she thought we were crazy - ha ha :D So anyway, we are talking and she's asking me if I've been feeling the baby moving a lot and I was like "No, but I think I felt something a few weeks ago, but yeah not really I think" and she's like "Girl, you've gotta stop thinking it's just gas :)" So, then she has me lay down and is like "You're at what 21 weeks?" so I start to laugh and say no..."We are only at 17 weeks" and so she feels my stomach and say "Well yeah, your uterus is the size of a 17 week baby, if it was 21 it would be all the way up here" So, I laughed and said "I'm glad I'm keeping it straight, George thought we were only at 15 weeks :P" So, George pipes in "Hey if you average them...were all good." Too funny!

So, yeah Dr. Brooks then put the goo on my tummy and started to search for the heartbeat. It took a little longer to find it today than it did last time, so I think both George and I were kind of holding our breath. We were so relieved to hear that fast little heart just beating away - 150bpm - a little slower than last time, but she said that is normal. :) We then talked about this stupid cough and what might help it and then planned our next apts. July 6th is our next Ultrasound (19weeks) - we can't wait :D and then July 21st (21weeks) is our next Dr.'s Apt :) - just over the 1/2 mark :D.

After scheduling our apts. we headed up to the Westlake facility to have the blood work done, during which I found out that there was indeed an earthquake - so GG and I aren't crazy :) and the epicenter was in Ontario (Magnitude 5). Here's the link http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010xwa7.php

It was definitely an eventful day :) But, good :D We are so blessed!

Pumps

I had the opportunity last night to attend a 'Breastfeeding Workshop' at Babies R Us. George had said he'd go with me if other guys were going, but since Yue had already offered to go with me I figured I'd let him slip out of this one (although I'll probably have him come to another one with me or at least for sure when we meet with the lactation specialist).

Anyway...it was super informative on all the different pumps - mostly by Madela (which is 'ma dela' - like my friend Dela - not Della), since they were the ones that sponsored it. But, that was the type of pump I was looking at anyway, b/c they had the best reviews and I've heard are hospital grade. I figure we want something that we'll be able to use with all our kids, so it'll be worth the extra $$ upfront to get one that lasts. I know the one that Yue got is already dying, so she'd gonna have to buy another one for her next little one.

I must admit - I am kind of nervous about Nursing (in the sense that I've heard some stories about how painful it can be), but I just pray that our little one will take to it easily and that I'll be able to push through it. It is so much healthier for the baby (builds their immune system and some studies show it aids in brain development), it is also extremely healthy for me (will help me lose that baby weight :), and has huge cost savings (baby formula is crazy expensive).

So - yes I must say that I'm glad Yue let me know about the classes offered at Babies R Us. George and I are planning to attend the "Buckle Up and Boogie" class all about car seats and safely installing them and the "Super Baby Shower" which helps you figure out what types of things you should register for....and who knows...maybe I'll have GG go with me to the Nursing 101 class again and then we are both up on what would be the best machine to get. Anyway...I just wanted to share this great service that Babies R Us has.

Cheers,
Vicki

3.5 months along...(i.e. 14 weeks)

So we finally took some pictures...of my belly. Here is Baby Douzos at 14 weeks (well it's really like 14 1/2 weeks) - but close enough! I did two different signs - that way if it's a boy (I can scrapbook w/ the boyish one) and if it's a girl (I'll use the girly one :D ) Wow...I guess the angle the picture is taken at really makes a difference - my belly looks much bigger in the 2nd picture...

And...we here's a pic of our other 'babies' and their cousin Darlin' - They were wondering what I was doing...I'm not sure they are aware of what's about to happen in our household in a few months....it'll be interesting to see if they can 'sense' the baby once my belly gets bigger.

Well I've been playing on here way too long...I need to get some sleep. I know I have a LONG day ahead of me! But glad that tomorrow is Friday and that I get to end the day with a cookout with some good friends - Ryan and Barb (and Barb is expecting as well - she is due in early November :D - with Baby #2 for them - so it's been fun sharing the experience with them)!

Preregistration

I got home from work last night to find that George had set the mail on the table and I noticed there was something from Fairview Hospital, I assumed it was a bill for my last two appointments so waited to open it till after I'd eaten.

Well I was excited to see that it was our 'Preregistration' for the hospital. It has our November 30th due date on it and we are supposed to fill in all of our information as well as our Pediatricians information. I had read recently in one of my e-mails from the Hospital that I needed to start looking into Pediatricians, so I guess I'll have to add that to the top of our 'To Do List'. We plan to talk to some of our friends about their doctors as well as talk with our OBGYN and see if she has a recommendation. :D All of these things are just making everything so much more real!

It was funny though - b/c there was a little Business Card in the envelope titled "What to do when you are in Labor" - so we'll have to place that on the fridge so we know where it is when the time comes! November seems so FAR away...but I know it'll be here before we know it. I'm still amazed at how fast the past 3 mo. have flown by.

I'm hoping to take a picture tonight - to start documenting my growing belly :) I've been meaning to do it for a while and keep forgetting, so that is on my list of things to do when I get home! Depending how it looks - maybe I'll post one later! :D Might still be hard to tell what is 'Vicki Belly' and what is 'Baby Belly" :P

Many Thanks to all of you for sharing in our Joy and for all your sweet e-mails and comments! We are truly Blessed!

Love,
Vicki and George

Spilling the Beans

So - It's been well over a year...and a lot has happened in that year - we planned a wedding, had a wonderful wedding weekend with our incredible family and friends, enjoyed a wonderful honeymoon in Mexico, sold Vicki's house, settled in our new home (George's House), and we most recently had the opportunity to catch the latest Shuttle Launch (on George's B-day) with some family and friends.

Our latest excitement though - that seems to top everything else we've done over the past year has been preparing for a new family member! :D Yup yup :D we are Expecting our first little one at the end of November and I can't tell you how EXCITED we are :)!!!! Not only us - but how excited our families are as well! This will be the first grandchild on my side of the family (My parents are Thrilled!) and the 4th on George's side (his sister has 3 boys and his Parents are thrilled as well :)). Here's our first picture of Baby Douzos - at 8 weeks 4 days :)

Today officially (well per babycenter.com) marks the first day of Week 14 - so we are officially headed into the second trimester :D! We've been looking forward to this day for a long time, so we can finally share our excitement/news with all of you! We got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time last week, which was incredible!!! Of course I kept giggling, so my belly shaking up and down made it kind of hard to hear at times, so I had to try and keep my joy/laughter under control! But, it was incredible to hear and know that our little one has a strong heartbeat - 170bpm :)!

Here's an excerpt from babycenter.com - for week 14 - "Welcome to the second trimester! This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb. Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him -- a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches -- about the size of a lemon -- and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. " (note: only says 'his/he' b/c baby center switches it up every week - we will find out the baby's gender on/around November 30, 2010 - when our little one arrives) :)

This month will be a busy one for our little one - he/she will double in length to 6 inches in a sitting position and quadruple its weight from 1 ounce to 4 ounces. :)

We look forward to sharing this experience with you!