Our Latest Ultrasound

On Monday, we had our fourth ultrasound! We again got to see Dr. Julie Gainer rather than Dr. Glenn Schemmer. I like her a lot more than I like him, so I was glad!

Anyway, this appointment went much more quickly than most of our others have. The baby's heartbeat was 133 bpm and he weighed 2 pounds, 10 ounces. He's a bit bigger than he should be right now--he's ten days ahead on the growth charts. The nurse poked around for a bit and couldn't get the baby to face us on the screen so we could see his face, and then she couldn't get him to turn to see his profile. So I got to roll on my side to see if we could get him to move. He didn't want to cooperate very badly... When we did get to see his cute little face on screen, we saw him drinking amniotic fluid! It was interesting, and cute! I wish we'd gotten another DVD. But oh, well, maybe next time!

Our little guy kicked a lot during the appointment, too. I could see my belly move while I was laying on the table. The nurse told us it was good for him to be so active. Active babies are healthy, happy babies, she said.

Overall, everything looks great, both the nurse and the doctor told us. Baby was rightside up, but they said that's nothing to be concerned about yet. He still has plenty of time to turn upside down. It looks like I have a little extra fluid, which they're not real concerned about right now. They said even diabetics with amazing control often have excess fluid. But I'm still in the safe zone, anyway. They said I'd feel the baby a lot better and a lot more often with the excess fluid at this point because excess fluid means he has lots of extra room to move around.

My next ultrasound is May 24, and starting that week I will be returning to the hospital twice a week for non-stress tests.

Anyway, I think that about does it for the appointment... I've posted our photos below! Enjoy!

"Dad should be proud," said the nurse! ;-)

His arm and hand. He kept covering his face!

His cute little foot!!

Hand and profile!

Dark profile...

Lighter profile!

Check back for more later!

-Aubrey

P.S. This was appointment #16!

The Pregnancy - 27 Weeks

I'm getting behind on this blog... I have not yet posted anything from my doctor appointment on Monday or from our trip... I will try to do that all today between other things I am doing! But for now, I will just give you the 27 week update! This is the last week of the second trimester! So read on and enjoy!

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"Your baby graduates onto a new growth chart this week. No longer will he or she be measured crown to rump, but rather from head to toe. And this weeek that head-to-toe length is a full 15 inches (more than a foot long)! Your baby's weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over 2 pounds this week. And here's an interesting fetal factoid: Your baby has more taste buds now than he or she will have at birth (and beyond). Which means that not only is your baby able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid when you eat different foods, he or she might even react to it. For instance, some babies respond to spicy foods by hiccupping. Or by kicking when they get that spicy kick."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 11

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

Thanks for reading! Check back later for my other posts!

-Aubrey

The Pregnancy - 26 Weeks

Ryan and I have had an eventful weekend! We went on our last little vacation before the baby arrives. We drove to Colorado on Friday, went to Mesa Verde on Saturday, then to Moab for a jetboat tour on Sunday, and we saw Hole In The Rock on Monday before we drove home. We got lots of pictures and before I delve into stories about our vacation, I'd like to finish editing them so I can post them here for you as well. So keep an eye out for that post!

In the mean time, I'll just post the 26 week update for you! Hope you enjoy!

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"Next time you're browsing through the meat department, pick up a 2-pound chuck roast. No, not for dinner--just so you can get a sense of how big your baby is this week. That's right--your baby now weighs a full 2 pounds and measures in at 9-plus inches long. Another momentous development this week: Your baby's eyes are beginning to open. The eyelids have been fused for the past few months (so the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop). The colored part of the eye (the iris) still doesn't have much pigmentation, so it's too early to start guessing your baby's eye color. Still, your baby is now able to see--though there's not much to see in the dark confines of his or her uterine home. But with the heightened sense of sight and hearing that your baby now possesses, you may notice an increase in activity when your baby sees a bright light or hears a loud noise. In fact, if a loud vibrating noise is brought close to your belly, your baby will respond by blinking and startling."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

Thanks for stopping by! Until either my vacation post or until Monday (our next ultrasound appointment), I hope you have fabulous days!

-Aubrey

The Pregnancy - Week 25

During the past four days of work, five men have noticed that I'm pregnant and said something or asked me something about it. While it is comforting to know that people don't just think I look fat now, it's still a bit awkward...

Anyway... We are 25 weeks along today! Only 12-13 weeks left to go! We are sure excited. We attempted to wallpaper the baby's room last night but did not get very far... The wallpaper wouldn't stick. I got frustrated and we gave up. We are probably going to attempt it again next week, though this time we will use wallpaper paste instead of soaking the paper and hoping the paste already on it will work.

So, on to the update! Enjoy!

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"Baby's growing by leaps and bounds (and inches and ounces), this week reaching 9 inches in length and more than 1-1/2 pounds in weight. And there are exciting developments on the horizon, too. Capillaries are forming under the skin and filling with blood. By weeks end, air sacs lined with capillaries will also develop in your baby's lungs, getting them ready for that first breath of fresh air. Mind you, those lungs aren't ready for prime-time breathing yet--and they have a lot of maturing left to do before they will be. Though they're already beginning to develop surfactant, a substance that will help them expand after birth, your baby's lungs are still too underdeveloped to sufficiently send oxygen to the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide from the blood (aka breathe). And talking about breathing, your baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open up this week. This enables your baby to begin taking practice "breaths." Your baby's vocal cords are functioning now, leading to occasional hiccups (which you'll certainly be feeling)."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

And that's that! Ryan and I will be heading to Colorado on Friday. We're taking one last fun little trip together before the baby gets here! I plan to get some cool pictures, so keep an eye out for them! We have no doctor appointments until a week from the coming Monday, so until then, I will just be posting bits about our trip, the weekly updates, and HOPEFULLY more on the baby's room!

Until my next post, I hope you are doing well!

-Aubrey

Dr. Glenn

I had yet another doctor's appointment with Dr. Glenn today. Nothing real exciting.

He measured my uterus and said I was at 28 cm, which is 3 cm bigger than I should be. I'm not really sure what that means exactly... But he also listened to the baby's heartbeat and said it sounds very healthy, so that's good. He told me that I need to go get a lab done in two or three weeks. I guess I have to do a 24-hour urine test so they can check my proteins and my kidney function. So I'm not real excited about that... It doesn't sound like fun... But I did get out of the glucose test! They were all ready for me to drink that glucose drink until I reminded them that I had pre-existing diabetes, so the test probably wouldn't actually be that beneficial for me... Dr. Glenn also told me that my blood type is O+. I'm only writing it here so I can look it up when I forget again in the future...

Anyway, luckily he does not want to see me every other week yet... He had me schedule for four weeks out again this time. By then I'll be in the third trimester, though, and he probably will want me to come in every other week. He also told me that I will probably need to start making big changes in my insulin pretty soon, since I am almost in the third trimester and my body will start needing more insulin very soon.

I also asked Dr. Glenn about the pills Dr. Willis prescribed for me for my UTI. I didn't realize that Dr. Willis had given me seven days worth of one of the pills instead of the four days worth he gave me last time until the day after I started taking them. He never called me about it and his nurse never said anything about it, so I wondered what I was supposed to do. These ones are the painkillers, and the pain hasn't been as bad as it was last time, so I didn't understand why he gave me so many. Dr. Glenn said that I should definitely be taking the antibiotics (which I was given ten days worth of pills) and that I don't need to take the other ones at all unless I'm in pain. He said that they're actually good to keep on hand for the next time I get an infection. I can start taking them as soon as I feel pain until I can get in and get a new prescription. So I'm going off of those but am definitely keeping them on hand!

Anyway. Ryan and I painted the walls in the baby's room last night. Mostly Ryan. But I got to help a little. It needs to be touched up in a couple places and we still need to paint the trim and the doors and stuff, and we need to put up the wallpaper. But we're getting there! We're really excited about it!

Anyway, I've got things to do... I'll be posting the 25 week update on Wednesday!

-Aubrey

P.S. This was doctor appointment #15!

Another UTI? Oh, and We Picked a Name!

I'm looking for someone to volunteer to come throw up FOR me... Any takers?

I went home from work early on Thursday because I was in an immense amount of pain again thanks to my kidneys. I called my doctor's office around 10:00 a.m. and they didn't bother to call me back until 5:30 p.m. They decided to just send in a new prescription for me rather than have me come in for another appointment. So I'm assuming (as is Dr. Willis) that my UTI came back and now I am back on the same crappy pills I was on last time.

I hate these pills. Already, they made my kidneys hurt again yesterday. They make me drowsy (which sucks because I take one at night as well as one in the morning). They make me incredibly nauseous (I threw up more stomach acid this morning than I ever have from morning sickness for my entire pregnancy). And I have been up since about 3:00 this morning because my head aches so freaking much. Oh, and in addition to making me drowsy, they knock out the baby, too. I hate not feeling him move as much as he usually does. It makes me nervous.

Anyway, enough complaining as I'm sitting here half ready for work already... Ryan and I finished going through the baby book Thursday night. Yesterday we narrowed our list of 36 names down to two. We like both of the names so much that we can't choose, so we're waiting for baby to get here to see what name he looks like more! Ryan also told me that I am in charge of the middle name. I already know what I'm choosing. :-)

Anyhow, I suppose I'd better finish getting ready for work and try to eat without throwing up...

I sincerely hope that you all are doing better than me right now!!

-Aubrey

Doctor Appointment and The Pregnancy - Week 24

24 weeks today!! Ahh, I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!

Ryan and I have yet to finish the baby's room... But we will soon!

We are almost done going through our baby name book. We just finished the R's! We have two names that we really like so far. But we still have to go through everything else we've liked, too!

Anyway, I had doctor appointment #14 on Monday. We saw Kaylene Ellertson again for my diabetes and she made a couple more changes. I've been a slacker thus far though and haven't been paying attention to what differences those changes have made for me. I know my blood sugars have been doing a lot better since I started seeing her every week, though. Super exciting, yeah?

Anyhow, on to the even more super exciting part--the lowdown on Week 24!! Enjoy!

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"At a weight of 1-1/2 pounds and a length of about 8-1/2 inches, your baby has outgrown the fruit references and is now the size of a standard letter (but would take a lot more than a standard stamp to mail). Baby's weekly weight gain is now about 6 ounces--not quite as much as you're putting on, but getting a lot closer. Much of that weight is coming from accumulating baby fat as well as from growing organs, bones, and muscle. By now your baby's tiny face is almost fully formed, and achingly adorable--complete with a full set of eyelashes and eyebrows and a good sprinkling of hair on that head. Is your baby a brunette, a blond, or a redhead? Actually, right now he or she's snow white, since there's no pigment in that hair just yet."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

Thank you all for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous week!

-Aubrey

P.S. We have our next appointment with our OB, Dr. Glenn, Monday morning and we meet again with Kaylene Ellertson Monday afternoon. Just in case you want to know!

Doctor Appointment and The Pregnancy - Week 23

:-) Hello!

I have been beat and we have been running all over the place the past few days, so I never did tell you about my latest appointment...

We met with Kaylene Ellertson again at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. She is a nurse who works with my perinatologist and has been helping me with my blood sugars and insulin levels. She made some more adjustments to my basal rates. So far they seem to be doing better. I've been running a little bit low today, but not crazy low like I was in the first trimester.

Anyway, that was doctor appointment #13.

And now on to the fun part... Week #23!! Month #6!! Read and enjoy!

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"A window into your womb would reveal that your baby's skin is a bit saggy, hanging loosely from his or her little body. That's because skin grows faster than fat develops, and there's not much fat to fill that skin out yet. But don't worry--the fat is about to start catching up. Beginning this week, your baby (who is around 8 inches long and just over a pound in weight) begins to pack on the pounds (which means you will, too!). In fact, by month's end, your baby will be double the weight he or she is now (fortunately, you won't be). Once those fat deposits are made, your baby will be less transparent, too. Right now the organs and bones can still be seen through the skin, which has a red hue thanks to the developing blood veins and arteries just underneath. But by month 8, no more see-through baby!"

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 11

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

Hope you enjoyed! Check us out again next Monday for the next doctor's appointment!

-Aubrey

The Pregnancy - 22 Weeks

Yay! We are 22 weeks along today! And I think all the bugs are out of my system, because I feel great today! Just a little bit tired. And I've decided our baby is going to like Mexican food (if you believe in last week's update, where baby is getting a taste for whatever I'm eating)... :-)

Anyway, Week 22 is the last week of the the fifth month. So we'll be reading into the sixth month next week!

Anyhow, here is the post. Hope you all enjoy! Look for the next post on Monday!

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"Forget about ounces, baby. This week, we're talking a whopping weight of 1 pound and a length of nearly 8 inches, about the size of a small doll. But your doll is a living one--with developing senses, including touch, sight, hearing, and taste. What's your baby touching? He or she may grab onto the umbilical cord (there's not much else to hang onto in there) and practice the strong grip that will soon be clutching your fingers (and pulling on your hair). What's your baby seeing? Though it's dark in the uterine cocoon--and even with fused eyelids--fetuses this age can perceive light and dark. If you shine a flashlight over your belly, you might feel your baby react, perhaps trying to turn away from the "bright" light. What's your baby hearing? The sound of your voice and that of your partner, your heart beating, the whoosh-whoosh of your blood circulating through your body, those gastic gurgles produced by your stomach and intestines, the dog barking, sirens, a loud TV. And what's your baby tasting? Pretty much everything you're tasting (so pass the salad)."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 10

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

-Aubrey

Ultrasound #003

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well!

The past week has been an adventure for us! The pills I was on for my UTI made me feel sick all week and I think they also caused my many headaches. I took the last one Friday morning and felt sick for the first half of the day and then I was fine!

Ryan took me out on a date Friday night. We went to Rubio's for dinner. I liked it, but Ryan thought we didn't get enough food for our money. Which is probably true--after all, I did actually finish my meal... After dinner we went to Nickel City and played arcade games all night. We decided to buy something for the baby with the tickets we won--a pair of kiddie sunglasses!! After that we went out for coffee (hot cocoa for me :-() and then we went home. We got into bed and I felt the baby kicking. I'd been thinking for days that I could feel him from the outside, but he never would kick when Ryan was around to confirm it for me. So as I felt him kicking that night, I grabbed Ryan's hand and put it on my belly. Sure enough, he could feel it, too!

On Saturday, Ryan's grandparents came up to visit. We went out to dinner with them and then they came to see our house. We don't get to see them very often because they live so far away, so it was nice to see them.

Sunday I started feeling sick to my stomach. It hasn't gone away since and the stomach pain and nausea has been keeping me up and making me toss and turn all night. Ryan wouldn't let me go to work today because I was so miserable this morning. He said if I went, he would come get me and take me to the hospital. So I have been laying around in bed all day.

Sunday night, Ryan decided he wanted to see if the baby would kick him in the face. As soon as he put his face on my belly, the baby stopped kicking. So Ry started talking to him and the baby started kicking again! He kicked Ryan in the face four times that night!

We had our third ultrasound yesterday. Our appointment was at 3:15... We sat in the waiting room until 4:00...

The nurse and doctor didn't spend as much time looking at things as they did last time. We also saw a different doctor yesterday--Dr. Gainer instead of Dr. Schemmer. We didn't mind, though. She was really nice and she didn't push so hard on my belly the way Dr. Schemmer always does.

During the ultrasound, our baby's heartbeat was 185 bpm, which the nurse said is high unless the baby is being very active (and believe me, was he active yesterday--he moved non-stop all day!). He weighed in at a whopping one pound and five ounces! This is a little bigger than he's supposed to be, but not big enough that we need to be concerned. Dr. Gainer actually told us that typically babies born to mothers who have pre-existing diabetes (such as myself) are born underweight and too small whereas the babies of mothers who have gestational diabetes who are born too big. So, where our baby has a higher risk of being a runt, they're pleased to know that he is growing! Dr. Gainer said that so far both she and Dr. Schemmer think that our baby looks very healthy and that he is growing properly.

We also talked to a girl who works at the office on Mondays. She is in charge of finding out how my diabetes is doing. Because I couldn't get an appointment sooner than May 3rd at Dr. Day's office, I figured she'd want to step in and help out in the mean time. So I brought in a couple weeks worth of records for her. My numbers have been running a little high lately, so she looked them over and made a couple adjustments for me. She upped one of my basal rates because I'm going to bed high and waking up high in the mornings. She also changed my insulin to carb ratio at lunchtime from 1:10 to 1:8, because I'm running high in the afternoons as well. And she bumped my supplement level up (how much insulin I take for high blood sugars) to 1:50>120 instead of the 1:75>120. She asked me to come in again next Monday so she could see how that's working and to see what other changes can be made.

Anyway, that's about all there is to say for now. Check out the pictures and our video below and enjoy!













-Aubrey

P.S. This was doctor appointment #12! Next one is (as I mentioned) on Monday next week!

The Pregnancy - 21 Weeks

"How big is baby this week? About 7 inches in length (think large banana) and almost 11 ounces in weight. And talking about bananas, you might want to eat some this week if you'd like your baby to have a taste for them. Some carrots, too. That's because amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what you've eaten (hot chili one day, sweet banana another), and now that your baby is swallowing amniotic fluid each day (for hydration, nutrition, and also to get practice swallowing and digesting), he or she will be getting a taste of--and a taste for--whatever's on your menu. Here's another baby update: Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. Which means that when your baby makes his or her moves (which you're probably feeling by now), they're much more coordinated--no more jerky twitches."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 10

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

-Aubrey

P.S. The next ultrasound is on Monday the 22nd!

Our New OB

Today, Ryan and I met our new OB. His name is Dr. Joseph Glenn. He's an older man and seems nice.

He was pleased to hear that my blood sugar levels were not running high during the first trimester. He said that high blood sugars during the first trimester are they typical cause for birth defects in babies of diabetic mothers. He said that the second trimester is the least critical trimester for blood sugars to be in control (though I still want them to be in control), and that it becomes very important again during the third trimester to have excellent control.

He told us that we would probably be induced two or three weeks early, as I've mentioned before, because it is simply just too dangerous for diabetics to carry babies to full term. He talked to us a bit about how they induce pregnancy early.

He found our baby's heartbeat, but he didn't tell us what the rate was... :-(

They did a urine test, as they always do, and didn't say anything about a UTI. Since they didn't mention it, I assume it's cleared up enough not to show up on a test. Which means that the pills must be working, though I am still having episodes of kidney pain on a regular basis. I brought up to the doctor that I did have one and that I was on medication for it, just so he was aware.

Dr. Glenn wants to see us again in four weeks. I had considered finding yet another new OB because when I went in to fill out the paperwork, their papers said they don't bill two insurance companies. Luckily, though, they actually will. So our next appointment with him is four weeks from today. After that, he wants to see us every other week. Unfortunately, he only works in the mornings, so I'm going to have to start requesting to have Mondays off work (so much for weekends...), and Ryan won't be able to attend every appointment with me. I'm a little bit sad about this, but I do understand and I do appreciate that he has gone to all of the important appointments with me thus far.

After we left, we went to Carl's Jr. to grab lunch on our way back to work. I'd eaten about half my burger when I realized I was going to throw it all up... So I did, into a garbage bag Ryan had in his car as he was driving. We pulled over at a gas station to throw away my bag of vomit. We then got on the freeway to continue our journey back to work. At this point, I realized I'd forgotten to test my blood sugar and I felt low. So I tested and I was 60. So we had to stop at a gas station to get something else for me to eat. I got a Krispy Kreme doughnut and a Sobe just in case I couldn't hold down the doughnut, either. Luckily, I did.

By the time I got home from work, my kidneys were back to hurting and I had an awful headache. So I napped and Ryan went out to run some errands. He bought me chips and guacamole and brought it home for dinner. I got about halfway done with that when I realized that I was again going to puke. And sure enough, I did.

I have now thrown up four times in the past week. I'm not entirely sure why I am suddenly throwing up... It could be morning sickness kicking in late, it could be the pills I'm on for the UTI, or I could just be sick. All I know is that the past week has not been my favorite and that I am so sick of feeling like crap! But I'm hoping everything will be back to normal and just fine by the end of the week when I'm done with my meds.

Anyhow, I hope this post was at least entertaining and I hope you all are doing well!

-Aubrey

P.S. This is appointment #11!

The Pregnancy - 20 Weeks; Doctor Appointments

This week has been awful!! For my kidneys, that is.

Starting the day of my last ultrasound, so just over two weeks ago, I started getting back pain. It wasn't until a few days ago that I realized the pain was actually originating in my kidneys.

So, on Monday this week, I called to set an appointment with my new OB. He's out of town so they couldn't get me in until Monday next week (the 15th). I was miserable and in pain all day. Finally, at 9:30 at night, Ryan was getting ready to take me to InstaCare. I insisted that he didn't and the only way he would agree not to take me is if I got an appointment for the next day.

So yesterday, I called Dr. Willis' office to see if I could get in that day. Luckily, they had an opening for me to see him at 3:20.

After suffering through the day, I finally made it to the appointment. Sure enough, as I'd suspected, I had a UTI. Though I only had a trace of one, they said. Dr. Willis wrote me two prescriptions and warned me that they would change the color of my urine (and believe me, it has!). I also read on one of the prescriptions that they would discolor soft contact lenses, so I've decided to stick to my glasses through Saturday this week.

The pain in my kidneys is not yet gone. It's changed, but it almost feels worse today than it did yesterday and the day before that. The pills have also been making me feel kind of sick to my stomach. I'm on the verge of running into the bathroom and puking as I'm writing this...

But I have faith that they'll eventually make me feel better.

Anyway, I was supposed to have an appointment with Julie Patterson again tomorrow. When the doctor's office called to remind me, though, they called to remind me of my appointment with Dr. Dave Douglas. So I called back to see what was going on, and apparently Dr. Patterson has moved to a different clinic. They asked if I was okay with seeing a different doctor and I told them that I really liked Julie and that it wasn't worth it for me to drive so far away to see anyone besides her. So I cancelled tomorrow's appointment and now need to see if I can get in to see anyone besides Dr. Moyes in Provo...

Anyhow, on to what you've all been waiting for: the 20 Week update! Enjoy!

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"You've got a baby the size of a small cantaloupe in your melon-size belly this week, about 10 ounces and 6-1/2 inches (crown to rump). Your ultrasound this month should be able to detect--if you want to know--whether your baby is a boy or a girl. And oh boy--or oh girl--has that baby been busy. If you're having a girl, her uterus is fully formed, her ovaries are holding about 7 million primitive eggs (though at birth, the number of eggs will be closer to 2 million), and her vaginal canal is starting to develop. If you're having a boy, his testicles have begun their descent from the abdomen. In a few months, they'll drop into the scrotum (which is still under construction). Luckily for your baby, he or she still has plenty of room in your womb, which means there's plenty of space for twisting, turning, kicking, punching, and even an occasional somersault. If you haven't felt these acrobatics yet, you almost certainly will in the coming weeks."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 10

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

Thanks for stopping by! The next doctor's appointment is currently scheduled for Monday the 15th, as I mentioned earlier.

-Aubrey

P.S. This appointment was doctor appointment #10!

My Birthday

So, I turned 22 eight days ago and have not yet told you all about it! I'm sure not everyone cares, but I decided I want to write about it because it was a lot of fun and my husband did so much for me that day.

Ryan's alarm went off at 5:00 a.m. on my birthday. He got out of bed and went to Einstein Bros. Bagels to get me breakfast only to discover that they didn't open until 5:30 a.m. He brought me my favorite bagel (the potato bagel with plain cream cheese schmear) and a cup of hot chocolate.

I told him I was going to make him lunch since he'd gotten me breakfast, but he told me he was taking me out to lunch. So we both got ready and headed off to work.

At work, I was delivered a boquet of flowers. :) Ryan is such a sweetheart. Two dozen roses! I called to thank him and he was upset because apparently, I had not received what he had ordered. Soon after that, our pharmacist learned that it was my birthday and announced over the intercom, "Happy birthday, Aubrey." I was a bit embarassed... LOL. I didn't really care to celebrate this year so I didn't really make it publicly known that it was my birthday...

Soon after that, Ryan picked me up from work and we went to Bajio for lunch. I got my favorite dish from them - the Pineapple Shrimp Salad.

After lunch, Ryan took me back to work. The day went by fast enough and soon we were back at home. Family and friends started arriving for cupcakes (I told Ryan I wanted blue cupcakes, so he made blue coconut cupcakes with blue frosting for me!) and ice cream, we socialized, I opened gifts. I got lots of great things! Ryan and my grandma went in together to get me a really nice camcorder, which I have been wanting for when the baby gets here. I got cards, memory cards, gift cards, cash, maternity clothes, and baby stuff from everyone else!

After everyone left, we went to dinner at our favorite sushi place--Shoga. Sadly, I couldn't have my favorite sushi, but the California rolls weren't bad. And my shrimp tempura was awesome!! Then Ryan and I went home to watch "The Box" and go to bed.

The day after my birthday, flowers were again delivered to me at work. Though this time, they included EVERYTHING Ryan had originally ordered--chocolates, a teddy bear, and a vase along with yet another two dozen roses! Ry's grandparents also called me that day to play a song for me and wish me a happy birthday.

So, that is what happened for my birthday last week! I'd like to thank all my family and friends who were able to come see us and those who wished me a happy birthday in other ways. Most of all, I would like to thank Ryan for making my day so wonderful and so perfect. I can't believe everything he did for me. I truly believe he is one of a kind and that I am so incredibly blessed to have him in my life. I couldn't have had a better day, and it is all thanks to him. I love him with all my heart. :-)

-Aubrey

The Pregnancy - 19 Weeks

My belly is growing and it feels like our baby boy is doing somersaults! He is also already being spoiled to death by not only ourselves, but by our family as well. We have bought him quite a few ADORABLE little outfits and have gotten outfits, diapers, toys, and stuff for photos from family members.

Here we are at 19 weeks! If I'm induced two weeks early as the doctor has recommended, we are exactly halfway there! Here is the update and photo for this week!

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"This week your baby is hitting the growth charts at 6 inches long and a full half pound in weight. What fruit is it this week? Your baby's about the size of a large mango. A mango dipped in greasy cheese, actually. Vernix caseosa--a greasy white protective substance (it resembles cheese)--now covers your baby's sensitive skin, protecting it from the surrounding amniotic fluid. Without that protection, your baby would look very wrinkled at birth. The coating sheds as delivery approaches, but some babies born early are still covered with vernix at delivery."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 10

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

I hope you all enjoyed the post! Check back next week for Week 20! Next scheduled doctor's appointment is March 11th. :-) Hope you all have a fantastic day!

-Aubrey

Baby's Ultrasound Video - 17 Weeks, 5 Days

The Pregnancy - 18 Weeks

We are officially on Week 18 of our pregnancy! Thus we start the fifth month. How crazy is that?! I have a feeling things only get more exciting from here. I'm finally starting to show and my "bump" is looking more and more like a baby bump rather than fat. I am very excited for what's to come next. And a little nervous... We learned two days ago that our baby is indeed a little boy and that he is very active! I've been feeling little twitches in the area where baby is, and I'm sure it's all in my head, but I wonder if I'm starting to feel him move. We can't feel anything from the outside and I've never felt a baby move inside me before, so I'm not completely sure if I'm feeling him move or if it's my stomach doing weird things. Maybe I'm crazy. I can't wait to feel him kick, though! I continue to have symptoms of pregnancy. You can ask my husband how absentminded I have been lately, and my back has started to ache and I'm getting more frequent headaches now. The nasal congestion and sensitive gums have been "fun" symptoms, too.

Anyhow, that's not what we're here for today! Today we are here to learn about Week 18!

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"At 5-1/2 inches long and about 5 ounces in weight (as much as that chicken breast you're having for dinner, but a lot cuter), your baby is filling out nicely and getting large enough that you might even be feeling those twists, rolls, kicks, and punches he or she is perfecting. Another set of skills your baby is mastering now is yawning and hiccupping (you might even begin to feel those hiccups soon!). And your one-of-a-kind baby is truly one of a kind now, complete with unique fingerprints on his or her fingertips and toes."
-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 10

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

Our baby is actually 8 ounces right now, which is where he's supposed to be at 19 weeks. But the nurse said he's right where he should be, so I'm not real worried about it!

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the post!

Check back next week for more!

-Aubrey

IT'S A BOY!!!

Ryan and I are very pleased to announce that yesterday when we saw the perinatologist, we discovered that our baby is a boy!

We are very, very excited! Neither of us felt real strongly one way or the other as to whether we wanted a boy or a girl. We were just glad to learn that our baby is very active and healthy right now.

Our baby's heartbeat was 161 bpm at the appointment yesterday. He weighs 8 oz., which is right where he's supposed to be. Our nurse told us that he is more active than most, which is fine (she wasn't worried about it--she told us some babies are just more active than others and that some are less active and just sit there the whole time). He was not shy at all! Our little boy peed on screen for us, too, LOL! That was interesting to see! We got some pictures and we also paid to get a DVD of the ultrasound.

After the nurse showed us all the fun stuff, our perinatologist, Dr. Glenn Schemmer, came in to check out other things. He showed us the four chambers of the heart and we got to see with red and blue coloring how the blood was flowing through the heart. Everything looks just fine at this point, said the doc. He also showed us the kidneys and said that they looked fine, and both he and the nurse checked the baby's lip for cleft palate. So far, everything looks great!

After the appointment, we went to Partyland and bought some blue "It's a Boy!" bugglegum cigars and delivered them to everyone in our family. Everyone seems to be excited--most of all my sister, Brooke! She really wanted our baby to be a boy.

We have a name that we both like, but I want to finish going through our book to be sure we don't find something else that we like better. And just so everyone knows, we are not planning on telling what our little boy's name is until he is here!

Anyhow, here are the pictures we got yesterday. If I can figure out how to post the recording, I will do that probably tomorrow. Ryan and I have not even had a chance to watch it yet! And remember to check back tomorrow for the 18 week update!

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

Closer up proof that he's a boy, but it's a little more blurry!

Our little boy's foot! So cute!!

An arm!

Our little boy's profile!

Thank you all for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed the post!

-Aubrey

P.S. This is doctor appointment #9!

Random Update

So, I've been getting phone calls from a registered nurse named Denise from Walgreens lately... After ignoring the third call from her, I finally decided just to call her back and figure out what the heck she wanted.

Turns out my insurance company contacted her because I am a high risk pregnancy and they wanted to have me enrolled in the Walgreens Maternity Support Program. I consented and thus had a 35 minute conversation with the woman about how my pregnancy has gone so far and hearing advice from her. It was interesting. I learned a couple new things, which is why there is this post--I figured I'd share what I've learned with anyone who is interested!

One thing Denise talked to me about was hospitals. I've wanted to have our baby at the American Fork Hospital because that's where I was born and where all my siblings were born. That's the hospital I always thought I'd be at. But, apparently the American Fork Hospital only has a Level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and because of my diabetes, it would be best for me and the baby to be at a hospital where there is a Level 3 NICU. So, I guess we will be having our baby in Provo at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

I also learned that often times, babies of diabetic mothers often have to be put on IV's with glucose in them for a few days after birth to wean them off of sugar. I realize it's necessary, but it's so weird to think of sugar as a drug to be weaned from.

I was told by Denise that perinatologists often have diabetic mothers come in for ultrasounds every two weeks once they reach 28 weeks in their pregnancy and that by 34 weeks, there are typically one or two ultrasounds performed every week. We shall see if my perinatologist does this... At 22 weeks I'm supposed to have a fetal echocardiogram to see how the baby's heart is doing, since babies of diabetic mothers have a high risk of developing heart problems (I already knew about this from my last appointment with the perinatologist).

Denise asked me what my blood type is and I have no idea. She told me that if it is RH- they will make me get some sort of shot at 28 weeks... I'm hoping I'm not RH-...

Finally, I learned that I need to upgrade my prenatal vitamins. The ones I've been taking to not have DHA, and I need to be on some that do have DHA to help the baby's brain and eye development. So, I plan to do that!

For enrolling in the program, I also get a free book. They gave me my choice of What to Expect When You're Expecting or What to Expect the First Year. I chose the First Year since I already have the other one...

Anyhow, that is what I learned! I hope those of you who chose to read this post enjoyed it! My next post will be on Monday when we have the next ultrasound. Cross your fingers for us to be lucky enough to find out the sex of the baby!!

-Aubrey

The Pregnancy - 17 Weeks

Week 17, here we are! Ryan and I are super excited to be this far along in our first pregnancy! We are hoping that we can find out the baby's sex at our next ultrasound on Monday! So check back then to find out if we found out! In the mean time, enjoy the weekly update!

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"Take a look at your hand. Your baby is about palm-size now, with a crown-to-tump length of 5 inches and an approximate weight of 5 (or more) ounces. Body fat is beginning to form (baby's fat, that is, though yours is probably forming pretty quickly these days, too), but your little one is still quite skinny, with skin that is practically translucent. This week, your baby is all about practice, practice, practice in preparation for birth. One important skill your baby is sharpening now: sucking and swallowing--to get ready for that first (and second... and third) suckle at breast or bottle. Your baby's heart rate is regulated by the brain (no more spontaneous beats) and clocks in at 140 to 150 beats per minute (roughly rwice your own heart rate)." - What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 9

-photo from http://www.babycenter.com

-Aubrey

Last Appointment with Dr. Willis

I have found myself to be increasingly moody over the past week or so... Perhaps this had a hand in why I didn't enjoy my doctor's appointment today. Also, I was a little edgy because I called them last week about the bill I mentioned in my last post and chewed them out about sending my personal information out to people besides myself. The woman who called me back left me a message and didn't even address all my concerns. So I was annoyed to have to be around these people who I simply did not think were at all competent.

We saw Dr. Willis for what is likely to be our last appointment with him today. Not much happened at the appointment. The nurse said that there was sugar in my urine sample (and I was annoyed that she had to mention it because a - she said she knew I was a diabetic and b - I had tested on my way to the appointment and already knew I was running a little high at that particular moment). The doctor said the baby seems to be growing at the right speed and that everything seems normal. The baby's heartbeat was 142 today, but we didn't get to listen to it for more than a few seconds.

Dr. Willis said that my perinatologist called him a few weeks ago (remember my ultrasound appointment when I started going into shock on the table?) and that he had recommended I see an OB called Dr. Glenn. I asked Dr. Willis if he delivered at the AF Hospital, and he didn't know. So he said if I want to deliver at AF, to ask the perinatologist at my appointment next Monday and that if I don't end up liking any OB's they have me see, to come back to him and he will just handle my pregnancy.

Anyhow, that's enough about my appointment today. Keep in tune for the weekly update on Wednesday and our next ultrasound on Monday!

-Aubrey

P.S. This is doctor appointment #8!

The Pregnancy - 16 Weeks

We are officially at 16 Weeks!!

Here's the weekly update!! Enjoy!!

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"With a whopping weight of anywhere from 3 to 5 ounces and a length (crown to rump) of 4 to 5 inches, your baby is growing up fast. Muscles are getting stronger (you'll start to feel movement in a few weeks), especially the back muscles, enabling your little one to straighten out even more. Your baby-to-be is looking more and more adorable, with a face that has eyes (complete with eyebrows and eyelashes) and ears in the right spots. What's more, those eyes are finally working! Yes, it's true: Your baby's eyes are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed. Your baby is also becoming more sensitive to touch. In fact, he or she will even squirm if you poke your belly (though you probably won't be able to feel those squirms just yet)."

-text from What to Expect When You're Expecting
-photo from http://www.babycenter.com


Hope you all enjoyed the update! I'm planning on posting something for Valentine's Day, and if not then, check back Monday for the update from our doctor's appointment!

Hope everyone is doing well!

-Aubrey

The Pregnancy - 15 Weeks

Here we are at 15 weeks!

Thank goodness we have had no doctor's appointments this week, but we have been very busy with other things and we have had yet another incident of me almost going into shock...

We tried to order diabetes supplies on Friday from the only diabetes supply company I have ever worked with. Unfortuneatly, they informed me that they do not work with my insurance company (United Health Care), so we had to find a different company. We found one called the Diabetes Specialty Center. They work with both my and Ryan's insurance companies, so we should be double covered. They did require a prescription, however, so it took until today for them to get prescriptions from my doctor. And it turns out they can't supply my test strips, so we have to order those through Walgreens.

We also have been frustrated with my doctor's office. As I've mentioned before, it turns out that Dr. Willis will not be delivering our baby. However, his office went ahead and billed ONE of our insurance companies for our entire pregnancy. They didn't bill our second insurance company. Additionally, they addressed the bill to my dad and sent it to his address rather than billing it to us and sending it to us. We're a bit upset about it. I have changed my information at that office probably six times in the past two years and they ALWAYS seem to screw something up. And for some reason, though I am married and living AWAY from my parents, my parents ALWAYS end up with information from my doctor--bill, pap smear results... It's incredibly, incredibly frustrating.

Anyhow, we also filed our taxes today using TurboTax. We're expecting a big refund and are excited to pay off all of our credit cards, get ALL of Ryan's dental work done, and save the rest for the baby. Maybe we'll go celebrate with dinner, too!

Hmm... Oh, yeah, my near-shock episode... On Saturday at work, I had one of my regular customers in the store. We saw that something was wrong with a few of her pictures, so I told her to hang out at the counter for a couple minutes and I'd fix them for her. So I walked to the machine and started trying to fix and print them. All of a sudden, my leg started spasming. This is a sign of my blood sugar dropping drastically... So I thought I had all of her pictures fixed and started printing them. At this point, so many muscles were spasming and I was worried customers would see and think I was a druggie or something, so I walked behind my counter where no one could see me. As soon as I got behind the counter I collapsed. I couldn't stand up and I wasn't thinking straight. I knew it was almost 3:00, so I kept telling myself, "Jon will be here in a minute, he can finish the order for me." So Jon and Tony (they're the other two photo technicians I work with, by the way) walked behind the counter at the same time. I called out and asked them to finish the order for me. Tony jumped on finishing the order while Jon tried to figure out what was wrong with me, just sitting there on the floor. Once he figured out what was wrong, he hurried and bought me a juice. He handed it to me and as I started to drink it, my arm muscles were spasming. So he helped me hold the bottle while I drank it. It was kind of awkward, but I wouldn't have made it without him, so I'm thankful.

I'm also thankful for my husband. He has been so great lately. I've been so beat and feeling sick and he has just taken care of everything. He's tried so hard to clean the house for me and has done such a good job. He's been cooking for us every night. He takes me out to do fun things when I have long days. He caters to me! He makes me feel pretty when I feel (and look) like I'm getting fat. He's just been amazing.

Anyway, this has been a really long post... I guess I should get on to the 15 Week Update! Enjoy and check back for more next week!

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"Your baby, who measures 4-1/2 inches this week and weighs around 2 to 3 ounces, is about the size of a navel orange. Looking more and more like the baby you're picturing in your dreams, his or her ears are positioned properly on the sides of the head (they used to be in the neck), and the eyes are moving from the side of the head to the front of the face. By now your baby has the coordination, strength, and smarts to wiggle his or her fingers and toes and even suck a thumb. But that's not all your baby can do now. He or she can also breathe (or at least make breathing movements), suck, and swallow--all in preparation for the big debut and life outside the womb. And though it's unlikely that you'll be feeling any movements from your little one this week, your baby is certainly getting a workout--kicking, flexing, and moving those arms and legs." -What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 9


-http://www.babycenter.com

-Aubrey

The Pregnancy - Week 14

It's official! We made it out of the first trimester! Today begins the second trimester!

Can I tell you all real quick before we dive into "Week 14" just how lucky I think I am? I am so incredibly grateful to have such a wonderful man in my life. Ryan has been my best friend for a long time now and he has been amazingly sweet and helpful throughout the pregnancy thus far. He's been so great to take care of me and all the problems I've been having. I love him more than anything and am truly blessed to have him in my life.

:)

Anyhow, on to the point of this blog entry... "Week 14!" Please enjoy the read and check back next week for "Week 15!"

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"Beginning in the second trimester, fetuses (like the children they'll eventually become) start growing at different paces, some faster than others, some more slowly. Despite the differences in growth rates, all babies in utero follow the same developmental path. This week, that path is leading your baby--who is about the size of your clenched fist--toward a straighter position as the neck is getting longer and the head more erect. And on top of that cute little head, your baby might actually be sprouting some hair. Eyebrow hair is also filling in about now, as is body hair, called lanugo. Don't worry, it's not permanent. This downy coating of hair is there to keep your baby warm for now--like a furry blanket. As baby fat accumulates later on in your pregnancy, most of that hair will be shed--though some babies, especially those born early, still have a temporary fuzzy coating at delivery."
-What to Expect When You're Expecting, Chapter 9


http://www.babycenter.com

-Aubrey

Diabetes Clinic... Again...

Okay, so at my Tuesday appointment, the doctor set me up with a diabetes care team in Provo. His secretary called me yesterday and told me that my appointment was today at 3:00 with Dr. Robert Day.

So, we were supposed to be meeting Dr. Robert Day today. My appointment WAS SUPPOSEDLY SCHEDULED WITH DR. DAY. But guess who I was told I was seeing instead?

Rebecca Moyes.

My nemesis.

Ooh, how I loathed her the last time I saw her. The woman was awful. And as the receptionists looked for my paperwork that the hospital had sent to them, I told them that my appointment was with Dr. Day and that I intended to see him, not Rebecca Moyes.

I thought they had heard me out. But I was wrong. The nurse called me back and got my heart rate (which was high due to my being told my appointment was actually with Dr. Moyes, not Dr. Day), blood pressure, and my A1c. Then she took us to our room and said, "Dr. Moyes will be right in."

I was fuming. I was ready to get up and walk out I was so mad. But she came in and was much more pleasant than she was the last time I saw her (but I still don't like her). She didn't have much to go over because, well, I had another diabetes appointment two days ago at which time changes were made...

Things are too quickly examined there. They print out blood sugars but only at key times of the day. So regardless if I tested 17 times in one day (which I did once during the past two weeks), their computer would only pull up six numbers. I don't like this. I feel like what is actually going on is not being thoroughly investigated.

Anyhow, she made no changes because changes were made only two days ago AND my current A1c is 6.6%. Don't ask me how it could fluctuate that much in two weeks... But I'm proud of it. This is closer to the number I was looking for when I saw Julie Patterson. So I'm pleased. And also, Rebecca Moyes said that my average blood sugar for the past two weeks is 108, which would put me below 6% on the scale. :)

Anyway, enough venting for now...

Now I just need to figure out which doctors I am actually supposed to be seeing, because at this point, I have so many that I don't actually know...

Hope you all have a fabulous day. Check back Wednesday for the "Week 14" update!

-Aubrey

P.S. This was doctor appointment #7...