Man...he's growing fast!!!

Went today for my OBGYN checkup. Everything looks good. Our little boy measured exactly 21 weeks and his heartbeat was 140. I'm not sure if I told you yet, but my doctor, Dr. Phillips is pregnant too. She is 20 weeks...yes, 1 week behind me. Which means she might not be able to deliver our little boy. But I am confident that the other doctors she works with will do a fine job. This was the first appointment that Robby did not make (thanks to football season) but his mother went with me. Next week I have my follow up with Dr. Rowe to see if the placenta has moved - PLEASE say a prayer for me and my placenta!!! I really need to vacuum my house and can't until the placenta moves!

I finally felt the baby move...yea!!! I can't believe it took 21 weeks. I was getting worried because I've read that you can start to feel movement between 16 and 20 weeks. Oh well, I know he's there now. Yesterday at work I felt this funny feeling in my tummy and it lasted about 10 minutes (so I know it wasn't gas!) Yes, I've had lots of that..he he. I can't believe I just told everyone that.

Anyway, here is a HORRIBLE picture of me. Rob is not the best of photographers and I look horrible. I will post better pictures of myself in the future. I'll update again next week to let you know about the placenta.



Yes, my belly is getting bigger (along with some other body parts!) Holly is loving on the baby!

Dr. Visits on July 30th

On the 30th of July we had two appointments, one with Dr. Rowe in the morning for the full anatomy scan and one with Dr. Phillips (OBGYN) in the afternoon for our monthly checkup. Both appointments went well. The baby was a little tired for Dr. Rowe's ultrasound and wasn't changing places like they wanted him to do, but he was active in that one little spot he didn't want to move from. They are so wonderful at Dr. Rowe's office, they explain everything and talk to you the whole time about what they are doing or measuring. Everything looked great with the baby. All measurements were exactly where they needed to be. And it is for sure a BOY!!! There was one problem however...with me. I have what you call Placenta Previa. That is where my placenta is covering my cervix (the birth canal). It was just partially covering it and Dr. Rowe and Dr. Phillips are pretty positive that the placenta will move upward where it belongs before the due date. But, for now I am under strict orders (no vacuuming, sweeping or mopping, exercise (except walking), and I can't lift over 5 lbs.). I mean that's pretty much what I've been doing all summer anyway :) The only thing that is killing me is that I can't vacuum...with my dogs I need to vacuum at least 2 times a week. And Rob will only do it once a week! I have to go back to Dr. Rowe once a month until the placenta has lifted and if it doesn't then we will have to do a C-section I guess a week or two before the due date, so I don't bleed and go into labor. My placenta looks like the middle picture.



As for me, my belly is getting a little bigger (and I guess baby grows in the butt and hips too)! I can't wear anything but maternity pants (thanks to my friend Emily who let me use all her clothes):) I think I might have felt baby move once but wasn't sure and haven't felt it again since then...so who knows. It's killing me that I can't feel anything yet and I'm 19 weeks along. Most books and friends say you can start feeling baby between 16 and 20 weeks. He better start kicking harder so I know he's still there. Well, school starts back Friday the 15th and I'm kinda excited because it's getting a little boring around the house. I'm ready for the school year to start and I'm sure being busy with that will make the rest of my pregnancy go by fast. That and football games. Robby is excited that football season has started and two-a-days start tomorrow, so I am offically a widow until mid November. GO COUGARS!!!

Well, we finally got registered for baby. It took 4 days to finish and was one of the hardest things we've done. We didn't know what in the hell to click on. There are only 100 differnt bottles, binkies, toys, strollers, etc. But we figured it out with lots of reading and research and advice from friends. My mom came down this past week and we shopped a lot. We bought the bedding for the baby and some extremely cute clothes from Carters (football outfits of course). Thanks mom for everything! I'll see if I can upload a picture of the bedding. Well, that's it for this blog, enjoy the pictures of baby!



This is showing the two legs and penis (from the bottom view)


This is profile of baby


Here is baby's arm...


and foot.


Baby's mouth is open.



Here is my bedding. We will probably mix the football team with it.

Ok, Ok, I know I've been bad about blogging!

You don't realized how many people read your blog until you get emails and phone calls asking why I haven't updated my blog. Well, the reason is because I have been 100% LAZY. I can truely say that this is the first summer that I have got to experience relaxation. No summer school, no masters, no vacation! I have had a couple doctor appointments in the last couple weeks. My first visit to my OBGYN, Dr. Phillips, was on July 2nd. I was so excited to see my baby again. But was shocked and disappointed when all they did was use the doppler to listen to the heartbeat, which was 150 (I think). They do not do ultrasounds right there in her office, but across the hallway with Dr. Rowe (which is whole different appointment). Dr. Phillips was awesome, she sat with us for at least 45 minutes to an hour just talking about all kinds of things. I think because she had lunch after my appointment, so she wasn't in a hurry. We told her about Dr. Schnell's concern of the gestational sac so she wanted us to go ahead and see Dr. Rowe the very next week just to check it. So we did. We went to see Dr. Rowe on July 9th for an ultrasound (YEA...I got to SEE my baby). And boy was he asleep!!! He would not move for anything. So the tech went to get me a capri sun...WOW, he was jumping all over the place within 1 minute. I couldn't believe how well capri sun worked. I was told to drink one before my July 30th appointment to make sure he is awake. YES, that is right, I said HE. After finally waking up, we got to see lots of views of baby. And Dr. Rowe asked if we wanted to know what the sex was. OF COURSE! He said he was 80% sure it was a boy. A few minutes later both hands moved down there and he started playing with his little thing, and Dr. moved from 80% to 85% sure now! Dr. Rowe is awesome by the way. We will get to see him for all ultrasounds, since he works directly with Dr. Phillips. Here are some pictures of the ultrasound:



Baby's side view 1



Side view 2



Side view 3



Ok, this picture is if baby is sitting on glass table and you are looking up from below the table. You can see his legs and the thingy in the middle looks like a pee pee!



This is baby saying HI.

About two weeks ago Rob, me, and the dogs took a trip to Dallas to visit my family for the 4th. We had lots of fun. It was relaxing. My brother grilled for us at his place and we popped some fireworks. I was so excited that my parents agreed to take me and Robby to eat at Joe T Garcia's in Fort Worth and then walk around the stockyards for a while. Then my mom and my 2 nieces came down to visit. Robby and I took them to Schlitterbahn in Galveston. We had lots of fun. I of course couldn't do much except float in the lazy river, which was so much fun. We woke up early and got there when they opened at 10...which is the way to go so you can get a good table right by the water. Robby was a good sport, he was the one that rode all the rides with the Sierra and Cheyenne. Thanks honey. We also took them to Kemah Boardwalk to eat and ride some rides. That place has really grown. Here are some pictures.



Sierra and Cheyenne at the stockyards being goofy.



Ok, this is my dad. He is wearing Sierra's crazy hat and acting like he always does...goofy! Gotta love him!



This is Sierra riding the Inverter at Kemah



Robby and Cheyenne riding the Aviator.

It's a kickin!!!

I'm warning you, this will be long, so get your reading glasses on. As many of you know I went to the doc yesterday for my 12 week ultrasound and my exit exam with Dr. Schnell. It was bitter-sweet, I am very happy that everything is good and I'm moving on to my regular OBGYN, but I will truely miss the staff at CORM. They have been great. Well, because it had been a month since my last visit I was a little nervous about the ultrasound. I was so afraid that doc would stick that wand up there and find nothing. I have had no sickness and can't feel a thing, so I just didn't feel pregnant for the past month. However, my breasts are still hurting. Many many people keep saying that it will go away...but it hasn't. My sore breasts are the only thing reminding me that I am pregnant..oh, that and the fact that I am growing a belly...a fat belly!!! I can't wait til it's a baby and not a bunch of fat. Ok, back on track...so as doc started the ultrasound, the first thing we saw was a picture of his/her head from the top view. We could see both sides of the brain. Next the baby moved perfect to get a shot of his/her spinal cord (doc said it looked beautiful). It was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The baby was moving so fast, kicking and waving. He/She kept putting his/her hands up to it's mouth and then back down. At one point I swear he/she waved to us. I only got three pictures this time (I guess nurses are more generous than doctors)! Doc kept the wand in me for a long time and we just watched our little baby move all over the place. It was so fun. (When I got home my mind started wandering "shit I hope it's not ADHD"). I'll take what I can get. I can't post pictures of the ultrasound pics she gave me because they have a huge glare when I try to photograph them. There was one thing (of course...there always is!) that doc was worried about. She measured the baby and that looked great, then she measured the heart beat and that was good (167 bpm) but when she measured the gestational sac, it didn't measure big enough. It measured 10 weeks 4 days, which is about a week and a half behind. She did want to recommend us to Dr. Rowe, the high-risk preg doctor, to check things out a little more. It will probably be a couple weeks before I see him though. We left the office feeling very excited and happy...and pregnant!! We went straight to the mall to buy a bra for my poor big boobs! Overall, it was a great day.

When I first got to the doctor's office the nurse asked me several questions that I answered yes to. "Do you have bloating?" "Yes...I mean I'm getting fatter" "Do you have constapation?" "Yes, off and on" "Do you have insomnia?" "Yes" And most of the other questions I answered no to. But let me tell ya, this not-sleeping-at-night thing is killing me. I wake about 3 times each night to potty, but then it's like an alarm is going off inside my head at 4:30 am each and every morning. I can not sleep from 4:30 to 6:30 at ALL!!! My friend, Mary Ellen, told me that that is God's way of preparing me for the baby. That is soooo true! So if you're awake and want to talk...just call me! Robby wakes up at 5:30 to get ready for work and leaves around 6 or so. It usually takes me about 30 more minutes to fall alseep and then I sleep GOOD for several hours. At first I would stay in bed until about 11 but this week I am trying to make myself get out of bed around 9 or 10 am. It's nice that I'm on summer break so I can sleep all day. I feel so lazy. I just usually bum around the house in my pjs until about 5 or 6 pm and then take a shower for the day and either cook dinner or we'll go get something. Then I lie myself back on the couch...life is nice. Although, I think it drives Robby a little crazy (probably because he wishes he could do the same).

Life is about to suck for Rob, he just started back to school to get his masters through that on-line Lamar Masters program. I'm so glad it's him and not me. You should see the stack of articles he has to read and respond to in just week one. This is an 18 month masters for only $5000, which is pretty dang good. Football season will be very hard on him, his mother and I have already promised to help. Please pray that he'll make it.

As for the puppies (and yes I'll attach some pictures) they are all GONE...YEA. We were getting so tired of waking up to tons of pee and poo every morning. I cried last Thursday more than I'd cried in a long time. We have 6 pups leave us that day...and it was sad. But by Saturday and Sunday, I was happy to see the last few ones go. I think Holly was too. She seems very happy and back to her normal self (that's kinda sad).


Remember when they were born?



And now they are 7 weeks old and playful as can be.



Cute as a button, but glad they're gone!



Play Time!



Dinner Time!



Last weekend Robby's sister got married. So my wonderful parents came in town to stay at our house to puppy sit for the weekend...bless their hearts! And my awesome neighbor came over all weekend to help my parents clean and care for all 14 animals. Thanks to them!!! Robby and I got to enjoy a peaceful puppy-free weekend in Galveston at the San Luis Resort. It was also our 5-year anniversary Saturday (the day his sister married). During the ceremony, the priest congratulated Robby and I on our anniversary...and I started crying like a baby. I am sooooo emotional lately. Everything makes me cry! I thought that was very sweet of Michelle and Matt to have him announce that during the ceremony. The reception was beautiful and I was very busy talking all night and didn't get many pictures but I will post a few. Robby also set up a "wedding suite" for Saturday night with rose petals all over the room and a beautiful arrangement delivered with a dozen sterling roses. I was so amazed. He is still wonderful to me. I don't know if you've ever seen sterling roses, but they are the most pretty shade of purple.


Robby and our new brother-n-law, Matt



Me and Michelle, the beautiful Bride!



This was an awesome 5-year anniversary party!!!



Thank you honey for my beautiful sterling roses.


Well, I think I'll wrap it up. I go to my regular doc on Wednesday the 2nd (Dr. Phillips). I will post again then! Enjoy the pictures. Oh, and please pray for my gestational sac to keep up with the baby! A good friend once told me that God likes specific prayers!!!

Am I still pregnant???

OK, it's been 2 weeks since I've been to the doctor and had an ultrasound so I could see my baby and see the heartbeat. It's going to be another 2 weeks before I get to go back and see it again. That is a total of 4 weeks without seeing my baby. Because I don't have morning sickness and of course it's too early to feel the baby, I sometimes ask myself..."AM I still pregnant?" It is like I need to go to the doctor once a week to reassure myself that I in-fact AM pregnant. I still have breast tenderness (not as bad...but still bad enough that they are off-limits)! This past week I had a few experiences where smells got to me. I was at our end-of-the-year awards ceremony at the high school on Friday and I had to go to the bathroom. Well, I just needed to pee, but someone else decided to stink the place up and poop!! Not that that smell is pleasing to me anyway, but usually I can handle it, getting in and out really fast. But for some reason I just stood there over the toilet gagging, and finally ran out for some fresh air. Whew...I thought I was going to die. Then a friend of mine that I was sitting next too was wearing (what seemed like) a lot of hairspray. Again...gagging! I finally had to get up and stand in the aisle for some fresh air. That is about all the symptoms I am having. Oh, I did buy my first pair of maternity shorts...man they are sooooo comfortable. I'm not showing yet, but my clothes are getting a little tight in the belly area...that's because I eat A LOT!!!

Well, when I go back to the doctor on June 23rd, I will be exactally 12 weeks! YEA, that will be the end of my first trimester...that's neat! That will also be my last doctor appointment with Dr. Schnell :( I will miss everyone there. They are sooo wonderful and nice. I will start seeing my regular OBGYN soon after that appointment, but not sure how soon. I need to call and find that out. That is when I will get to hear the heartbeat instead of just seeing it. I will let you know how those appointments go.

There is a lot going on this week. My parents are coming in on Friday or Saturday to help take care of the puppies, because my sister-n-law is getting married Saturday the 14th (that is Robby's and my 5 year anniversary) WOW...5 years already! We will be gone a lot this weekend because we are in the wedding, so we will be very busy. Thank God my parents are coming to help with the pups. I will post some new pictures of the puppies. The last pictures I posted, they were still in their whelping box, they have now taken over the kitchen!! And yes, it smells wonderful when we cook :)

Enjoy the pictures!


Here is one of our boys roaming the house...we only let one out at a time!



Our trip to the vet...Doc is giving them their first deworming.



Only some of them have figured out how to play with the balls.



Dinner time. You should see this, everything is gone in 2 min. max!



Then it's nap time...yes, in one big pile!

A Faster Heartbeat!!!

Well we went back to the doctor today for our second ultrasound to hopefully see a faster heartbeat and of course growth. We got great news. The tech said she would like to see a heartbeat between 120 and 180. Our baby's heart was beating 164 bpm...YEA! We were so excited. You should have seen the look on Robby's face...he was a proud daddy. The growth of the baby was good, right where it should be. The growth of the gestational sac was a little small. It was measuring 7 weeks and I'm 8 weeks and 1 day today, so a little small, but nothing to worry about. Our nurse seemed very happy that things looked good (probably because she had to tell 2 women before me that they were miscarring). So she was happy to have some good news.

Ok, as for pictures...I tried to scan the first ultrasound picture into the computer but it turned out horrible. Today's pictures I tried to take a picture of the picture with my camera...and that also turned out bad. I am going to upload one of todays pictures, but it's REALLY bad. I need to figure out how to get these ultrasound pictures on my computer. If anyone knows - please help!

On a personal note: I still have the worst breat tenderness EVER! It is almost like they're getting more sore each and every day. I have been blessed (I hope it is not too soon to say that) to not have any nausea or vomiting. My clothes are starting to fit a little tight around the waist...I guess I'm entering that "I just look fat" stage where no one knows you're pregnant. At least summer is almost here and I can hide inside my house until I actually "look" pregnant. Not to mention...acne! YUCK...all the hormones and progesterone that I'm taking is causing an ulgy breakout. Robby has been great. He rubs my feet and gave me a wonderful back rub tonight (my boobs are killing my back)! He has been cleaning house for me. But it's driving me crazy because he will only vacuum once a week, and I usually do it every other day because there is dog hair everywhere! Speaking of dogs...I have more pictures below for you to enjoy. Please advertise for us. We have 11 Goldens to sell. They are $500 each. We have 7 males and 4 females. They are too cute. I would keep them all if I lived on a farm! They will be ready for a home June 23rd.

An update on my IVF friends:
Emily - had her baby girl, Isabella Grace Richards last Tuesday, so she is a week old today. She is soooo cute. I went to visit and got to hold her on Saturday. I have also uploaded a picture of her.

Hayley - TWINS...yes, that is right. She is having two. She is two weeks behind me, so she is 6 weeks and 1 day pregnant today. She is having her ultrasound Thursday to see the heartbeats. I went to Barnes and Noble today and bought both of us the "Your pregnancy week by week" book. Guess we will probably be doing a lot of shopping together this summer. Congrats Hayley!

Enjoy the pictures:


This is Isabella Grace - Isn't she cute!



Okay, this is a bad picture, but you can kind of see baby.



These are our two biggest boys!



More boys...we have lots of boys.



Group picture...aren't they cute...you know you want one!!



Another big boy



Our darkest pup...and it's a girl!!!




Sound Asleep!

1st Ultrasound

We had our first ultrasound today at 2:00. We didn't have to wait too long before they called us back. I was a little nervous...because I really wanted to see a heart beat or two and was afraid we might not see anything. But when she when she stuck that probe up me it wasn't long before we saw the sac. She zoomed in close and there it was...the heart beating. It was the coolest feeling to see a little heart just beating right there on the screen. I was so excited. After a while I asked if there was another one in there or just one and she said just one. I was kinda hoping for two just becasue two embryos were put back and of course I wanted them both to take, but I'm very happy with one baby. She measured everything, the sac, the yoke, the baby...and it all measured perfectly! However...when she measured the heart rate, she wanted it to be at least 100 beats per minute and it measured 85. I was worried after that. I just WISH that once we could go to the doctor and have a 100% perfect visit without leaving worried about something for the next week. The nurse said not to worry and that they would measure it again in a week. My next appointment is scheduled for May 27th. I think I just need a BIG coca cola to make the baby's heart rate go up!!!

Well, I would love to post more pictures of the pups...they are so freaking cute! But I am leaving for Austin right now and don't have time. I will next week.

Kelly