These Days...

I'm so glad that Jon and I finally got to share the news about Baby Birmingham! We wanted to wait until I was close to being done with the first trimester, but we were confident a few weeks ago after our first ultrasound that things were going to go great. I don't believe in jinxing my chances of having things go well by telling people before I'm 12 weeks. That is just silly, seeing as how it's all out of my hands anyway!

So let me update everyone on what's been happening...

We found out on Father's Day that I was pregnant again. I found out very early at only 3 weeks. Finding out that you are pregnant again is so different the second time around, or at least it was for me. I had felt so obligated to myself to get pregnant again on the first try. So instead of the nervousness and anxiety that comes with a very first pregnancy, I felt relief and even more gratefulness. My prayers were definitely answered! From the get go, I just felt like it was going to be different. I wasn't feeling the same pains. I didn't feel that feeling of "I just don't think something is right." I was just pretty calm. Excited, but calm and trusting that God would take care of everything. Needless to say, there were a few times during the following couple weeks when I got a few little negative thoughts in my head about how things were going, but it always turned out to be nothing.

Me at 4 weeks (1 month photo :)

Things have changed so rapidly over the last few months. I feel like my body has been invaded by something foreign (oh wait, that's because it pretty much has been.) I have been so unbelieveably sick, starting at about 6 weeks. I went home to Cali at 6 weeks, and unfortunately I was in bed most of the time due to nausea and terrible heartburn. I was bummed that I missed out on getting to enjoy real mexican food from Cuca's and Rosa Maria's, as that was what I was looking forward to most, after seeing my family and friends of course! However, I could hardly eat anything other than McDonald's plain cheeseburgers and water. While I was home I got to go shopping (at Motherhood Maternity mainly because I got my bump super early on and couldn't fit into any of my clothes!) and my mom did a photo shoot with me and my sister, Cami. Mama is practicing on her photography skills so that she can take Baby Birmingham's newborn photos. I will upload some of the pictures from our shoot when she sends them to me. She's had to hide them until we made the announcement! :)

Things only got worse (as far as how I was feeling, that is) during Week 7. My body chose to let morning sickness kick in in full effect on the same day that I had to fly back to Oklahoma. My second flight got delayed, so what was supposed to be a 7-ish-hour trip (already too long of a trip for how I was feeling) turned into about a 13-hour trip, plus almost a 2 hour drive from OKC to Enid. And I threw up the entire day. Before boarding, on the plane, after getting off the plane, after eating, while waiting around for hours for my next flight, on the drive home, when I got home. I felt like I could have rolled over and croaked, and I don't mean like a frog!

The next morning I called my doctor and they gave me Zofran and I had to follow a liquid diet. It worked for about a day and a half and then I was back to being BFF's with the toilet bowl about 15 times a day, literally! I couldn't eat anything solid and could barely drink anything or even eat ice chips the whole week. That friday it landed me in the ER for dehydration and uncontrollable vomitting. I was so weak and could hardly couldn't stand. I lost about 6 lbs in just 5 days. I felt and looked like death. They gave me an IV of fluids and Zofran, and also did blood work to see what was going on with my hormones. I had a feeling the baby was okay, but at the same time was worried about the fact that I hadn't been able to get any sort of nutritients or even take my prenatals regularly in over a week. Results came back saying that at 8 weeks my quant levels were 225,000. On the chart the doctor had it said the highest for that week was 200,000. I was so happy that it was such a high number as I thought that that meant a reeeeeally healthy baby! The doctor even jokingly said, "Maybe you've got twins!" (Which I only thought was a little funny because it made my family's idea that I was carrying twins, due to how big my bump was, even more possible! In reality it kind of freaked me out!) After being in the ER for several hours, I felt much better and finally got to go home. I was extremely exhausted, and went straight to bed as soon as I got home. I had the best night's sleep that night that I had had in weeks.

At almost 9 weeks, Jon and I went to a baby orientation type thing that the base offers. We sat for about 4.5 hours listening to different speakers and getting packs of free baby stuff. It was very imfortative and reassured me that the hospital I have chosen to deliver at is the one for me. Later that evening I got a message from my doctor's nurse saying that she had made me an appointment for an ultrasound (about 2 weeks sooner than what I had scheduled my first one for.) My doctor had looked at my results from the blood work and was concerned about my levels being so high. I was surprised... I thought that the high levels were a good sign? I called her right back to see what was going on, and the nurse informed me that the doctor wanted to make sure that I didn't have a molar or ectopic pregnancy, or to see if in fact, I was carrying twins. Immediately after hanging up I burst into tears, so scared that this meant something bad was going to happen... that I was going to get bad news the next day at my appointment. I couldn't even sleep the night before. I was so anxious.

The next morning, bright and early, I, along with Darcey, went to my appointment. Jon had training that morning and I wasn't sure if he would make it in time. Jon texted me right as I got to the hospital and said he was on his way, and he arrived right before the ultrasound, and I was really happy and comforted by him being there. So, after a few minutes, the TV came on and I saw a little something. I thought, "Ok, well it doesn't just look like a blob of nothing... what? Heyyy, that looks like... like a BABY!" Luckily, there was a baby! Just one, but I was okay with that, and there was a little flutter on its chest! 

We were absolutely relieved and thrilled to see that our baby had a heartbeat... a strong heart rate of 175! We were even more excited when the Ultrasound Tech said "Oh, it's moving!" The baby was kicking its little feet, and wiggling its bottom back and forth. I could not believe what I was seeing, thinking, "All this is going on inside of me? HOW WEIRD!" ;) At this point, Jon and I decided that the baby looked like a little turtle, so Jon named him Franklin (after a cartoon turtle named Franklin) for the time being!

However, this is NOT what we will be naming our child! Haha.

My doctor's nurse called me with more information about the baby, saying everything looked really great. The baby measured to the day of how far along I was, and that the gestational sac was bigger than normal, but it wasn't something to worry about.

After the first ultrasound, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. Everything felt "right" and I didn't feel like I had to worry.

I continued on being sick for another week, and fortunately on my new medicine Phenergan, i wasn't nearly as sick as the week before. And THANK GOD, at 10 weeks my morning sickness almost fully disappeared! I actually was able to get myself ready, go eat at a restaurant with my hubby, go on a shopping trip (even though certain foods still make me gag so I must avoid certain aisles. Going to the baby section always makes me feel better though!)

Yesterday Jon and I went for my first appointment with my actual doctor's office. Jon made fun of the "paper-gown-outfit-that-really-isn't-a-gown-at-all" I had to wear (those of you who have Dr. Bergner and go to these types of appointments, you know probably know what I'm referring to) saying "Is that you John Wayne?" because of the "vest-like-thing." Doc said next time Jon gets to wear the vest, then I can make fun of him!

Anyway, here is the ultrasound picture from yesterday (11 weeks)

Baby's heart rate was 172, it measured right on point, and is now proportionate in size to the sac. The doctor said my body must have just made a bigger sac earlier on for some reason, and that is probably why I was so darn sick! Now that the worst is over, I don't mind as much that I had to go through it. I just got it out of the way sooner! ;) 

Also, as you can see, the baby no longer looks like a chubby and stubby little turtle, but more like a little monkey (especially in the bottom picture!) So, Jon decided that now its name would be George, after Curious George. Go figure! ;) (Again, this is not what we will be naming the baby!)

Right now, life is as perfect as it can get! We are so blessed for the chance to finally be expecting parents, and we are so happy that we have such great family and friends that are here for us throughout everything! I'll be sure to keep everyone updated as time goes on!

Love,

Kate