Christmas Cookies

...and other holiday treats were made this weekend. I made fudge, rice krispie treats and sugar cookies (requested by Kory). He even helped frost them. Where I like to take my time and make them look pretty, including making a 'L' and a 'S', Kory mostly quickly frosted them one color. We used snowflake cookie cutters that Lesley gave me for Christmas last year. The cookies from them looked more like flowers. We ended up with spring colors of yellow, green and blue, since we didn't have any red. I had used that up awhile ago to make blood (food coloring and karo syrup) at work for a photo shoot. 

Molly even joined in the fun :-)

ElfYourself Country Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

32 weeks

32 weeks, 0 days

A few days late posting this months belly photo. Although, it was taken on Friday. Notice it is really dark now at 5pm!

I go every two weeks for check-ups now. The last one two weeks ago was routine with nothing exciting to report about (that's how we like it). Heart rate was 137 bpm. I think my last weekly babycenter e-mail reported the baby is about 3.75lb., he's getting bigger! And so am I. He gets the hiccups almost every day. It's really neat. I read it's good when they get them; they are practicing for when they have to breath in the real world. 

I'm getting into the rougher part of pregnancy. I can't do as much and get tired more easily. Notice I don't post as frequently. My back doesn't usually hurt, but my legs sure do. I've been trying to do Denise Austin Fit and Firm Pregnancy DVD, the 20-minute toning and that helps a lot. The indigestion and heartburn has come back. Almost every day, no matter what I eat. Pepcid tablets are my new candy :-).

The baby's room is almost done. I need to finish the valence that Mom helped me with, wash the cloths and put them in the dresser (that is built), put up some more wall decorations, find homes for random items, and get Kory to build a bookshelf. Less than 2-months to go. We are really getting excited!

28 Weeks

28 weeks, 0 days

Latest belly picture at 28 weeks! It was cold yesterday, so my hands are in my pockets. Just wait until January when I take my monthly picture... brrr! Also, you'll notice it's not as sunny out as in previous pictures. I take these pictures at about 5pm when I get home from work and now it is darker then.

Today I went to a check-up. It was the normal stuff - take blood pressure and weight, measure belly and listen to baby! Heartbeat was about 140. Also, I had to do the glucose test, where you drink the disgusting glucose orange drink, to test for gestational diabetes. And they gave me a rhogam shot. Kory actually came to this appt., since he is not busy at work and we carpooled today.

According to my weekly babycenter.com e-mail, baby is about the size of a head of cauliflower. He's kicking along quite frequently. Some days more than others. I get back aches if I'm not careful about how I'm standing or sitting. And my legs feel stiff when I wake up. Is that just from getting older?

Photo Booth

I got a new Mac at work. The old one will be going home with me to use to work at home when I'm on maternity leave. This iMac has a camera at the top and a fun program call Photo Booth. I think you can even use the camera feature to video chat with people. But I don't know anyone else with such a computer to video chat back at me.

24 weeks

24 weeks, 0 days

Well, I'm 24 weeks now. And I didn't realize how much bigger my belly looks until I saw some recent pictures! I think it depends on what I wear and in this picture that shirt is really not a maternity shirt and the pants are snug (but comfortable). Also, Molly was caught in the picture. She was trying to play fetch with me while Kory took the picture.

I really don't feel as big as I look. Sometimes I even forget it's there. Although getting up from sitting and laying isn't as easy and it's harder to find a comfortable position. The fetal movements still feel the same, like little blurps. They seem to change when they occur each day. I don't notice them when I sleep, so that's good. I really can't complain too much; I feel pretty good so far.

Here's a picture from 22 weeks.

22 weeks, 3 days

Last Friday, me and Mom went to my latest check-up. It was a short appt. No more ultrasounds unless needed. That's too bad... I really liked getting to see the little one! Dr Miller did use a microphone like device on my belly (not sure what it is officially called). We could hear the heart beat and hear him moving around. She even felt him kick while she was holding the device. We were glad to hear that, because I wasn't sure I had felt anything yet. Mom kept telling me it would feel like butterflies and I would know it when I felt it. But for about a week or so I had been feeling like "burps" in my belly and I just thought it was gas. So I guess that was it!

According to my weekly e-mail from babycenter.com, he is about the length of a butternut squash, head-t0-toe.

Also, today happens to be my birthday. Maybe I will try to post a photo soon, when I get a chance. I need to get caught up from the long weekend. Mom, Rachel and Craig came to visit. We had a birthday party for me at Dave and Busters. It was really fun!

UPDATE: Here's a picture from my birthday past. I must be about 2 or 3. Sitting with my Grandma Rosalie.

20 weeks

20 weeks, 0 days

Yeah, we made it to 5 months! The bump is growing, slowly and gradually. You don't realize until you're actually pregnant that you just don't get a big bump over night (somewhere in my subconscious that is what I thought). The little one is the size of a banana from head to toe this week. Still haven't felt anything. Maybe I have, but nothing that stands out different from other movements near there. I've given in to wearing maternity clothes; they're so comfortable. I think I want to wear elastic-waist pants all the time.

Symptoms: Still going potty a lot. I guess that will get worse as more weight rests on my bladder. I've started having baby dreams. Actually, the night before we went in to have the us to determine the sex, I dreamed it was a boy! And in all of my baby dreams, the baby talks to me - kinda weird. He has told me he is too warm a couple times. No crazy food cravings, yet. Some days I'm more hungry than others, but that is normal for me depending on how much I have eaten the day before. We are still on a BLT kick - I think Kory is starting to have sympathy cravings for them :-)

Notice how I'm wearing long sleeves in this belly photo, compared to shorts and tank in the others. The weather is changing... it was only in the 50s that day.

Pikes Peak

The guys (just Kory and Mike) climbed another 14er - Pikes Peak, the mountain near Colorado Springs that most people drive up. It was an easier climb, but a very long one. It took them almost all day to get up and back down.

Oh, Boy!

Here are pictures and a video from our latest ultrasound, for anatomy. Everything looked good. And we got to find out the sex as you can see in the picture below. He weighed 10 oz and had a heartbeat of 136. And is about the size of a tomato this week. Kory is thrilled we are having a boy and I am happy either way!

Mt Sherman

Last Sunday morning, Kory, Mike and Chris climbed Mt Sherman (14,036 feet), which is near Fairplay - about a two hour drive. That weekend was the coldest of the summer, with Denver in the 50s and getting non-stop rain for almost 3 days (I enjoyed the cooler weather change from being dry and hot and over 90˚). They said it was really cold up there, probably 32˚ since it was snowing. This climb was an easier one. Hopefully me and Marcia will do it next summer.

16 weeks, 0 days

16 weeks, 0 days

Here's a picture at 16 weeks. I think there's a little bump coming in! The little one is the size of an avocado this week. Last week was an apple, which doesn't seem smaller than an avocado.

Some pants are not fitting. But I'm still in denial about needing maternity clothes, so I unbutton them and wear a stretchy belt. My low-wasted ones still fit.

Symptoms: The burping/indigestion thing still creeps up some mornings. And starting this week I have to go potty A LOT. Also, I haven't remembered having any baby dreams yet, but I did dream about eating pumpkin pie one night :-)

14 weeks, 5 days

Yesterday was the 14 week check-up. I finally got to see my regular doctor, Dr D'Ambrosia. She is the best doctor I've ever had for anything. She is really enthusiastic and caring. She came in and gave me a big hug and was so excited for us. She had us do a quick us, just to make sure everything looked ok. She did it on a smaller portable us machine. We could see the little one moving around and had a heart rate of 154. The us pic wasn't too good. It was hard to see probably because my bladder was emptier and the little one likes to hide back there.

We also got to schedule an us appt. for the anatomy earlier than the one I had already scheduled for September 17. Dr said it would be ok to do it at the appt. I already had scheduled for September 4 (18 weeks, 6 days). So only 4 weeks and we find out if it is a boy or a girl!

Blake Sings Spider and Twinkle

Here are a couple of videos I took the other weekend of Blake singing. I got to watch him while Mike was working and Marcia was away on a girls weekend trip. Blake and I went to soccer, played games, ate at Wendy's, went to the aquarium, tried to take a nap, watched Shrek, and played with matchbox cars.





I think they should put Blake in theater class :-)

12 weeks, 5 days

12 weeks, 5 days

Well, I went back for the re-do appt. with a full bladder. It went a lot faster and the us nurse was happy with her reading. The measurement was 1.4 (needs to be below 3). They also took some of my blood, which they will also use to get the results for the screening test for down syndrome and spina bifida. So far, it looks normal. I got a little bit better picture, although I scanned it at work instead of at my friend's house. I think her scanner is better. If you look at the picture in the 12 weeks, 3 days posting he/she is facing the other way. It's so cool how they can move all over the place!

12 weeks, 3 days

12 weeks, 3 days

We made it! To the so-called "safe" point of 12 weeks. Or is it really the end of the first trimester at 13-1/2 weeks? Anyway, I had an us appt. today. The fetus measured right on, 12 weeks, 3days and the heart rate was 154. Also we did the optional screening test for down syndrome and spina bifida. The us tech couldn't get the right view, so she had me walking around and moving side-to-side. Finally after 40-minutes, she gave up waiting for the little one to move the right way and had me reschedule the appt. for Wednesday. And told me to come with a full bladder. The picture she gave me today wasn't that great. Maybe we'll get some better ones on Wednesday.

Here is the latest belly picture, not sure I've grown much. Possibly in the chest area, but nothing anyone else can notice.

I've slowly gone off all of my medications (estrogen, progesterone, Metformin, and baby aspirin). It will be nice to only have to remember to take 1 pill (vitamins) each day!

Symptoms: Really don't have much anymore. I don't usually feel yucky anymore and the burping/indigestion thing is better. Smells are becoming stronger to me (gross food in the lunchroom, odor spray in the bathroom, etc.). My car rides are much better. And my breasts are less sore.

10 weeks, 5 days

10 weeks, 5 days

Yesterday we had my first appointment at the "regular" OB/GYN office. I am done going to the infertility clinic, which must mean I am no longer "high risk". I had been nervous leading up to the appt., because you never know what is really going on inside. My feeling yucky is sporadic. Fine some days, not as fine other days. I wish the fetus could say to me every day "Hi Mommy, I'm still here, doing good..."!

First we had an ultrasound. I didn't like the us nurse, she didn't tell us much. She acted as if she was sick of doing the same thing all day long and we were a bother to her. Glad I had already had a few us's, so I knew a few things to look for like the flicker of the heartbeat, the week and day reading, and seeing it move. It measured right at 10 weeks, 5 days - forget the exact measurement - maybe about 1-1/2''. Btw Kory had to ask that - I saw it on the screen. It's heartbeat was 167. Still a girl, Mom :-)! Kory said it looked like an alien, but I'm going with a monkey so I'm not scared to look at it.

Then we met with the doctor (one of eight at this office). The infertility clinic did not send over my files, so she held off on doing any blood work until they know what I've already done as not to duplicate anything. Until 28 weeks, I go in every 4 weeks. But I made an appt. to go in at about 12 weeks (2 weeks from now), just to make sure I make it to the "safe" point before telling everyone.

Skydiving

Kory, my brother-in-law Mike and his friend Scott went indoor skydiving yesterday at SkyVenture Colorado. Kory just thought we were going to watch the other two, but I surprised him and had him signed up to do it. I knew he wouldn't do it otherwise, since it's expensive.

They said it was more like floating than falling and kind of like swimming. I only got video of Scott and the Instructor. I forgot when it was Kory and Mike's turns.

(Kory)

(Mike)

(Scott)

Here are the videos of Scott and the Instructor, who did some sort of cool Spiderman thing. I'm not sure why I turned the camera sideways on the Instructors video, maybe to get a better vertical angle.

The Great Squirrel Hunt

Good Ole' Country Boy goes Crazy in Suburbia....

Kory has been on a squirrel hunt. It all started when we kept seeing a squirrel in the backyard steal Molly's peanut butter filled Kong toy. It would carry it as far as the neighbor's yard and chew it to pieces. Or maybe it even started earlier than that, since it is hard to go hunting in Colorado and thus he was missing his sport.

First, Kory borrowed the neighbor's bb gun. When that wasn't doing the trick, he went out and bought his own. He has hit the squirrel a few times and even saw it limp away, but just hasn't killed it.

Poor Kory, he just needs to go back to God's land for awhile and get that itch scratched :-)

Josh Turner Concert

Last Saturday, we went to the Josh Turner concert at the Greeley Stampede. Josh is my favorite country performer. He even sounds better live than recorded. We drove up with my friend from work Andrew and his wife LaVonne.

I bought Standing Room Only tickets, so we could be close to stage. It was really crowded, especially when Josh came on. I got annoyed because about half the time I couldn't see or hear because of the drunk girls and cowboys in front of us. You can hear the annoying girls screaming at the end of the video below. I decided next time I need to be in the old person section :-)

Also, Little Big Town opened for him. They were really good. They reminded me of a country version of Fleetwood Mac. They even performed one of their songs.

8 weeks, 4 days

8 Weeks, 4 Days

Here's my latest belly picture. Thought I would turn the other way, I like facing that way better. Not much difference from two weeks ago. They say I won't show until four months, but I bet more fat will show :-) A lady Marcia does business with is also about 8 weeks and she said she is showing, but this is not her first pregnancy

Symptoms: Still not too bad, others might complain but I like getting symptoms. It reassures me that I'm still pregnant until I can go to the u.s. appt. Still feel yucky every morning. I tried eating rice chex for breakfast and that agrees more than other stuff I've tried, such as breakfast burritos, Lucky Charms, toast & pb, and Trix. Mmmm... I love kids cereal in the morning, too bad my stomach doesn't. Also on some drives to work in the morning, I feel like I'm on a carnival ride (no I'm not that bad of a driver). Still a bit tired and less motivated at times. Breasts are still sore, but only hurt when touched by unwanted hands.

The Good and the Bad

Kory and I went to my latest ultrasound check-up (8 weeks, 4 days). It went good, but also went bad. I'll start with the bad. Sadly, we lost #2. It measured at 8 weeks, 0 days, but didn't have a heart beat. The US nurse told us with multiples there is about a 30% chance of one of them not making it. She said something like our bodies aren't meant to have more than one. And in the normal world of early pregnancy, you usually would not go in for a check-up this early. Thus, you probably wouldn't have known you lost one. It sucks, I was very excited to have two even if it would be extra work and extra everything. Kory was sad, but also relieved in a way. But I try to remember something important that I've learned through all of our hard times... it is all in God's hands and God takes care of our lives. It's hard to accept that sometimes when things don't go the way you had hoped. I'm trying to stay positive for #1. We were also reassured that this will not affect #1.

So #1 is doing really good! It tripled in size since two weeks ago, measured at 1.96 cm and is about the size of a kidney bean this week. It had a heart rate of 182 bpm. She said normal heart rate will be about 120 - 180. It was higher because it was very active at our afternoon appointment. We could even see the head moving. Also, we saw the umbilical cord and the yolk sac. Mom says a higher HR means it is a girl, so she's got her bets on that. I don't care either way :-)

New Camera!

We got a new camera a few days ago, the Panasonic TZ4. I found it at Costco with a $70 off coupon. Good deal! Hopefully it turns out to be a good camera. I wanted a smaller camera that we could take with us more often. Sometimes our Fujifilm S5200 is too big to carry around. I'm hoping to use this camera to take lots of pictures (and movies) of the two little ones and post them here.

Here are a few practice pictures I took the other day:

Belly Picture #1

6 Weeks, 4 Days

Here's my first belly picture. No, I'm not showing yet, but I can use this as a comparison. Although it does look like I have something there, it is just my gut that has been getting bigger as I get older and from all the hormones I have taken the past year.

Symptoms: Really aren't too bad. Most mornings I have this indigestion/burping thing. I've noticed I'm more tired and less motivated at times. My breasts are quite sore (probably from the extra progesterone pills). And I feel carsick, even when I'm driving. No puking though.

Do it Anyway

" You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway

God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway"

After three years, seven inseminations, one miscarriage, and one successful IVF cycle, I'm very excited and nervous to find out I'm pregnant! These early posts will be kept a secret for a few weeks and then after it is 'safe' I will share with family and friends.

We found out I was pregnant about two weeks after our IVF cycle transfer. Three embryos were transferred, so we were told there was about a 50% chance of multiples. At my first ultrasound (June 10 - 6 weeks, 4 days) we found out with our own eyes - twins! Or as Kory would like to say "two for the price of one" :-) We were told they looked excellent. Good size, #1 at 0.66cm and #2 at 0.49cm and both had a HR of 130.