Ladies and Gentlemen...

we have definite movement! Went on a long walk with Mac and the dogs and by the end I was feeling the strain. Got inside, made a big glass of water and got an ice pack for my abdomen cause I was feeling a little crampy. No sooner had a I sat down then Spud started kickin' it old skool. I called Mac in and put his fingers in the right spot and he felt it too! He missed it the first couple times but when he closed his eyes he felt it. How cool! I guess Spud likes ice packs (just like daddy)

Who needs a face?

Ahhh pregnancy...

So since I started taking the Clomid back February my skin has been totally and embarrassingly broken out. I see it as revenge for a virtually pimple free adolescence. My face's condition has only gotten worse as the baby has gotten bigger. Suddenly, last night after washing my make-up off my skin felt tight and burned a little. I have always had sensitive and dry skin and moisturize a couple of times a day but last night my moisturizer burned like crazy. This morning was worse, my face felt chapped and sensitive to touch; the skin was tighter and spiderweb-esque. I had to go to school without make-up on and with distinctly rosy cheeks. In the teachers' lounge I asked if anyone there had been pregnant before and if so, did their baby try various, devious, ways to remove their face from the inside? A few teachers said they had had the same problem and recommended Cetaphil, a mild, hypoallergenic moisturizer. I picked up a jar on the way home from work today and opened it up while on the phone with my sister. It was smooth and creamy and shocked the HELL out of me the moment I touched it. Since I have become a big ball of exhausted lately I put the lid back on the jar and waited for Mac to get home. He did not believe it was possible that something so white and cold had shocked me ... until it shocked him too...twice. After that the cream was fine (I'll admit, it was hard to stick my finger back in the jar at first. That first shock HURT). Now my skin feels like it's in the aftermath of a severe sunburn and will start peeling any moment. Sigh.

That said I came through the first week of student teaching feeling physically alright. The first two days I swelled up like crazy and 1st couldn't get my wedding rings off and then 2nd couldn't get them back on. Now they fit fine. The same goes for my shoes. I have actually been able to stop at the store on the way home and cook dinners (thought not both on the same day) and my headaches are receding. Don't let me fool you, these things do not necessarily make me happy. I am terrified that feeling well means that something is wrong with my baby. I know its silly but I am actually glad to have this new facial burning if it means Spud is still kickin'.

Speaking of I haven't felt the Spudster move since earlier in the week. It is still very early so I am trying not to let it concern me. I can't wait til Mac can feel it too!

Bumpity Bump

Pretty sure I felt the baby moving around during school today. I had to pee pretty bad but was waiting for class to be over so I wouldn't disturb the kiddos and there was a totally new-to-me sensation so I put my hand on my lower abdominal area and could feel it. Bumpity Bump! It was cool!

I started student teaching on Monday at the middle school and it is exhausting. Monday is the worst because I have morning duty inside super early and afternoon duty outside in the heat. This week I am observing and time is dragging by, probably because I watch the same lesson being taught 4 times a day. Can't wait til I get to be more active in the classroom.

Being pregnant and working is odd. I have to pee a lot. A LOT. I am also very sleepy. The kids have been really nice though and I think it is going to be a really good semester.

Skool Daze

Woowoo! Just talked to my grad advisor and I am cleared to leave the program in the Spring and return next Fall, that way I can graduate by May of 2012, which sounds at once both far away and very soon. This makes me feel much better about my decision to take time off to be with the baby.

Tomorrow is the Student Teaching Orientation which means I have to be on campus, car parked, signed in and in my seat at 8am. Why does campus have to be 45 minutes away? I guess it will be good practice for next week when I have to be at work by 7:15, which will no doubt also be a beating.

The jeans I bought at Oldnavy.com are way too big, who knew they would stretch out so fast? So I went and got a new pair that fit today so I will have something to wear tomorrow. I also managed to get 3 maternity tops at $6 each. Of course, I was also very tempted to buy clothes for Spud but I resisted, there will be plenty of time for that in the future. This weekend I will be going back out to look for khaki, gray, brown, black pants for work. Shopping make me sleepy (as does everything else).

Have I mentioned that Mister Edwards is the best husbandit that ever lived? Yesterday I was miserable, I seriously felt hungover all day and spent most of the afternoon laying in bed with a headache watching TV. Mac had not slept well the night before and after our doc appt had gone straight to work so I knew he was exhausted all day too. When he got home at 5:30 he came upstairs and got in bed with me and asked what I wanted for dinner. I said cake (waaaaaay too much food network watching) and you know what he did? He got up and went to the store and called me to tell me all of the varieties of cake available to see which one sounded the best. When he got home it turns out he had also bought stuff for tacos (my fav dinner) as well as kosher pickles (another fav. that I keep forgetting to buy), black olives (delicious), and almond joys. And he didn't just get regular taco fixin's, he got two kinds of beans, and sauteed mushroom and garlic in butter, and bought three kinds of salsa; he went all out! and THEN he shows me the movie he rented for us to watch, cause he is awesome. I felt so taken care of!

I have big plans for the world reveal of Spud's gender in September. Mister Edwards came up with an excellent concept that I am excited to execute so watch your mail folks!

15 week appointment

Had my 15 week OB appointment today. I am either 15 weeks tomorrow or 15+4 today, depending on if you go by ovulation date or first ultrasound. We thought Dr. Garner said they were going to do an ultrasound today so my dad took off work and drove in from Ft. Worth to see the baby this morning. (Dad actually beat us to the doc's office, so when I walked in there he was, reading the latest issue of Texas Monthly.) When we got in the back it turned out that we weren't scheduled to have an ultrasound today BUT Dr. Garner is awesome and found an excuse for us to have one. I told the ultrasound tech that we would LOVE to know the baby's sex if she was able to see anything. Its still early so I can neither confirm nor deny if she found anything... you will all have to wait until the next appointment on Sept. 13th.

Starting Saturday night I have been experiencing severe upper abdominal pains, mostly on the right side. Its hurts to breathe, sit up, light down, roll over, etc. The least painful position is flat on my back which I don't like and probably should be avoiding. The doctor had the tech check it out during the ultrasound and while there was some fluid around my right kidney everything looked alright (the pain is in the wrong spot for it to be my kidney. My experience with kidney stones has taught me exactly where my kidneys are.) I told them that I can touch exactly where it hurts and that it is actually sensitive to the touch; turns out the spot is over my gallbladder, which my dad has had removed, but the tech said it looked fine. I have also been getting headaches lately no matter how much water I drink (woke up with a hardcore headache this morning, it was like being hungover). The doctor said its because of the increase in blood volume and I should take Tylenol with my water; he even said I could have a little bit of caffeine. Problem is I don't want a little bit of caffeine, I want a LOT of caffeine in Red Bull form. Oh well, maybe I will go pick up some Barq's root beer.

The ultrasound tech took a ton of pics, this one is my favorite. Spud is waving!
The rest of the pics are here

Squish Face

Last night was pretty bad, the upstairs A/C broke so we had to sleep on a mattress on the living room floor and then the dog pooped in the bed at 2am. However, I did have the best dream ever. I dreamed that Spud was here and HE was awesome. He was wearing a black and white striped onsie and had a little adorable squish face and I got to hold him for a long time before family came to see him. The husbandit woke me up before we decided on a name, which is fine; he should probably get to have some input. It was funny because I told Mac about my dream and he said he thought we were having a boy too. Now I want to go back to sleep and dream about Spud!

I stink

Its true, I stink. Or at least I periodically stink. You see the baby has given me smelly gas of death. No lie. Mac is shocked and appalled and has threatened to sleep in the guest bedroom for the rest of the pregnancy. Hopefully this too shall pass, quickly (no pun intended). Thanks a lot, Spud, for making mommy gross.

Cherries

Food and I have become frenemies. Since getting pregnant I have found that the foods I enjoy, I REALLY enjoy, like its the best (fill in the blank) I have ever eaten. However, afterwards I usually never want to see it again, let alone eat it. Only a few foods have made the cut and are eaten regularly. The first of those is cherries. They were the first thing I craved after finding out I was pregnant (followed closely by the Taco Bell Chili Cheese burrito)and even though I was immediately ill after eating them they still seem to find their way into my shopping cart on every trip to the store. Also high on the list is soup. At first it was only cream based soups; clam chowder, chicken corn chowder, and broccoli cheese. Now its is anything with LOTS of beans and vegetables in a broth you can see through.

Unfortunately, no matter what I eat I still end up with heartburn every day after lunch and again after dinner. I told Mac yesterday that I must be eating all the wrong things because nothing seems to bring me any relief. Some helpful family members have suggested I try papaya extract and almonds, which means I will be hitting the store again tomorrow. I will be sure to eat before I go this time; today I was starving as I walked the aisles full of deliciousness and came home with two of everything and a bottle of queso. Mmmm...queso...