Diapering Decisions

Ever since we started TTC, I've done a lot of research when it comes to what we want to do with our children. While there are still many things that we are considering, one thing has been pretty consistent.

We want to cloth diaper.

Cloth diapering has come a long way since we were kids and the styles and options out there are incredible. As a nanny, one of the children I watched was cloth diapered through a service and it really wasn't that bad. Of course, we'll be doing our own laundry, but I'm certain that it's something we definitely want to try out.

I have already started our stash and plan on expanding it more over time. I want to have a decent selection of diapers so we're looking to purchase some and make some.

So far, I've ordered three and made two. The two I've made are OS (one size) AI2 (all-in-two) so they can have the soaker pad snapped or laid directly against the babies skin. I also will be making some pockets and maybe a couple of AIO (all-in-ones) so that I have more variety and see what we like.

The first one I made is a gender-neutral green one. It has green PUL with adjustable snaps and white minky on the inside. This is set to the smallest setting and I accidentally added two extra snaps in the middle...oops!

And this is on the biggest setting!

The second one I made is a girl one (because my mother-in-law really thinks it's a girl and I have some super cute fabric). It has a hidden layer of PUL and a cotton exterior. This one is made with velcro and an adjustable rise.

Set on the smallest setting...isn't it so cute?!

So, that's what I've been up to lately. I have a craft show coming up in the spring and hope to make some to sell there as well!

So What Wednesday

This week, I'm saying SO WHAT if...

• Most nights I opt out of the regularly scheduled dinner. I eat, but the food aversions do not have casseroles or red sauce as part of the plan.
• I was a little annoyed that my RE who put me on Metformin and had no problem telling me how long he wanted me on it during my pregnancy before I got pregnant would not remind me what that information was. Now, my OB might have to send me to a high risk doctor just to get an answer since he's not comfortable with making that decision.
• I'm already dreading the next four workdays. I agreed to 10-12 hours per week total (so about 2 days per week) and I'll be working 24 hours this week alone. Oh well, at least I'll like the paycheck!
• Watermelon is my new favorite food. So happy I finally want something healthy!
• I bought something for the baby. Target was having a great sale so I ordered the video monitor we wanted, got 5% off, free shipping, and a $40 Target gift card! My husband said we shouldn't pass it up so we didn't.
• I'm counting down to my sister's graduation in May and praying that I look pregnant. Starting off as a heavy girl means there's no guarantee!

Blessed

Lately, I have been feeling so overwhelmed with blessings. I really feel like God has turned my life around so much since I left California in July 2007 and I'm sitting here so thankful for His many blessings.

Today I checked my email and saw so much love from people who have been praying for me and baby. I hope you all know how much that means to me and how incredible you all are. Please know, that I have been praying for all of you as well and that you will, in turn, be blessed.

Once I was finished checking my email, I decided to check our Discover card account. I like to do so every couple of days to make sure the charges are correct and to know how much to budget every month. We like the reward points, but not a revolving balance so we make sure to pay it off monthly. Imagine my surprise when my husband's commuter card that normally costs us $133 per month was charged at a grand total of $13! We knew that a subsidy was in the works and that it would give us a savings, but an extra $120 per month extra is just what we needed to be able to put more aside for the house and upcoming baby costs!

In addition to all of this, both my parents and my husband's parents are now officially excited! We saw a heartbeat which puts us at a lower risk and even though we still have a month to go until we're out of the first trimester, we know that God is good and that He has told us that He is giving us this baby so we are trusting in Him and having faith.

Thank you all for being such a wonderful blessing!

September 1st

That's our due date! Hopefully Baby Reese will be right on time as we both love the month of September. However, if he/she is healthy and wants to be a tad early that's ok too!

Today I had my follow-up appointment with my OB. He was happy with all of my blood results and I passed my first 1 hr gestational diabetes test! My hemoglobin a1c levels were the same so "borderline" normal aka right above, but no cause for concern. He was super happy with the ultrasound and said that he's not concerned at all and that my symptoms are great! We see him again in one month for our anniversary and we'll be 13 weeks which means we can announce it to family and friends on facebook and really get it out there for people in our personal life that have been kept in the dark.

 

I've been feeling awesome symptom-wise so that's always a good thing. I don't have much nausea anymore unless I get really hungry and I still have some food aversions. I'm tired all the time, which is normal, but it makes for a long day. Sleeping at night is still lacking and I wake up every couple of hours and it's not very restful. Napping isn't working too well since I can nap in one hour increments before I wake up to go to the bathroom. I also wake up super cranky and feel a little sick, but only when I nap. Oh, and I'm hungry all day...seriously, about every hour. And the emotions! Sometimes, I have to laugh at myself!

I'm not complaining much because I honestly love that I get to be pregnant and I'm so grateful that we have this opportunity. We are praying every day for our baby and know what an amazing miracle God has given us!

For the next month or so, I'll be working on my sewing (some for baby, some for some craft shows) and working part-time at the sewing gallery. It definitely keeps me busy and I can only do so much, but it's good for me. I'm hoping to have more energy in the next few weeks and I'll be able to start walking a little bit. Other than that, I'm just really happy and tired.

So What Wednesday

This week, I'm saying SO WHAT if...

• We didn't listen to the first doctor and we have a VIABLE pregnancy! Praise the Lord for his miracles!
• I'm not thrilled with this headache that I had all day yesterday.  I really don't want to take Tylenol unless it's necessary since it rarely works.
• I'm considering getting a snoogle pillow sooner rather than later. I have a hard time getting comfortable and wake up 3-5 times per night.
• I didn't want to tell my brother-in-law about the baby yet. He has a tendency to say whatever he thinks and I was preparing for the worst.
• We ended up telling him since my mother-in-law asked us to now that we've seen the heartbeat. It was way better than expected!
• I get super moody so I stay in my bedroom. Only Phil gets to experience the crankiness.
• I love being pregnant! I'm feeling pretty well other than normal things and have little to complain about.     
• If we still don't have a due date! We should find out Monday. 

{Ultrasound Update} We Have a Baby!

"The battle determines the blessing." 

That's a quote I heard in church this past Sunday and it really hit home for me. Struggling to get pregnant then having it happen on it's own has been such an incredible miracle and blessing. I feel like this baby is more of a  blessing now than ever before because of the battle it took to get here.

We had our follow-up ultrasound today to check the size of the baby and to get a due date since the last doctor's office was less than helpful. We were a little nervous, but sure that God was telling us that it was going to be ok.

We went in to the office and got there 15 minutes before the appointment time per instructions. I drank my 16 oz. of water and was not allowed to empty my bladder until the scan was done. I started drinking the water an hour prior to my appointment, so by the time we got there, I was so uncomfortable that I thought I was going to have an accident! We waited a few minutes past my appointment time and I finally got called up to sign in with my insurance card.

After waiting just over a half an hour past my appointment time I was ready to explode and was finally called back! I went into the ultrasound room and the tech decided to do an abdominal scan on me first. This was shocking because I should have been around 7 weeks 2 days per the last ultrasound and I was sure she wasn't going to see anything this way. She assured me that if she didn't see anything, that we would do a trans-vaginal scan at that point.

She started moving the wand around and at first I saw a huge black hole with nothing in it and was a little confused. Then, I saw a smaller one further down, but she wasn't focusing on that just yet. Finally, she went to the smaller one and there was a baby! She explained that the bigger black hole was my bladder and that this was my baby.

There were a few measurements and I could see a little flicker so I asked if that was the heartbeat. I was so thankful when she said yes and it was beating at 160 bpm. The baby measured in at 8 weeks 2 days!

Without further adieu, here's Baby Reese...

We couldn't be more grateful for all of the prayers and well wishes. Thank you to everyone who thought about us and prayed for our baby. We are so blessed and relieved!

My next appointment with the OB is Monday and we should be getting our due date then! Please continue your prayers for our baby and thank you once again for all of the support.

New OB Appointment

After much prayer and consideration, we decided on going with a new OB that is closer to where we live. With the first ultrasound appointment still fresh in our minds, we were a little nervous going in to see this new doctor, but new that we had prayed about it and felt good.

When we got to the doctor's office we walked in and the waiting room smelled of smoke...yuck!  I was hoping this was not a regular occurrence and spoke to the receptionist about it who apologized and said it was some previous patients who brought in the smell. She agreed that it was horrible and said I could crack open the door to get in some air. Yes, it was 32 degrees outside and I stood by that door like a pro to air it out.

I was called back shortly after my appointment time and my husband was told to stay in the waiting room. Of course, we were a little taken aback by this, but found out it was so that the nurse could ask me some questions to find out if I was in a harmful/abusive relationship without him being present. Even though this didn't apply to us, I'm happy to know that they look out for their patients.

The nurse proceeded to ask me a ton of questions about my medical history and my husband's and called him back into the room. The doctor came in not too much longer and had a great bedside manner! He said that he had looked over my chart and asked me a few questions. He told me that my pregnancy seems to be right on track and wanted to schedule me for another ultrasound to see how far along we are.

He disagreed completely with the previous doctor and was so incredibly supportive. He said there was no concern for my HCG levels because they vary so much and they doubled appropriately and I'm having wonderful symptoms. He told me that he wanted me to get an ultrasound done tomorrow and see me in a week for a full prenatal exam and follow-up. He also mentioned that he's expecting the ultrasound to show that everything is fine and that he has no cause for concern what-so-ever.

So, we have an ultrasound scheduled for 10:45am tomorrow and I have some blood work to get done as well and we see him back on Monday.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers and please continue to pray for our baby and that we see a wonderful little baby with a strong heartbeat tomorrow!

Hi Ho, Hi ho, It's Off to Work I Go!

Since we moved in with my in-laws to save for a house, my days have been a little different. You see, taking care of a bedroom versus an apartment is a lot less work. I cook two days a week per what my mother-in-law suggested and we're in charge in vacuuming our bedroom weekly and doing our own laundry. So, the chores are few and far between. It's awesome, really, but I get rather bored...don't tell my mother-in-law because I'm sure she could find plenty for me to do ;)

After really thinking about it, I decided that I might want to look into getting a part-time job. Something that would give me a few hours a week that wouldn't interfere with my business since I have shows coming up and wouldn't interfere with spending time with my husband. I wanted something that I would enjoy and would get me out of the house so I could be more productive.

A month ago, my mother-in-law needed a new sewing machine so I went to the local Viking Sewing Gallery that I like and talked to the manager about what machines they have and price points. Mom-in-law wanted me to do the research then she could make a decision since the last time she got a machine was when she got married 40 years ago! After talking to the manager (wearing sweats and no make-up, mind you) she asked me if I wanted a job.

Of course, I inquired about the hours/days and realized that it would definitely work for me! After talking it over with my husband and praying about it, I decided to put in the application and was hired on the spot at my interview!

I'm really liking my job so far. I work two days a week for a total of twelve hours. Right now it's week days, but I may work one Saturday a month once I'm fully trained. I am currently working on learning all of the sales techniques and all of the machines which makes me super excited. I get to learn to embroider and will be able to teach some classes once I'm trained so that will be awesome!

The only downside is being so tired, but I know that it's better for me to keep myself occupied than not and it really helps the day to go by.

Instincts

The saying "Trust your instincts" is something that I definitely agree with. I tend to get many "gut" feelings about different things so it's not uncommon for me to feel more one way over another. My husband, on the other hand, does not.

With finding out that we're having a baby, I began to call my current GYN's office. I mean, I've done the research and really wanted to stick with them since they deliver at my preferred hospital. Unfortunately, they couldn't get me in for two weeks so I called my primary care office to see what they recommended. They gave me a name and number to another OB/GYN in our current city, but that would mean that I would have to deliver at the hospital in town which was definitely not my preference. Of course, I called anyways, but they were closed. So, even though I felt strongly that I should go with the new doctor, I went with logic and called back to my current doctor's office.

Of course, we all know how that went because of my previous post. So, I set out to look up a new doctor in the area that we are in now and the same doctor kept popping up in all of my searches. At this point, it was like, "Duh!" and I was at the point where if this is what felt best, then I'll deliver at the hospital in town because this is where I feel God wants me.

Over the past weekend, I had a few people highly recommend another OB/GYN in the area. I was confused to say the least. I had made my decision, had an appointment scheduled for the 21st and was feeling good. So, why are all these people recommending another doctor?! So, I prayed about it, still felt like I should keep my current appointment and talked to my husband about it. He said that I should give the new recommendation a call so I did.

I made an appointment for Friday, called my husband who was on board. I still wasn't convinced this was what we were supposed to do, but I wanted to respect my husband's decision and I was confused. Then, as we were talking about the appointment, he told me he didn't feel right about it! What?! Really?! He said he didn't know why, but he just didn't feel right. I told him that I hadn't been sure either so we made the decision to cancel the new appointment and stick with the other one.

It's been a crazy past few weeks, but our comfort and finding the right doctor is so important. I'm so glad we listened to what we felt like God was telling us and I know the doctor's appointment will go well.

Update!

I anxiously awaited the doctor's office opening yesterday morning to call and get my results. After all, the doctor told me to expect declining HCG numbers which would indicated a miscarriage was in process. I finally got the receptionist on the phone and once she looked up my results she immediately said that she couldn't give them to me and that I would have to wait for a doctor to call me back...WHAT?!

At this point, I pretty much got really upset since they have been able to tell me my results every single time without talking to a doctor. Since I was getting ready to go to work I told them that I needed to know the results immediately and that I couldn't wait around for a phone call today. Surprisingly, she put me on hold and the midwife got on the phone and told me my results...27,339!

She proceeded to tell me that they are concerned because they should have been able to at least seen a fetal pole by 6,000, but they are comfortable with me waiting another week and getting a repeat ultrasound since I have had no bleeding. She then asked if I wanted to set up the appointment at that point and I said I'll have to call her back.

On the way to work I called the new OBGYN I am going to work with and gave them the results. They set up an appointment for January 21st to come in and meet the doctor and go over my medical history and all of my test results up to this point. They know I will need another ultrasound to look for viability at that time so they will have to send me to get one.

I am SO relieved. I'm still pregnant and we're praying that the baby will grow and there will be a heartbeat next time. I know that things happen all the time where they can't find the baby the first time and they find a heartbeat the next time. I also know that this is not a done deal. We're still early in the pregnancy, but that's ok. I will enjoy being pregnant for as long as the Lord allows, but we're not willing to give up on our baby.

I'm only measuring one week behind and that's nothing at the moment. They saw nothing on the ultrasound a week and a half and now they saw a sac! We have hope and we are continuing to pray and trust in the Lord.

Announcement and Prayers Needed

*Due to the nature of this post, if you know me on facebook or outside of the internet, please do not post anything online. Feel free to email or text me. Thank you.*

We found out we were pregnant the day after Christmas! We were shocked and excited since we didn't think it was going to happen without help from a fertility specialist. I called the doctor the next day and got my blood drawn. 

Later that afternoon I was experiencing some moderate cramping and went to the hospital per a friend's advice. I got checked out and they said that I should be approximately 5 weeks per my beta draw. They saw nothing on the ultrasound, but didn't expect to since it was too early.

I went in to make sure my levels doubled after the weekend and I was relieved that they had. We scheduled my first prenatal appointment and called it a day. At the first appointment, we were told to schedule an ultrasound to get a due date since my PCOS makes me irregular so they wanted to get a more accurate date of how far along I am.

I had an ultrasound done this morning. They were able to see a small sac, but she said that she couldn't see it very clearly. The ultrasound showed that I should be 5 weeks 2 days along. The tech said that she suggests coming back in 10 days to see if we can see a baby with a heartbeat. She also said that I might just be earlier than they thought. No big deal. I can handle that. I mean, a week and a half ago we didn't see anything and now there's a sac!

Then we told to see the doctor. He reviewed the ultrasound notes and blood work and started off saying that I should get a repeat ultrasound in 7 days. Then, he switched gears and started talking about my beta levels were too high for only being 5 weeks and that I have a 90% chance of miscarriage. He asked if I was bleeding and I said no, just some cramping which he said is a good thing. Then he started talking about a D&C and how I should start considering that. He had me get another blood draw to see if my beta levels are continuing to rise appropriately and we can talk tomorrow.

His bedside manner was lacking and we were left feeling confused and overwhelmed. I have already contacted a new doctor and will be switching either way. I have no intention to see someone who doesn't care about me and will dismiss me so easily.

All I know is that my God is bigger than any 10% chance and if it is His will that this baby doesn't make it, then we know that there was nothing that I could do and there was something wrong with the baby. If we end up with a healthy baby, then we'll be ecstatic. Either way, God is good and we can use this situation for His glory.

Please pray for me and my husband as we are going through this. All I know is that today I'm pregnant and tomorrow we will find out our levels.

So What Wednesday

This week, I'm saying SO WHAT if...

• I stopped blogging for a while. No reason, really, just got busy.
• I wish my husband could have the rest of the week off with me. It's been great having him home for five days in a row.
• I can't seem to remember it's Wednesday. Yesterday I kept thinking it was Thursday and today I have no idea what day it is.
• Taking a break from dieting and exercise is exactly what I needed. I maintained throughout the holidays and that makes me so happy!
• We're still waiting to hear when I start my new job. It was supposed to be the day after Christmas, but the person getting my references done was out on vacation. 
• My sewing machine is in for cleaning for the next week or two and I'm happy! It will come back clean and I'll have a nice break to be able to sew for fun again.
• I've been bored here at home. With my sister gone and my husband back at work it's been a little slow around here.

2013

New Years is always a time for reflection and a time to look forward to the great things that are coming. The year 2012 was good for us in many ways, but we are so excited for 2013. 

This year we are hoping for a big year full of great things.

The first is buying a house! We have saved a little more than half of our down payment so that means we'll have it in the next couple of months and can start looking in the spring when more people will put their houses on the market. I can't wait to be looking at houses in person since it's so different online. We are praying and trusting that God has the right house for us that will work and will be in our budget.

We are also praying that this is our year to have a baby. We're putting our faith in God that He has a baby for us and that we will be able to expand our family this year. I know my parents and my in-laws are all looking forward to grandchildren so hopefully that will all work out.

Of course, I have some personal things I want to work on this year including growing deeper in my faith since last year was hard for the first half of the year and it kind of took me off guard. I have a new appreciation for God and want to continue to grow in Him this year not only individually, but as a family. 

Lastly, I want to work on being more gracious, less judgmental, and more understanding. I sometimes come across a little abrasive or like a know-it-all and I'm working on that. I want to be a woman that has grace and is diplomatic in all situations.

I can't even begin to explain how happy I am for 2013 to be here!