Factual Friday

(I have noticed some of my blog friends sometimes make posts called "Wordless Wednesday". Since it's Friday, I had to improvise on the title. I have nothing to say, really, but the point of the post is... it's a FACT that my stomach is getting a little baby-riffic! What a difference just a few weeks makes!)

13 weeks, 4 days

oh baby oh baby

I would like to take this opportunity to give myself a big pat on the back. Please hold your applause until the end. :) Not only did I do dishes and laundry today, but I also went to the grocery store, picked up my bridesmaid dress for Kasey and Phillip's wedding, and had lunch at Panera with Tara.

I can't brag too much more though-- I didn't wash my face this morning or change out of my pajamas.  I did, however, brush my teeth and put on a sports bra underneath. You may now applaud. :)

I am nearing the end of the FIRST (thanks for the edit, Mom!) trimester, just one more week left to go, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I know it won't be an overnight change (or maybe it will be...please?) but I am looking forward to feeling a bit more like myself.  It seems the consensus is that some time in the fourth month, things start getting better...more energy, less nausea...until the seventh month...when things get even worse than first trimester. I know the experience is different for every woman, but I am hoping at least part of this applies to me.

Unfortunately, I don't have an captivating tales of woe, or vomit, to divulge. Things have been pretty status quo.  Sick, and tired, and sick, and tired some more.  Oh! Wait wait! I take it back.  I did have another puke fest (Mom, sorry I used the word "puke") the other night. That makes a total of two actual acts of vomiting since conception. I made mention of it in my facebook status, but I took my prenatal vitamin right before bed, and never fell asleep... the whole "you'll sleep right through the nausea" fable only works if you FALL ASLEEP in a timely fashion.

So, I got up about 45 minutes later and threw up some Qdoba in the toilet, while Stuart stood beside me.  Now, we are about to get REAL personal here...so strangers/voyeurs who don't really know me...read on, only if you're brave.

Has anyone else out there in blogworld ever peed their pants when they threw up?  Well...I hadn't either, til that fateful night.  I was squatting at the toilet and wretching so hard that I lost control of my bodily functions!  That, and I hear that all these crazy prego hormones relax smooth muscle. Poor, poor Stuart stood beside me as I tasted the horrid stomach acid/quesadilla cocktail over and over again.  Between hacks, I was able to get out the words "I'm peeing!" but my Knight in Shining Armor did not leave my side, and his lower leg was sprayed with urine as it splashed out of me, onto the tile floor, and back up again, onto him. Oh gross! I know people, TMI, big time...

however, if nothing else, I would like to paint an accurate picture of pregnancy for you all, and that includes vomiting, belching, feeling sick and tired all the time, and yes, peeing your pants every once in a while.  Hopefully this is an isolated incident. :)

In other news, I have the very, very beginnings of my baby bump.  It's buried under my pre-existing stomach "insulation" (as I like to call it) but it's there!  If you know me well, or even if you don't know me well but for some odd reason study my stomach every time we see each other ...weird... you may notice it, too! See below.

Everything has been going fairly well with the doctor.  My blood pressure has not been high again.  Today at Kroger, it was 115/76...which is like, almost hypotension for me.  The only thing that is kinda bugging me is that my platelet count has been low.  The first time, 137, just barely low.  Then, a month later, it was 122.  I am TRYING to refrain from doing what the little hyopchondriac inside tells me to, which is turn on panic mode...but boy, it's hard. All of my other blood counts were good...so it's probably one of two things: 1) my platelets were low before, and I just never knew because I never had any reason to have them checked or 2) gestational thrombocytopenia ...which is just the way some women's bodies react to pregnancy.

After lots of googling and consulting doctor friends and nurse friends, I feel a little better, and I have gone from diagnosing myself with leukemia or lupus to thinking my body will catch up and everything will be ok.  I do not even bruise easily, no bleeding gums...no actual symptoms. My doctor is checking them again on my August 5th appointment, so until then, what can ya do?  There's no magic food or pill...so yeah.

And finally, tomorrow is my quarter-century birthday. The big 2-5.  And...that's all I have to say about that. :)  Stuart had planned a surprise, and I just got it out of him that we are going to the Melting Pot (I have been asking him to take me for about two years) with my family! I also get a Caramanda's cake AND a new bra (that's what I asked for)... I am a bit of a bra snob, so purchasing one is a once-in-a-while event.  Now that the girls are getting a little bigger, they need more support...so I will be looking into different styles. :)

I believe that all my blabbering for now! More to come...

Daddy's Perspective...

Hello World,
I figured since my beautiful wife has decided to create a blog about our pregnancy that I should contribute to it as well. That's right, this is Stuart writing and if you were waiting for another riveting Kate entry... I'm sorry to disappoint. But don't worry though, I'm just as qwerky, savvy and quick witted as my wife (I was once a journalism major once upon-a-time ago). Did I mention how beautiful she is?!?!?!? I'm really just so lucky to have such a(n) amazing, beautiful, smart, funny and loving wife. I feel honored and blessed to have her in my life and we're so stinking excited for baby wiser to get here!
When we first found out that we were pregnant, I experienced a couple of different emotions: excited, scared nervous, worried but never once did I wish the pregnancy away. Besides marrying Kate, that day was the single best day of my life; thus far! Believe me, when that little kiddo gets here I may just do kartwheels down Tates Creek Road during rush hour!!
It's been hard watching Kate make so many sacrifices for the baby, and usually the stress of those sacrifices spills over onto me. But I don't mind it, I welcome it. If I could, I would carry the baby for her but for whatever reason, God just didn't seem to think men were made to carry children. I try really hard to make things as easy for Kate as possible and at times, I still make stupid mistakes/decisions and she gets angry with me. I just hope and prays that she knows that I'm trying so hard to do everything I can to make life as easy I can for my boo (wife/spouse/mother of my child/lover for the older crowd - boo is slang... nevermind).
I have been trying to keep myself busy as to not sit and worry about everything that we or I, in particular, should be trying to get done for this baby. But with my job (Home City Ice driver - lots of driving in between stops) I have plenty of time to sit and think about the future. Questions come into my mind like: What kind of place are we bring this kid into? How am I ever going to be able to help raise a kid while I still have so much growing up to do myself? Will my kids be in the band or play sports? How much will weddings cost in 20-30 years, wait when we will let our daughter start dating?!?! Oh sheesh, you can imagine my mind has been racing this last few weeks.
Well anyway, I think this good enough for MY first entry, but I'll be sure to drop by and leave my insight on how things are GROWING with our baby and our lives. We loving sharing our experiences with everyone and hope that with all the views this blog is getting, that you enjoy reading it! Thanks for all the love, support, thoughts and prayers.
                                                                                       More Correspondences to come in the future,
                                                                                       Stuart

get me outta this trimester!!!

Well... 11 weeks! According to thebump.com, the baby looks a little something like this:

However, we are hoping that our baby is a little less green, and a little more human-like. But, the size... fine wtih me. :)

Over the last week, I also did a little image morphing.  I KNOW THIS IS NOT ACCURATE!, however, I thought it would be funny to see what our baby "might" look like. 

I present to you...

Norah Grace Wiser

and...

Sam Wiser!

"Wow" is really all I can say.  I am not sure I buy it! But...only time will tell. :)

On another, slightly less creepy note, I am SO over the first trimester. I am grumpy and uncomfortable...not to mention bloated all the time! I burp and I hiccup like it's my new job, and the joys of being "regular" have turned into the misery of being constipated. I am told these GI problems only get worse with time (great!) but these issues paired with intermittent, strikes-out-of-nowhere nausea are getting on my last nerve. I do admit, I am feeling better. I didn't lose massive amounts of weight like some people do during the first trimester. Heck, I didn't lose a pound... sigh...although I have been eating less. 

My jeans are tight.  Not just in the belly, either.  Dang these tree trunk legs of mine.  I have always been more of a pear than an apple, so I am saddened by the fact that soon, I will become a pear and an apple....which, as you all know... together, makes a HIPPO! People keep telling me not to worry about the weight gain, just focus on growing a healthy little baby, but ya know what, the weight gain part sucks.  I was already at just about my maximum comfortable weight (maybe a little over) pre-pregnancy.  Sigh. Totally worth it, though... TOTALLY. :-) 

Over the weekend, my family enjoyed a day on Herrington Lake.  The morning of, I had a mild freak out when I tried on my bikinis. I don't really have a "baby bump" yet, but I do have this...thickening action going on.  And what I used to be able to suck in...doesn't suck too far anymore.  After trying on bathing suits at various stores for about an hour, I bought a maternity bathing suit at Target.  I figured I could grow comfortably into it throughout the year, anyway.  It's ALMOST cute, but instead, resembles a blue tent.  However, very, very comfortable.

I have been a wretched witch to Stuart at times.  Now that I am more aware of my problem, though, I have tried to be nicer.  I do have my moments, though.  I feel so blessed to have a husband who puts up with me.  I kinda have this deep fear that I act like Kate Gosselin sometimes... bossy and rude to my husbad.  NOT all the time, but I have my moments. It's definitely something I need to work on, before Stuart looks at me and sees this:

                                                      

Yes, that's right. I morphed my picture with Kate Gosselin's. And while it's not the WORST thing I've ever laid eyes on, I don't think Stuart would dig it.

Well... I'm off to clean house. We have our monthly check up on Thursday.  Please continue to pray that everything looks A-ok...and that my blood pressure is where it ought to be. :) Until next time...