14 Weeks, 5 Days

Well, I am super glad that the morning sickness is gone, but now the heartburn is setting in.  Ugh!  I think the heartburn is starting a little earlier than it did in my first pregnancy.  Maybe this babe will have tons of hair when they come out!

I've also started to get a little flaky.  Great.  I'm trying to make new friends and I can't remember anything.  That's gonna get me far!  

I don't really think I have a baby belly yet, but who knows with these fat rolls in the way.  I was way heavier starting this pregnancy out than I was with the first pregnancy.  I have no clue how my baby belly is going to look this time around since I'm not starting out with the same body type.  I am really trying to watch my weight this time around.  I gained 50 lbs with Joey and I would like that NOT to be the case with TBD.  Since I am overweight, I would like to only gain the recommended 15 pounds.  So far, I'm doing pretty well seeing that I have actually lost a few pounds.  (Side note:  I am not trying to lose weight, just trying to eat a little healthier this time).  

Besides that, everything is going well so far!  Hopefully, it stays that way!  :)

Daddy and Summer Vacay

So, Michael will be deployed for the birth of TBD.  He leaves this spring and won't return until sometime in the fall.  We had decided for me and Joey to just stay in California due to housing issues, among other things.  This was seriously stressing me out since we just moved to our new home and we haven't really made any good friends quite yet (at least that will be here during the summer).  My parents had planned on coming out here for the delivery and some time after, but what if I went into labor early?  What if they got here and I went two weeks late?  If my parents weren't here yet, who would watch Joey?  How would I get myself to the hospital?  What if I have to have a c-section and am in the hospital for a few days, would someone be able to care for Joey that long?  O.  M.  G.   So many concerns!! 

Even though we had made our "final" decision, we continued to discuss the situation. We had heard that if you are vacant from your base house for more than 30 days, then you would lose the home.  I did not want to give up our home and move to my parents for the entire deployment (which is usually 6-8 months long) because that would be so much change for Joey.  Say goodbye to Daddy, move across country, get used to grandparent's home, get used to extended family, welcome new baby, share mommy, say goodbye to extended family, move into new home, and welcome daddy back all within a 6-8 month period.  That is an awful lot of change for anyone, especially a little kid.   This was our main hang-up.  

Then, I heard some wives saying they went back to their family's home for 4-5 months while hubby was deployed and they kept their base house.   Do what?!?   If this was true, then this would solve our problem!  I called the base housing office and finally got this nasty rumor straight.  We CAN be vacant from our home for a few months...I just need to sign a waiver stating that housing can enter our house if an emergency arises.   It probably didn't hurt that I told them our situation...hubby deployed, I'm pregnant, we have a toddler, just moved here and no real friends yet, AND I may have to have a c-section!  They probably said "Heck yes, let that girl leave for a little while!  She could be a liability if we say no!"

So, Joey and I are going to be staying in North Carolina at my parent's house from the end of May (I'll be about 32 weeks prego) until right after Labor Day (TBD will be about 6 weeks old).  We don't lose our home, we get to see our families and friends, and I can get some RELIEF and help with my crazy toddler and soon to be newborn!  I am so freaking happy and relieved!  We'll actually get to be around family for part of this pregnancy.  The fam will get to meet TBD in-person versus just reading a blog or seeing pics.  This is really going to be a win-win situation...well, except for Michael.  He is so bummed that he is going to be away from us and for the birth of his new kiddo.  This is part of the military lifestyle and lot of military families go through this...that doesn't make it any easier, though.  We'll be doing lots of letters and photos, and hopefully, some Skyping.     

Facebook Official

I guess we're really pregnant now because we've announced it on FB!!  Ha ha!  Isn't it funny how things aren't real until they are on FB?  Well, we're good to go and the world now knows that Sara and Michael Breeding Company is back in production! 

13 Weeks

So, we're 13 weeks and 3 days today.  We had our second doctor's appointment yesterday and everything went well.  We got to hear TBD's little heart beat.  I don't know what the bpm was, but the doc that it sounded really good.  Joey went with us to the appointment so he got to hear his little bro/sis's heartbeat.  He smiled really big when we heard the "thump-thump-thump".  :)  Everything else is going well. 

We did tell the doctor that Michael will be deployed when the baby is due.  We also asked her when we could actually find out the baby's sex.  Michael will be leaving around the 18-week mark so we really wanted to try to get the 20-week ultrasound done earlier than 20 weeks.  After going back and forth about this, she told us that we will do a quick ultrasound around 17 weeks to see if we can find out the sex.  I will still have my 

20-week ultrasound so the docs can do all of their measurements and such.  I really hope TBD is cooperating that day and has their legs opened nice and wide.  Since Michael is gonna be gone for the birth, we're really hoping that he can at least find out the sex before he goes.  

The doc didn't say much about the bleed in my uterus...which somewhat annoyed me.  When I asked about it, she told me to slowly ease back into things and if I have any spotting, then stop that activity.  WTH?   Can't they just do an ultrasound and make sure that bleed is gone?!!?  Ugh!  

Really?

We know there is a baby in there.  We saw TBD.  Heard the heart beat.  But it is just so weird this time around.  I wonder if it's because I'm so hung up on Joey and constantly thinking about him and what trouble he may be getting into, that I don't have time to think about the new babe.  TBD may cross my mind once I settle down into my bed at night.  That's when I'll pull out my "What to Expect" book (not like I need to read it, since I read that thing front to back 20 million times during the first pregnancy) and read up on what week we're at because I feel like that makes me pregnant.  

Now that most of the morning sickness has gone away, it is way easy to "forget" that I'm with child.  With all of my baby forgetfulness, I have totally forgotten all of the stuff I'm NOT supposed to do or eat while prego!   Of course, the "rules" come barreling back at me at the most annoying times, like when I'm eating a medium rare steak, drinking loads of caffeine, eating feta cheese or lunch meat, and so on.  Ahhh, I'm not as worried this time.  I've heard that a lot about second (third, fourth, fifth, etc) kids.  You learn not to "care" so much about the small stuff.  You realize that people have been having babies forever without all of these rules and a good portion of them turned out alright.  (Side note:  I know lots of elders told me this when I was pregnant with Joey, but you know, I'm young and dumb and must try everything out for myself before I believe any of this advice).  I'm just trying to be sensible about things.  I did completely knock out alcohol.  And totally kicked that pesky drug habit I had going on.  KIDDING!  Hugs, not drugs, people!  :) 

Pitter Patter

We had our first official doctor's appointment today to see if there really is a baby in there!  Well, folks, we have a winner!   TBD is now officially alive, in our minds!   We saw and heard the heartbeat, 176 bpm.  The ultrasound actually puts TBD's due date at July 19th, versus the 21st, like we had originally thought. 

Everything looked great for baby, but they did discover that I have a small bleed/clot in my uterus.  No big deal...a lot of women have them.  The doc said that it should be absorbed by my uterus within the next month.  I guess we'll find out if it did at our 13 week appointment.  I am not allowed to exercise, no heavy lifting, and no intercourse.  The heavy lifting was a concern since I have this 22-lb babe attached to me all day.  I guess Mr. Joey will be having to do a whole lot more walking! 
   

We also discussed how we wanted to have this baby.  Since I had a c-section with Joey, I can automatically opt to have another c-section with TBD.  A lot of times, the mother with a previous c-section has no choice in this matter and has to have a c-section if the delivering doctor and/or hospital does not support vaginal birth after cesearan (VBAC).  I really would like to have a vaginal birth with TBD.  I'm not bothered that I had a c-section with Joey, but I don't feel like I "earned" it.   I know that sounds really stupid...I carried him for 10 months, I had major surgery so that they could remove him from me, it took months for me to heal from the surgery, etc.  But, I never felt a contraction.   I never went into labor.  I don't know what childbirth actually feels like.  If you ever hang out with moms, especially ones that had their babes within the past couple of years, childbirth usually comes up at least once in the conversation.   Everyone starts to tell their war stories from the delivery room.  "I was in labor for 24 amount of hours!",  "I pushed for 12 hours straight!", "I pooped all over the table.", and it goes on and on.  I usually just sit there, smile, and nod in agreement to these stories while withholding my story from the group unless someone asks me.  I know there is no shame in my game, but when you tell people that you have a c-section, there's always one in the group that wants to point out how ridiculous it is that there are so many c-sections in our country these days.  Really?   Did you just say that to me?  It's very annoying. 

Anyways, I would like to have a VBAC and see what all this birthing business is about.   I am absolutely positive that I will be regretting this decision while I'm trying to push out out my baby's head through my vagina!  I am also aware that I still may have to have a c-section.  The doc said that one of the main concerns with a VBAC is the tearing of my old incision.  The docs and nurses will keep a very close eye on this and if they notice any tearing, they will perform a c-section.  If TBD is breech like their bro, then I will have a c-section (and no, I will NOT go through the Version procedure (where the docs try to flip the baby from the outside) again).  If I have to have a c-section in the end, I'm okay with that.

Deja Vu?

I have been so, so, so, so, so, so nauseous and tired this pregnancy!  I constantly complain but Michael assures me that it was this bad when I was pregnant with Joey as well.  I disagree.   However, I do remember that morning sickness is a good sign that baby is doing well, so I guess I kind of, sorta, somewhat, reluctantly welcome this preggo symptom.   I know I'm ready for the second trimester to get here!  We're at 10 weeks, 2 days today!  :)  Holla!

Oh, and I've had the most vivid and crazy dreams...every time I close my eyes!   My brain never gets a break these days.  Oh, and I haven't had any cramping this go around.  I guess all my insides are still stretched out from kid number one!