Bad News Update

Last night, I had a dream...nightmare really. I woke up in the middle of the night crying because I dreamed the baby had died.

At 3:00 this afternoon, we were given confirmation that the baby's heart had stopped beating at 8 weeks and 4 days....on Mother's Day. This was 4 days after our last sonogram with Shady Grove where we had been told the baby's heart beat was strong, and he/she looked perfect and healthy. Between the fertility drugs I was still taking and the fact that my body didn't know the baby had died....I continued along for these past 3 weeks as if the pregnancy was normal.

Our doctor is currently scheduling us for a D&C within the next few days, which is a procedure to retrieve the fetus.

This will be our last post for awhile as we figure out where we go from here. Thank you for all your support over the last few months.

IT'S HERE!!!!!

THE BED IS HERE! Here are some pictures! :) This is our first real purchase in preparation for the baby!!! More bed for a little one to join us~AND~a comfy bed both Kris and I can actually get good sleep on!

Here is the old bed (after we moved the box spring out)...

Here is the new bed before we put the sheets on. Can you see the two different color labels on each side? Red is Kris, Gold is Me! :)

And, here our new bed is with Kris testing it!

And, here's a fun picture....this is from today. I feel like I've almost doubled in size since Saturday...

Week 10 pics

No big belly changes since last week...but here are some pictures. :) One is kinda' morbid...Kris decided I was better looking without a head! :) I know that my belly doesn't look too huge in these pictures...but to ME: I AM HUGE! :) I know....just wait...I'll really get big. :)

Out with the old...In with the new!

FINALLY...after 5 years of my whining and Oreo's hernia-WE PURCHASED A NEW BED. I am so excited!

Our current bed (which is Kris') is too hard for me, too high for me (I have to jump to get into the bed) and Oreo (Oreo got a hernia and required surgery for having to jump up and down off this bed!), and it's too small.

Our new bed is AHHHHHMAZING! We got a low profile bed (which cuts the box spring size in approximately half), which will make the bed A LOT easier for me to get in and out of. This bed is also a KING SIZE!!!! The best thing about this bed is that it has two sides. We laid down on this "machine" that calculated how firm a mattress we both needed. There are four levels of firmness labeled by color: gold (least firm), green, blue, and red (most firm). Kris was a red and I was a gold..so you know that we weren't going to find a single mattress compromise! This bed is half gold (for me) and half red (for Kris). It's SO comfortable!

They are delivering this tomorrow! So, we've spent the afternoon/evening cleaning the bedroom! Kris even cleaned our bedroom walls! :) So, tonight, just our mattress is on the floor in the bedroom so we can sleep! :)

We even get to use our king size sheets we got from our wedding tomorrow!!! :) YAY!!!

Week 10

Well, week 10 is off to a great start!

My back has been feeling a lot better. It still hurts every once in a while, if I move funny. I think the improvement is due to my exercising. :) I've been walking for 40 minutes and doing stretches/weight work for 20 minutes every other day. :)

This week, I've noticed that I've had a little more energy. I don't know if it's because my show is over and that stress is gone...but I'm happy to be a little more functional after work. :)

The newest development has been the shortness of breath. My general doctor here in Waldorf says nothing is wrong with me...though she did not really check very much. According to all the websites both Kris and I have been reading, it is normal to have shortness of breath...even at just 10 weeks. So, I'll double check that with our OBGYN on Thursday. I'm assuming that all is well. It dawned on me last night when I was having trouble breathing that it was actually a great sign that I'm experiencing this-it means the baby is growing!

Kris was in Florida for a few days and he brought back our baby's first toy: Mickey Mouse and he brought me a Disney Mom mug!! He is so sweet. :)

My newest food "issue" is that I never know what I want to eat! Nothing sounds good and nothing tastes good, but I'm always hungry. I'll think I want chicken...then when I have it, I don't want it. It's a vicious circle. :) I've found that I have become quite a fan for "Andrew Nachos"...which is something Andrew made for us when we were out in LA for spring break. Basically, it's just these AWESOME Costco tortilla chips, with cheese and jalapenos...microwaved. I LOVE this...I think I've had it just about every night this past week! :) THANKS, ANDREW! :)

Good news on the medication front. I've been on medication since....uh....March, I think. I FINALLY took my last medication on May 20!!! The only meds I am currently on are the folic/prenatal vitamins! It is such a GREAT feeling to be done with all those meds! :)

I forgot to write about this a while ago. One of my students and her family gave me a cute little gift when word got out about our pregnancy. I've included a picture of it...I leave this little bear on my desk at work to remind me to take it easy. :)

I'll post week 10 pictures this weekend! Have a GREAT Memorial weekend, everyone! :)

Week 9 pictures

Here's two pictures from today... :)

Lessons learned from teaching: Chapter 1

9 years of teaching is long enough to see all the horrible things parents do to their children and some of the wonderful things parents do for the kids. As I think back through these past 9 years, I'm going to write down some of the good and bad things I've seen happen and make a special promise to our baby to try not to do these bad things. Friends and family: please feel free to add to this list!!! This will be a fun working document. :) I'm interested to see what you have seen and what advice you have to give! :) BTW...seriously: these are all lessons I learned from listening to my students tell me about their home life.



BAD BAD BAD:

1. I will not make my child feel like they cannot talk to me; force him/her to go into therapy; and then berate him/her about it.

2. I will not make my child wait at school alone for a ride because I am too busy to come get him/her.

3. I will not be THAT parent that blindly accepts my childs version of the truth over the teacher, while at the same time: I will not allow a teacher to treat him/her with disrespect.

4. I will not miss his/her concert's/games/awards ceremonies/any event because I have to work.

5. I will not bribe my child into good behavior or good grades with materialistic items and then take them away when they displease me.

6. I will not overlook one single speeding ticket; I will not blow it off as a one time offense; I will not let it pass without serious education about the impact of reckless driving.


7. I will not spend his/her college fund on a trip abroad and tell him/her that it was "my money" anyway and then kick him/her out of the house after graduating from high school.





Great idea:

1. I will help our child see both points of views of difficult situations, argue both sides, and teach him/her how to come to a good decision.

2. I will help our child understand that everyone makes mistakes, what's most important is the lesson learned.

3. I will be active in of our child's activities and school, even when he/she doesn't want me around...while still letting him/her have their individual freedom.

4. I will teach our child to appreciate those around him/her that do nice things for them.

5. I will teach our child that even though they have a driver's license...the do not need a Camaro to get from place to place.