So, I think it would be fun to set up a play group that meets once a week and I am wondering who would like to join in for those who live close.
We could rotate where we have it and for now while it is cold maybe we could have people host it at their homes or other indoor places that would be fun like the Kangaroo Zoo, the tree house at the mall or the library for story time. Any ideas would be awesome!
When it is warm, it will be a lot easier because we can just meet at parks and have picnics or do group walks up Provo canyon. And maybe go on car pooling field trips to the zoo or to Deer Creek, etc. I just don't see my friends enough and thought this would be fun. ALSO, even if you aren't a mommy yet, you are invited! I would never want to exclude anyone and everyone is welcome!
I think it would be a great thing for everyone, especially mom's stuck at home, to have something to look forward each week and to make new or closer friends and to have the support of each other.
What do ya think everyone?
On a side note, I am really happy it is the last day of January! Has anyone else got the January blues? I think this funk hits me about this time every year! Getting anxious for summer already, up until this point I have really enjoyed the winter snow, but now I am longing for warm sunny days and flip flops!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Parenting Class #2
Boredom is your WORST ENEMY
Keep 'em busy, keep 'em happy!
In the second parenting class we went over lots of ways to keep your kids moving and having fun which couldn't have come at a better time with the long winter days that still lie ahead...
Keep 'em busy, keep 'em happy!
In the second parenting class we went over lots of ways to keep your kids moving and having fun which couldn't have come at a better time with the long winter days that still lie ahead...
Play Dough- definitely one of my favorite growing up! Here is a great recipe if you need one.
No-Fail Kool-Aid Play Dough
2 1/2 cups flour 3 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup salt 2 cups boiling water
2 pkgs unsweetened Kool-Aid (any color of your choice)
Mix dry ingredients. Put oil in the center of dry mixture. Rapidly stir in boiling water. It will be sticky at this stage. Set mixture until it is cool to touch. Knead well. It should be soft and smooth and not sticky.
Bubble Cup- this one is awesome! Let me see if I can explain and if it doesn't make sense, I can show you.
2 1/2 cups flour 3 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup salt 2 cups boiling water
2 pkgs unsweetened Kool-Aid (any color of your choice)
Mix dry ingredients. Put oil in the center of dry mixture. Rapidly stir in boiling water. It will be sticky at this stage. Set mixture until it is cool to touch. Knead well. It should be soft and smooth and not sticky.
Bubble Cup- this one is awesome! Let me see if I can explain and if it doesn't make sense, I can show you.
You need a Styrofoam cup, a bendy straw, Dawn Soap, an old t-shirt you can cut up into 4x4 squares (and dampen) and a rubber band.
Make a hole with the straw just under the rim of the cup. Place damp fabric over the top of the cup and wrap the rubber band around it. Then put soap on the fabric and blow threw straw up through the fabric. Lots and lots of bubbles without the mess!
Pom Poms- safe to throw in the house and use for lots of different activities!Make a hole with the straw just under the rim of the cup. Place damp fabric over the top of the cup and wrap the rubber band around it. Then put soap on the fabric and blow threw straw up through the fabric. Lots and lots of bubbles without the mess!
To make: Use any color yarn (one of two) and wrap long ways around a vhs tape. Pull off and wrap and tie in center. Cut either ends and you have your yarn pom pom!
Shadows on the Wall- hand puppetsBooks- Taking pictures of your kids and making them their own books using words for them to learn are just as good, if not better than other books you can buy!
Picture Puzzle- Take a 5x7 or 8x10 picture of their face and cut it into pieces to make a puzzle.
Lacing Cards/Wind Chimes/Frozen Water Balloons
Dress up/Pretend Play- pull out shirts, shoes, hats, jewelry, scarves, glasses, etc and dress up! You can also use scarves for different kinds of activities on their own.
Sock Puppets-great for teaching kids their body parts. Take a sock and glue eyes on and hair made of yard. Have the puppet kiss their knees, ears, toes, etc.
Treasure Box- Fill with rocks or anything that is special to them. (This could be one thing that they never have to share, they just can't bring it out into a group if they aren't going to share it.)
Greeting Cards- Take pictures of drawings, the kids or anything and make a post card!
Puppet Show Stage- Great way to encourage language, pretend play, etc. You can have puppets that are made of Popsicle sticks, paper bags, socks, dolls, etc.
Balloon Rocket- fishing line tied to either side of room with one side on a slant, straw through fishing line, tape untied balloon to straw and let go!
Flying Balloons- Play Keep-Up (in the air), kick around or just blow up and let go!
Finger Painting- You can use different foods that are fun to taste, but don't stain, such as yogurt, whip cream, pudding, etc. Remember, it is OK to be messy!!!
Thumb Print People/Bean & Rice Box Songs/Finger Plays- Songs like The Itsy Bitsy Spider and Popcorn Popping Stop and Go Game- (Use hand hold with pinky in place.) Stop with a stomp. Great to teach kids to walk next to you and to practice at a curb to watch for cars. "Walk with me."
Musical Instruments- Pots and pans with spoons and whisks! Oatmeal boxes. Jars or cups with different levels of water for kids that know how to be soft, spoons make different sounds.
Seeds- Plant some seeds and watch them sprout! Lima beans in a wet napkin grow too!
Magnifying Glass- Keep as a special exploring toy, if you leave toys out, they will get bored of them. Also looking at body parts or books with it can be fun too.
Blanket Play- swing them in it, drag them, etc. Make forts/huts too! Boxes are great for this as well.
Past Art Work/Jewelry- color pasta with food coloring and glue to paper or put on sting.
Lacing Cards/Wind Chimes/Frozen Water Balloons
Dress up/Pretend Play- pull out shirts, shoes, hats, jewelry, scarves, glasses, etc and dress up! You can also use scarves for different kinds of activities on their own.
Sock Puppets-great for teaching kids their body parts. Take a sock and glue eyes on and hair made of yard. Have the puppet kiss their knees, ears, toes, etc.
Treasure Box- Fill with rocks or anything that is special to them. (This could be one thing that they never have to share, they just can't bring it out into a group if they aren't going to share it.)
Greeting Cards- Take pictures of drawings, the kids or anything and make a post card!
Puppet Show Stage- Great way to encourage language, pretend play, etc. You can have puppets that are made of Popsicle sticks, paper bags, socks, dolls, etc.
Balloon Rocket- fishing line tied to either side of room with one side on a slant, straw through fishing line, tape untied balloon to straw and let go!
Flying Balloons- Play Keep-Up (in the air), kick around or just blow up and let go!
Finger Painting- You can use different foods that are fun to taste, but don't stain, such as yogurt, whip cream, pudding, etc. Remember, it is OK to be messy!!!
Thumb Print People/Bean & Rice Box Songs/Finger Plays- Songs like The Itsy Bitsy Spider and Popcorn Popping Stop and Go Game- (Use hand hold with pinky in place.) Stop with a stomp. Great to teach kids to walk next to you and to practice at a curb to watch for cars. "Walk with me."
Musical Instruments- Pots and pans with spoons and whisks! Oatmeal boxes. Jars or cups with different levels of water for kids that know how to be soft, spoons make different sounds.
Seeds- Plant some seeds and watch them sprout! Lima beans in a wet napkin grow too!
Magnifying Glass- Keep as a special exploring toy, if you leave toys out, they will get bored of them. Also looking at body parts or books with it can be fun too.
Blanket Play- swing them in it, drag them, etc. Make forts/huts too! Boxes are great for this as well.
Past Art Work/Jewelry- color pasta with food coloring and glue to paper or put on sting.
Dinosaur Bread- Use Rhodes Rolls and cut out stencils for different shapes!
Binoculars- Make them by duct taping two toilet paper rolls together, tie string and decorate. A paper towel roll could be used as a telescope.
Binoculars- Make them by duct taping two toilet paper rolls together, tie string and decorate. A paper towel roll could be used as a telescope.
Play catch with milk jugs- cut in half and using top half hold handle and catch pom poms or balls. Tape Record Household Noises- record phone, doorbell, toilet, dogs, water, etc. and guess what they are. You can also take pics as well and make a bingo game out of it.
Make Cheerio/Fruit Loop Necklaces
Flashlight Play
Body Cutouts on paper/outline with chalk
Sponge toss- throw through hole
Squeeze/Stress Balls- Fill small balloons with flour. Double up the balloon (roll up one and place inside the other) and funnel flour in.
Summer Time:
Fill the bucket- steady cup and pour water into bucket
Bug Hunts- take magnifying glass and search for bugs
Notes:
*Kids need a beginning, a middle and an end to everything.
*Put toys up or away or they will just get bored when they see them all the time.
*Special fun box and blanket: teaches them to play on their own and shows there is a limit. Use the same blanket each time and only for this. Have a special box with sorted bags of activities like coloring, easy puzzles, etc that they can do on their own. Don't bring it out any other time except for the specific time. You can use it when you need to be on the phone, as a breastfeeding box or cleaning time, etc. Set a timer for short amounts at first and make sure you are the one ending it and clean it up together.
*When reading books, have your child to sit in front of you, facing each other. You can get up on your knees to encourage them to sit on their own.
Make Cheerio/Fruit Loop Necklaces
Flashlight Play
Body Cutouts on paper/outline with chalk
Sponge toss- throw through hole
Squeeze/Stress Balls- Fill small balloons with flour. Double up the balloon (roll up one and place inside the other) and funnel flour in.
Summer Time:
Fill the bucket- steady cup and pour water into bucket
Bug Hunts- take magnifying glass and search for bugs
Notes:
*Kids need a beginning, a middle and an end to everything.
*Put toys up or away or they will just get bored when they see them all the time.
*Special fun box and blanket: teaches them to play on their own and shows there is a limit. Use the same blanket each time and only for this. Have a special box with sorted bags of activities like coloring, easy puzzles, etc that they can do on their own. Don't bring it out any other time except for the specific time. You can use it when you need to be on the phone, as a breastfeeding box or cleaning time, etc. Set a timer for short amounts at first and make sure you are the one ending it and clean it up together.
*When reading books, have your child to sit in front of you, facing each other. You can get up on your knees to encourage them to sit on their own.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Watercoloring Cohen
I have had a hard time keeping Cohen busy lately, since we can't go outside because it's an enormous freezer right now. He doesn't care much for coloring with crayons, but we discovered that he really LOVES to paint! He concentrates hard on repeatedly dipping his brush into the water and paint and back and forth it goes. Occasionally he actually places the paint on the paper!
Obviously I helped him with the one above, but here is one he did today all on his own!I think it's adorable!
We recently were finally able to start taking Cohen to Nursery at church and he ran out with this to show me on his first day. This little scribbley, wrinkled paper means so much to Scott and I. It is the first little art project of many to come from our little "joy baby".
Monday, January 19, 2009
Double Lines, It's positive!
I am not sure why I wrote this backwards! I suggest starting at the bottom and working up in order. :)
March 20th
Our first doctors appointment went great! We heard the baby's heartbeat, although it took her a minute to find it because the baby was hiding. It is so comforting hearing that "woosh woosh" sound. :)
The appointment went right through Cohen's nap and we waited a really long time to see Dr. Jones because he got called to the ER when we first got there. Cohen had a hard time, but we did our best to entertain him the hour and a half we were there. The plane ride to Boston should be so much fun... 6+ hours with Cohen wiggling and screaming on my lap. Lucky passengers! It will be better than 4 days in the car though.
Anyway, Dr. Jones said we should wait until 20 weeks to do our ultrasound because not everything is developed before then that they need to check, so we will have to wait until we get to Boston. He also said to head back around 35 weeks so I will be leaving about a week before Scott heads home. I can also stop taking the Prometrium, I have few pills left so I will just finish those and my progesterone should be good.
Scott and I feel so excited to be having another baby! I keep waiting for it to feel real, but it still doesn't. I am so excited to find out whether this baby is a boy or a girl, it makes me even more anxious to get to Boston now!
March 18th
I am so excited to be 12 weeks (and a few days) and in my second trimester!!! Woo hoo!
I am starting to get more energy back and I don't think the nausea has been as bad. I feel pretty good in the mornings and as long as I don't push myself I feel ok at night, well enough to eat dinner.
I had lost a few pounds and now feel bloated and huge by the end of the day.
We have told all of our family now. Scott was in California most of last week for a preseason sales trip for APX, which made for a long, tiring week, but he was able to see his family and have dinner with them and tell them all our exciting news! I told my dad today and Scott had told Michelle when he got back from Cali.
The next couple months will be so exciting! Feeling the baby move again, getting prepared and moving to Boston and finding out what the baby is!!! I look forward to it all! :)
March 12th
I am getting anxious to let the word out to the world about our little "secret"! In the mornings I can hide the bump fine, but once I eat a big meal or as the day goes on, I feel huge! I think I was probably this size at 16 weeks with Cohen. The baby is growing a lot this week, an entire inch, totaling 2 and a half inches head to bum! The baby is getting big! I am looking forward to hearing the heartbeat again at our appointment in a week and a half. At that point I will be in the second trimester and I think I will feel more comfortable about being open about this pregnancy.
March 9th
I feel so happy every time I think about my little baby. I am finally allowing myself to enjoy the thoughts of whether this baby is a boy or a girl and all the details that come along with planning for it!
I had a strong feeling that Cohen was a boy and felt completely sure we would have another boy after him. But now I am unsure and wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be a little girl! I honestly want both 50/50, I would love to have another little boy! I also don't know how many more kids we will be able to have or even try for and I would love to have a daughter. Out of the people that already know, most are guessing a girl, but we will have to wait and see!
I have already noticed some differences with this pregnancy compared to Cohen's, but every pregnancy can be different. I have had a lot more sickness which started earlier, but I have been on a different form of progesterone which could be causing stronger nausea. I already feel like my uterus is higher, Cohen was SO LOW and at this point my pants hurt to button. I can still button them fine, it is just a little uncomfortable to sit so I am wearing my wonderfully comfortable maternity pants! Love them! Also, my bra bothers me so much! The pressure it puts on my esophagus makes me sick! I use a rubber band to make it wider or don't button it at all. I am excited to see what else is different as time goes on. I really enjoyed my pregnancy with Cohen, but have had a hard time enjoying this one. Hopefully that changes once I feel better and start sleeping a little better! Good luck to me!
March 6th
What an awesome day!!! RELIEF!
I didn't only get to see our baby on the ultrasound with a strong heartbeat as it waved its arms and moved its legs and arched its back, but I found out I am almost week ahead of what I thought I was! I will be 11 weeks on Sunday! How great is that to be able to skip a week ahead! The sooner I get out of the first trimester, the better!
The heart beat was at about 162 bpm. It was awesome to hear and to see a healthy (adorable!) little baby, but it all seems so surreal! I still don't believe it. I think I have been trying to stay detached from the outcome for so long now that it just doesn't seem like it is happening. We got great news, now I can breath easy (even though I still am not) and move forward with the exciting plans of having a baby, due September 27th!
Looks like I will be coming back from Boston early! I was planning on doing this anyway, but where I had Cohen almost 3 weeks early, it is cutting it close! I will have to see what my doctor recommends. My first doctors appointment is on the 20th!
(I asked the ultrasound tech whether or not I may be able to feel the baby move by now because I thought I did yesterday and she said it depends on who you ask, but she think you can at 10-11 weeks. I am sure it was my baby last night fluttering around!)
March 5th
So, I was sitting still while on the computer tonight and I started thinking about the baby and what I thought the outcome of tomorrow might be and that is when I felt this flutter vibration for about 5 second, I think it was the baby! It would be so early to feel the baby move, but it helped me to feel hopeful and excited about the ultrasound in the morning...
March 3rd
Trucking along... counting down each day!
Mornings and afternoons have been going pretty well! Unfortunately around 4-5 pm the nausea, excess saliva, nasty taste in my mouth, etc all return and make it hard to eat dinner and go to sleep at night. I haven't been falling asleep until midnight or 1 in the morning and Cohen wakes up around 7:30. I am also waking up once or twice to go to the bathroom. Oh, sweet sweet pregnancy... and fatigue. :) I do feel thankful though.
March 2nd
Scott and I were cuddling on the couch tonight and fear set in when we started talking about the ultrasound coming up in a few days.
I feel sick and irritable and my stomach is huge most of the time from indigestion and I am soooo tired. This is all real, but the well being of our baby is unknown to me.
I am afraid of getting to the ultrasound and once again not seeing what should be there...
Is there really a healthy baby growing inside me?
It should be over an inch long with fingers and toes and facial features that are becoming more distinct everyday. Its rapidly beating heart should have divided into four separate chambers...
I feel like everything is going good, but the fear of the past is hard to leave behind... what if there is nothing there?
March 1st
So, March has been a lot better than February was already! I got out and took a walk in the nice warm weather and it really lifted my mood and helped with all the indigestion and bloating which I think also helped a bit with the nausea. I hope March just keeps getting better!
Only 4 days until the ultrasound and 7 weeks until we are leaving for Boston! Crazy crazy!
February 27th
I am happy February is almost over!
I am especially happy to say I am still pregnant!
I am excited for next week, I have an ultrasound scheduled for Friday and am really feeling anxious to see our baby and to hear its heart beat and to fully realized this is real and worth what I have been going through!
It isn't just a dream where I have had the flu for almost a month straight, where I am really irritable and tired and my belly is swollen and majorly BLOATED and have a weird metallic taste in my mouth that makes me nauseous. Where my skin is a wreck and food is the enemy and a chore to take on. Where I have a hard time falling asleep because I feel so sick and once I finally do I wake up because I need to pee!
Nope... far to specific to be a dream!
February 15th
I had midnight sickness a few days ago.... it was so completely horrid. I hate hugging our toilet.
That isn't the only reason I hate our toilet.
If I am drinking enough water, which has been harder to do lately, then I am going pee about every 20 minutes! I have gone through a ton of toilet paper!
I hate to sound like I am complaining because I am so thankful things seem to be going well! But complaining is sometimes the only thing that helps, so I do it. Scott is looking forward to the second trimester...
February 11th
Dang, the morning sickness was bad today! I am excited to move past the first trimester and to start feeling better. Almost 7 weeks... possibly 9 more to go? It was around 15-16 weeks that I felt better with Cohen. AND around 16 weeks we will be moving to BOSTON! We just made this decision in the last couple days to go out with APX and we are really excited! We have a lot of details to figure out before we go. We will be leaving around the 20th of April! I am excited and nervous!
February 8th
It has been a very long week filled with waves of nausea, but no hanging over the toilet, but feeling like it, but holding it in and fighting it down at all costs!
I have moments where I feel completely fine and am thankful for those times that give me the strength to feel like I can get through this. I have told myself more than once, if I can get through 5 miscarriages, I can get through morning sickness! I am having a hard time hiding it from people I am around, hopefully everyone doesn't already assume by the time we feel comfortable telling people.
I am 6 weeks now. I don't know if I will do a blood test to check my hCG this week. I want to, but really need to save money if possible. I will just see if I can wait another week first.
February 1st
WOW! February hit me like a ton of bricks.
My stomach has felt unsettled the last day or two, but I thought it was all the worrying I have been doing. But now I either have the stomach flu or severe morning sickness has already kicked in.
And I don't think it's the flu.
I didn't get sick like this with Cohen. I felt nauseous and threw up twice, but that didn't start until 8 weeks or so. I started the morning early with throwing up and have been hugging the white thrown almost the entire time since.
Be careful what you ask for... this definitely preoccupies my thoughts.
Going into this pregnancy, severe morning sickness was the last thing on my mind. It has now made itself front and center!
January 31st
This morning I woke up and just had a really unsettled feeling. I couldn't stop thinking and worrying so I decided to go in for another blood test.
(It isn't going to be fun getting all of these bills! But the comfort it brings makes it easier on me and prevents me from worrying myself sick.)
I checked my hCG and progesterone again.
My hCG is at 8,009! My progesterone looks ok at 22.
I can breath now, but had a hard day thinking the worst.
5 weeks now...
I am happy January is done! Now I just need to get through February and go from there.
The hormones have been crazy and I have felt so irritable! Poor Scott! He has been letting me sleep in most mornings to catch some extra Zzz's which has helped me a lot! It has been nice to have him around most of the time. Hard at times too with how moody I am! :)
January 26th
The numbers looked great! 952!
(I am now sporting a HUGE bruise on my right arm from them taking my blood, gonna have to keep that one covered!)
January 25th
Tomorrow I am going to go get another blood test to check my hCG levels again and see where they are at. Since I am already on Prometrium, they said I don't need to check my progesterone anymore. So now I think I will just do a weekly hCG check and go from there.
January 23rd
I took a second pregnancy test today. A darker double line appeared this time. :)
A week or so ago, Scott told me how worried he was about how much I had been sleeping. Once we knew we were pregnant, it made sense! I have been really really tired. With how many times I have been pregnant, it still surprises me with how much things change in your body the second you conceive.
I have been praying a lot for strength, that I may be able handle the outcome if we don't have this baby. And if we are blessed with this baby, then I have been praying for comfort and peace of mind so I don't worry myself sick in the mean time. I better get back to my day of trying to completely focus on my beautiful boy and keeping him busy and happy!
I am finally 4 weeks!
January 21st
PART 1: I feel like I have so much to be thankful for in my life. I have been so blessed so I feel a little unsure about sitting here hoping for a miracle. I have already received one miracle, but I am hoping it can happen again. I am going to go get the blood test in a couple hours and then won't know anything for another couple after that. We just need to jump this hurdle and move on to the next. Butterflies fill my stomach... it is so hard not to think about everything. What could be. What may happen instead... I don't know how to feel or what to think. The best thing to do right now is just NOT THINK.
Continue to take prenatal, take thyroid homeopathic, take digestive enzymes, take prometrium, take omega-3s. Eat healthy, sleep well, pray hard, drink lots of water, pee often, distract myself by rambling on my blog, rest, take good care of Cohen, dogs and husband, clean house, grocery shop, watch tv or anything that is entertaining or distracting,
but DON'T THINK.
January 20th
I got my blood test results back this morning...
My hCG was 28. I am still not even late, so the numbers show how early it is.
My progesterone was cause for concern though. It needs to be above 20 and it was 17.
I switched from the progesterone cream to the oral pills. I wasn't suppose to take it until bedtime, but got eager to get it through my body so I took it at about 7pm. Bad choice. I felt really dizzy and light headed and thought I would pass out, but after about an hour or so it passed. I think I will wait until bed from now on.
I am thankful I feel like I am doing what I can and that I had a feeling to take a test so early because even though I have been told it is probably not my progesterone (by my ob, since my miscarriages have been so early), clearly it is low right now and we are getting a jump on it. Every week from here on out I requested to have my progesterone checked. We don't think our insurance will cover it, but it will give me comfort and more insight than we have had. Scott is wonderfully supportive in whatever tests I do or do not want to do.
Tomorrow I will do a follow up blood test to check the hCG levels. They need to double every 48 hours. Baby steps... or hopefully there will be...
January 19th
A couple nights ago I awoke from a dream where Scott and I realized HE was about 6 months pregnant. We could feel the baby moving inside and he was really freaked out and embarrassed. He asked me not to tell anyone and I proceeded to tell him how he would need a c-section because he would not be able to deliver naturally. WEIRD!
March 20th
Our first doctors appointment went great! We heard the baby's heartbeat, although it took her a minute to find it because the baby was hiding. It is so comforting hearing that "woosh woosh" sound. :)
The appointment went right through Cohen's nap and we waited a really long time to see Dr. Jones because he got called to the ER when we first got there. Cohen had a hard time, but we did our best to entertain him the hour and a half we were there. The plane ride to Boston should be so much fun... 6+ hours with Cohen wiggling and screaming on my lap. Lucky passengers! It will be better than 4 days in the car though.
Anyway, Dr. Jones said we should wait until 20 weeks to do our ultrasound because not everything is developed before then that they need to check, so we will have to wait until we get to Boston. He also said to head back around 35 weeks so I will be leaving about a week before Scott heads home. I can also stop taking the Prometrium, I have few pills left so I will just finish those and my progesterone should be good.
Scott and I feel so excited to be having another baby! I keep waiting for it to feel real, but it still doesn't. I am so excited to find out whether this baby is a boy or a girl, it makes me even more anxious to get to Boston now!
March 18th
I am so excited to be 12 weeks (and a few days) and in my second trimester!!! Woo hoo!
I am starting to get more energy back and I don't think the nausea has been as bad. I feel pretty good in the mornings and as long as I don't push myself I feel ok at night, well enough to eat dinner.
I had lost a few pounds and now feel bloated and huge by the end of the day.
We have told all of our family now. Scott was in California most of last week for a preseason sales trip for APX, which made for a long, tiring week, but he was able to see his family and have dinner with them and tell them all our exciting news! I told my dad today and Scott had told Michelle when he got back from Cali.
The next couple months will be so exciting! Feeling the baby move again, getting prepared and moving to Boston and finding out what the baby is!!! I look forward to it all! :)
March 12th
I am getting anxious to let the word out to the world about our little "secret"! In the mornings I can hide the bump fine, but once I eat a big meal or as the day goes on, I feel huge! I think I was probably this size at 16 weeks with Cohen. The baby is growing a lot this week, an entire inch, totaling 2 and a half inches head to bum! The baby is getting big! I am looking forward to hearing the heartbeat again at our appointment in a week and a half. At that point I will be in the second trimester and I think I will feel more comfortable about being open about this pregnancy.
March 9th
I feel so happy every time I think about my little baby. I am finally allowing myself to enjoy the thoughts of whether this baby is a boy or a girl and all the details that come along with planning for it!
I had a strong feeling that Cohen was a boy and felt completely sure we would have another boy after him. But now I am unsure and wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be a little girl! I honestly want both 50/50, I would love to have another little boy! I also don't know how many more kids we will be able to have or even try for and I would love to have a daughter. Out of the people that already know, most are guessing a girl, but we will have to wait and see!
I have already noticed some differences with this pregnancy compared to Cohen's, but every pregnancy can be different. I have had a lot more sickness which started earlier, but I have been on a different form of progesterone which could be causing stronger nausea. I already feel like my uterus is higher, Cohen was SO LOW and at this point my pants hurt to button. I can still button them fine, it is just a little uncomfortable to sit so I am wearing my wonderfully comfortable maternity pants! Love them! Also, my bra bothers me so much! The pressure it puts on my esophagus makes me sick! I use a rubber band to make it wider or don't button it at all. I am excited to see what else is different as time goes on. I really enjoyed my pregnancy with Cohen, but have had a hard time enjoying this one. Hopefully that changes once I feel better and start sleeping a little better! Good luck to me!
March 6th
What an awesome day!!! RELIEF!
I didn't only get to see our baby on the ultrasound with a strong heartbeat as it waved its arms and moved its legs and arched its back, but I found out I am almost week ahead of what I thought I was! I will be 11 weeks on Sunday! How great is that to be able to skip a week ahead! The sooner I get out of the first trimester, the better!
The heart beat was at about 162 bpm. It was awesome to hear and to see a healthy (adorable!) little baby, but it all seems so surreal! I still don't believe it. I think I have been trying to stay detached from the outcome for so long now that it just doesn't seem like it is happening. We got great news, now I can breath easy (even though I still am not) and move forward with the exciting plans of having a baby, due September 27th!
Looks like I will be coming back from Boston early! I was planning on doing this anyway, but where I had Cohen almost 3 weeks early, it is cutting it close! I will have to see what my doctor recommends. My first doctors appointment is on the 20th!
(I asked the ultrasound tech whether or not I may be able to feel the baby move by now because I thought I did yesterday and she said it depends on who you ask, but she think you can at 10-11 weeks. I am sure it was my baby last night fluttering around!)
March 5th
So, I was sitting still while on the computer tonight and I started thinking about the baby and what I thought the outcome of tomorrow might be and that is when I felt this flutter vibration for about 5 second, I think it was the baby! It would be so early to feel the baby move, but it helped me to feel hopeful and excited about the ultrasound in the morning...
March 3rd
Trucking along... counting down each day!
Mornings and afternoons have been going pretty well! Unfortunately around 4-5 pm the nausea, excess saliva, nasty taste in my mouth, etc all return and make it hard to eat dinner and go to sleep at night. I haven't been falling asleep until midnight or 1 in the morning and Cohen wakes up around 7:30. I am also waking up once or twice to go to the bathroom. Oh, sweet sweet pregnancy... and fatigue. :) I do feel thankful though.
March 2nd
Scott and I were cuddling on the couch tonight and fear set in when we started talking about the ultrasound coming up in a few days.
I feel sick and irritable and my stomach is huge most of the time from indigestion and I am soooo tired. This is all real, but the well being of our baby is unknown to me.
I am afraid of getting to the ultrasound and once again not seeing what should be there...
Is there really a healthy baby growing inside me?
It should be over an inch long with fingers and toes and facial features that are becoming more distinct everyday. Its rapidly beating heart should have divided into four separate chambers...
I feel like everything is going good, but the fear of the past is hard to leave behind... what if there is nothing there?
March 1st
So, March has been a lot better than February was already! I got out and took a walk in the nice warm weather and it really lifted my mood and helped with all the indigestion and bloating which I think also helped a bit with the nausea. I hope March just keeps getting better!
Only 4 days until the ultrasound and 7 weeks until we are leaving for Boston! Crazy crazy!
February 27th
I am happy February is almost over!
I am especially happy to say I am still pregnant!
(Scott has been really busy with work all month which has been a blessing, but also hard with how sick I have been. I have needed him a lot when he couldn't be there. Our ward is going to help us out by bringing a couple dinners this next week which will be nice since smells bother me so much that I can't smell something before I eat it. I don't think I have cooked a single dinner all month!)
I am about 9 weeks now and we have passed all the marks of my previous 5 miscarriages! (Whew!!!)I am excited for next week, I have an ultrasound scheduled for Friday and am really feeling anxious to see our baby and to hear its heart beat and to fully realized this is real and worth what I have been going through!
It isn't just a dream where I have had the flu for almost a month straight, where I am really irritable and tired and my belly is swollen and majorly BLOATED and have a weird metallic taste in my mouth that makes me nauseous. Where my skin is a wreck and food is the enemy and a chore to take on. Where I have a hard time falling asleep because I feel so sick and once I finally do I wake up because I need to pee!
Nope... far to specific to be a dream!
February 15th
I had midnight sickness a few days ago.... it was so completely horrid. I hate hugging our toilet.
That isn't the only reason I hate our toilet.
If I am drinking enough water, which has been harder to do lately, then I am going pee about every 20 minutes! I have gone through a ton of toilet paper!
I hate to sound like I am complaining because I am so thankful things seem to be going well! But complaining is sometimes the only thing that helps, so I do it. Scott is looking forward to the second trimester...
February 11th
Dang, the morning sickness was bad today! I am excited to move past the first trimester and to start feeling better. Almost 7 weeks... possibly 9 more to go? It was around 15-16 weeks that I felt better with Cohen. AND around 16 weeks we will be moving to BOSTON! We just made this decision in the last couple days to go out with APX and we are really excited! We have a lot of details to figure out before we go. We will be leaving around the 20th of April! I am excited and nervous!
February 8th
It has been a very long week filled with waves of nausea, but no hanging over the toilet, but feeling like it, but holding it in and fighting it down at all costs!
I have moments where I feel completely fine and am thankful for those times that give me the strength to feel like I can get through this. I have told myself more than once, if I can get through 5 miscarriages, I can get through morning sickness! I am having a hard time hiding it from people I am around, hopefully everyone doesn't already assume by the time we feel comfortable telling people.
I am 6 weeks now. I don't know if I will do a blood test to check my hCG this week. I want to, but really need to save money if possible. I will just see if I can wait another week first.
February 1st
WOW! February hit me like a ton of bricks.
My stomach has felt unsettled the last day or two, but I thought it was all the worrying I have been doing. But now I either have the stomach flu or severe morning sickness has already kicked in.
And I don't think it's the flu.
I didn't get sick like this with Cohen. I felt nauseous and threw up twice, but that didn't start until 8 weeks or so. I started the morning early with throwing up and have been hugging the white thrown almost the entire time since.
Be careful what you ask for... this definitely preoccupies my thoughts.
Going into this pregnancy, severe morning sickness was the last thing on my mind. It has now made itself front and center!
January 31st
This morning I woke up and just had a really unsettled feeling. I couldn't stop thinking and worrying so I decided to go in for another blood test.
(It isn't going to be fun getting all of these bills! But the comfort it brings makes it easier on me and prevents me from worrying myself sick.)
I checked my hCG and progesterone again.
My hCG is at 8,009! My progesterone looks ok at 22.
I can breath now, but had a hard day thinking the worst.
5 weeks now...
I am happy January is done! Now I just need to get through February and go from there.
The hormones have been crazy and I have felt so irritable! Poor Scott! He has been letting me sleep in most mornings to catch some extra Zzz's which has helped me a lot! It has been nice to have him around most of the time. Hard at times too with how moody I am! :)
January 26thThe numbers looked great! 952!
(I am now sporting a HUGE bruise on my right arm from them taking my blood, gonna have to keep that one covered!)
January 25th
Tomorrow I am going to go get another blood test to check my hCG levels again and see where they are at. Since I am already on Prometrium, they said I don't need to check my progesterone anymore. So now I think I will just do a weekly hCG check and go from there.
January 23rd
I took a second pregnancy test today. A darker double line appeared this time. :)
A week or so ago, Scott told me how worried he was about how much I had been sleeping. Once we knew we were pregnant, it made sense! I have been really really tired. With how many times I have been pregnant, it still surprises me with how much things change in your body the second you conceive.
I have been praying a lot for strength, that I may be able handle the outcome if we don't have this baby. And if we are blessed with this baby, then I have been praying for comfort and peace of mind so I don't worry myself sick in the mean time. I better get back to my day of trying to completely focus on my beautiful boy and keeping him busy and happy!
I am finally 4 weeks!
January 21st
PART 1: I feel like I have so much to be thankful for in my life. I have been so blessed so I feel a little unsure about sitting here hoping for a miracle. I have already received one miracle, but I am hoping it can happen again. I am going to go get the blood test in a couple hours and then won't know anything for another couple after that. We just need to jump this hurdle and move on to the next. Butterflies fill my stomach... it is so hard not to think about everything. What could be. What may happen instead... I don't know how to feel or what to think. The best thing to do right now is just NOT THINK.
Continue to take prenatal, take thyroid homeopathic, take digestive enzymes, take prometrium, take omega-3s. Eat healthy, sleep well, pray hard, drink lots of water, pee often, distract myself by rambling on my blog, rest, take good care of Cohen, dogs and husband, clean house, grocery shop, watch tv or anything that is entertaining or distracting,
but DON'T THINK.
PART 2: One hurdle down! Numbers looked good. HCG went from 28 to 112. One step forward.
January 20th
I got my blood test results back this morning...
My hCG was 28. I am still not even late, so the numbers show how early it is.
My progesterone was cause for concern though. It needs to be above 20 and it was 17.
I switched from the progesterone cream to the oral pills. I wasn't suppose to take it until bedtime, but got eager to get it through my body so I took it at about 7pm. Bad choice. I felt really dizzy and light headed and thought I would pass out, but after about an hour or so it passed. I think I will wait until bed from now on.
I am thankful I feel like I am doing what I can and that I had a feeling to take a test so early because even though I have been told it is probably not my progesterone (by my ob, since my miscarriages have been so early), clearly it is low right now and we are getting a jump on it. Every week from here on out I requested to have my progesterone checked. We don't think our insurance will cover it, but it will give me comfort and more insight than we have had. Scott is wonderfully supportive in whatever tests I do or do not want to do.
Tomorrow I will do a follow up blood test to check the hCG levels. They need to double every 48 hours. Baby steps... or hopefully there will be...
January 19th
A couple nights ago I awoke from a dream where Scott and I realized HE was about 6 months pregnant. We could feel the baby moving inside and he was really freaked out and embarrassed. He asked me not to tell anyone and I proceeded to tell him how he would need a c-section because he would not be able to deliver naturally. WEIRD!
Strange dreams are commonly associated with being pregnant. I am still five days away from D-Day, but for the last week I have felt that, dare I say it? That I am pregnant. I took a test this afternoon and low and behold that (extremely faint) early positive line appeared.
Let the blood tests begin! And hopefully, the anxiety of it all won't get the best of me...
Let the blood tests begin! And hopefully, the anxiety of it all won't get the best of me...
Sunday, January 18, 2009
KOTM Parenting Class
We have started taking a three week parenting class through Marsha at Kids On The Move. I have found it extremely helpful and wanted to write down all of the notes from the first class so I can't misplace them. Some of this won't make sense so if anyone has any questions, let me know. Otherwise, this is more for my own records. I will add the rest of my notes as we complete the classes.
Favorite Words: "My Job." "You NEED to Listen." "Excuse Me." "All Done."
(Tone and expression are very important "No..." Straight forward. Not angry or sweet. Keep emotion out of it.)
3x5 List:
*What do you want? Not what you DON'T want. (Children do know what they want. Know what YOU want.) "I want him to sit down." Not-"I don't want him to stand in his chair." Think positives.
*Blocking - Block from front, they agree by backing up. Pull down rather than pushing, they resist.
*Two-Time Rule - Third time, help him do what you ask. They need to touch the object. Take their hand and help them to do it, sit down, lie down, walk, etc on their own so they consent to the choice. (If they are throwing a tantrum on the ground and go limp, make it not so comfortable for them on the ground by placing your foot under them and nudging. They may be more willing to stand up and make the choice on their own.)
*When a child is not listening - no eye contact, no talk (babble), no touch.
*Child Has to AGREE - place hand in yours (High 5) "O.K."
*Respond to the FIRST positive communication. (Or screaming WILL follow.)
*Use the TIMER to make time tangible. The timer is for something good, not a punishment. (Children are very literal. Timing keeps us honest.)
*If you don't want the answer to be "NO," Don't Ask! (Example: "Will you go brush your teeth?" Say, "We need to go brush your teeth.")
*When kids are fighting over a toy, don't become part of the fight. Say, "Let Go." (show no emotion) placing your hand on the toy and letting their hands be the last to touch it. Encourage children to take turns passing the toy back and forth to encourage sharing.
*Use child's name in a positive way. Use noises/words such as "Hey" "Shhht" etc instead of over using their name or they will just end up ignoring when you do say their name.
*If a child ignores you, answer for them. ("Do you want ___?" No answer. "No, ok." If you answered wrong they will let you know and it will teach them to answer for themselves.)
*Get the child into neutral or "yes mode". Give them options and choices for themselves to get them into the mode of saying yes.
*80% positive 20% corrective (teaching)
*If they can't do this WHAT CAN THEY DO? (We can't go outside right now, but we can do a puzzle!)
*If you take something away, REPLACE IT with something else.
*Don't let what they are doing work! (Whining, tantrum, hitting, etc.)
*Empower: You CAN have this, you CAN and that. Instead of "Do You Want...?" (Let them make choices, but narrow it down first to what applies. They can make a choice, verses a decision.)
*Children do NOT like being ACTED UPON. (Example: holding them down to wipe their face or forcing them to eat something.) Say "We NEED to go change you diaper. You're stinky!" Encourage them to make the choice to lay down. Yes mode, Two-time Rule, etc. Have a special toy or song for changing time, etc.
*Consistency is the KEY!
*Preventing is A LOT easier than fixing!
1 Rule: A child is not allowed to hurt themselves, others or destroy things.
~Routine with bedtime is a MUST! No negotiation!
~It's all about RESPECT. Respecting our children and in turn, them respecting us.
~We can not assume they can do anything differently.
~Empower children, (but don't give them the power.)
~If you aren't going to follow threw, don't bother saying it.
~Don't say, "Give it to me!" Because they might "give it to you." (punch)
~It is the way we Present, Respond and/or React. (We want to respond, not react.)
~If you respect their NO, they will respect your No.
~Don't ask them to do something from across the room, like "Come get your diaper changed." Go up to them and get their attention.
~If you are asking them not to do something, (example: don't climb on top of the table) don't make it fun getting down or stopping the behavior.
~Children don't want to be in control, it is too much work.
1. Know what you want.
2. Get them into Yes Mode.
3. First this, then that.
More Notes: Throwing food- have a place for him to put the food he doesn't want.
Diaper changing- set up all the supplies and do it the same each time. Have him come lay down and have a special toy that will keep him busy.
Don't coddle or pamper behavior that we don't want to support. (Example: When Cohen sees me and starts crying, don't comfort him, try to distract him instead and encourage him to focus on something else.)
We WANT COHEN TO FEEL SUCCESS!
Favorite Words: "My Job." "You NEED to Listen." "Excuse Me." "All Done."
(Tone and expression are very important "No..." Straight forward. Not angry or sweet. Keep emotion out of it.)
3x5 List:
*What do you want? Not what you DON'T want. (Children do know what they want. Know what YOU want.) "I want him to sit down." Not-"I don't want him to stand in his chair." Think positives.
*Blocking - Block from front, they agree by backing up. Pull down rather than pushing, they resist.
*Two-Time Rule - Third time, help him do what you ask. They need to touch the object. Take their hand and help them to do it, sit down, lie down, walk, etc on their own so they consent to the choice. (If they are throwing a tantrum on the ground and go limp, make it not so comfortable for them on the ground by placing your foot under them and nudging. They may be more willing to stand up and make the choice on their own.)
*When a child is not listening - no eye contact, no talk (babble), no touch.
*Child Has to AGREE - place hand in yours (High 5) "O.K."
*Respond to the FIRST positive communication. (Or screaming WILL follow.)
*Use the TIMER to make time tangible. The timer is for something good, not a punishment. (Children are very literal. Timing keeps us honest.)
*If you don't want the answer to be "NO," Don't Ask! (Example: "Will you go brush your teeth?" Say, "We need to go brush your teeth.")
*When kids are fighting over a toy, don't become part of the fight. Say, "Let Go." (show no emotion) placing your hand on the toy and letting their hands be the last to touch it. Encourage children to take turns passing the toy back and forth to encourage sharing.
*Use child's name in a positive way. Use noises/words such as "Hey" "Shhht" etc instead of over using their name or they will just end up ignoring when you do say their name.
*If a child ignores you, answer for them. ("Do you want ___?" No answer. "No, ok." If you answered wrong they will let you know and it will teach them to answer for themselves.)
*Get the child into neutral or "yes mode". Give them options and choices for themselves to get them into the mode of saying yes.
*80% positive 20% corrective (teaching)
*If they can't do this WHAT CAN THEY DO? (We can't go outside right now, but we can do a puzzle!)
*If you take something away, REPLACE IT with something else.
*Don't let what they are doing work! (Whining, tantrum, hitting, etc.)
*Empower: You CAN have this, you CAN and that. Instead of "Do You Want...?" (Let them make choices, but narrow it down first to what applies. They can make a choice, verses a decision.)
*Children do NOT like being ACTED UPON. (Example: holding them down to wipe their face or forcing them to eat something.) Say "We NEED to go change you diaper. You're stinky!" Encourage them to make the choice to lay down. Yes mode, Two-time Rule, etc. Have a special toy or song for changing time, etc.
*Consistency is the KEY!
*Preventing is A LOT easier than fixing!
1 Rule: A child is not allowed to hurt themselves, others or destroy things.
~Routine with bedtime is a MUST! No negotiation!
~It's all about RESPECT. Respecting our children and in turn, them respecting us.
~We can not assume they can do anything differently.
~Empower children, (but don't give them the power.)
~If you aren't going to follow threw, don't bother saying it.
~Don't say, "Give it to me!" Because they might "give it to you." (punch)
~It is the way we Present, Respond and/or React. (We want to respond, not react.)
~If you respect their NO, they will respect your No.
~Don't ask them to do something from across the room, like "Come get your diaper changed." Go up to them and get their attention.
~If you are asking them not to do something, (example: don't climb on top of the table) don't make it fun getting down or stopping the behavior.
~Children don't want to be in control, it is too much work.
1. Know what you want.
2. Get them into Yes Mode.
3. First this, then that.
More Notes: Throwing food- have a place for him to put the food he doesn't want.
Diaper changing- set up all the supplies and do it the same each time. Have him come lay down and have a special toy that will keep him busy.
Don't coddle or pamper behavior that we don't want to support. (Example: When Cohen sees me and starts crying, don't comfort him, try to distract him instead and encourage him to focus on something else.)
We WANT COHEN TO FEEL SUCCESS!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Yeah for our TV shows!!!
So the work flow for Scott has been pretty slow/non existent for December and this month so far. It was slow this time last year too, plus the economy definitely hasn't helped. Scott has been looking into other options that may be more consistent and less of a head ache for him (and me for that matter). But, we have really been enjoying the time together as a family! We take turns getting up with Cohen each morning and making breakfast for each other. We have been working out together doing Yoga and taking turns on our elliptical. We have gone sledding (like the previous posts show) and we have had fun cooking together. We are also really excited our shows are back on!
We love 24, Smallville,
Terminator,
American Idol,
Gossip Girl,
90210,
Lost,
and Grey's Anatomy
!
They have given us another fun and free thing to look forward to each night once Cohen goes down. We do feel so blessed with everything we have, I just hope the work picks up soon and/or a new opportunity works out sooner rather than later. But for now, we are making the best of it!
We love 24, Smallville,
Terminator,
American Idol,
Gossip Girl,
90210,
Lost,
and Grey's Anatomy
!They have given us another fun and free thing to look forward to each night once Cohen goes down. We do feel so blessed with everything we have, I just hope the work picks up soon and/or a new opportunity works out sooner rather than later. But for now, we are making the best of it!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Sledding, Body Worlds and more sledding!
On Tuesday we took Cohen sledding for the first time!
My dad was here visiting from Colorado. We had so much fun with him while he stayed with us! Thanks for coming out dad!
Cohen loved it and even went on his own! He did awesome! I think he was really happy to be outside rather than cooped up inside.
*************************************************************************************On Wednesday we went to Body Worlds with Jen and Carter.
It was so fascinating to us and I wasn't grossed out at all like I thought I would have been. It is so so amazing to see bodies preserved through plastination! It was incredible and interesting to see the muscles, tendons, arteries, organs, bones, etc in a learning setting that has its own reverence and shows the realism of what our bodies are. I can picture everything inside my leg in its place (and most of my body) and it makes me even more interested in the medical field.
It ends Sunday if you wanna go! Don't miss it, it's worth the money!
They are open 24 hours straight until then!
*************************************************************************************
We went sledding again today at Rock Canyon Park.
It was so fascinating to us and I wasn't grossed out at all like I thought I would have been. It is so so amazing to see bodies preserved through plastination! It was incredible and interesting to see the muscles, tendons, arteries, organs, bones, etc in a learning setting that has its own reverence and shows the realism of what our bodies are. I can picture everything inside my leg in its place (and most of my body) and it makes me even more interested in the medical field.
It ends Sunday if you wanna go! Don't miss it, it's worth the money!
They are open 24 hours straight until then!
*************************************************************************************We went sledding again today at Rock Canyon Park.
Scott getting Cohen all set to go on his own!
He FLEW down the hill!
Even though he took several spills along the way, he wanted to do it again and again!
I was so proud of him! He was more brave than I was!
He is going to be up there snowboarding with Scott before I know it!
He loved it so much, it was hard to get him to leave!
I was so proud of him! He was more brave than I was!
He is going to be up there snowboarding with Scott before I know it!
He loved it so much, it was hard to get him to leave!
Here is a little clip of Cohen flying down the hill, giggling the whole way and then running into me!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Scott went Snowboarding!
Scott and my brother Dustin went to Sundance together today. There was a lot of fresh powder! They had just been dieing to get up on the slopes!Here is a video of my honey doing his thing! Good job baby!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Ringing in the New Year!
We had a great night celebrating the years end and the new beginning of 2009! Jen and Carter invited us over for an awesome dinner! Jen did a great job making Alfredo pasta, french bread and authentic Olive Garden salad (my fave)! Chris and Ashley came too, along with some of their other friends.
We had tons of fun spending some time with them, like we always do!
Cohen just loved Dylan's bedroom and had so much fun sitting in his chair and jumping on his toddler bed (Cohen still has the bar up on his crib). He thought it was so fun to be able to climb up into bed on his own, and to get off! (Crazy haired child!)
After dinner we dropped Cohen off to my sister Chantelle who was sweet enough to keep him while we went to a movie!We met up with Scott's cousin Ashley and her husband Regan. We love them and don't hang out with them enough! My mom, Kay and Dustin came as well! We saw Valkery, which wasn't the most uplifting New Years start, but was a really good movie and it made me think about how much has happened in our history that is so incredible. We truly have so much to be thankful for and countless people to be thankful to.
After the movie my brother Dustin, Scott and I went back to our house to put Cohen down and to ring in the New Year with Chantelle and her adorable kiddies Kaden and Desi.It was a fun night with family and friends! A great ending and beginning!
HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYBODY!
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