Felt the First Kick!!!

I just turned 18 weeks preggie today and I have been so anxious to feel this baby move. Everyone keeps saying you feel the second one so much sooner and as early as 14wks you can feel movement. At my dr. appt. last week, they asked me if I felt anything. I thought I did...but wasn't sure. Felt more like gas or even a little like nervous butterflies. Since our miscarriage 2 years ago, I have spent most of this pregnancy in constant fear that something is going to go wrong. I'm a nervous wreck at every dr. appt. It's been a bit easier since the first trimester passed, but then I hear about friends of friends who lost their babies at 20 weeks, 23 weeks, etc. and the fear starts up again. I have been desparate to feel a real movement for weeks. Today, I just lay down to watch Oprah from yesterday as K is napping and just finished lunch. Out of nowhere I felt two consectutive kicks to my left side. No doubt in my mind that was the baby and God letting me know all is well. I just started crying, so relieved and so happy to feel this little one so active and after all the tough times and long wait to feel the familiar kicks is just the best feeling in the world!!!!

Sometimes you don't know what the day will bring...

Best laid plans...
Last night I made a list of everything that needed to get done today...lots of cleaning and setting up as I am hosting a 12hr. crop tomorrow. There's a lot to get done, plus we always go to our local library for storytime on Fridays.
Well, yesterday I noticed K's right eyelid was red and puffy. I didn't think much of it and assumed she had irritated it or touched something that gave her a reaction. This morning when she woke, it wasn't any better..maybe even a little worse. I called her dr. office and asked to speak to the nurse, thinking she would tell me not to worry, give some benadryl, etc. After I explained the red eyelid...no fever, good appetite, not itching it, no discharge in the eye...she asked me if I could come in right away. I was a bit stunned, but got our stuff together (got the library books so we could head over there after a quick look at the dr. office). Well, nothing is quick at the dr. office. I'm glad they squeezed us in, but we waited for an hour (including 30 min. sitting alone in the exam room...you start to think they forgot about you!). The dr. came in, and took a look at her eye by shining that light into it. She gave a huge sigh of relief and said, "good. It's not as bad as I suspected." WHAT??? She kept looking over K and it turns out this poor child has her first ear infection, a sinus infection, and a possible start to pink eye. I had NO idea she was even feeling a little under the weather. The dr. warned me she was contagious for 24 hrs, so no library and running around town. After one dose of antibiotics, her eye already looks better. I'm so glad we got in to see the doctor and feel so bad I missed every sign that she was sick.

Baby Update and an Exicted Big Sister

I had my 16 week appt. today with my OB (we're a week off due to Christmas, I'm actually 17wks now). Everything went well...a quick and easy appointment. I have finally put on some weight after a very difficult first trimester. On one side, it was great to see the weight go up and know I'm feeling 100% better, but seeing that scale jump (up 7 lbs in one month, but with the loss at the beginning, it's only a total gain of 5 lbs) is not easy. I have been taking advantage of my pregnancy this month and eating whatever I feel like, whenever I feel like it. I will put a stop to that this month. We still have 5 months to go....can't afford 7lbs a month!! The heartbeat is slowing down a bit now and went from 161 to 147. The nurse said the baby could be resting and fluctuations are normal. It was such a relief to hear that strong heartbeat as soon as the monitor touched my belly...no more searching and anxious waiting.
Katelyn is getting more excited about the baby. We're taking her to our ultrasound on March 7, so she can see the baby and hear the heartbeat. Today she said she wanted to hold the baby since it is getting better and keeps insisting it is a little sister. The other day she told me the baby needs bottles, pacifiers, and little socks. I told her we could go shopping together and she could pick out little socks for the baby. She thought about it and said, "Actually, I'd like to stay home." Okay, then!

Camping Adventure

Okay, it wasn't so much an "adventure", as we camped one night at a state park in DeBary, FL (only about 1/2 hr. from our house) at a marked campsite. Still it was an adventure for Katelyn, Jenny, and Mom...all first timers. Last Saturday, we drove up to Gemini Springs State Park and met Bryan's Uncle Dan and his wife Prezy. They reserved the campsite next door, so we were neighbors for the night. Bryan and I brought our new 7 person tent, and Mom, Jenny, Jeff, Bryan, Katelyn, and I (plus 2 dogs) fit inside comfortably. We spent the day setting up camp, making lunch on the fire (hot dogs and grilled cheese), then took a long walk on a nature walk path through the park. Once we returned to our campsite, we prepared a delicious dinner. Back in Bryan's boy scout days, they made "foil packs" in the fire. You toss in some ground beef, potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, and asparagus, seal it in tin foil, and set it in the hot coals for about a half hour. It was steaming hot and was delicious!! Katelyn didn't eat hers...she had stuffed herself with Doritos while dinner was cooking and was so exhausted from all the outdoor activity that she had just checked out. She had it and we put her to bed (not easy to get her to go down in a tent by herself, but she cried herself into a deep sleep). We had a great time sitting around the campfire, makind s'mores, and talking. The day caught up with us and we all went to bed just after 10pm. I wish we could say we had a good night sleep, but a noisy owl, barking dog at the next campsite, along with a crying baby, and a train kept most of us awake. We were exhausted, but had a great time! We'll be back!

Hollywood Week!

This is one of my favorite weeks in TV...Hollywood Week on American Idol. We watched the auditions and we have our favorites (although I can't remember any of their names. One that comes to mind is the girl who adopted the twins and the girl with the handicap daughter). I just love Hollywood week and this is when I really get behind a few contestants. I am so crushed if they don't make it! Last year, one of my favorites just bombed and forgot all the words to the song she was singing. These contestants are challenged beyond anyone's expectations and it's so interesting to see how they handle the pressure. We'll see who makes it this year. I love American Idol!! Past favorites have been Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Constantine Marulis (hot!), Chris Daughtry, Katherine McPhee, and Kimberly Locke. Past contestants I have not liked at all: Taylor Hicks, Blake the beat boxer, and Nikki McGibbin (first season). We'll see what this year brings :-)

Wedding Planning and Bump Watch

My sister Michelle is planning her November wedding and as her sisters and bridesmaids, we love to be involved in the details. This weekend, we met at a wedding expo at Ann Taylor (successful trip, we found perfect bridesmaid dresses that we could truly wear again!), then to a bridal shop to try on gowns. She tried on lots of gowns, I'd guess close to a dozen, and narrowed it down to three. We all had our opinions, but in the end, none felt perfect so she left to think about it. Today, she found a gorgeous gown at a different bridal shop that is perfect for her! Mom also found adorable pink flower girl dresses, so we have most everything done! She is the last of the four of us to get married, so we're all enjoying the last family wedding.

I'm a religous reader of "US Weekly", "In Touch," etc. If it's a celebrity gossip magazine, I read it. A fun escape. Anyway, a big thing in those magazines is the "bump watch" where they photograph and sometimes even circle baby bumps on celebrities. It's exciting to pregnant with the "hollywood baby boom." I just found out Gwen Stefani and I are due within a week of each other. I'm also relieved to see she is also showing now :-) So, in this picture, you can see my baby bump. It's starting to grow! The baby is now the size of a softball, I'm 15 1/2 weeks along and just loving this second trimester!! I really feel like myself again. The first trimester was really rough...makes me appreciate this time even more! I am getting up twice a night to pee and sometimes have a hard time getting back to sleep. I'm usually up around 1am, go right back to sleep, then up at 4:3o am and that's when I get restless. I end up falling back asleep, but it takes a while. I think the baby is in a bad spot right now. I thought I felt the baby move last week, but I'm not sure it wasn't just gas, and haven't felt anything since. I'm excited to start feeling this baby move! If our early ultrasound is any indication, this baby is VERY active!

Okay, on a side note, Katelyn is currently having a MAJOR fit in her bedroom. Bed time and nap time have been distasterous lately. She screams, gets out of her bed, throws things, refuses to sleep, etc. At nap time, I have to carry her into her room. She kicks her head board, yells, etc. I'm telling you, it's like an episode of SuperNanny! This is VERY unlike her. Bed time has been smooth and nap time is quiet. I don't know what is going on with her. She has been close to the perfect child for months, and this week has been extremely difficult! I have no idea what has caused this shift. She is also starting separation anxiety...again, never really a problem for her. She gets very upset whenever we leave anywhere...my parents house, DJ's house, Barnes and Noble, you name it...even home. If we get in the car and start driving down the road, she begs me to turn around and go back. I'm telling you...she is testing me to the limits!!