More 3D Ultrasound Pictures

Just got the CD today of all the pics! Here are a few more... Hope you enjoy this peak inside at Michael!

3D Ultrasound Pic!

Here is just a little teaser! I will add more pictures when I can! I can't wait to kiss his sweet face!

3rd Trimester… Stretch Marks and Anxiety!

Yes it is official, we are in the 3^rd trimester finally! Yes I have my first stretch mark on my stomach (I knew it was going to happen but I was hoping to postpone it just a little while longer). Yes I have anxiety… we can get to that later!

This has been a rough week for me. I really feel pregnant now. My stomach is cramping; normal I am sure. So this keeps me from doing too much. I have very little energy. I want to clean and organize and I do for about 30 min and then I am pooped and need to sit. My hip is flirting with the idea of popping out of the socket (I know great image). My back pain has increased quite a lot. I am carrying Michael way out front. It kind of surprises me since my hips are big enough to hold him in there a little haha! I hate feeling this way since I just want to get stuff done! I am running out of time so I am hoping to get some help from Joe here in the near future… I need it!

Oh and the stretch marks… it is hereditary so I get to thank my mom… so Thank You Mom :) It’s just a little one right now but it’s just a matter of time until it gets bigger and they start to multiply. It comes with the territory I guess. I am continuing to lather on the lotion to keep them at bay but so far it’s not working.

On Friday, Joe and I went to the Birth Center. I had to get my Rhogam shot and take the 1-hour glucose test. Terrible day let me say. Not one but 2 needles. First one… ok but the fact that I had a 2^nd one coming pushed me over the edge and I was in tears. I know call me a baby but this is precisely why I am avoiding Hospitals at all costs. I want nothing to do with them! I called to get the results on Monday. I passed the glucose test (YAY!!). My Iron levels have decreased a little (12.7 in sept. and 12 in jan.). I just have to add a little more iron to my diet. Too bad the best food item with iron is oysters (yuck)! So I will have to get creative as to where I find it.

Now onto my high anxiety levels... I am sure you are thinking that I am anxious for the delivery. Not yet! I am sure it will come eventually but right now I am at peace with the route Joe and I have chosen to go. I am more anxious about after Michael’s is born and the mass visitors. I mean this is really getting to me. I am losing sleep and there are times I just can’t stop crying. Are you kidding me?!?! I can’t believe I’m admitting that I am a nut but I blame it on the hormones. But seriously… I get so overwhelmed with crowds. I have heard from some friends that the first few days can be a little hard to get used to. Especially since we are sent home so soon after the delivery (no complaints because I would rather be in my own bed than any other bed).  I want to enjoy my visitors and not be upset while they are here. Is this making sense or am I rambling?

This is what I am picturing, I am picturing Joe and I coming home from the Birth Center to a relaxed environment, introducing Aria to Michael. I know the first few days are going to be rough and we are going to get little to no sleep (or at least I will not get much sleep). So I am sure there will be some tensions in the air but both Joe and I get cranky when we are tired. I want to hold my baby and cuddle with my baby while cuddling with Joe. I want to watch Joe with Michael and photograph him! I envision Joe and I laughing and enjoying Michael as we learn to bath him and avoid his peeing while changing his diaper.  This is our first baby and we will never get to experience our first baby ever again and I want to enjoy it. I don’t mean to sound selfish but I want to hold my baby; I don’t think I’m going to want to pass him off most of the day to visitors except for when he needs fed. Don’t get me wrong a few visitors is one thing but the whole day, everyday? I am just afraid that other’s expectations may be high or even unrealistic. That is one upside to a hospital… there are visiting hours :) My anxiety is stemming from all the things that could alter these visions. I feel like I am a crazy person but this has been bothering me since December. I just figured it would work itself out but it has come to the point where I can’t sleep. This consumes my mind almost all day. I have had conversations with 2 friends and they both have assured me that what I am feeling is not out of the ordinary. In fact if they had to do it all over again they may/would have done things differently. Laying down some ground rules, gaining a sense of stability before too many out of town guests… I just feel like Joe and I are a little lost in this. Hell, I don’t even think we know what we want yet. We both have said what we want to other people but not to each other. We have talked a little about it and have come to some decisions but we are not done with that conversation yet. There is still more to discuss. This is so stressful and I just don’t know how to handle it. I was told today that there is a counselor at the Birth Center and to my understanding it is free to use her. I am seriously considering going for a visit with Joe. Hmmm… we shall see…

Anyway, onto Michael

By this week, Michael weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through my womb. Michael’s also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Fun Photo Shoot with Joe - 28 week photos

Joe says "Woah... you are really McPregger Pants now aren't ya!... 12 more weeks!!"

I will update blog tomorrow on 28 weeks... Off to bed I go...

27 Weeks

It has been a busy week… a lot of activity but not much accomplished! I know that sounds weird and almost contradicting but here is what I mean. So my Mom and Britt came down to Beaufort for my birthday (I think I mentioned that in a previous post). They got in late on Wednesday and so we went to get some dinner, had some cake (see the video in previous post), visited and went to bed. On Thursday we had grand plans to go to Charleston for Babies R Us. We had a coupon we were looking to use and believe it or not it is one of the closest locations to us.

Off we went on a 1 ½ hour car tip up there. We got there around 2:30 and as we pull up to the parking lot I noticed some cop cars and caution tape in from of the Target (night next door to Babies R Us. That’s when I noticed a huddle of purple shirts standing out in the parking lot. My first thought was; why that is strange… its cold outside they are not wearing any coats. So as we pull up to ask what is going on we are told that “there has been a threat to our neighbor (Target) and the police have asked us to evacuate our store”.

I am now determined to find things to do and return to the store at a later time because I am not making another trip up here. So we go to Home Depot and get the paint for Michael’s room, Kohl’s so I could spend my gift card, Party City to get baby shower stuff, Target for cabinet knobs and more baby shower stuff, and then finally back to Babies R Us. We didn’t spend much time in there as it was almost 6 and we wanted to get home to have dinner with Joe.

It was a long day out and I was so tired I could barely move. By the end of the day I had to hold Mikey up! We had french toast for dinner and it was yummy! Though I still have to teach Joe not to cook it with butter… it smokes up the place and adds extra calories… double whammy! Aria was not a fan of the smoke alarm… poor baby!

So Friday morning I woke up to a little bleeding… (maybe too much information but its my blog and I tell it like it is!) I called the Birth Center and after some questions they determined that it was probably due to the fact that I had a long day the day before so to just take it easy and monitor it, if it continued to let them know. Sounds easy enough right? Well taking it easy is not so easy. Especially when I have visitors, I want to entertain them! But I did my best. The bleeding pretty much stopped so that is good news. I was still trying to rest but unfortunately if I don’t do something, it will never get done so I was up and on my feet come Saturday with a dirty house ready to be cleaned. (It is Tuesday and it’s still not clean… ugh!) I try to take some time everyday to work on something but I get really crampy when I do to much… so a little at a time I guess.

This evening I went to take some photos of a Military Family Homecoming! I am anxious to get them edited and posted. I was surprised I did not cry, I figured for sure with these hormones I would have but I guess the camera kept my mind off of it!

As for the developments on Michael, this is the last week of the 2^nd trimester. I can’t believe we are about two thirds of the way through!

This week, Michael weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, Michael's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Any tiny rhythmic movements I may be feeling could be a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so I can just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Amanda's Birthday Cake Video!! INFERNO CAKE!

Hey all! It's Brittany Kvitko! Amanda's little sister and Michael's Aunt! (I FINALLY GOT TO FEEL HIM KICK THIS WEEK!!) I wanted to post the video that i took on Amanda's birthday while attempting to sing Happy Birthday to her. I had put the candles on the cake... and I, trying to make the candles in the shape of a 26, got carried away. I put them so close together that the cake LITERALLY looks like its on fire! hahahah! Its rather entertaining! I hope you enjoy it!

For your laughing pleasure... THE INFERNO CAKE!

Extreme Makeover Home Edition

Joe and I went to go see the Extreme Makeover Home here in Beaufort SC. It was just about a month ago that they were in Savannah GA making over a home. In fact that episode airs this Sunday!

I was able to get a few photos. I plan to go back on Monday to get a few more. It is pretty fun to have them here in town. It is really nice to see the Beaufort community come together and build this home for a deserving Military Family!

*** All taken with my new lens... I love it so much :)

Happy Birthday to MEEEE!!

Yes on Tuesday the 12^th I turned 26… just another day really. Dad called from China and I talked with him for about 45min. His trip is going well. Of course I wish I was there with him. I enjoyed going overseas with him 2 years ago. I am sure when Michael is old enough, he would enjoy a trip with Grandpa too!

Joe had to work which is no fun. He did come home to have lunch with me. We went to the Chinese Buffet. I know Joe doesn’t like them too much but it’s what I wanted and I enjoyed it thoroughly! We had a long conversation about our plans after Beaufort. There are so many options that it is making me a little crazy. Part of me wants Joe to get out of the Navy and finish school. This would allow me to take a good long look at my career as well. This will also mean that he won’t get deployed with the Navy; spending months away from Michael and I. I know that may sound selfish but I also know that he does not like the idea of missing anything in his son’s life. But if he were to stay in the Navy, he would be 12 years away from retiring… we would then get a paycheck and medical benefits for the rest of our life. If the economy crashes again in the future and we lost our jobs we would at least have some money coming in and have medical coverage. There is so much to think about. I know we won’t make any big decisions until Michael makes his appearance. We just want to do what is best for the three of us.

So now onto a less depressing topic… Mom and Britt drove down from Raleigh for my birthday and to spend some time with Joe and me.

We went to Gilligan’s for some fresh seafood for dinner. Of course I had myself some crab legs. I don’t get them too often but it’s a safe bet that it is my meal of choice for birthdays! After dinner we had Chocolate Chocolate cake… yummy! It was quite a comical birthday cake singing song… I hope Britt loads in the video to the blog *wink wink*

For my birthday I got a new camera lens! I am so excited with it! It is a 85mm 1.4/f… basically it is a super sharp, good in low light, professional lens. I couldn’t wait to take photos! I still have a lot to learn with it but here are the first few shots that I took with it! Britt and Joe were my subjects!

What a cutie :) I am sure that I will be lookking at a mini Joe when Michael is here!

26 Weeks

Not a lot has changed since week 25 really. I am slowly losing energy. Poor Joe (and Aria)! I want to walk Aria everyday but when I do muster up the energy, a 20 min walk just about kills me. It’s always funny when Joe and I take Aria together… I start off at a quick pace, I feel good and by the end Joe is literally 2 steps ahead of me dragging me home. I am hoping to gain some strength back… but something tells me that it may not happen until May haha! There is a lot that needs to be done before the baby. Painting the nursery is at the top of the list. It is such a daunting job right now that thinking about it makes me want to take a nap… Hmmm that does sound awfully tempting :)

This is a weird comment but I defiantly feel pregnant now… I mean yes I have felt Michael kick for weeks now but as of lately when I am on my feet I find myself holding up my stomach to relieve some of the pressure (and he is only 2 lbs!) I am not sure what the next few months are going to bring. I am sure there will be a lot of “Joe can you come help me up” and “I dropped my fork, could you pick it up for me” and “would you mind scooting into the booth please”... I also see us having to remove the box spring from our bed here soon… it is getting too tall for me to get in and out of. I hope you understand I am not complaining at all… I am just in aw of the changes going on and how quickly most of these feelings have come about. So far I have been blessed with a pretty easy pregnancy. I have not experienced many of the terrible symptoms. Most of the women in our class complain all the time about back pain, heart burn, not sleeping, etc… I have minor hip pain if I stand wrong and a heavy stomach. So for that I am truly a lucky girl!

This week’s news with Michael:

The network of nerves in Michael's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both Joe’s and My voice as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. Michael's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches, about the length of an English hothouse cucumber from head to heel. And for those of you who find this kind of stuff interesting, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Birth Center Visit and Class

Joe and I had a Birth Center visit and class combo on January 10^th. We were told that on this day I would be doing the 1 hour Glucose Test as well as receive a Rhogam shot. The class was all about Breastfeeding and probably was not imperative for Joe to leave work for but knowing I was going to stuck at least twice with needles he wanted to accompany me. I was quite grateful! That morning I was anxious/nervous and didn’t sleep much. Needles are not my thing… The anticipation of getting stuck is nauseating.

I had a nice healthy breakfast to make sure I didn’t fail the Glucose test. Joe drove to the center and I twiddled my thumbs…

The class went well but an hour into I hadn’t received my sugar juice for the test. I went to ask about it and as it turns out they were just going to have me come back in 2 weeks to get the test done and receive the Rhogam shot. Ugh! They like to give the shot at 28 weeks (or as close as possible). I was 25weeks 6days so they just figured it was still a little early. The reason for the shot is because I am O- blood and Joe is A+ so there is a neg/pos conflict. This means I am at risk that the baby had a positive blood which could cause some problems with my blood type. The shot wards off any chance of infection for a maximum of 12 weeks. So if they give me the shot too early we might have to get a 2^nd shot. So the closer to 28 weeks the better. Once Michael is born they will immediately check for his blood type. If he is negative like me nothing else will need to take place, if he is positive like Joe then I will have to get another shot (yay needles). This will allow Joe and I to have more kids in the future. I know it’s a little confusing but nothing serious. Mom had a shot with all three of us so its not serious just a precaution.

So Joe and I have to go back to Savannah on the 21^st when I will get both the shot and the test. Poor Joe made this trip for nothing… but I was happy he came either way :)

The exam went well. I have grown 9 inches on my stomach but I have lost 2 lbs. Nothing to be concerned about; I am eating just fine; but I am eating healthier and not over eating so the weight is coming off my butt and going to my stomach I guess! His heart beat was in the low 150s so that is nice a healthy!

Personalized (Fill-In) Baby Scrapbook

So here is what I have made in the past for a few friends. I am looking forward to making one for myself. I figure, if I get a scrapbook started then there will be a good chance that I wont get too far behind :)

25 Weeks... Happy 2011!!

Happy New Year…

Yes I am just now writing in the blog this year. Ashley and Keenan came down to Beaufort to visit for New Years. They had a rough trip on the way down; they drove my Rav-4 back down to me and 45 min into the trip it got a flat. A snowball effect of crazy events and they rolled up in our driveway 40 min before midnight. We appreciate their good spirits and we made the best of the weekend.

It was nice to spend some time with Ashley and Keenan. I know Joe was anxious to spend some more time with Keenan to get to know him better. I am pretty sure they had a good time together! They both love video games… movies… and Stargate (TV Series); more power to them on that one but they stayed up late to watch a few episodes!

New Years Resolutions… for me it usually consists of weight loss of some sort; but not this year. There are lots of things in my life that I am sure could use some improvement. So what to I work to improve this year? …I have chosen to work on couponing as my new year’s resolution. There is so much money out there to be saved; and lord knows with a baby on the way; we could use every penny! I have gotten my feet wet a little last year with coupons. I saved some money but when I got busy the couponing went out the window. So this year it is all about how much money I can save! I am going to try and keep track as much as possible. So far so good… I am flirting with 50% savings right now. I am working towards improving that number!

We are 25 weeks along this week. Time is flying by and there is still so much I want to get done before Michael comes! We did go buy paint samples today for his nursery so I am anxious to get that job started! I also want to catch up on all my scrapbooks. I have Cruise, Me & Joe, Wedding, and start Baby… yeah that about sums up the scrapbook work. Lots of work ahead!

Here is what is going on this week:

Head to heels, Michael now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga , but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. Michael's also growing more hair — and if we could see it, we’d now be able to discern its color and texture.