It's A... (Updated!)

GIRL!!

I feel like everyone I know who's had a baby recently or is having one soon is having a girl. Plus, almost my entire family is made up of girls so I guess I'm just carrying on the traditions. Bring on the estrogen!

It didn't matter to us which sex the baby was, we are just so excited to finally have a name for the little baby growing in my belly. We've had names picked out since the beginning of the pregnancy and I'm proud to say that baby Lynnaea is going to meet us all in a few months! I wanted to name her after my mom, but "Linda" is a little boring, so instead of Linda Jane she will be Lynnaea Jane. I'm sure she will be daddy's little princess. He's already very opinionated about what she can and can't wear...

(Half an hour later) So, I was going to post a picture of my 3D ultrasound picture because it is the only one that looks like a baby... but I can't find my ultrasound pictures!!!! I swear I put them in a safe place.

I guess I'm losing everything else on top of losing my mind. Yesterday it was my phone charger (on the day I wanted to talk to everyone about our baby girl) that I later found in a random room I haven't been in for about a week. As soon as I find the pictures, I will post the "good" one. Lynnaea is always looking straight out during the ultrasounds so the pictures make her look like a skeleton/alien being. Maybe I should be a skeleton with a baby skeleton in my belly for Halloween...

(one day later) FOUND THEM! They were exactly where I thought they were... and I had taken everything out of that bag three times without finding them. Then today I take something out, and there they are! Just sitting in there..

This is a 3D picture of her face (straight on) squished between the placenta and my uterus apparently very content. (they are the white things on left and right)

Right below the exact middle of the picture is her nose. Two dark spots above that are her eyes, and the dark line below her nose is the separation between her lips (I realize ultrasounds are hard to decipher if you dont know what you are looking at). She's so beautiful already!

I've Narrowed it Down to Three...

Halloween costumes that is.

I really don't want to paint my belly anything, so that kind of excludes a lot of Google search results... but I found a couple of ideas that I think are cute.

I was thinking:

a) a ladybug. Though, maybe too cute? or

b) treasure troll (the ones with the crazy neon hair and jewel on their belly). But, would anyone get it? or

c) Skeleton with baby skeleton in belly

What are your thoughts? I put up a poll on the right, so VOTE!

I need to know what your opinions are.

The Insanity That is Now My Life

I think that I am genuinely going insane.

I find myself worrying about everything and anything that could potentially harm my baby. Today's paranoia: toxoplasmosis from the evil vermin named Scruffles, Butterscotch, Fluffy, Chubs, Cupcake, and Dum Dum. The kittens.

Today I mopped my floor three times because of the bacteria that the cats could have tracked through my house from their litter (it was tracking everywhere because it was in a room without a carpet). If I didn't mop then it could get on my feet, and if it got on my feet it could get everywhere! That was my mindset at least. I think that if I had counted how many times I washed my hands, feet, or used hand sanitizer it would range in the 30's.

Needless to say, when my husband got home from work I made him move the cat litter to a more remote area of the house where it won't get tracked from. Crisis averted.

I heard that this is normal and it is just my mother's instinct kicking in (Google is my go-to advice giver). I never could have imagined how strong it would be, and I'm sure it's going to get much stronger once my baby is finally here. My poor children will be the ones with fifty layers of clothing on as soon as the first snowflake falls. I can feel it.

Ah, the joys of motherhood.

The Three New Additions to My Life

Baby bump... Left Breast... Right Breast.

I know they tell you your boobs grow, but HELLO LADIES! I mean, how much are they supposed to grow?? I heard that my mom went from a DD to a EEE. Yea. I'm already a cup up from my starting point so we shall see. I'm not looking forward to what they will look like afterward, but I'm not going to think about that right now...

So far no stretch marks in sight, but I am only halfway done.. we'll just have to wait and see. I was definitely expecting to see some by now because of my track record. 5 months ago if I gained 5 lbs, I would get three. So, fingers crossed! I use lotion just in case there is a 1 in a million chance it will help.... you never know.

Next Wednesday is when find out the sex of our baby, if it cooperates, and we are so excited! I'm sick of calling my baby IT. Some people don't want to know until they give birth, but I think I need the mental preparation. I feel like it would be so much easier to form a closer bond if there was a name involved... but maybe not.

If you were pregnant right now, would you wait to learn the sex of your baby or would you want to find out as soon as possible?

I Weigh HOW Much?!

Ok.

I realize that weight gain is essentially part of being pregnant. However, there is some serious sticker shock when you step on the scale at 19 weeks pregnant. I mean, our brains are programmed to think that what we gain is only us growing. It is only a number and I'm actually on the low side, but I need to reprogram my brain.

After weighing myself tonight, I checked out this calculator online and it eased my mind. It is a pregnancy weight gain calulator that checks your weight gain against what the healthy range is for how many weeks pregnant you are. It is actually pretty neat.

This reprogramming of my brain may take some time to do, but I'm working on it. My mantra is now... I have no idea. I wrote a few things, but none seemed right. Like I said, I'm working on it.

If you are a stressing pregnant momma, check it out! It helps to know that what you see on the scale is what your baby needs to grow.

And you aren't getting huge for nothing.

Costume for a Pregnant Lady - Help!



Last year's torture
MWAHAHA

It's that time of year when hot apple cider, jack-o-lanterns and dried cornstalks are all I can think about! I can't wait until my baby will be here for his or her first Halloween and we get to dress them up in a cute costume. I used to actually get anxiety attacks in late August and early September (probably because school started... and I apparently can't handle stress very well), but Halloween always lifted my mood and this year is no exception. I can't wait to wear a cute outfit that shows off my baby bump. I have no plans yet, but that will not stop me!

But...

What should I be? I want to be something cute, but unique. No pumpkins...



So I'm asking you: what should I be? Leave me feedback and let me know. I plan on making it myself so bring it on! When I have decided what I want to be, I will blog about the costume-making process and show you every step of the way!

So let me know!!

10 Things I Didn't Know You Shouldn't Do During Pregnancy... Until I Was Pregnant

(In no particular order)

Don't:

1. Tan.

Some studies link UV rays to folic acid deficiency. (Folic acid prevents neural tube defects) Also, your skin during pregnancy is much more sensitive and produces more oils, making it easier for your skin to burn, get hives, heat rash, or chloasma.

2. Eat seafood more than twice a week.

Almost every kind of fish and shellfish contains trace amounts of methylmercury and it is only advised to eat the "ok'd" list twice a week or less. Larger predator fish should be avoided altogether because the amount of methylmercury is much higher. Complete list and more in-depth information.

3. Take Ibuprofen on a regular basis.

It is ok to take once in a while, but not all the time. Ibuprofen is a Category C medication which is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans but do appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. After 32 weeks it is strongly advised not to take Ibuprofen because it is chemically related to the drug indomethicin which has been associated with heart problems in babies.

4. Eat deli meat, including hot dogs, or smoked seafood.

You have to microwave it until steaming. This is because of the evil listeria bacteria that can harm both you and your baby (and even cause miscarriage!)

5. Have caffeine
(especially the first trimester as it has been linked to miscarriage). Doctors say that in moderation it is OK (less than 300 mg), but better to be safe than sorry. Too much caffeine has been shown to give your baby heart problems. Some studies have even linked it to miscarriage in the first trimester.

6.Change the kitty litter.
You most certainly don't have to get rid of your cat, but have someone else change the litter box for you during your pregnancy. This is because a parasite that causes the disease toxoplasmosis is found in infected cat's feces. Cats get the parasite from eating infected animals such as birds, so if your cats are strictly indoors you should be fine. However it is always better to be safe than sorry. Even if the pregnant woman shows no symptoms, it can still affect the unborn baby. This could result in miscarriage, early delivery, poor growth or stillbirth. A child born with this parasite may get eye problems, convulsions or mental disabilities.

7. Garden without garden gloves or eat unwashed vegetables/fruits.
Animals like to fertilize gardens with their poo. Toxoplasmosis is the culprit here just like in the kitty litter, so be careful!

8. Eat unpasteurized cheeses
(feta, Camembert, Brie, and blue-veined varieties)
or
  Drink unpasteurized milk.
These are also carriers of the evil listeria bacteria.

9. Sit in hot tubs.
Or any water over 100 degrees. This is because it raises your body temperature too high and can cause birth defects in your little baby. Pregnant women should never have body temperatures higher than 102 degrees for fear of harming the baby. Warm baths are perfectly fine for relaxing, but if you are concerned check the water with a thermometer before getting in.

10. Stress too much :)
Everyday stress is normal and your body will handle it, but try not to let it get out of hand. If you have a history of anxiety or stress-related disorders contact your doctor to be sure you get it handled. If you need to, meditate or take a nice relaxing bath when things are driving you a little insane.

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There are a few other websites that are similar, so check them out! (You will see them on both of the websites listed above. They are all linked together.)

A few minutes a day could be changing someone's life.

What? No hot dogs?!

So let's just start this off by saying that I never used to even really like hot dogs. Mystery meat, actually I know what it is making it even more disgusting, pureed up and filled into an intestine... never really hit me as a "delicious food". Maybe I'd have one at a picnic or a cookout once or twice a year... before I decided to be one of those nasty things called a vegetarian. I know, freaks of the earth. Don't worry I'm not contagious.

Anyway, when I was about 10 weeks pregnant I realized that I was just not able to get enough protein into my body for my baby to grow correctly. The thought of eggs, beans, or any kind of "fake meat" made me want to.. well you know. So, I was eating tons of cheese and a little bit of peanut butter. Needless to say I was getting a lot of fat, but not nearly enough protein.

So I did it.

I cried and felt ashamed the first time I bit into a turkey sandwich. (Learned later: You are NOT allowed to eat cold meat of any kind if pregnant. You have to heat it up until it's steaming first... oops) All I could see was the way it was treated in the farms it grew up in, but my husband was there to keep me positive.I later allowed myself to become desensitized to the cruelty again because it is what is best for my baby. Let's be honest. I'd probably kill anything to save my baby. So I am now a meat eater again although I try to eat it in only one meal a day as long as my cravings don't lead me to believe that I desperately need that steak or that... HOT DOG.

Chicken, turkey, pork, ham.. they can all be sitting there and there is no urge whatsoever to eat, but then stick a beef hot dog in front of me and it's like someone else has taken over my body! I suppose that is true. Beef hot dogs have become an obsession to say the least. I will eat them any time of day for any meal.

That's where today comes in. All I wanted was a hot dog (or two) for my morning meal. I knew that there were some in the refrigerator a couple of days ago and I'm basically the only one who eats them. Apparently not. They have vanished and I am left here to eat cereal! Of course cereal is another big crave, but not nearly as strong as the hot dog obsession.

So, I dealt with the cereal. It actually looked pretty good and I was able to calm down a little bit from the previous devastation. I got back to my room in order to surf the web before getting ready for the day, but there was so much clutter on my desk that my bowl wouldn't fit. Setting it down for 5 seconds, I prepared a perfect spot for my second choice meal.

Then I heard it.

Licking!!! Our cat had started to lap up the deliciously creamy milk and eat my cereal! Oh yeah.. it was the very last of the cereal in the box. I totally understand it was my fault, but OH! MY CEREAAAALLLLLL!! I am saddened by the loss of you.

This is going to be a wonderful day.



The evil creature in its natural habitat



"All the Pretty Little Horses"

Since I can remember, I've had a memory of my mother singing to me underneath our giant cherry tree. I have no idea how old I was, but I can remember that her arms were huge and totally engulfed me. 1? Younger? Is that possible? I thought that maybe it was just a dream until I heard the song she was singing: "All the Pretty Little Horses".

I remember asking my dad when I was about 10 ten years old what dapples were. He, needless to say, had no idea what I was talking about and you probably don't either. In my teens I heard it on the television during some folk music show. I couldn't believe it and wanted to hear it again, but had no idea what it was called or how to get a hold of it. Then a few years ago YouTube arrived and so did the song! Let's not tell anyone that I cried when I found it. I couldn't believe it! Here was the song that I had in my head for YEARS.

Since that day I knew I would sing it to my child, though I wasn't sure if I would ever be mentally ready for it. Irrational thoughts flew through my head like "If I do what she did, will I die?" I told you they were irrational. This is one of the only positive memories I have of her and I now think I have to sing it to my child to keep that memory alive. I only remember a small chunk of the song, but I will get around to memorizing the rest. My baby too will have all the pretty little horses.

If you would like to hear it, here's a link to a video (that is not mine) that I found on YouTube of "All the Pretty Little Horses". Of the versions I've found, this one is the closest to the way I remember it sung.