Friday, February 27, 2009

Pregnancy 10 Commandments

I got this from a friend and thought it was really cute!

1. The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you a jerk.
2. Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus, or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby"
3. On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in #2, the pregnancy, birth and the raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.
4. The body of a pregnant woman should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone’s stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.
5. Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about to pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!"
6. Most of us have picked up on the fact that summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don’t need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.
7. There is a reason that tickets to Labor & Delivery are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, mother-in-law or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt or genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents.
8. Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are not invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents’ home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.
9. If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from various locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.
10. The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask you to wait 3 weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

P&PT for me & the baby please

I went to the OB on Feb. 11 and had a pap smear and didn't think anything else about it since I have not heard anything from them. DS and I were on our way to town this morning to start some shopping for the baby when my cell phone rings and it is my OB office on the caller ID. At first I didn't know what to think so I answered the phone and there was a nurse on the other end. She informed me that my pap smear was abnormal and that they need to run more tests, I got upset and she promised me that the baby would be fine. So I go Monday, March 2, at 2 pm (Eastern time) for a more involved pap smear. They will use the dye and really examine the area and if they have to they will do a biopsy then. She said that they normally don't do a biopsy while you are pregnant but if I need one they will do it. I'm very upset/nervous/worried all at once, even though I know I need to try to stay calm and relax its easier said then done. I have a history of ovarian cysts, have had my right fal. tube removed, and have a history of cancer because of a brain tumor. The nurse said that it may be cancer that is why they want to do more tests so soon, and I'm very scared. I have/had a large cyst on my left ovary the last 2 ultrasounds I've had so we hope it was abnormal because of the cyst, since it was draining on its own. I understand that abnormal pap smears are normal, it just worries me because of my past medical history and one of the first things out of the nurses mouth was "It may be cancer". I really hope and pray that it is just something else, like the cyst or an infection or just a "false" thing and nothing more. I will try my best to get them to do an ultrasound as soon as possible, if not Monday at least at my next appointment on March 11, instead of waiting until the middle of April just so that I will feel better knowing that our baby is doing good. I will keep you posted and please send some extra P&PT our way.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Second Trimester! YAY!

YAY! I have finally reached my second trimester! We are very excited to reach this milestone after thinking it would never happen for us now we are waiting to find out what we are having. Jeff has said every since we found out that I'm pregnant that we can't start buying anything yet, he wanted to wait and make sure that nothing was going to go wrong. Well, we were talking this morning and he told me that I can start shopping next week. I'm not going all out yet, just starting to stock up on diapers, wipes, new nipples, etc. I'm going to wait until after we have our big ultrasound and a friend of mine is going shopping for clothes, nursery items, etc.

According to the old wives tale, if the baby's heart rate is higher than 145 BPM then its a girl, well our baby's heart rate was 165 BPM at resting. I'm secretly hoping its a girl since we already have our son, Mommy's Boy, now we need a Daddy's Girl. If we have another boy though, I will be just as happy and excited, we just want our baby to be happy and healthy. We should have our big ultrasound around the middle of April and as soon as we get our results I will let you all know. Here are a few more pictures from our last ultrasound.

http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj318/crites171/?action=view&current=ACRITES_12.jpg

http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj318/crites171/?action=view&current=ACRITES_10.jpg

Monday, February 16, 2009

Long time, no blog

Sorry I have been MIA lately. I have had company over, dealing with a sick baby, taking care of myself, and spending time with my wonderful husband and son.

Eli is starting to feel better now compared to how he was feeling. He was congested, went to the pedi twice to get the second part of his flu shot but couldn't get it because he was sick, finally the pedi came him some antibiotics the second visit. We went back last week to get the shot and they gave it to him since he was starting to feel better and then he got sick again. He still has a runny nose and a cough and he is very clingy but he is starting to feel better. Also, I don't know if it was because he has been sick or he is just going through a fase or what the deal is but he is only 7 1/2 months old and he thinks he does not have to take a nap anymore and mommy id exhausted. Jeff helps out a whole lot but when he is at work I feel so bad because I am not getting any help with him.

I'm going to prop my feet up since Eli is finally playing on the floor in front of the couch by himself for right now.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Happy Anniversary Jeff!!

I just want to let you know that I love you so much! I fall in love with you all over again every morning when I wake up. On this day 2 years ago I stood at the alter, saying my vows to you from my heart, I never knew that we would be where we are this soon. We have a happy, healthy, and handsome baby boy with another baby on the way, our family is growing very quickly! I met you by chance and then I fell head over heels in love with you. I miss you and worry about you when you are at work but there are no words to describe how I feel when you walk back through the door in the mornings.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART, BODY, MIND, AND SOUL!!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Help me raise money for March of Dimes please.

I am very excited to be a part of March for Babies, please support my participation by making a donation.
Why March for Babies? Because the March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in our community and across the nation. The money we raise for March for Babies will help:
- support all-important research offering preventions and solutions for babies born too soon or with birth defects - educate women on things they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby - provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care - push for newborn screening and health insurance for all pregnant women and children
Won't you please help me in this worthy cause? Contributing to my walk online is fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from my personal webpage with a credit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on my webpage.

My personal Web page address for donations is...http://www.marchforbabies.org/elismommy2008