Space Invader

Oh my sweet baby boy! How some days I wish daddy could enjoy the pleasure of carrying you inside his body!
I love you more than you could ever know Nolan, but on days like today I just wish you would spend a little less time in my ribs! You are always on my right side when you nuzzle into my ribs. By nuzzle I mean lovingly cram part of you (I think your leg/s) into my ribs.

Besides that I have just had an increase of everything:
-Emotional? Oh yeah! Like a crazy person. Seriously, if I where acting like this and not pregnant Derek would probably send me to the loony bin!
-Hungry? Sadly, since I am running out of room my stomach can hold less at once. My appetite has not diminished at all, but now I just get the pleasure of eating so frequently that I am seriously tempted to wear a sweater with pockets full of snacks.
-Tired? I wake up feeling well rested but give it an hour or two and suddenly I feel like I didn't sleep at all the night before!
-Slow? I have a hard time grasping how sluggish my pace is! If my back isn't hurting at all I can move at a normal walking speed, but only for short burst or I become winded! My new 'normal' walk is a leisurely waddle! Getting off the couch has become a task a prefer to have help on. If not I'm like a turtle stuck on its back, I rock back and forth while scooting forward. Heaven forbid I have to sit on the floor. I'll need at least a full minute to get up!

Plus heartburn and leg aches! But none of it is really that bad. I mean all of it is not what I expected, but you really can't expect to know what your first pregnancy will be like. All I know for sure is how excited I am to be a mommy and how I am looking forward to the first time I get to hold my lil man. I know Derek feels this way as well. Nolan, we are counting down the days until you make your arrival and change our lives! We love you and thank God for you!

Growing Pains

Two night ago I had some pretty intense pain on my right side. All I have to say is that I am really thankful for the Internet because without it I would have missed work yesterday and been in a panic until I could be seen by my doctor.

I looked up my symptoms and also posted about my issues on a pregnancy/mommy FB page. I came to the conclusion that I am having round ligament pain. Not pleasant but not serious. I just need to do some stretches, move slower, stay hydrated, and do my best to move out of any position that is uncomfortable. Last night I slept pretty well. I had to make sure that every time I moved to get comfy that my movements where slow. I was honestly shocked at how well the slowed movements worked to stop any pain!!

Nolan, being pregnant is the weirdest and greatest thing that has ever happened to me! I love every minute of it!

01/03/12

Ok so I'm failing at posting every day! Hahaha well if I worked less I'd be able to post more! Ha!

Anyway so for the past few days I've had a low fever on and off plus my heart beats per minute while resting have been around 110. So I called my OB's office and spoke to a nurse (Meagan, my dads friends daughter) who relayed my concerns to Dr. Lizy Andrews. My doctor asked me to come in for a check up.

So I had an appointment this morning at 10am. I was a bit worried and all I could do is pray that there was nothing seriously wrong. Thankfully all I have is a viral fever. Basically it's a virus that is causing a fever and no other symptoms!! Yeah it sounds weird I know! The doctor told me that if I get additional symptoms I need to go in again. The doctor also measured my tummy and I got to hear Nolan's heartbeat again! :)

My doctor also asked me if I could do my glucose test while there and then she would also order some additional blood tests to make sure that my fever wasn't a sign of some other problem. Better safe than sorry!!

So I got this orange liquid and had 5 minutes to drink it. Like a boss, I finished it in like 2 minutes or less. I wasn't really super watching the clock, I was just trying to get it down and not throwing up!! Lol

Then sitting in the waiting room for an hour. This was my first appointment alone and of course I had an hours wait and no one to talk to!! :( thankfully I had my phone and some good friends/family to text!

Finally the hour had passed and it was time for the blood draw! If only it was that easy. I guess I have tiny veins and so the nurse had a bit of an issue picking which one to stick. Thankfully it only took two pokes for her to get it!! Didn't really hurt and no more than normal bruising! Wahoo!!

After getting bandaged up I was told I should find out my glucose test results tomorrow and my next doctors appointment was set up for the 29th!

Besides that I've just felt a little weird, but I'm guessing it's from the glucose test. Oh and my fever returned this evening. Leave it to my body to not have a fever while I'm at the doctors!!

Besides that mister Nolan, you are doing fine! Moving just as much as ever and your heart beat was just fine! But now I'm hungry again!!! Hahaha well anything to keep you growing!!

Oh oh oh!! And today I found out that my friend Nicole is pregnant as well! Babies!!! Ahh!!!

12/30/12

I had to get up around 3am to use the bathroom. Fell back to sleep ok afterwards, but once asleep I couldn't get into a deep sleep. Lots of tossing and turning. Derek and I slept until 7:30 this morning! When I was spooning Derek, Nolan was kicking a bunch, but the kicks didn't wake Derek.

Then some morning snacks until Derek was hungry enough to go and get donuts!

While waiting for breakfast Nolan, you where kicking up a storm!! The kicks where shaking my whole stomach! So I called Derek to come into the room and had him watch! He smiled and laughed, but said it was a bit creepy! Lol it kind of is! My little space invader moving around inside of me!! But I love every minute of it!

I tried for quite a while to record the stomach movements. Finally I got a short video with one good kick on it!!

After breakfast we had a pretty relaxing day. I put my bears shirt on to get ready for the game and decided to snap a new pic of my growing tummy! Oh Nolan you are the greatest gift ever!! God has truly blessed us!!

Lil Nolan for only being around 14 inches long you sure have a lot of pushing power! You've spent half the day pushing up in my right side of my ribs!! I guess I'll just have to get used to it! Lol

12/27/12

I slept very sound last night and shockingly I didn't have to get up to use the bathroom!

Derek and I woke at 5:45 and we got up and got breakfast. I was feeling tired and a bit sick to my stomach so I tired to go back to sleep, but instead I got to run to the bathroom to vomit. I felt like it would never end! The morning I just could keep anything down and I was freezing cold. I decided I was just going to try and sleep again.

I had on sweat pants, a sweatshirt, socks and my blanket, but still needed to turn up the space heater. All I dreamt about was going to work and getting sick at work! In one of the dreams I even went to the hospital. At the hospital the doctor said I needed more blankets and that would cure me. So then all these nurses started flooding in with blankets. Then I woke up...cold!

I called off of work and got some food. I had to get something in me to make sure I got some kind of nutrition for you, lil Nolan!

I should have known that Derek would share his cooties and get me sick! Nolan, your daddy should maybe share a little less!

I'm having horrible heartburn so I'm going to try and drink some milk. Hopefully it won't make me sick to my stomach. Then I'm thinking of taking another nap. I'm just so tired today!

Nolan, you are moving a lot, so u don't seem to be bothered by mommy not feeling good. Well I will do my best to take it easy today and just rest and keep hydrated. Mommy loves you so much handsome boy!

12/26/12

Derek and I decided to wake at 5:30am just incase he had to be called into work. He did not so he decided to come with me to Walmart so I could buy some coffee supples and set up coffee at JCP for the workers.

I worked from 9:30-5pm and the day was very long. The day was not as busy as I expected, yet I just had no energy! I felt weighed down, just exhausted. I went on my lunch break and text Derek. He told me that he had left work early due to a stomach bug that caused him vomiting and to feel light headed.

The day finally came to a close and I was still feeling just off. I figured I was just tired so off to bed I went. Nolan, you didn't seem tired, because you we're moving a ton when I was trying to sleep! Eventually I was able to fall asleep.

A Very Pregnant Christmas

It's hard to believe that Christmas is already over! The past few weeks have been crazy!

Working in retail during the holiday season is always tiring, but doing so while pregnant is just down right exhausting! I did my best to take many breaks to get off of my feet (I'm having back issues that will cause swelling in my back, hips, and legs). Doctor said either I take lots of breaks to keep the swelling down or she's going to put me on bed rest! I definitely cannot afford bed rest! Nor could JCP be short a manager for that long! So the longer I go without bed rest (hopefully the whole pregnancy) the better!

Christmas Eve was a weird day at work. I had to keep walking around the store to make sure the girls stayed busy. We wanted to get them out on time and they knew that but I wasn't about to let them just slack off all day. I mean come on, you get to leave like ASAP so why can't you try to stay busy until then? So needless to say I was quite tired and achy after work.

Mom and Dani picked me up and I was cranky because I just wanted to go to Aunt Cheryl's house, but mom wanted to go find a place for Dani to get food since no one made a vegetarian friendly food option for her. I didn't mean to be so cranky, but I was just tired and hungry and I wanted to take a Tylenol for my pain in my back.

Finally we arrived at Cheryl's house! There where a good amount of people there and everyone was checking out my tummy! Oh and baby O'brian was there! Nolan you did so well! I was holding O'brian and his leg was pressing against my tummy and you didn't kick it once!! Usually you kick at any pressure that last too long on my tummy, but you didn't kick O'brian's leg once!! I'm sure that's a sign that the two of you will get along just fine! He's about 8 months older than you, which will be noticeable when you are first born but bring on toddler years and no one will be the wiser about your age difference.

Derek got to the party shortly after I did. Thankfully he remembered to bring cousin Justine's birthday present!! I have been very forgetful while pregnant! It's the weirdest thing! I honestly never would have thought that pregnancy affects ones memory the way it does!!

We ate a lot of food on Christmas Eve! Some spinach dip, roast beef sandwich, (other stuff I just can't remember right now) and of course plenty of dessert! Tonya made some wonderful cupcakes!! I kind of want one now, but I know that if I eat this close to bed I will get terrible heartburn!! I spent a lot of time talking to Beth (O'brian's mommy) and we discussed the many future plans that we would like to have with each other. Some with kids, some kids free. Derek was tired the whole time, so finally we decided to leave. Beth, Gerald, and O'brian left then as well.

Derek and I had a hard time waking up on Christmas Day. We just kept snoozing the alarm and cuddling! But we where still up around 8. Unfortunately, breakfast wasn't going to be ready until 9, so I snacked on some Christmas Eve leftovers until then. We had cinnamon roles for breakfast, which for some reason didn't taste as good to me as the last time I had them. I don't know whether it was just a different brand or what.

Derek and I decided to open our gifts from his family. They where all wonderful and one of them was the start of our Christmas tradition. Sandy said that every year Derek and I will be getting some kind of musical item every year for Christmas. This year it was a precious moments angel that play 'Joy to the World' I thought it was interesting that Sandy decided mine and Derek's tradition would be musical items, because from childhood to this day my favorite items of my mothers are her musical items (especially her Victorian styled music box).

After that it was a mixture of relaxing and slowly getting ready to go to grandma's house. Having to pack up and move all of those presents was not very fun! But I knew it would all be worth it when the family received their gifts.

When we got to grandma and grandpa's
house things where not quite ready so it was a bit hectic. Aunt Cheryl, mom, and Tonya where all trying to help grandma in her last minute food preparation. Roberto and Sam where downstairs playing with some race cars. Once the rest of the family arrived grandpa took some pictures and then we prayed and ate a wonderful dinner. Ham, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, rolls, corn, jell-o, etc. it was all so good! Nolan, me and you ate a ton!!

Then it was time for presents. It took forever just to pass out all of the gifts! So many people and presents in one room! It was crazy! We all watched as the kids went nuts opening their gifts! There was wrapping paper and smiles all around!

Nolan, you even got some gifts! You got a stuffed puppy from Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Bill, and Justine. From my mommy and daddy (your soon-to-be grandma and grandpa) you received a penguin blanket!! You also received a Fisher Price paint toy from Uncle Jeff, Aunt Stacey, and their three children (Austin, Ethan, and Lexi). It's a very fun toy! The paint brush lights up and music plays and it teaches about colors, numbers, and shapes!! Derek found it quite fun as well!!

I started feeling really exhausted so Derek and I left, the Anaya family, and Jeff and Stacey's family left around the same time.

Derek and I spent the rest of the even relaxing. Well mostly relaxing, because I had laundry to do!

All in all, it was a nice Christmas, it just felt like it went by too fast. Baby Nolan, I know that next year Christmas with you will be perfect!! And every Christmas after that will be better and better!!