37 Weeks....Maybe the Final Week?

Well, I had the doctor appointment yesterday afternoon. I am making progress which is good. He set up the ultrasound and amnio for tomorrow at 10:30am. By the afternoon, the results will be back and will let him know if Annabelle's lungs are developed or not. If it is positive, we're going to have a baby on Saturday, December 13th! If not, then we have to wait.

Tammy & I have been working on the nursery this week to prepare for her arrival. It's not exactly what I want but it will do - it is just fine to bring a newborn into. I also put up the Christmas tree last night so she would have her first tree up when she comes home. And Tammy is working on the diaper bag for her. I still need to pack my, Jason's, and Annabelle's things for the hospital and also put together the swing for her, but I plan to do that tonight.

Jason is coming home tonight so he can be with me when I go in for the Amnio. The doctor told me that the only complication is that it can put me into labor - which is what I would want anyway. He doesn't want me to go into labor without him being in Parkersburg. And I really don't want to either - he would drive like a maniac on his way down here...Even worse than usual! LOL

Pray that her lungs are developed and we can deliver our Christmas miracle on Saturday. We're praying for an easy delivery, too! Send me lots of easy labor vibes! LOL

36 Week Dr Appt & Update

I am now at 36 weeks along! Only 4 more weeks.....Maybe!

We went in for an ultrasound and doctor appointment yesterday. Everything went well - Annabelle is healthy and everything is great. Her head and her tummy are measuring 2 weeks larger than what they should be AND she's already at 7lb 4oz. Now, I will go ahead & tell you that a normal weight for 36 weeks is 6-6.5lbs because I know all of you out there do not know that. So, she is measuring VERY big for her age.

She refused to show her face, too. She covered up with her arms the entire time. We were allowed to see her nose, her mouth, and one eye lid - but never at the same time. Couldn't see if she had hair neither. SO, that should still be a surprise when she's born. She got the hiccups, opened her eyes a few times, and showed off her cute little toes really well. I could've swore that she smiled at one time, too....BUT she could've just been moving her mouth. What we could see of her - she is gorgeous and chubby. Her cheek looked very pinchable! LOL

I go in next Wednesday for another checkup. The doctor explained that he doesn't do inducements until at least 39weeks on normal cases, but said that he would induce me earlier since she is so big as long as her lungs are developed fully. So, I guess they will check that out and if the lungs are developed, then we can schedule inducement. We may just have a baby here next weekend or something. Time will tell! Maybe the week after next.

I couldn't sleep at all last night - kept dreaming about 7lb 4oz. LOL Plus, I was in alot of pain too. I don't know what was wrong with me but I just hurt all over. The doctor couldn't believe that I was still working full time. I have so much to do before she arrives and not enough time to do it in. But, it will all work out and I'll find the time somehow!

Please keep us in your thoughts & prayers!

35 Weeks & Happy Thanksgiving!

So much is going on right now that it just doesn't seem like it'll all get done! LOL Jason & I are moved in but we still have boxes everywhere. We do have the kitchen somewhat situated now and we're slowly working on the other things. We're getting our satellite/Internet installed today - we've had rabbit ears for days and have gotten only one channel...ABC. So, we watched Dancing with the Stars 2 nights in a row. LOL

Jason got probably 70% of the sanding done on our dresser that we're using for Annabelle and we should be able to paint it (to match the crib) pretty soon. I've spent a couple of evenings in the nursery just trying to figure out what I have and don't have yet and doing some laundry. I have ALOT of pink clothes - I'm pretty sure it's oozing out our windows at this point.

I have an appointment with the pediatrician this afternoon so I can meet him & ask any questions. I'm anxious about that - I feel like I'm entering unchartered waters & have no idea what to expect.

We're having Thanksgiving in our new house which will be really nice. Jeff & Jason are going to go hunting for a few hours, too, out back. We have a huge 24lb turkey for only 4 people. Ugh - that's so much turkey that I'm sure we'll all be gobbling by next week. lol But, oh well! Tyson & Brutus will be happy with any leftovers!

With only 5 weeks until my due date, I'm feeling exactly the way you would expect me to...tired all the time, waddling (like a penguin according to Jason), hurting everywhere, heartburn. Everything that you expect with a normal pregnancy.

Jason will be heading out of town (yet again, Thanks ICI) from 12/8 to 12/13 unfortunately....so, I'll be 37 weeks along, living in the country, and nobody home in case something happens. So, just pray that nothing happens!!! I was saying that she can show up anytime after the 10th, now I'm saying anytime after the 13th.

And did I mention that Annabelle is STILL kicking as much as she can?! If she isn't kicking, then she's pushing. My favorite is when her feet go into my ribs and her head pushes into my bladder. Little boogerhead! LOL And she likes to shove her bum out so that my stomach is lopsided, too. Well, I'm assuming it's her bum - that's what I think it is. LOL

Jason had a dream that she came out with dark brown/black hair & blue eyes and was wondering where those features came from. I reminded him that I had dark brown/black hair with blue eyes when I was born & that could very well happen. He was so bummed out in the dream cause Annabelle didn't take any of his physical traits. He's so funny! Of course, I had a dream that we got ultrasound pictures done & she had blonde hair with blue eyes and I was bummed out because I didn't want her to have blonde hair with blue eyes. So, I guess I'm funny, too. LOL Of course, in real life, we'll be ecstatic no matter what!!!

34 Weeks

Everything is going good here. We got the last of our things out of our former house last night - took us 4 loads plus 2 loads to the dumpster but we're out. Handed over the keys last night, too. Our new garage looks like a cyclone hit it but we'll get that cleared away as we move stuff in.

We really thank those who lended us a hand to help us move. We could not have done it without you. In total, we had 2 full Uhaul truckloads, about 8 pickup truckloads, and 2 pickup loads to the dumpster. We let our 2 cats outdoors last night, too. One is a schizo-cat and always hid anyway - I haven't seen her since last night. Tra has always wanted to be outdoors so we're trying it out. He was on the front porch this morning with our stray cat that we've kinda adopted.

I had a great appointment yesterday at the doctor's office. Everything is showing very well & there isn't alot of threat of a too-early delivery. He told me that I'm measuring 1-1.5 weeks ahead of schedule and that Annabelle is appx already 5-5.5lbs. He asked if I was a big baby (the Dr was a different one from who I usually see) and I responded that Jas & I both were 9lb babies. His response was that history tends to repeat itself....Great. lol She's still head down which is awesome, too.

He put me on a machine to test to see how she's doing since I am having contractions (irregularly, but he wanted to make sure that there isn't a threat). She did very well - AFTER the sonogrammer woke her up with a jolt of buzz. Annabelle's little heartbeat went from 130 to 160 in 2 seconds flat. It must've woke her up & startled her.

We have an appointment in 2 weeks, and then thereafter will be 1 week appointments. He told me that I could take Tylenol PM to help with my aches/pains and to help me sleep. He also gave me some samples of heartburn pills and recommended Zantac too.

Overall, I think the appointment went really well. I was there for over an hour! I think I might even like this other doctor better than the previous one. BUT, either could deliver the baby - it just depends on who is on-call that day.

So, anyway - that's our big update for the week. We got the keys to our new house at 5:30 Sunday, moved in, got moved out of our old house & turned over keys, and had a really good Dr. appointment. I'm exhausted! LOL

Our New House

Well, here it is...some photos of our most recent purchase. We closed on our house on Champion School Rd on Friday afternoon. We should be getting keys on the 16th but no later than the 17th. We can't wait to move in!!!

32 Weeks

Time is flying by so quickly right now! At least it feels like it for me. We have less than 8 weeks until we have a brand new baby girl to welcome into this world.

I was able to briefly meet my first great-nephew, Joel, last Sunday. The way I had to hold him was right over my belly and Annabelle didn't kick or push at him one time. Which is surprising since she hates for her space to be invaded. LOL

I was able to watch a 3rd nephew get married this past weekend - it's about time! lol It was a lovely wedding though and we wish them all the happiness in the world!!!

The doctor appt went well on Tuesday. Everything is normal and we go back again in 2 weeks. Her heartbeat was back in the 140s range and she's still moving like crazy. We have a few classes at the hospital the first week of December and we get to tour the birthing facility, too. It's eating up a Saturday in Ohio's gun season which is eating Jason up. LOL

We're closing on our new house TODAY at 4pm!!! (Thanks so much, Tammy!!) We went for the final walk through last night, got to have some questions answered, and feeling pretty excited about everything today. We'll get posession sometime on 11/16 and will begin moving in that same week. We have to be completely out of our home that we sold by the 22nd so everything is working out thus far. Though, it has been like pulling teeth to get here.

Thank God that we are finally able to get this over with so we can get the house ready for Annabelle. Luckily, the house is completely move in ready except for one small detail in the nursery - the border has to be changed but that will be easy. It is at chair level so I won't even have to strain to reach it. I just have to find the right border to put back up!

Not much to update this week. Everything is going really well and we're getting closer & closer. Remember us in your prayers & thoughts!

31 Weeks

Physically, Annabelle & I are doing very well. She's a moving like crazy still and flip flops from one side to another. I still have problems with heartburn but not as bad as before since I know I can safely take antacids to help me. I am having braxton hicks too, but not regularly or anything. I've been told that its perfectly normal.

Mentally, I'm about ready to bang my head against a brick wall. LOL We closed on our home last Thursday and was trying to close on our new house on Friday. We've hit 2 big road blocks, though, and while one is workable - the other might tank the whole deal. We're waiting to hear from the mortgage lender to see what they have to say. We might not be able to close until next Friday and we won't be able to get posession until November 17th at the best. But, like I said, the mortgage lender has problems with our appraisal and can nix the whole deal and we won't have any control over it.

Luckily, the baby isn't stressed out about anything. At least she wasn't at the last doctor's appointment. I have another appt on the 4th for just a checkup. For those who are biting at the bit about another ultrasound, the doctor has not mentioned anything about a final ultrasound so far. Of course, I was told it is after the 30th week and I'm just now at 31 weeks. I'm assuming that they like to wait until closer to the due date. Of course, we only have 9 weeks to go!

Wow, 9 weeks doesn't sound like alot of weeks. Time has just flown by!

I want to thank everyone who is trying to help me keep my sanity lately - that's not an easy job right now. And Annabelle thanks everyone for her presents that she's received - she's heard all about them & can't wait to see them. LOL Just keep praying for us!! Lord knows we need all the help we can get right now!

30 Weeks, 10 More To Go

I have officially started the 2 week Doctor checkups which is a really good sign of getting close to the "end." Doctor said that the baby is growing very well and could tell that her head is already on my bladder, her bum is up against my diaphragm almost, her back is on my left side, and her arms/legs are on the right side. It made sense because I always feel a ton of movement in my right hand side. Her heartrate was in the 120s which is very normal so she is not showing any type of stress that I'm feeling from this move.

Annabelle is still a very active child even if she's not somersaulting anymore. She likes to wake up between 4-5am, too. A habit that I HOPE she breaks very, very soon! Neither Jason or I are morning people so if she ends up a morning person, I am blaming it on a grandparent....probably my dad! He used to wake up extra early so he could "stare at the wall" and drink his coffee. Now tell me - how does that make sense?! I would must rather stare at the back of my eyelids than a stupid wall. LOL

We are closing on the house we're selling today!! We had a final walkthrough with the buyers last night and all the paperwork will be signed this morning. We're also going out to the house we're buying to meet with the home inspector afterwards - it'll be nice to see our new house again! If Tammy receives everything in a timely fashion, we should be closing on that house next week sometime, so we should get posession of it on November 7th!!

We and our buyers are both anxious to move into our new homes so I'm hoping things start going smoothly with everything!

Anyway, I feel like I have many things to do and not enough time to do them in but know that everything will work out and be fine in the end. I have to tell myself that pretty often. LOL Just remember us in your prayers & thoughts, and things will turn out great!!!

Holy Cow! 29 Weeks

The time is fast approaching us - hard to believe that we will be welcoming Annabelle into this world in about 2.5 months!!!! We aren't even close to being ready right now, but after we get moved to our new place - I'll be doing my best to get things in order.

Speaking of moving........We finally found a house! We're pretty psyched and will probably be closing on it the same time as we're closing on our house on Ros Mar. Tammy is being a busy bee with our loan and expediting things quite quickly! I think it's her way of getting revenge on the sellers. LOL The house is between Lubeck & Belleville and has 5 acres, which Jason loves. We'll see how much he loves it after he's had to mow that massive yard all summer!

I think we'll be moving in about 3 weeks. Two more weeks to close the loan and then we're giving the sellers 7 days to vacate the house. I picked up some boxes this morning so we can start packing the stuff that we aren't using at the moment.

Nothing is really new with Annabelle. She's squirming around like crazy still which is funny. I think she must be asleep at the moment though. She really responds to food already. LOL Jason or I can start talking to her about spaghetti or hamburgers or something, and she gives a good healthy kick. It's pretty funny, truthfully. We start our 2 week Doctor appointments now. I haven't heard anything about my blood work for my sugar test. I assume that is a good thing cause I know they would've called me if I had problems.

I was out of town working all last week so I missed my weekly update, but I'm glad to be back in my office this week. I hate being out of town, it makes my life more stressful than I want it to be!

Thanks again for all you all have done thus far for us. Through prayers and faith, we'll end up with a very healthy (probably chunky LOL) baby in December. We are very blessed.

27 Week Update

Annabelle and I are doing very well this week. Had a rough weekend with being sick, but feel much better now.

Jason should be home again after this week is through. It'll be nice to have him around again. I'm sure Tyson will be glad to have him home again, too. I think he gets bored when it's just me at the house.

We put an offer on a house today. It's located between Lubeck and Belleville on Champion School Road. I'm sure they'll counter offer but it was worth a shot at a lower price. It really is a nice place with a beautiful yard. I think we close on our current home in 2 weeks so I hope that we can come to an agreement on this home or find another place to live quickly. We have 30 days after closing to vacate but that will go by pretty quick!

Not much has happened other than that so not much of an update this week. Just keep us in your thoughts & prayers!

26 Weeks - Last week of the 2nd Trimester

Time is flying by! Annabelle will be here before we know it - which is so exciting but scary, too. She's moving like crazy nowadays. And loves to give me heartburn that feels like hell resides in my chest. LOL

Don't forget to vote on the 2 new poles on the right hand side of the blog! I won't mention names but I do know of a certain sister of mine who didn't even know that the poles existed. Let's get with the program!

As you can tell from my attitude, I'm actually feeling very well. My spirits are good and haven't had much to complain about. Well, other than that blasted heartburn of mine! I'm finally looking pregnant, too. My dad tells me on Tuesday that I'm finally looking pregnant so I guess it's official that I have a belly now. (But, he also told me that he figured out why my belly wasn't very big --it's all in my backside. Hmph - what tact you have, dad! It's a good thing I'm pregnant or somebody would get thumped for that!!!)

Jason is still working out of town in Dresden. He's supposed to be back after next week. We'll see what happens after next week.

The house inspection went really well yesterday, as far as I know. The only 2 big problems included the dishwasher & the jacuzzi tub not working. But, it turned out that the inspector just didn't know how to use a dishwasher or to properly turn on jets. Both are just fine and dandy. I think everything is progressing well. Jas & I are still house hunting. Going to look at a couple this weekend, I believe.

Not much of an update this week. Feeling really well. The next checkup is still 1.5 weeks away and that will include having my blood drawn for a standard sugar test. Hopefully I pass!!!

As always - Thank you all for your continues prayers!

25 Week Update

Annabelle and I had a checkup yesterday afternoon. We are now 25 weeks along and doing very well. She's growing ahead of schedule but I think she's using my long torso for her growth rather than growing outward. (I still do not have that big of a belly) I think I look like I'm expecting now but I'm still not like others who are at the same stage. The doctor told me, though, that she's growing and developing very well and not to worry about how much my belly is growing.

Her heartbeat was at 148bpm yesterday, so she's staying pretty steadily in the 140s. I go in for my sugar test in 3 weeks - I pray that I pass!!! She is moving ALOT lately, too. I truly believe that she's awake more often than she's sleeping which kinda scares me since I've read that she's starting her sleeping schedule already. She's still being stubborn for her daddy and refuses to move when he can see or feel.

Of course, Jason is still working out of town. Next week is supposed to be the last week, but I have my doubts. He's now working 5-10s instead of 4-10s, too, so he's away for longer each week. I suppose time will tell when he gets to come back home. I hope soon, though.

For those of you who don't know, we already have a contract on our house. We have no place to move to yet, but we have until mid-November to vacate the premises so hopefully we'll have one by then! Add in the complication of not knowing if we're going to stay in Parkersburg - and we have one stressed out momma! LOL So, I have no idea where to look for a new home, Jason is out of town, and we now have to start packing up for the big move. I'm just a little bit stressed.

Once again -- Thank you all for your prayers for us. We ask that you continue to do so. We're very thankful that our Anna-Banana is healthy and growing well, and we look forward to being able to introduce her to you all here in about 15 weeks!

24 Weeks Down, 16 Weeks To Go

I forgot to post last week! We went to Gatlinburg for a long weekend and I just totally forgot since I was busy at work trying to get things ready for my absence.

Everything is going pretty good here in Parkersburg. We listed our house on August 29th and had a offer on it on September 3rd. LOL I wasn't prepared to sell this quickly - we have no where to move right now! Our company has thrown a monkey wrench into the plot as well. We're not for sure how long we'll both be at ICI so we're afraid to buy a new home in Parkersburg before we know for sure that we'll be able to find jobs in Parkersburg. I just keep telling myself that everything will work out the way it's supposed to and that I just need to relax. We're still in negotiations with the potential buyers at the moment, but will hopefully be able to make a decision before they return from their honeymoon.


On to another subject -- the baby & I are both doing well. She's kicking and squirming and somersaulting like crazy nowadays. And she loves sugar! I had a lemonade yesterday that put into a tail spin. And I ate some taffy from the Gatlinburg candy store a few days ago and made her dance. Her aunt Chas got to see her trying to pop out of my stomach on Sunday - a show that nobody else has gotten to see, including her daddy.


We went and bought alot of clothes at the Carter store in Gatlinburg last Saturday. Jas says that she's set now but I have a feeling that she'll be getting more clothes. LOL We ended up buying a crib earlier this week and will be picking it up tomorrow - it's so pretty (I posted a picture of it below). We have a dresser and hope chest that we'll need to paint to match the crib. I finally registered at www.Walmart.com, www.Target.com, and www.albeebaby.com yesterday, too. I really can't believe all the baby stuff out there that is needed - it's really overwhelming! She's going to be taking up more space in our house than we do! It seems like we have so little compared to what we need for her. LOL


Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for Annabelle, as well as me and Jason. The next few months are going to prove to be a bit stressful and we need all the support that we can get! I go for a doctor's appointment next Wednesday for a checkup, and I'm sure that everything will be fine and dandy but prayer is always needed.

The baby shower will be October 11th at 2pm, I believe it will be in Belpre, Ohio. There will be one in the Huntington, WV area in November as well for those who don't want to travel to the Parkersburg, WV area but I don't think a date has been set yet. Either November 8th or 15th, I believe, though.

Everyone take care and thanks again!

We have a healthy baby!

Well, sorry for the delay!!!!! I didn't mean to forget!

The baby was 15oz in weight, about 4" from head to bum (plus the little squirming legs that she couldn't measure), the heartrate was 141bpm, and had a beautiful ultrasound profile.

I was able to see the spine & rib cage very clearly, and the little kicks & jabs too. Overall, we have a very healthy baby who is absolutely beautiful already! Just ask gramma Missi!

AND.....





























Her name is Annabelle Eve Ward. Yep! We're having a baby girl. Jason can't believe that there isn't a wee-wee there, but there isn't. LOL He's still getting used to the idea of having a girl - shoot, I am too and I was fully prepared for hearing "It's a girl" on Friday. I've just had a feeling since we found out we were expecting that we were having a girl.

And she was already "talking" to us! She was looking right at us and was moving her mouth like she was having a conversation with us. Missi swears that she was saying momma....does that sound as her first word???? LOL

Anyway, just wanted you all to know! I'm going to try to post the ultrasound pictures today after work! She is such a cutie!!!

21 Weeks and the BIG U/S

I am now 21 weeks along and we have the BIG ultrasound today at 2:30pm. To say I'm excited is really an understatement. I have a long list of phone calls to make, too, after I get out of the checkup to people who also are so excited about the unveiling of the hoo-ha. (Or weiner like Jason likes to say, but whatever!)

Doing really good considering I haven't had a day off in 2 weeks. I'm taking off at noon today, though, so that will help the weekend seem a little longer. I really can't complain about anything. I'm just tired but I'm getting better each day that I get more rest and not driving 200 miles a day for work. Ugh - that wore me out!

Jason got home from his jobsite last night - his week was exhausting too. But he said that it isn't as bad as working at Conesville like he did in the spring time. Plus, he gets 3 day weekends while he's up there!

I will be posting again later today so that I can introduce you to the baby! I'm praying for an active, growing, developing baby regardless of what the unveiling reveals! Only 6 more hours!!!

20 Weeks -- Finally half way there!

We are officialy past the halfway mark! 20 weeks down and only 20 more to go. Hopefully less but I'm doubting that will happen. It would be so nice if the baby arrived before Christmas though so s/he could join us on Christmas Day.

Anyway, I'm still doing really good. My back isn't hurting but when I move wrong. I'm getting a little more rest at night. I did start getting some leg cramps even though I'm eating bananas like crazy and drinking water like it's going out of style. They haven't been too bad though. I'm very thankful that I've had such a normal pregnancy thus far and pray that it keeps going that way.

The house is just about ready for the market and I haven't been pushing myself either. Jason did alot around the house last weekend, too, which has made the house look alot better. We have some carpet cleaning and a little bit of painting and I think we'll be done except for cleaning and decluttering. Big breath of relief!

I have a dear friend that I would like for you all to pray for. Without going into alot of details, she & her husband have been trying to have a baby and she's having a difficult time with it. It can be a very stressful time and I just want everyone to pray that God will comfort her and also grant her a child very soon. Thank you ahead of time!

Jason has to start on another jobsite on Monday. He'll be gone Monday through Thursday for at least the next 3 weeks. The company is telling us that he'll be expected at jobsites more often full time, which is not what he signed on to do and he's not very happy about it. Please pray that everything works out well and according to God's will.

Also, my niece (who just had a baby last month) now has to have gallbladder surgery. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she & her family go through that.

On a lighter side - The ultrasound is NEXT FRIDAY!!! Just in case you all forgot...LOL Everyone is very excited to find out - it's the unveiling of the hoo-ha! I have complete faith that everything will be perfect with this baby and have no worries. Just very excited to see the baby!

We have no funny doppler stories this week. The kid wouldn't wake up for it last night or else s/he was hiding from it. Either way - no funny stories. We found the heartbeat (it's still around the 145bpm range) but it sounded like it was toward my back rather than my stomach. Probably just sleeping.

Thank you all for your thoughts & prayers, and hope you continue to do so!

Another Funny Doppler Story!

Alright, I'll TRY to limit the doppler stories - but they are so funny, I just can't help myself!

Last night, I was heading to bed & Jas asked if I wanted to play with the doppler. So, we got it out but Jas was having trouble finding a heartbeat. So, I told him that I thought the baby was sleeping since I hadn't felt anything for a while. And what do I do???

I wake the little booger up! LOL I shook my stomach up a bit and immediately got a sharp pain in my lower right hand-side of my abdomen. (I guess that was the baby's revenge for waking him up.) I told Jas to hurry up & put the doppler right over the pain - and sure enough, that's where the baby was laying. I only allowed Jas to use the doppler for a couple of minutes cause that baby has a temper & was tearing up my insides! Wow, I had no idea it would hurt so much while the baby is so small. How bad is this going to get once the feet & arms are big?!

Anyway, I figured the grandparents would like to hear about the temper-tantrum that their grandbaby had last night! I am SO glad I splurged on this doppler!!!!!!!!

And just in case you've forgotten, we have less than 2 weeks until the ultrasound! Whoo-hoo! LOL

Belly Pictures

I've had alot of people asking me to post belly pictures. And I have finally remembered to charge my camera batteries! I took a photo last night. As you can see, I'm not very big for 19.5 weeks along. But, that's ok!

1. Taken 5/31/08, making me 9.5 weeks along.

2. Taken on 6/6/08, making me at 10 weeks

3. Taken on 8/8/08, making me at 19.5 weeks along. (No more bare-belly photos from now on! LOL)

Change of Shower Plans

Well, I had a very freaked out mother-in-law after I posted about the possible baby shower date. I guess there was a 24 hour period of stress & worry for her - and I sure didn't mean to! The date of October 18th is the weekend of the Martinsville NASCAR race and they have tickets to go. So, the date will now either be the weekend before or after that. LOL I will post later on!

Now, we have to decide if we want to go to the race, too! I'll be 29 weeks along at that point - I guess we could see if the baby likes NASCAR or not. LOL

And I want to say Thanks to Lisa who checks this site to help keep Jeff updated on things!

AND -- only 13 days after today until the BIG ultrasound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!

19 Weeks & Counting!

Wow, we're almost halfway there!!! We only have a couple more weeks until our ultrasound, too! (15 days after today to be exact!)

Nothing is new. I'm feeling pretty good, my back is better, and I'm able to get some sleep finally. I went on a sternwheeler ride with the church last night (AND I didn't get sick either!) and my stomach started cramping where the baby is so I just had to worry a little about that.

So, I got home and decided that I needed to hear a good heartbeat just to make sure that everything is OK. I got out the doppler and had to search this time for a good heartbeat. I finally found it, but only lasted for about 10 seconds & it was gone. (It's staying around the 145bpm range.)

Jason came in & took control of the doppler and ended up "chasing" the baby all over the place. The heartbeat would get loud & then muted - I'm assuming the kid was doing somersaults in there. And then the heartbeat would be to the left of my belly button, then underneath it, and then about 5" below. My only guess was that the baby HATES that doppler & was trying to get away from it by moving to different locations. I could actually feel some pressure/pinching & would tell Jason to put the doppler in that spot - and sure enough, the baby was there. S/he must've been mad at me for pestering & decided to kick me as a payback.

We both thought the whole scenario was too funny and thought you might too.

I think the baby shower will be October 18th @ 2pm for those who want to know early. November & December will be so busy that October seemed like the best time for it. Plus, the weather will hopefully not be too bad either! Knowing my luck? It'll snow in October! LOL

Keep praying for us & I'll post next week!

18 Week Update

We're now at 18 weeks along! A whole 3 more weeks until we find out what we're having - the wait is killing me! I really hope that the baby will cooperate & flash us during that ultrasound! LOL

I'm doing really well. My back feels better after the chiropractor visit. The only problems I have now are some stomach cramping (which is very normal! They're growing pains) and lack of sleep. I'm still not showing as much as some other people are at this stage, but I have a bit of a belly. I'm still working on the photos - I just keep forgetting!

I decided to use my doppler the other night (for those who don't know, it's a device that allows you to hear the baby's heartbeat). I found the heartbeat right away - it was still at 145bpm (once again, very normal!) and it was a very strong beat, too. The baby is right at my belly button and stayed in that place for a good five minutes. Our dog Tyson became curious, though, so I pointed the speaker to his ears so he could hear better - which TOTALLY freaked him out. He jumped off the bed for cover which in turn scared the baby. LOL The baby then kicked the doppler and moved to another spot cause I lost the heartbeat sound at that moment & couldn't get it back. It was so hilarious! I guess our kid already has a temper and HATES the doppler.

That's about all the updates this week. We've been pretty lazy with our house this week since I'm so exhausted and Jas was having some high blood pressure. I think we're going to brave having a yard sale tomorrow to clear out some stuff in our house. Ugh! We should be able to put the house on the market in a few weeks though. The thought of moving scares me to death. I HATE moving!

Anyway, thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We ask that you continue doing so! Only 5 more months to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

17 Week Update

No doctor appointments until August 22nd, so I just thought I'd just let you know how things are going. It dawned on me yesterday that we will finding out if we're having a boy or girl on our 5 month anniversary. We just didn't waste anytime after saying "I do." LOL

We're planning to put our house on the market so we're both working on it to try to get it ready to sell. We've put off doing alot of stuff that it needed and we're paying for it now. It's looking alot better now even though we still have tons to do. We're looking at buying a bigger home here in the Parkersburg area.

I think I found out the reason why the doctor keeps telling me that I'm feeding the baby well. According to a pregnancy book that I'm reading, the baby should be appx 2" below my belly button by Tuesday, July 29th. Well, the baby already measures directly below my belly button as of today - so there are some obvious growth spurts there. Big baby on board!

Overall, I feel great. I believe the baby is resting on my sciatic nerve which hurts and I'm having allergy-like symptoms, but other than those two things - I feel really good. Thank God.

Thank you all for your prayers & thoughts. And I'll keep posting to keep you updated! Only 1 more month until we find out from the BIG ultrasound! Whoo-hoo!!!!!!!

16 Week Dr. Appt

I went to my doctor's appointment on Wednesday for a checkup & bloodwork. I am now at 16 weeks and the baby can now hear voices & see light through the womb. How cool is that?!

I'm still doing really good. My blood pressure was still at a great rate. The baby's heartbeat was at 145bpm, so it has finally started to come down. It was at 160bmp 2 weeks ago.

The doctor mentioned that I am feeding the baby well again. The baby is progressing very well - more so than the doctor expects. So, I had to tell him again that Jason & I were both 9lb babies and I fully expect a big baby at birth. I also told him that we were so big because we were born late, and I didn't want to have a 9lb baby. So he smiled & said that he won't let me go past my due date. YAY!!!!!!! I am determined to have a December baby!

My next appointment isn't until August 22nd, and we're finding out if the baby is a boy or girl. It's actually a week past when he wanted to see me, but I needed a Friday appointment and he won't be in the office on August 15th. So, we're waiting an additional week for the checkup & ultrasound. I'll be at 21 weeks at the time of the next appointment - we'll be over half way there!

Since the baby can hear voices & music, my hair stylist swears by Baby Einstein music and told me to buy a device that plays music into the womb. The music is supposed to soothe the baby and be recognizable so that when we're having a fussy baby next year - we can play the same music to help calm him or her down. I haven't found it yet, but I think I might try it. I'm also playing the piano too!

I'll be posting a belly picture soon. I think I'm finally "popping" so its worth showing off - before I just looked & felt fat. LOL I actually have a few pictures of when I was in my first trimester. Maybe I can post them with an updated one to see the progress.

Please keep us in your prayers & thoughts!

14 Week Dr. Appt 7/3/08

Jason & I went to a doctor appointment today. No ultrasound - but the nurse was able to pick up the heartbeat pretty easily after she found the baby's location. The heartbeat was still at 160bpm, which is very good.

My blood pressure & weight was good. And they were happy to hear that I haven't had any complications. I am officially in my 2nd trimester now! Whoo-hoo!!!!!

The doctor measured my uterus and remarked that the baby was moving up very quickly and seemed to be doing very well. He also remarked that I have been obviously feeding this kid very well. LOL Jason says that I'm going to have a monster.

My next appointment is in 2 weeks for some more bloodwork. He said that the ultrasound to check for the baby's sex will be in 6 weeks (which is what I thought) which will put us finding out in the middle of August. We'll be half way there when we do find out!

For those who don't already know - my nephew & his wife had their baby yesterday (7/2) at 12:38pm. His name is Joel & he weighed 8lb 7oz, and was 20.5" long. SO, Jason & I are officially a great uncle & aunt.

We have less than 6 months to go! Keep praying for us!

Our 13th Week

Wednesday, June25th, marks our baby's 13th week that s/he has been in our lives. I'm feeling great too! I'm still tired but not as much as I was and I don't get queasy by smelling foods now. Except for green peppers - I still hate that smell!

July 2 is the beginning of my 2nd trimester which I am very excited about. I have a doctor's appointment on July 3rd and we should be able to hear the heartbeat loud & clear next week.

I hope to make my appointment to see the sex of the baby while I'm at the doctor next week, too. I know it'll be in August but I'm so excited to know one way or the other. And just knowing the date that I can find out will be exciting, too. Hopefully the little booger cooperates & shows off the goods! LOL

Chas (friend of mine from N.Ky) and Jeff (FIL) have a bet on what the sex will be. $20 goes to the winner. Chas is very confidant that it is a girl and Jeff is very confidant that it is a boy. LOL Jason & I just looked at each other & shook our heads.

I had a strange dream that I found out there were 3 babies instead of 1 the other night - That makes me tired just thinking about it! Of course, Jeff was happy about that dream & said that it would be perfect for me. (This coming from a person who only had 1 child!) And I keep dreaming that I can push on my belly and see the form of the baby through my skin - it's weird but comforting since I can "see" the baby in my dreams.

Tyson accidentally jumped on my stomach on Saturday evening which scared me and probably made me have the triplet dream. I kept reassuring myself that the baby is resting safely toward my back and was well protected from Tyson's paw. But, it's still a scary moment when something hits the stomach area. Luckily, it was only one heavy paw instead of his whole 21lb body.

Anyway, overall - I'm feeling great and my weight gain has slowed down for the time being. I'm sure it'll pick back up in the near future. LOL Please keep us in your prayers & thoughts and I'll post after my next Dr. appointment!

Jas' First Fathers Day

http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_14656_profile_portfolio.htm

I had a portrait of Tyson painted by an artist in Michigan (Janelle Dixon) for Jason. I framed/matted it and gave it to him for Daddy's Day yesterday. I attached a photo of it to the left. I think she did an awesome job. She put the portrait into her online portfolio which is kinda cool. The website is at the top of this post.

He also got a nice Craftsman tool chest for the garage & a small shop vac. Dad's always have tools so he might as well start on his tool set & I wanted to get him a nice chest to put them in.

I had posted on my own experience for my first Momma's Day, so I thought I'd post on Jas' first Daddy's Day.

6/8/08 Dr. Appt & Ultrasound #2

We are officially 10w 2d today. I went in for a Dr appt as scheduled (I go once a month right now) and the nurse/doctor could not find the heartbeat with the doppler so I was sent to the ultrasound room. I called Jason immediately to get him down to the office to see it, but he missed by only 3 minutes.

The woman performing the ultrasound had no problem locating the baby and the heartbeat. It is now at 169 BMP and measures 1.25" long. The reason why the doppler couldn't pick up the heartbeat was because the baby was hanging out by my back instead of my stomach. The little booger was moving like crazy - waving both arms (You can see the right arm waving at the camera in the pictures above) and wiggling around.

As you can see, the newest Ward is developing quickly and now looks more like a baby than a bean from the last ultrasound. The next Dr. appointment isn't until July 3rd. And I found out officially that 20w is when most women are showing, when women start feeling the baby moving, and when they can see if the baby will be a boy or a girl. So, I guess we have 10 more weeks until we find out!

Keep us in your prayers & thoughts to keep this a healthy baby...and born in DECEMBER!!!!

We heard the heartbeat!

Wow, what an amazing thing to hear!

I bought a small doppler on Friday afternoon, and received yesterday in the mail. I'm sure it is not as good as what the Dr has in his office, but it works! We couldn't wait to try it out so we read the directions and tried to find the heartbeat as soon as we got it out of the package. We could hear it almost immediately, though the reading was off. So, we moved the handheld up further on my belly & got a reading of over 160.

It was definetly a WOW moment, and unforgettable. I should be getting to hear it at the Dr's office on Friday afternoon. I'll get a good, accurate heartbeat rate at that time and share it with everyone.

Tomorrow is 10 weeks along!!!!!

Mid-Week Update

I haven't posted anything for a while and thought I'd say a few words today. :) I am officially at 9 weeks today.

My next doctor appointment is June 6th. It'll be a checkup and he'll use a doppler to try to hear the baby's heartbeat. I will be 10 weeks 2 days at that point and they should have no troubles hearing it by then. I read that during the 9th week that the little heart grows all 4 chambers and starts to beat with a purpose rather than spuratically. Isn't it amazing?!

How am I feeling? Pretty good actually. Long car rides aren't agreeing with me still but at least the rides in town are ok now. There are some things that I just can't even look at, letalone eat. And some things that I just can't seem to get enough of. I'm pretty tired still. I slept alot over the Memorial Weekend - I think I worried Jason a little bit. I guess I'm being a normal preggo!

I will post next week after the doctor appointment to let you know how it all went. Still keep me & Gertie in your prayers!

1st Ultrasound 5/16/08

Here are our photos from our ultrasound today. Please keep in mind that the quality won't be very good right now since we're still in the first trimester. I don't have a scanner at the house, so I took a picture of the picture. Truthfully, though, it didn't turn out too bad - our originals look just as grainy. lol The arrow is pointing at the baby in the 1st picture.

The nurse updated my estimated due date of 12/31/08 instead of 1/1/09. (Yay!) The little bean is almost 1cm long and is 7 weeks and 2 days old. The heartrate was at 174 bpm and we could see it pumping like crazy. We couldn't hear it but we're pretty early in the game. She said that the doctor will try to hear it at my next appointment on June 6th when I'll be 10 weeks along.

The only thing that she mentioned was that everything is pointing downward right now and that it will be harder for the doctor to hear the heartbeat since the baby is "deeper" inside. There is not one position that is more normal than another and said that we won't have any problems except for maybe not being able to hear the heartbeat with a sonogram. And if that happens, the doctor would just send me back to get another ultrasound done.

Thank you for all of your prayers & care for our baby. Please keep us there!

Mother's Day

I totally forgot to write about Mother's Day from Sunday! Can I blame little Gerty for that?! lol

I had to work this weekend at a jobsite so I couldn't make any plans and didn't really expect anything. But, Jason decided to get me a beautiful card for my first Mother's Day and also gave me a new charm for my charm bracelet - it has a momma & baby inside of a heart. It was soo sweet and I'm so impressed with him for listening to what I wanted.

I had it put onto my bracelet on Monday evening and it sits beside of my wedding band charm that he gave me when we got married. I just really love that he thought of me and the charm is super special to me. What can I say? I love my husband!

So, my first Momma's Day was really nice and I can't complain one bit!

Feeling Pregnant

Well, I'm feeling pregnant now. No ifs, ors,ands, or buts about it. AND I found out that I now get carsick - after driving 550 miles this weekend. No, that is not a common thing for me at all. Even short drives seem to make me ill - almost had to pull over after coming home from the grocery store last night. lol And I was sick this morning after driving to work.

I guess I got what I asked for - more symptoms to put my fears to ease. My cough is almost gone - after 3 whole weeks of it - which I'm grateful. And now, in its place, I have nausiousness. But, at least it keeps my worries at bay. And I'm being able to catch up on some rest that I lost last week with my coughing.

We get to see the little tyke this Friday afternoon. Pretty excited about it. NOT excited to see their scales again-maybe they won't weigh me. I saw on their information booklet that I shouldn't have gained any weight yet - Hmmm, they're wrong! lol Now that Jason is back home & I don't have to travel anymore (Thank God since I get carsick now!), I'm going to start walking on my treadmill again. Nothing strenuous, but some good healthy walking. It may even give me some extra energy that I seem to be lacking now. lol

Anyway, just wanted to post on my blog & give a little update! Thanks for caring!

1st Dr. Visit 5/8/08

Well, I had my first doctor's appt today with Dr. White for a basic first exam. My bloodwork results came back and everything is hunky-dory including my iron. Found out I have O negative blood type which has no effect on me whatsoever. However, if the baby has O positive then my body could essentially try to attack it with antibodies thinking that it is a foreign substance.

BUT, this is a very small number of women who have this problem. Dr. White plans on giving me a shot called Rh immunoglobulin which suppresses the ability to respond to the Rh positive blood cells that the baby MIGHT have. Baby could very likely have Rh negative and there would be no concern whatsoever. Dr. White told me to not be concerned because he hasn't seen a problem with it for several decades because of the administered shot.

I am scheduled for another doctor visit on June 6th. BUT, we get to see the baby next Friday (May 16th) at 2:45pm via the first ultrasound. He wants to check the size of the baby to get an actual due date, make sure there is only one baby, and check the overall health. He told me that everything seemed fine and he didn't suspect twins but figured he'd check just in case.

Overall, I'm happy with the visit. It calmed my fears a little bit hearing the doctor talk about things. The nurse was very reassuring about my fears, too, which was very helpful too. I'm feeling "pregnant" now which helps too. I'm still not nausious but figure that will come with time. I do have a touch of heartburn and I am sooooo tired right now. I ate something the other day that made me sick almost immediately which is a bit odd for me.

And about my cough... he told me that he could prescribe me medicine but he would prefer not to because of his other patient. He said that he's essentially working with 2 patients and only 1 would benefit if I took the medicine. I'm going to try to get through this coughing spell - This too shall pass.....Right??!

So, I guess I'll be able to see the little tike next Friday afternoon! And hopefully I'll feel better by then! I'll post more as my pregnant mind allows to think properly...he, he - like that will happen.

Insurance & Work

I called the insurance company yesterday to tell them of the upcoming family member. They told me that my doctor visits including lab work & ultrasounds are covered at 100%. Thank God!! Any fees occurring at the hospital will be at 80% after my deductible is paid. I'm pretty happy about that!

I've told people at work, but not anybody at our corporate level yet. Everyone locally is very happy for us, but I'm afraid that the ones in Indiana won't be. Maybe I'm making it up in my head, but I think I will be waiting to tell them. That is, if I don't have blabber mouths telling them before I get a chance to.

Continue to pray for a happy & healthy 8 months! As you may already know, my fears are worrying me to death about things that can go wrong between now & December.

Photo Bucket

I have started to put new photos into Photobucket from the wedding. I think you can access via

http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm113/carrieward08/

If not, let me know and I'll figure it out. I have a ton of photos to go through and it's taking me a while to go through them.

Hope you enjoy!

Nurse Appointment 5/2

I went to my first appointment at the doctor's office, but it was with the Nurse Prac. Next Thursday is my first real appointment with Dr. White. Today was just a basic run through of what to expect throughout the next 9 months. They drew blood to check for health, blood type, and the such.

The nurse gave me a 1/1/09 due date, but I don't think thats right. Plus, I told her that I don't want a New Years Baby & that the baby must be born before I'm 30! I'm just confidant that this baby bear wants a 12/30 birhtday (at the bare minimum, a 12/31 birthday but before 1:30pm). Also, an ultrasound will be able to predict a much closer EDD because they'll be able to measure the little bean. So, I'm sticking with 12/30 until after the ultrasound.

I will have a minimum of 3 ultrasounds throughout, but maybe more if the nurse has difficulties finding a heartbeat. She told me that it can be difficult to find the heartbeat during the first trimester. I can have a maximum of 2 people in the room with me during the ultrasounds - any volunteers? lol

She gave me tons of info and books to read and told me that I really couldn't do anything about my cough right now. The first trimester is a critical timeframe and there isn't much I can do other than what I'm already doing. I'm going to ask Dr. White next week if he can think of anything if I'm still not over this cough by then.

Now, I have to call the insurance company and tell them! Please pray for a happy & healthy pregnancy, an easy delivery, and a healthy baby in December!

Just starting out

I decided to start a blog today. The idea of a new arrival to the Ward family spurred the notion, I guess. I'm still learning on what to do with this whole thing, but I'll get the hang of it eventually. lol

Just to get started, I'll share some news. Jason & I found out that we're expecting on April 24, 2008 while visiting Kiawah Island, SC. We were on our 2nd honeymoon! We're due on 12/30/08. So, hopefully I can be a mom before I'm 30 on 12/31!