The Results Are In

So, I think I got about three hours of sleep.  I was just too anxious to see what the results of the pregnancy test were going to be.  (See why here) Plus, I made myself eat dinner and again I felt really uncomfortable.  At one point, I almost did vomit, but something was blocking the food from coming back up.  I ended up just pretty much gagging over the toilet for ten minutes.  And that increased saliva and salty taste you get when you're about to throw up?  I had that too.

I was already up when the Mr got in from work. He stopped by the store and picked up a couple of pregnancy tests.  The first words out of his mouth when I saw that I was already up were "Let's do this." LOL. Men, I tell yall. 

Into the bathroom I went with one of the tests.  At first, I wasn't going to look at until the full two minutes were up.  However, I ended up just standing there staring at it waiting for the results to come in.  I felt surprising calm waiting for the results to pop up.  And then the results came.....

Yep, the results were negative.  We're not pregnant.  And I can't say that I'm feeling relieved.  If anything, I feel the opposite.  I have morning sickness symptoms with no pregnancy.  That can't be a good thing.  

I didn't learn myself and took Google again after the kids got up to do more digging on this Mirena.  At this point, I've ruled food poison and pregnancy.  So, it has to either be the birth control or maybe a stomach virus.  Only I've had stomach viruses and diarrhea usually accompanies those and I don't/haven't had that.

What I did find out though is that Mirena can cause morning sickness and other pregnancy symptoms in its users.  Now, you won't find this information their site specifically.  The best they put was the if you suspect you're pregnant you'll probably have to your device removed and your pregnancy will most likely end in miscarriage.  Kind of scary.  But I did find this information on other medical sites and even a few legal sites since a lot of women seem to be suing Mirena due a number of complications and unlisted side effects.

Where do I go from here?  Well, I'm waiting to hear if I can get an earlier appointment in with my OBGYN.  She works at two practices and has tons of patients. Needless to say the wait list for an appointment is long, but hopefully I can something sooner rather than later.  In the meanwhile, I just need monitor myself and if I have any severe cramping and/or bleeding, go to the emergency room. 

It sucks being sick and not having knowing what's going on with your own body.  I'm just glad the Mr has been supportive, attentive and concerned.  He went in for a half shift and called and texted me to see how I was feeling.  He even got me some ginger ale to help with the nausea.  Love that man!  Anyways, hopefully this is nothing serious.  Maybe, it is a stomach virus....

Do you have Mirena or an IUD?  Have you ever had any of pregnancy like side effects?

Are We Ready Yet?

I'm just going to come right out and say this.  No use in trying to rip this band-aid off slowly.  So here goes.

I could be PREGGERS! Again.

Yes, you read right!  Crazy isn't it?  Well, for me and the Mr it is.  I paid good money to have this Mirena inserted in my cervix.  And to think that after only 2.5 years this sucker has stopped working, makes me want to demand a refund.

Ok, I might be getting a little ahead of myself because I haven't actually taken a pregnancy test, but I just have this feeling that I probably already know there's a 60% chance the test is going to be positive.  Let me start the beginning.  Two weeks ago, I started craving all my favorite foods-sesame chicken, Twizzlers, Slim Jims, chicken wings, etc.  Now, I love to eat.  So, there are times when I'm in the mood to eat a certain dish.

But I've been legitimately craving these foods like around the clock.  And I didn't think anything of it because I thought it was just from stress.  I'm a stress eater by nature.  And I have been a little stressed about this whole search for a bigger place.

 Sunday night I sent the Mr out for a salad. It was almost midnight and all I could think about was a grilled chicken salad with buttermilk ranch and a little chopped egg.  So, I got the salad and immediately the salad dressing tasted off.  That was strange because the salad and dressing are made fresh.  I knew it wasn't spoiled, but I changed it out for some ranch we had in the fridge.  Y'all that salad tasted like a million bucks.  And when I'm pregnant certain foods always taste so much better to me even though they're very simple like salad and fried chicken.

Monday morning rolls around and I wake up with the worst feeling of nausea and a slight headache.  My first thought was "Oh no, the salad was spoiled and I have food poison again!"  But Moo had some of the lettuce and chicken before I put on the dressing and the Mr had some of the dressing and the bacon.  Neither of them were feeling the least bit sick.  I ate a piece of toast just to be on the safe side.

The Mr headed off to work and I started to notice that my nausea wasn't getting better, but worst.  On top of that my lunch felt like it was backed up in my esophagus.  Not a good feeling at all. Monday night I made spaghetti.  Y'all that spaghetti tasted off (to me) too.  That's when it hit me that I might be preggers.  However, I didn't want to rush to conclusions and decided I'd see how I felt today.

Well, today is here and I feel slightly preggers. The nausea is worst, food is still stuck in esophagus, my head still hurts on and off faintly, I'm dead tired and I feel like I want to vomit.  It's all the symptoms of pre- morning sickness that I came to know and tolerate in my pregnancies with Moo and JJ.  I thought I could wait this week out before taking a pregnancy test but the Mr noticed this morning that I looked a little off.  

And as of an hour ago, I finally texted him at work that I wasn't feeling so hot.  Of course, his response was that he thinks I'm pregnant too.  So, this time tomorrow I will have peed on a stick and will know for sure.  The biggest question running through my mind is are we ready yet?  We'd planned on waiting until late 2014 or early 2015 before trying for our third baby.  

In fact, that's why I got the Mirena.  It would be a birth control I wouldn't have to think about and that I couldn't screw up by missing a dose.  I don't want to feel sad or negative about this because I had felt this way throughout my first pregnancy thanks to people raining on my parade and in the beginning of my pregnancy with JJ.  If there is in fact a little one growing inside of this tummy of mine, I want to start this journey feeling positive about it.

So, ready or not I'm choosing to believe that if I am pregnant this is part of a bigger plan that God has for us.  Maybe, my uterus will be closed for business by 2015 and that's why this is happening now.  I don't know. But I do know that after I texted the Mr, he called to see how I was feeling about this possible new addition to our family coming sooner rather than later.  And I could hear a little glimmer of excitement, almost joy, in his voice.

As much as he's been back and forth on having a third child this year, ultimately I know he's going crazy wanting to have another baby boy.  I think the issue is that if we end up having a girl, he'll want to keep trying and trying until we get that next boy.  No worries though because since I'm the one doing all the hard work, I'll definitely be the one to put the foot down.  (5 kids is my absolute max!)  I have to admit just writing all this out right now is making me a little excited about the possibilities that may be to come in the next few months.  I don't want to get too excited because then I'll be let down tomorrow if the test comes back negative.

Life is unpredictable and for this moment, I'm choosing to roll the flow.  Be sure to stop by the blog tomorrow and see if we'll becoming a family of 5 or remaining a family of 4.  And btw if I'm NOT preggers, I'm going to be worried because I googled illnesses with pregnancy related symptoms and y'all I wish I hadn't.

Have you ever gotten pregnant while on birth control? How did you find out that you were?

Tell Us Something Good: New Addition

I'm going to be an auntie again!!  Isn't that good news?  My younger sister took a pregnancy test last Friday and it came back positive!   She and her husband are thrilled.  They go to the OB on next Tuesday to take an official pregnancy test and get her prenatal care started.

At this point, I'm not sure if they have a preference over a girl or boy.  But when they stopped by to tell me the good news, they kept referred to the baby as a she.  After all, my mom had almost all girls.   Our brother is the token male.  So, I guess it only makes sense that they would expect their first child to be a girl right?

Either way, I'm really happy for them.

Guest Post: Preparing for Life with Twins

I am a young newlywed and pregnant for the first time.  While this is an exciting time, I recently learned that I am expecting twins, and I find that I am suddenly filled with worries that I had not anticipated.  I have twin brothers, so I was not altogether surprised to learn that I was expecting two, but I am surprised at the level of anxiety that I am starting to feel, and the way that it seems to be growing exponentially with every passing day.

Being a first-time mother, you would think that I would be terrified of the pregnancy and delivery of twins.  I will be trying for a natural delivery and already have a doula lined up.  I realize that there is a chance I may have to have a C-section, but my mother was able to deliver her twins vaginally, and my obstetrician seems fairly optimistic that I will be able to do it too.  Maybe it’s because I have heard so many stories of my brothers’ birth, or maybe I’m just naïve, but it’s not the birth that worries me.

What I’m starting to panic about is what life will be like after the birth.  My husband and I have grown used to it just being the two of us, and it is nearly impossible for me to imagine what it will be like when the size of our family doubles.  As things stand now, we have a nice, tidy life.  We have leather couches and framed artwork, a deck and outdoor furniture that overlooks a meticulous garden, and cars that still have that new-car smell.  Will all of this change?  Will our couches soon have rips and stains and our artwork be hanging askew?  Will my garden become overrun with weeds and our cars smell like spilled milk and stale Cheerios?


Somehow, I don’t think that any of this will matter.  I will have far more important things to worry about than material possessions, like…oh, I don’t know…the health, happiness and well-being of our two beautiful daughters.  I doubt that I will have time to worry about silly things like these once the girls are here.  Maybe all of these paranoid fears and fantasies are my body’s way of preparing for the reality of life with twins, almost as if to get it all out of the way now so as not to stress out when they are here.

I have tried to talk some sense into myself, but I can’t stop my mind from creating scenarios in which my carefully-built life comes crashing around me in a chaotic mess of twisted metal and broken baby bottles.  Every time I buy two of something, those fears seem more and more ridiculous, and it is my hope that they will eventually go away, replaced with the excitement and joy that I feel every time I envision what my daughters will look like, or what the look on my husband’s face will be the first time he cradles them in his arms.  Those emotions are the ones I will cling to as I prepare for life as the mother of twins.

Tiffany Monaco is an elementary school teacher and mommy-to-be of twins who lives and loves in the deep South. When not teaching, she spends her time blogging, cooking Cajun foods, and doing home improvement projects. Find out more on her blog at: http;//www.instructionsoptional.com or follow her on Twitter: @tiffmonaco

March of Dimes

Mission

The March of Dimes' mission is "to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality."

Why You Should Support Them

I'm sure that I don't have to tell most of you how unpredictable pregnancy can be.  While the journey of bringing life into this world is by the greatest gift ever, it can sometimes be a very dangerous for both mom and baby.  Today pregnant women have a whole slew of pregnancy complications that just happen at any minute. And even if you do go full term there's still a lot of complications that can happen with the baby such as birth defects and even worse infant mortality.

Founded in 1938 to originally fight off the out of control polio epidemic, the March of Dimes is not working around the clock to help families who are facing pregnancy related challenges through research,community service, education, and advocacy.  Their team of professionals strive hard to figure out causes of why some babies are born premature, with birth defects and more.  The March of Dimes also works in hospitals to be a support system for those families of babies in the NICU.

March of Dimes representatives assist families with everything from counseling and understanding their baby's condition to helping those in need of financial assistance secure funds to pay for treatment.  Having had a tough pregnancy my first time around, I felt comforted knowing that the March of Dimes was there if ever I would need them.  I was very thankful of the reading material I received from them on little things that could help better my pregnancy and increase my chances of a full term delivery.  

And even now that I am in the last trimester of my second pregnancy, I still comfort in knowing that if anything should suddenly happen, there is someone that my family and I can turn to for support.  For more information on the March of Dimes visit their website here.

How You Can Help

You help the March of Dimes by making a financial donation.  The money collected goes towards funding research that is crucial in helping to reduce the number of babies born prematurely and with birth defects.  This money also helps to fund community service and educational programs for both citizens and medical professionals.

Also, the March of Dimes is always looking for volunteers and service partners.  You help by taking part in campaigns like the March for Babies.  And of course one of the best ways you can help is by spreading the word about this wonderful organization and how they are fighting to help moms and babies.  

For more information on opportunities of how you can get involved click here.

More 411

Website

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

*PS-My playgroup is participating in an upcoming March for Babies walk and would love your help with meeting our $8000 goal.  You can check out our team page here.

27 weeks and Counting

88 more days!!  Yes, that's how many more days I have to go (give or take) until I can to meet Baby JJ.  I'm so thrilled. I know that I haven't been overly drowning you guys with details about my pregnancy or taking tons of belly pics, but I am truly excited to be having another bundle of joy soon.    I guess my fears from my first pregnancy kind of carried over to this one and I was afraid to really put much out there in case something went wrong and then I'd have to talk about that too.

But now the end is in sight. I am down to the last trimester and Baby JJ is doing well.  In fact, the doctors think that he's going to be almost nine or ten pounds once I finally deliver!  Gosh, I sure hope not because Moo was not a small baby and there was some tearing down there.  And let me tell you that while it didn't hurt when I pushed her out, the aftermath was quite painful.  I was soaking my booty in ice baths for two weeks!

Not to mention, a ten baby is going to be pretty heavy to carry around.  Anyways, I went to my 27th week checkup and they gave me my O'Sullivan's test.  It pretty much just checks my sugar level to make sure that it's not high where it would affect the rest of the pregnancy or the baby.  I'm hoping the results will come back fine.  Although, I have to admit it did put a cramp in my style because I had a hard time figuring out what I was going to have for breakfast.

I mean my usual breakfast consists of pancakes with maple syrup, maple sausage, grits and some butter toasted dipped in the syrup from my pancakes.  So, because of the test I couldn't have the pancakes or the sausage and I didn't really want to just eat toast and grits. I ended up dozing back off to sleep until almost eleven.  By then it was time to prepare lunch but I did have some stir-fry I had made the night before while I waited for my lunch to cook. I didn't want to get too hungry.

Oh, I did get pic of the inside of the waiting room.  I'm just so taken with the comfortable furniture and the fact that the Bradford Clinic doesn't feel like a doctor's office at all.  See for yourselves.

The couches are very cozy and I love how the decorative pillows match the foot ottomans.  I kind of cut my foot ottoman out of the pic but it's that blue thing in the corner there to the right.  I still think that it's so cute and thoughtful that they have them for us pregnant ladies to rest our tired and swollen feet on.  I mean I haven't seen ottoman's in any other doctor's office yet.

Well, by now JJ is 2 pounds or a little over that as my doctors think and is almost 15 inches long.  He's opening and closing his eyes and doing a lot of moving.  Because my belly is sitting much lower than it did with Moo, it feels like he's about to fall slap out of my womb every time he moves. In fact, this past week I have sort of been freaked out about it because it's been more intense than usual.

Sometimes, it actually hurts when he kicks or stretches or does his Zumba workout in there. LOL.  It does feel like he's having his own party and has invited some friends to join him.  So now that I'm going to be going to the doctor every two weeks, you all can  look forward to more belly pics and tons more posts about baby stuff.  It just seems like now that I am so close to meeting my little man, I can't stop talking or thinking about it.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  Thank you to everyone who is supporting March For Charity. It truly means a lot to me.  Don't forget to check out our lovely sponsors in the right sidebar.  They have donated some awesome prizes for our Twitter Party raffle. I will be putting up a post about that tomorrow for those who don't understand how it will work.  And if you'd like to donate a prize or gift certificate that would be great. Remember our aim is to raise money to donate to one of these lovely charities that I have and will continue to highlight all this month.

Thankful Thursday

So, this week has been a long thus far.  Over the weekend, Moo and I both came down with terrible colds.  Turns out hers was due to an ear infection and her wheezing was back.  So the doctor put her on some steroids for her lungs and an antibiotic for her ear infection.  I hate to say it but it seems like every time we visit Grandma's we both end up sick.

Personally, I think Moo's sickness comes from the carpet which my mom refuses to take up.  Trust me is cost her nothing.  She found some carpet at this place she does business with and just laid it down. Yea, she's some what of a hoarder and we are constantly getting on her about picking up things.  So, I don't know what to do.  Guess, we'll be taking a long vacation from staying down there for at least a month.

However, I am still happy to say that I am thankful for my loving family and that Moo is feeling much better.  Her runny nose and cough are getting much better.  And in three days she gets to come off the steroids and her nebulizer!!  I don't really like having her tons of medications.  I just don't believe those things are good for a body so little.  But until I can find a holistic doctor that I can afford, I guess this will have to do.

I am also thankful to one of my friends for telling me about Amazon Moms.  I can save up to 30% on diapers and wipes and other stuff plus earn a year of free shipping with Amazon Prime.  Can't be that.  Saving money on diapers and baby stuff is going to come in handy with the new baby.  Kids do cost quite a bit of money and any way that we can save, we do.

I am thankful that I have finally started work on my book.  Yes, that was one of things from Adventures to Accomplish before 12/15 list.  I'm super excited to finally be starting on it because my creative juices weren't flowing at all.  I think it's because of the cold, but tonight I just got motivated and finally picked up a pen and started writing.  Thankfully, the words just started to come naturally.

I'm looking forward to hopefully finishing it within a month.  And that's just the writing part.  I know it'll need to be edited and formatted afterwards.  Then I'll have to decide whether or not to self publish or try to shop it around to some different agents.  Either way my goal is to have it published and out by the end of the summer.  I would love to start a book tour in the fall.

So, keep me in prayer that my creative juices will keep flowing and stay tuned to the blog for updates on my progress. Don't forget to that we are on Facebook and Twitter.  Just click on the icons in the left sidebar.  Also remember to check out our spotlight sponsor too.   She makes amazing diaper cakes, baby slippers and so much more.  Even if you just stop by and see what she has be sure to let her know that you found her on YUMMommy!

What are you thankful for?

The Wait is Over

I know that many of you have been eagerly awaiting to find out if I'm having a girl or a boy. When I first found out I was pregnant again, I wanted to keep the sex of the baby a surprise like we did with Moo.  However, with a mountain of people breathing down my neck for the last 19 weeks, I gave in and found out.  I knew that if the ultrasound tech told my hubby he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut.

So without further delay people I am happy to announce:

I just wish you all could have seen Jay's face when she announced that we were having a baby boy.  He was beyond beaming.  And that was all he talked about for the rest of the day.  Talk about a proud papa.  LOL.  Still haven't picked out any nicknames yet, but I'm sure I'll think of one soon.

For me, finding out that I was having a boy was a rush of mixed emotions.  I was overwhelmed because this is going to be a new adventure for me. Raising a boy is going to be very different from raising a girl.  I thought about how Moo is going to feel not having someone she can play dress up and tea party with.  However, overall I am just happy that my little boy is healthy.

(Please excuse the lint. Black picks up everything.)

He has all ten fingers and toes in the right place, his heart is beating good and he's doing plenty of moving.  I'm really excited to start shopping for the new nursery.  I'm thinking a Patriots theme for sure, but the Jay says he wants a neutral sports theme instead.  (He's not a big fan of Tom Brady).  However, we'll see who wins this battle.  I'm already eyeing a cute little Patriots shirt and crib mobile.  Not to mention, I'm trying to track down some Patriots fabric and make a blanket with!!

The rest of the family is excited as well.  My brother is especially happy that he is finally not the only boy in our family.  He has someone he can buy all that Ralph Lauren boy stuff he's been eyeing for a while now.  And my mom is kinda sad that she's not getting her twins. I have no idea what her obsession is with me having twins.  She was hoping for one of each.

Oh well...I guess she'll have to wait for somebody else to pop out her set of twins.  I'm pretty certain that this is going to be hit for me.  I'm certainly feeling like two is my limit.  Plus, Jay is older than me and doesn't want to be an old man trying to chase after teenagers.  LOL.  Not to mention, college tuition is going to be thru the roof by the time Moo and our little boy are ready to go to college.

19 Weeks and Counting

Well, I have reached the 19 weeks mark and so far I'm loving it!!  Guess what my nausea and morning sickness seem to have poof and disappeared!! (Knocking on wood).  Yay, bring on the food people.  I've never been so happy to be able to drink a soda again in my life.  I'm telling you when you get pregnant you learn to appreciate the simple things in life for real.

I'm noticing that my energy is slowly draining away.  I'm getting more and more out of breath just doing simple stuff like going down steps or doing the laundry.  Not to mention, I still have to chase after Moo when we're not at Grandma's or when the hubby is at work.  She's a busy toddler who could care less that Mommy is preggers.  All she knows is that there's a ball of energy inside that she just has to let out. LOL.

At my doctor's appointment this week we got our first ultrasound!!  I was beyond anxious to see what was going on in there.  We got to hear the baby's heartbeat.  It was really strong and I have to admit that I cried a little.  It's always emotional when you hear your baby's heartbeat because you never know what can happen.

After the ultrasound, I met with Dr. Zerkle.  He was very warm and has a likable personality.  I could tell that he really enjoys his job and loves making connections with his patients.  One of my biggest fears about choosing a OB/GYN practice was having a gender mixed staff.  However, it wasn't so weird or awkward having a male OB/GYN down there.

In fact, he had one of the female nurses come in the room and assist with my pelvic exam.  And since I knew what to expect, I was a lot more relaxed this time around.  It was also surprisingly quicker than the ones I had when I was pregnant with Moo.  I'm just totally falling in love with the people at the Bradford Clinic!!  I will certainly be recommending them to my friends.

All my blood work from my last checkup came back good except for that fact that my iron level was way low.  No shocker over here though.  I've been anemic since I came out of the womb.  I've been on a different variety of iron pills and nothing has really worked well enough to keep it up.  So, I had to get more blood taken so that they could better access how serious my anemia really is.

While I wait for the results, here's what's going on with my bundle of joy.  At 19 weeks, my little baby is about 8.5 ounces and 6 inches in length.  That's about the size of an heirloom tomato.  So, now my baby weighs same amount as my cup of water.  A little scary once you think about how fragile that is.  Grow baby grow, but not to much.

In the ultrasound, I could see that the toes and fingers were developed.  I got see the brain and how small it was.  When I was pregnant with Moo they didn't point that out to me.  The brain is now designating areas to allow the baby to hear, smell, taste, touch and see.  So, now is a great starting point to start reading aloud and playing music to my tummy. There is plenty of amniotic fluid in there. 

The scalp is just beginning to get covered in hair.  Since Moo had a full head of hair, I'm hoping that baby number two will have some as well.  I know that means I need to stock up on my Tums.  Hair causes heartburn and I had plenty of it with my busy bee.  It hasn't started yet, but I'm going to be well prepared for when it does.

Still no swelling or cankles.  Thank goodness.  I've been making sure to keep my feet and drink plenty of water.  This cooler weather probably has something do with it too.  I'm hoping to avoid swelling as much as possible.

Well, we did find out the sex of the baby.  So, you will have to stay tuned to my next post coming up later on tonight to see what I'm having.  Meanwhile, cast your vote below in the comments section.

Do you think baby numero dos is a boy or girl?

Thankful Thursday

Well, folks it's the first Thankful Thursday of the New Year!!  And I just want to start off saying that I am thankful to have been able to see 2011.  I lost a few people who I always thought would be alive and celebrating the New Year with me.  Life is so precious people.  Instead of complaining about getting another year or even another day older embrace it because tomorrow is promised to no one.

I am thankful that Moo and I have made it back to the Queen City safely.  I enjoyed spending time with my family and being able to give my mom a break from raising my niece, but I missed my hubby and he missed me too.  Plus, I had to take Moo to the doctor this morning because she could an infection in her eye from crawling around on Grandma's carpet and then putting her hands in her eyes.  Thankfully, it wasn't anything too serious or that would leave her blind. It's not contagious either.

The down side though is that she has get eye drops in her eyes every four hours for seven days.  She absolutely had a fit when we put in the first set.  I felt so bad and awful, but ultimately I know it's for her good.  Thankfully, she'll be asleep when I have to put the second set in. So, she shouldn't do too bad.

I am thankful that tomorrow is my ultrasound.  While I'd rather just not find out what we're having, I know that my husband will not be able to keep his mouth shut.  And I can't really deny him the joy of knowing the sex of our baby.  After all we did go half on it. LOL.  My mom called me this evening and said that she has a gut feeling that I'm having twins.  I hope she's wrong, but sad to say when it comes to her gut feelings she's usually right 8 of 10 times.

Guess we shall see if baby numero dos will cooperate.  Moo surely didn't.  She was always curled up in a ball under my ribs somewhere.  I'm just ready to finally get see that little person who's been hiccuping and kicking my stomach walls.

Last but not least I am thankful for my family.  They are truly life savers.  They've just been awesome at keeping me laughing and believing in me and the potential that YUMMommy has.  Love you guys!!

What do you have to be thankful for this week?

16 Weeks and Counting

So, I know that some of you are curious to know how my pregnancy is coming along because I really haven't talked about it that much on here.  Well, I'm happy to report that I am sixteen weeks and some change and had my first appointment at my new OB/GYN office.  Like most celebs do, I didn't want to start talking about it too much until I was further along in case something happened.  And not to mention, it took forever to get my insurance straight.

I can't begin to tell you all the hoops these people had me jumping through.  Then on top of that my old practice is no longer in business and I had to find a new one.  Well, I am happy to report that I am happy at the Bradford Clinic here in Charlotte.  I absolutely love it so far.  All the staff is nice and so cheerful.  The OB nurse is just full of helpful information and even recommended some tricks and products to help with my morning sickness!!

When I walked into the office this morning, I felt like I had entered a spa or hotel at first.  I'd never seen a doctor's office that looked less like a medical facility in my life.  It was so posh and glamorous.  I'm talking about designer couches, arm chairs and ottomans.  I can I just tell you how much I appreciate them for thinking to get ottomans.  They are pregnant woman's dream when her feet and ankle start to swell up.

And they even had complimentary copies of some of  the latest parenting magazines in English and Spanish.  I could tell that my hubby was very impressed and he looked kind of worried as Moo hopped down from her chair and began exploring the place.  Yes, she going through the busy stage where she has ants in her pants.  That's perfect for when we're at the park, but not so much when we're at the store, church or the doctor's office.

Although, in her defense she is getting better about riding in her car seat.  So, I try to get too flustered when she doesn't sit still in public.  I wish I would have had the hubby snap a picture, but I'm going back for an ultrasound next week and snap a few then.  I've decided to do a better job at keeping a pregnancy scrapbook.  I actually didn't do one when I was pregnant with Moo. I was just so overwhelmed by all the physical and emotional changes of my pregnancy that I couldn't handle the pressure of keeping up with something like that.

However, this time around I feel more prepared.  I know what to expect.  Also, the hubs is more supportive and understanding.  He's able to recognize when I've reached my boiling point before I actually boil over.  He's even making an effort on his days off to let me sleep in and takes over caring for Moo.  Plus, he's pumped about being in the delivery room again.

I was sure that after seeing all the action down there from the first delivery he would be scared off.  But that's not the case.  He actually said the only part that freaked him out about watching was when Moo's head popped out and it was purple.  He was fearing that something was wrong.  Thankfully, I was able to push her out with my next contraction and she started to wiggle around because she did not cry.

Instead, as they placed her on my chest she kind of looked up at us like 'Hey, I know you guys.'  The nurses thought it was the cutest thing ever.  She did however cry when they gave her her first bath.  She was not feeling that whole water thing one bit.  But now she loves it and I can't get her to come out of the bathtub.  Anyways, I've digressed back to my current pregnancy.

My morning sickness is still here but not as bad as it was before. I've learned that drinking lots of water helps. Saltines are your best friend and sodas, cakes, cookies and some candies are the devil. LOL.  Believe or not I've only put on 4 pounds.  Personally, I think the scale at the doctors was broken because my belly looks like it weighs more than 4 pounds folks.  My hubby and family have joked that there might be twins in there.  I hope not.  Three kids all under the age of three would be quite the challenge.

So, at 16 weeks and some change my baby is about the size of an avocado and should be about 4 1/3 to 4 2/3 inches in length from crown to rump.  My baby weighs about 2 3/4 ounces which is roughly 80 grams.  Not much at all.  In fact, my cup of water weighs more than my baby does right now.  My amniotic fluid level is rising.

By now my little one is covered in lanugo hair ( those hairs on your arms, legs, face and everywhere else).  The fingernails are developed and the arms and legs have gotten longer and are flailing about wildly.  Not looking forward to those hard kicks in the middle of the night.  I'm certainly feeling a lot of fluttering and gas bubble action.  It's crazy how much fluttering and passing gas this baby does already.  Guess that's sign to be prepared for lots of stinkiness in a few months. LOL

Also, today at my appointment they took six tubes of blood to test for things such as Down Syndrome, AIDS, identifying my blood type and any other blood disorders that would be harmful to me and especially the baby.  They also took a urine sample to screen for any infections.  Infections can be very deadly for unborn babies as well as the mother if untreated.

So, far I have no sign of swollen feet or cankles.  I do however have some dizziness and lots of fatigue.  I could sleep all day really.  I get tired a lot faster than I used to.  One of the reasons I've avoided going to the malls as much as I used to is because I just can't walk and browse like I want to.  After the third store, I'm looking around for a dressing room to catch my breath in and rest my legs.

Anyways, I've decided to go ahead and find out the sex of this baby.  I wanted it to be a surprise like Moo was, but my hubby wants to know and of course I'll know what it is once he starts buying baby stuff.  He likes the traditional pink for girls and blue for boys. 

3 More Days Until Christmas!!

I Love My Family

Well, I'm back from another mini-vacay.  It's not that I didn't want to blog, but just that I've been so moody lately it's been hard to get my thoughts together.  Yes, the mood swings and emotional rollercoaster have already started.  However, after a week's stay with my lovely mommy, I am sane again.  My mom knows me like the back of her hand almost.  So, it only made sense that she would know I was struggling with all the changes regarding my pregnancy.

Since, finding out I was pregnant, I have been struggling a little bit coming to terms with the fact that I'm having a second baby already.  And the constant morning sickness is not helping.  At times, I feel so helpless over all the changes that are going on inside my body.  I just wish I had some say over it.  A control freak, I know.  However, sitting and talking with my mom helped me to put things into perspective.

This baby is a blessing.  Although, this pregnancy wasn't suppose to go down for another two years (maybe three)  it's happening now and I need to appreciate the fact that I can produce life.  There are so many women out there who can't have kids and here I am pouting because the time isn't right.  Newsflash, there is no right timing unless you're rich and even then the timing may not be right.  God would not have given me this responsibility if He knew I couldn't handle it.

I am a great mommy to Moo.  So, why am I worried about what kind of mommy I will be to this baby?  I have no doubt that I will love both my kids equally no matter what.  Getting out the house will require more time and planning once the new baby is here, but I'm up for the challenge.  I can accept that responsibility.  I'm determine that having two young kids isn't a death sentence like a few people have tried to make it seem.

I've already started hearing "Girl, you're really going to be tied down now" and "What you going to do with two kids?"  What the hell you think I'm going to do with two kids?  I'm going to continue living my life and pursuing my goals and dreams.  It'll take some planning and a lot of help outside of me and my husband, but I can do anything that anybody else without kids can do. This is not the end of my life but the beginning of a new and more adventurous chapter.

My mom also helped me come to terms with the fact that I am not my baby bump.  "You're not wearing that are you?," she asked me on my third day at home.  Honestly, I had given up on trying to look fashionable and had just focused on comfort.  I'm two months and two weeks but I look like I'm five or six months already thanks to my tumor that grows as the baby grows.  And maternity pants don't exactly look flattering on me.  So, I'd rather wear regular jeans two sizes bigger and put on a belt to hold them up.

However, as my mom pointed out they're not exactly figure flattering either.  I end up with extra material in the crouch and butt area.  Not sexy at all.  "You're a fashion major," she reminded me as she opened up her closet.  Yes, my mom was getting ready to dress me like I was five years old again.  After a few changes, some added bling and new shoes, I looked and felt like a new woman.  I didn't feel pregnant and that was great.

"You wear the pregnancy, not the pregnancy wearing you," my mom told me as I checked out my final outfit in the mirror.  She's right.  As soon as my baby bump started showing, I started dressing down.  And that's just not me.  I'm the woman who owes hardly any flats and was wearing four inch heels to my baby shower at 8 months and wearing them well I must say.  The only time I will ever refer to myself as a girly girl is when it comes to my fashion. 

I'm all about heels with cute patterns and textures, dresses and jeans that fit my curves right and brightly colored tops.  Let's not start on my handbag collection.  LOL.  Well, it's the same way with this new body that I have.  I have to take the time to find clothes that still represent who I am, but compliment and showcase my growing belly.  So, Sunday my baby sister gave me one of her knit baby doll dresses to wear and it looked great.

I loved that it hugged my little big belly snugly but wasn't tight.  A pair of thick brown tights and studded brown flats completed my look.  It was perfcet pregnant fashionista church wear.  I could tell that people weren't just checking out my belly but my dress as well.  I got several 'oh that dress looks cute on you' looks and it made me glow.  When we went to visit my aunts afterwards they even noticed how nice I looked in the dress.

And although, I wish I could just build up a collection of cute knit dresses to wear my remaining 6 and a half months, I'm excited about going shopping for some maternity pants with my mom on Black Friday.  I heard that the Belk near my hometown has some great maternity wear on sale and will be even more discounted for Black Friday.  So, while everybody else is fighting over computers and tvs we'll be shopping peacefully in the maternity section.

I'm just thankful to have a wonderful family who is taking the time to build me up during this emotional and shakey time in my life.  Their small tasks and acts of love and sincere compassion just reminds of why I love them and miss them.  I love my family even though we don't always agree.  I wouldn't trade them for the world (some of my cousins I might) and I'm looking forwards to heading back down for Thanksgiving to enjoy more time with them.

Morning Sickness Blues

My first pregnancy was quite the adventure to say the least.  However, I have to admit that after the first four months, my morning sickness wasn't so bad.  I found out quickly that milk products triggered it.  So, I gave up cow's milk in favor of soy.  In fact, I haven't had a glass of cow's milk in almost three years now.  And while I had morning sickness up until two days before I delivered, I didn't have it everyday.

Boy that is not case with this pregnancy.  I'm finding out that everything seems to trigger it.  I can no longer drink orange juice, sodas or kool aid.  Pretty much anything sweet tastes completely gross and sends my stomach into overload.  Yes, this baby is screwing up my taste buds.  So, far I've given up ice cream, popsicles, candy (except gummy bears), juice, soda, cereal, pickles and the list goes on.

The only safe foods are noodles, green veggies, chicken, steak and hamburgers.  This week alone I've eaten chicken at least twice and have been starving for at least four days because I couldn't keep anything down.  This sucks big time because I'm worried that the baby isn't getting enough nutrients.  And when my hubby commented that my baby bump actually looked small, I started to panic.  I'm trying to patient and wait for my new obb/gyn to fit me in for an appointment but at times I just feel like showing up to her office unannounced and demanding a check up.

Of course, they reassure you that morning sickness is normal and nothing to be alarmed about, but I'm not convinced that this is normal this time around.  I'm losing weight instead of gaining weight and the prenatal vitamins they prescribed me that are suppose to help with my digestion aren't working because I can't keep those down either.  And being in this constant state of hunger is really starting to affect my mood.  I'm grumpy and annoyed all the time it seems.  I don't like to be touched or even talked to for that matter.

I miss the old much more cheerful me and so does my family.  I can't wait until I get in to see my doctor because we are seriously going to have to find a medicine to help with this.  I can't go the remaining 7 months being hungry or living off chicken.   I want to be able to enjoy this pregnancy.  So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will either pass quickly or get better.

Us Plus Two

I know that as of late, I have been really slacking on posting to my blog this month.  It's not that I've fallen out of love with it or anything like that.  It's just that I've been trying to wrap my head around some news I found out recently.  If you follow my personal Facebook page or follow me on Twitter, then you probably I already know that I recently found I out I am preggers with baby numero dos!!!

When I first found out I wasn't sure how I felt.  I've mentioned on here a few times that if I did have a second baby it should be four years from now.  Having two small children to care for pretty 24/7 has always been a scary thing for me.  Moo keeps me busy enough for two kids now.  So, how will coop with a two year old and newborn next June?  It's alot to prepare for mentally and emotionally.

A part me feels like I've robbed Moo of being the baby.  Even though she has been pasted the baby stage physically is now considered a toddler, still she was my baby and the baby of our family.  She's so used to being the center of everyone's attention-mine, Mimi (aka Grandma), her aunts and uncle, etc.  I just hope that she's able to adjust and doesn't look at the baby as a threat.  It can happen because as over joyed as my niece was to have Moo in the family, she was really jealous of all the attention Moo got.

And even now that they are both older, she still can't stand when Moo gets more attention than her.  She whines, she pouts, she screams and she's even been know to lash out physically at Moo.  However, she is very protective of Moo when it comes to other people including family members.  I just don't want Moo experience any type of jealousy or resentment for her new brother or sister.  (I think it's going to be a girl because girls are dominate in my family.)

Next on my list of worries is money.  Babies are expensive!!  We were able to save money of formula because I chose to breastfeed Moo.  My hubs wasn't super stoked about my chose because he was of course thinking about himself, but by the time she got here and he saw how much cribs, diapers and clothes cost.  Plus, he educated himself on how much more healthier breastfed babies turn out.  He's been very supportive since.

I'm just wondering how we're going to afford baby numero dos.  I mean there's maternity insurance to get which costs like an arm and a leg almost.  We have another crib, set of bedding, clothes, etc. to buy.   Not to mention that we have to find another place because this duplex is just not big enough to house all the extra baby stuff we'll have.  So, we've decided to buy a home and that in itself is very stressful.  With the house market in the shape that it's in we've decided that maybe getting a custom build home or modular home is best for us.

I already own an acre and some change of land.  So, rather than let it continue to sit and go to waste we're going to build our home on it.  With the custom homes we've looked at, it won't take forever to build because the frames come prebuilt like off of Extreme Homes.  And since I only have 7 months to go, we have to decide pretty fast what we want.

On top of all of that, we just got a new car like three weeks ago.  So, I'm just like past worried about how tight our money is going to be.  But I'm still overjoyed that I am able to bring another life into this world.  Life is precious and should be cherished not regretted or resented.  I'm convinced that this will all work out and is part of God's plan for our lives.

Putting on Our Crowns

Did you know that inside everyone of us as women is the power to find our inner queendom?  According to the Queen-Queen Latifah that is-"there seem to be an epidemic of lousy self-esteem in this country, especially among young women,...We ladies have stopped putting ourselves first, and I wanted to share something with you that would help you feel empowered and make you recognize the individual and innate beauty that is you."  Put on Your Crown: Life-Changing Moments on the Path to Queendom is Grammy Award winning songstress, talk show hostess, Oscar nominated actress, Queen Latifah's author debut.

In her book, Queen is quick to point out to readers that she "never set out to be anyone's role model. That's too much responsibility for any flawed human being to carry."  She also lets it be known that this is not some mapped out self-help book either.  Instead, she bares her soul and shares some of her most intimate stories and experiences of success, fear, love and much more to serve as guides or lights on readers individual journeys through life.

Put on Your Crown is pretty much like saying 'here are the mistakes I've made.  This is what works and this is what doesn't work.'  A conversation similar to the ones many of us have shared with older siblings or our closest friends.  This is certainly a must read for all women out there, especially those of color.  Join the female empowerment movement by picking up this book.  Don't forget to share this book with your daughters, sisters, mothers and friends.

You can purchase Queen Latifah's Put on Your Crown at the following retailers:

~Amazon

~Barnes and Noble

~Books-A-Million

~Borders 

or

You can enter for a chance to win a copy by commenting on this post.

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Random Ramblings: Irresponsible Screwing

I know it's late, but I've been pretty busy today.  I don't know if I would say that I was very productive though. LOL.  Anyways, I was going to write a post earlier in the afternoon when I got home, but I was too upset and needed to calm down.  When I'm upset about something serious I can be very cut throat with my words.

So, I was riding with my mommy who informed me that my aunt in law needed some clothes for a little girl about my niece's size.  In my mind I 'm trying to figure out why she would need them because her kids are grown.  My mom informs me that DSS had to arrange an emergency foster care move for three kids-one girl and two boys.  These kids are all under the age of nine and had to snatched from the comforts of their home due a danger to their livelihood.  And I've heard about kids in foster care and what not.

But for the life of me, I couldn't understand why the more I thought about those kids being uprooted from their home the more upset and frustrated I became.  I mean I was livid by the time I had reached my niece's school to pick her up.  Sitting in the car riders' lane all I could think of was how I would love to get a hold of those kids' parents and choke the shit out of them. Seriously, that is the exact thought that ran through my mind.

My opinion is this: when you screw irresponsibly chances are you might get pregnant or worse an STD.  So, why do some many women and men play Russian Roulette when it comes to sex?  I mean seriously, is sex that important or are you that desperate that you can't remember to use protection or get on birth control. I'm all for everybody getting their rocks off or whatever you want to call it. I'm a single mom, so I've had some great sex in my twenty something years old on this Earth.

However, what I wouldn't do was put myself in the position of becoming a parent when I know full well that I have not intentions of living up to the duties that come along with it.  When I started having unprotected sex with my daughter's father, I knew I was bound to get pregnant sooner or later. But I had also made up in my mind that I was ready to assume the duties of caring for and molding a life if and when it happened. I just can't for the life of me understand why these kids' have to be put through such nonsense.

My advice to all the women and men out there sleeping around with people they have no intentions of being with exclusively or even seeing them after your ten minutes of fun is to get snipped!!!  Yes, I wrote it. Get snipped.  I'm not going to put the blame on the women. It takes two to roll in the hay.

Ladies get your tubes tied or have the ovaries completely removed. Men get that vasectomy.  That way you can still sleep around as much as possible but you won't be hurting innocent children who didn't ask to be here.  My heart goes out to those kids for what they have to go through.  The emotional scars that they will carry throughout their lives is way more painful than the abuse and neglect they suffered.

Their whole outlooks on life and relationships and parenting and love has been tainted.  And for what?  Because their mom feels like she got the bad end of the stick.  It's just not fair.  America we have to change.  We can't keep raising a generation of emotionally damaged kids and expect to improve violence in our homes, schools and neighborhoods. These kids are crying out, but I feel like nobody is hearing them.