Hormonal--keep your distance!

I thought I was ornery and easily angered when I was on my period...oh ho ho, being pregnant is SO much worse! It's amazing what stupid things make me want to reach out and punch someone.
Everyone is saying, "Oh, I thought you weren't planning on having a baby, etc."
So getting pregnant is planned every time, then? There are no surprise babies?
WRONG, people!
I think the thing that bothers me most is that people act like they're walking on eggshells; when they ask, it's apologetic. I don't regret getting pregnant. I DO NOT regret my baby, no matter how bad the morning sickness gets.
So no, the baby was not planned, but that doesn't mean we don't want it.
Plus, is it really anyone's business if we were planning for a baby or not? I mean, wouldn't it be weird if everyone announced when they were trying, every time? I can see that if someone is having fertility issues--it's more of a hopeful statement, not a too-much-information statement.
Sure, have a plan--but no one really wants to know the exact moment of conception. Unless you're a bit disturbed. It's a sacred experience that has nothing to do with anyone but the parents-to-be.
*ROAR* 
Okay, I'm good now. Just had to rant. :)

Morning/Afternoon/Night Sickness

Let me now address the issue of "morning" sickness. It is most definitely not just in the morning. For  me, it has been mostly in the late afternoon/evening. It is the WORST. I'll be hungry, so I'll try to think of something to eat, but everything makes me sick to even think about, so I end up not eating. Then my stomach starts arguing and so I stuff down the only thing I can think of, which is mostly Special K cereal or Fruit Loops. My baby is going to love cereal.
I pretty much hate all food. Mike can't even mention names of food or I get really nauseous. The really frustrating  thing is that I can't throw up. Not at all. I constantly feel like I need to, because I know I'll feel better, but it just won't happen. My stomach is in a constant cramp-like state that can only be slightly relieved if I lie down.
My point? This pregnancy is making me useless, but I'm sure it will be worth it in the long run! :)

Telling Mike's Fam

I have been feeling so nauseous and gross today--it's been bad. I woke up at 10:00 this morning and then slept for four hours this afternoon. Not so much fun. Anyway, Mike and I had planned to go to his parents' house so we could tell him the good news, but I didn't feel up to it. Ugh.
Mike went without me and once he got there, he called and put me on speaker phone. The conversation went a little like this:
Mike: Jess, did you want to issue that apology?
Me: Yep. Well, Gary, do you really want to know why I didn't come up? The truth? My baby is making me sick!
Super long pause....
Me: Or, more accurately, your grandbaby is making me sick.
Gary: Are you serious?
Hahaha! I'm glad that they are happy for us, but I am sad that I couldn't be there when we announced it. We're SO relieved that our immediate families know now, because it is such a weight off our shoulders. Now I can just say that I'm sick and the families know why.
Well, soon enough our extended family and our friends will know that we've got a Beach baby on the way! We can't wait!

Tellin' the Fam :)

Mike and I chose Thanksgiving Day to share our big news with my family. It was so much fun! I bought a onesie at Old Navy and then made a card that says, "TO: Grandma. LOVE: Grandbaby #12. I'll meet you during the holidays, if you celebrate Christmas in JULY!" 

While we were all sitting down and eating, I had Kaulin go get the present and give it to my mom. He said, "Grandma Janice, here's an early Christmas present." She said thank you and then set it down next to her. Um, NO! So I decided to "get another roll" and I found Chris in the kitchen. I told him to tell Mom to open it right then, and he asked me if I knew who it was from. I said yes and then ran back into the dining room. 

Mom opened it and immediately started to cry. She turned to Cory and Elisha and said, "Really?" Elisha looked so confused! Mom started looking around, and then she saw Mike and me at the end of the table with Cheshire cat grins on our faces. Her mouth pretty much dropped to the floor and I shouted, "WE'RE PREGNANT!"

It was so awesome! The funniest part about it was that most of my family had asked me if I was pregnant at least once in the past couple of weeks. :) Well, I lied to all of your faces, sorry! Haha! Anyway, I am SO happy that my family knows now. They are so much fun and I am so excited for my baby to get to know all of them! There's a lot of crazy in my family, but there's just as much love! :) 

Happy Thanksgiving, Baby! We can't wait to meet you, but we will. Keep on cookin'!

And so the picture taking begins!

Well, I decided that I should start taking pictures while I am NOT showing at all. This way I can look back and be grateful that I wasn't always a balloon. :) Anyway, this is me at 8 weeks, as indicated in the picture. It still hasn't sunk in that I'm pregnant, but I'm sure it will as my baby grows! 

SO BLOATED

Can you already tell that this post will be lovely? 
Oh my gosh! I have never felt this bloated in my life. I had half a bowl of heart-healthy cereal last night for dinner and afterward I felt like I had stuffed myself! It was awful. I've had loads of flatulence (less-gross way of saying "gas") and just felt nasty. Sometimes the only way I can feel normal is by laying down, and I hate being lazy! I can't wait for my second trimester--I know it's no guarantee, but I'm supposed to feel a lot better by then. 
Hopefully!

To Tell or Not To Tell

Mike and I cannot seem to figure out when and how we should tell our families. He wants to either just say, "Hey, we're pregnant!" or some weird, cryptic statement that they will have to really think about to understand. Um, why? Aren't they going to be surprised either way?


I'm going to Park City tomorrow with Mom and Jamie and there are some really cute baby clothes outlets. I think I'll pretend that I'm buying something for Katie's baby and then give it to my mom on Thanksgiving while everyone is doing the whole go-around-the-room-and-say-what-you're-grateful-for thing. 


Part of me wants to wait until after my first appointment, so I have a more accurate due date and an ultrasound picture that I can show everyone. Then again, it's so hard not to say anything--especially when my morning sickness is SO bad and hearing the name of foods makes me want to throw up. 


Ugh. Well, whatever ends up happening, I will definitely blog about it, because that's what I do. Until next time!

Hypothyroidism

I have hypothyroid and used to be on medication for it. However, about seven months ago, I stopped taking that medication because we couldn't afford for me to have a follow-up appointment to get my blood work done and get a prescription refill. When I went in to get my pregnancy test, the nurse told me that I needed to get back on my Synthroid because pregnant women need to be on their thyroid medication. 


I went in yesterday to Dr. Lunceford's office in Payson and OH. MY. GOSH. 


I don't know how I did it. 


First off, I got there a little early and as I was signing in, the receptionist asked me what I came in for. I told her that I needed to see Dr. Lunceford and get some blood drawn, so she told me to just go on back to the lab. 


Whilst waiting to get into the lab, I started talking to an adorable old couple. Out of nowhere, we hear the phlebotomist say, "Oh my gosh, I just can't find your vein! Oh wait, there it is. Oh  here we go. Oh, wait--oh no, I collapsed your vein! Or did I blow it? We're going to have to send you to the hospital so they can take care of it." 


ARE YOU KIDDING?


The couple and I just stared at each other. Awesome. Then the same receptionist who told me not to sign in came and told me that I needed to sign in. Really? I did so, then went to the bathroom, and literally as soon as I came out, a nurse asked for me to follow him. He checked my blood pressure (excellent) and oxygen (97%). After that, Dr. Lunceford came in. 


"Haven't seen you in awhile. Still married?"
"Yep. And pregnant." 


He did more of my vitals and then he led me to the lab to get my blood drawn. I told him that I might pass out, and he said, "Oh don't worry. My brother came in last week and we had to carry him out." Hm. Comforting?


Once again I found myself waiting at the lab, this time with an older woman. She was telling me about her knee surgeries and once again, we could hear the phlebotomist completely screwing up! She kept talking about how she couldn't find the vein and then she said, "I'm so sorry to stick you a fourth time..." HOLY H! Then, of course, my knee surgery friend went in and the phlebotomist kept messing up on her too. Toward the end, she said, "I'm sorry! It's going to look like you've been beat up!" Great. 


After the knee lady left, the phlebotomist came out and exclaimed, "I promise I'm a good phlebotomist! The last four people just haven't had very good veins. I promise I'm good, really."


Oh, well you just saying you're good must mean it's true...I'll pay no attention to all the people who left in agonizing pain, because they're just mess-ups. Ugh.


I went in and told her that I was terrified of needles, and that I was sorry if I passed out. She just kept talking to me and I made sure to look away. Surprisingly, the needle didn't really hurt, it was just a tiny poke. I was doing great, talking and staying calm, when all of a sudden I broke into such a massive cold sweat that I felt like someone had just dumped water over me. My heart started racing and I got really dizzy. She had just taken the needle out and I just said, "I'm sorry, I think I need a bucket." 


I ended up not throwing up, but I have never felt so terrible! I told her I was sorry that I was such a pansy. "I'm only 7 weeks pregnant," I wheezed. "I doubt this blood draw is helping."


She agreed. Apparently a lot of newly pregnant women have a hard time after they get their blood drawn. She said that they tend to go into a shock, which is exactly what happened to me. Luckily I got some water and felt a lot better. Plus, I got a 30% discount for paying for my visit right then and there. 


Ugh. Next blood draw: December 13. 


This baby better be cute.

Official Test & Goals

I went to the doctor's office today and got an official pregnancy test done. I won't lie, my heart was pounding on the drive there--I've been so excited that what would happen if I got a false positive? Well, thankfully that didn't happen! It was actually kind of funny--after I gave her the urine sample, the nurse said, "The test is very positive!"


My estimated due date for right now is July 10, 2011. 
My first appointment with the doctor is December 13, 2010. 


I am so excited, but also weirdly calm about it. It probably hasn't fully hit me yet, but I'm sure it will soon! 


PREGNANCY GOALS

• Give up carbonation/caffeine. 
• Keep up on my walking routine, but obviously not start anything crazy. 
• Portion control! If I have to eat every two hours (doctor's orders), I don't want to gain flub in addition to the pregnancy weight! 

One Happy Man

I am so not good at keeping huge secrets...obviously. :) I had the hardest time not smiling too much and letting Mike know that something was going on, especially since he kept asking me if I had taken a pregnancy test yet. Well, I planned it out as cutely as I could. Keep in mind that I have been so sick and so my creativity wasn't amazing. Lol

First I made spaghetti and garlic breadsticks for dinner. Oh my gosh--I was dry heaving the whole time! Anyway, I cleaned the house and put the rose Mike brought home last week in the middle of the dinner table. I arranged the place settings and everything was perfect. I stayed home from church because I have been so sick, and Mike came home right when dinner was done. After he'd sat down for dinner and we said the prayer, I went to the bathroom and quickly decorated it, with the test on top:

Then I went back out and after a few minutes, I said, "Oh man. Honey, will you go grab my phone? I left it in the bathroom." He got up and when he turned on the light, I could perfectly see his face from where I was sitting...it was priceless. He looked as happy as he did on our wedding day...I love him for being so excited! 

He practically ran to me and gave me the biggest hug of my life. He kept asking me if I was okay with it with a HUGE grin on his face. Well, of course! I don't think I could be more super excited/nervous/terrified/happy! :) So there you go, folks...

WE'RE PREGNANT!

I Spoke too Soon!

This morning at approximately 9:00 a.m., I took a pregnancy test.

POSITIVE.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I have been telling myself for so long that I was just imagining pregnancy symptoms that I am beyond shocked. BEYOND. I can't believe it. Mike was still asleep (we had a late night: Toy Story 3) so I went back in to cuddle with him and I just lay there, wide awake. I can't believe it.

I'm pregnant.

Now I need to think of a creative way to tell the daddy...

So sick

I have been so sick for three days...just nausea and all that jazz. I have also had the WEIRDEST cravings...like garlic croutons and a chocolate shake (yes, together) and Special K cereal and cheese. So weird.

I don't necessarily think I'm pregnant, but obviously posting about cravings and nausea on my other blog would cause everyone to jump down my throat and "accuse" me of pregnancy. It's actually pretty funny--I've had so many friends tell me that I have to tell them the second I find out. Um, no. I will be telling Mike and my family first when the time comes. Although, no lies, I'll probably tell Katie right after Mike...it's only fair, because she told me right after she told Stan! Lol

Anyway...I'm so sick of being sick. Here's to hoping it passes with no (baby) bumps along the way!