First baby kicks

Yesterday, at a few days shy of 19 weeks along, we had our check up. In our Centering Pregnancy class right afterwards, one topic we were talking about is how to know if what your feeling is baby kicks or just grumbles or gas. I have not felt anything yet and was starting to get worried. It was a real relief to hear the heartbeat and know baby is perfectly fine. Our NP (Nurse Practitioner) also measured the uterus for the first time and it was 20. And yep, I also asked if there was any way to get an ultrasound any sooner and as luck would have it, I get to be a Ginny Pig and let some hospital residents practice on doing ultrasounds and taking good photos. Since they are students, they get to use the really good machines and since figuring out genders is something they need to learn, I bet we can find out what we are having then. That is going to happen in the beginning of October. We have one more month to wait until our checkups and class will be every two weeks. I really look forward to them so I am super happy.

Later last night, as I was cooking dinner, I felt pressure like a gas bubble (with lack of better words) in my lower abdomen that quickly went away.  Then I felt the same pressure move a little ways from one side of my abdomen to the other, for a total of an inch or two. Nothing dramatic but gas has never felt that way. I think it was baby moving/kicks. I also felt the same sort of quick pressures today. I think I will know for sure in the next couple weeks of what I am feeling is indeed baby. But I am pretty sure it was and it put a huge smile on my face. I just stopped cooking right there and just focused on that feeling. It was so surreal.

Some not so good news I got at our check up is my one hour glucose test I took a few days earlier came back abnormal. So this morning, my wonderful husband sat with me at the hospital for four and a half hours while I got my blood drawn every hour. I had to fast since yesterday, and drink a glucose drink when I got there. Being pregnant and hungry while getting blood drawn every hour was not fun. It was all to test for gestational diabetes. But as soon as I was free, we went out to lunch and I have never ate so fast in my life. I needed food.. and now! I am going to call on Monday and see what the results were. Just hoping for the best and that's all you can do.
I have had hypoglycemia since I was 19. I started shaking real bad, sweating, getting a real hunger for food, and almost passed out while driving during my very first "episode" and when I went to the doctor, that's what they said it was without doing any tests. But I have blood sugar crashes all the time and now that I am pregnant, it was time to check for diabetes. I have to say I wasn't surprised when my one hour test came back abnormal.

8 month old, pooch!

Gunyr is 8 months old. Where did my little puppy go? He is huge but still has that baby face that I can't say no to. He knows so many words, phrases, and commands that its crazy. He loves his car rides, his nearly 5 days of the week at the dog park, his cookies (we get at Petco), and his walks. He has been such a blessing. Him and Bunker both. I can't imagine not having them in our family. Its so cute when Gunyr gets in trouble, Steve once told Gunyr to come and when he didn't, Steve started counting like he was talking to a child. By the time he got to three, he just stopped and said "uh, why in the heck am I counting?" We laughed about that for days. He is ready for daddy-hood.
Here are a few links of videos I put up on our YouTube of Gunyr. He has grown so much and, as you can see in the videos, loves his Frisbee.
Dog Park fun
Frisbee fun

There are more then this up as well as videos of sweet Tubbles and Bunker. I just don't have the patience to share each one on our blog as well so please go check out our home videos if you are interested.

 

Keeping Busy

I have been trying my best to stay busy these last few weeks. Time goes by so slow when my husband is at school. I took a knitting class at Joann Fabrics, and then decided that Sewing is something that I really want to get good at before the end of the year so I am taking a online class with Craftsy. If you don't know what Craftsy is all about and you want to learn to sew, knit or any sort of craft, you have to check it out. I did a class with the instructor Diana Rupp and between the class and her book, I have learned so much. Nothing has taught me more about sewing then the Sew Everything Workshop book. I love it. Its a beginners must have. My first project was a pillow with french seams for our recliner and I am now working on a skirt. yes! A SKIRT! I never thought I would be able to go past cat beds and other square easy to sew things.. but here I am constructing clothes. I am really excited and learning to sew has been such a goal of mine. I am feeling pretty accomplished.

Soon I will be making, and showing off, some baby things that I will have made. But first we have to find out if we are having a baby boy or girl. Its a real bummer because we could find out right now through an ultrasound but the soonest the ultrasound techs could get us in is middle of October. I will be about 25 weeks along. We really don't want to wait that long so I am going to ask my doctor during our monthly check up tomorrow if there is any way we could get a peek and see if she can see the gender. She may not be able to, but its worth it to ask.

I am now 18 weeks along and my energy has really picked back up. Thank the Lord. Can you believe I will be half way done with this pregnancy in two weeks?! Just crazy but amazing. I am fully back to maintaining my home without help from hubby. But he still tries to help out and I am so grateful for him. He is loving being a daddy-to-be. He talks to the belly bump and loves to touch it. He tells the baby stories at night and always makes sure every craving is fulfilled. Its so sweet. Being pregnant and having this experience is probably is most amazing thing that could happen to a women.

My cravings as of lately have included Dunkin Donuts, Quiznos, and anything Pumpkin flavored. I am really excited for the Fall season and starting to really get into the season's flavors. Starbucks makes the best Pumpkin latte, so I am eagerly waiting for that to come out.
We also took a photo of the belly at 18 weeks. Can you see any change? Hubby says he can but I was expecting more of a dramatic change then this in three weeks. But I know the growth starts to slow down right about this time so I bet its perfectly normal.. just paranoid and always want reassurance that baby is perfectly healthy.

More news and updates on baby soon.