The life of newlyweds, living far from home, and expecting their first child!

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Well hello there, baby!


Well, there is good news and different news. Not bad news, but it changes things by about 4 days. I had two appointments this week on Monday and Tuesday. I had a appointment with my regular OB doctor on Monday and a high risk OB on Tuesday. Only seeing a high risk doctor because my hemoglobin A1C (blood sugar) were a little elevated so, seeing the high risk is strictly a precaution. I am not diabetic. 

The regular OB appointment went well and just the usual 'how are you doing' and 'do you have any questions.' The high risk doctor checked my sugar that I had been tracking for the last week and they were perfect! But, he does an ultrasound at every appointment and he has a 3D ultrasound machine. So, I got to see my LO for the first time ever! He or she was waving their arms like crazy and moving around. I was so happy to see that there really is a baby in there. It's so different from hearing the heartbeat. He wasn't quite able to tell the gender yet, but hopefully next time! It was such a surprise to see the ultrasound. I wasn't expecting it! The different news is I am not as far along as I thought only by about 4 days. So, I actually hit my second trimester today instead of this past Saturday. And my new due date is August 28th, 2013! 

I feel like August is SO FAR away, but I also feel like the weeks are coming before I know it. It's hard to believe it's been three months already and I am in my second trimester. It's a strange feeling knowing I've got such a long way, but the weeks seem to go so fast. I felt like just yesterday I was 7 weeks going to my first doctor appointment. 

No change in how I feel. I have noticed some ligament pain, but other than that I am still sleeping soundly except for the frequent bathroom trips! I feel like I get up 3-4 times a night. I have noticed headaches in the past week and I am not sure if it's hormone related or lack-of-caffeine related. So, this morning I had a diet Dr. Shasta (I am a cheap grocery shopper so I get off brands on certain items) and it was so sweet and I had a hard time getting it down. I have been drinking water non-stop so having soda was a little strange. I will drink a small chocolate milk in the morning in place of a coffee. But, my headache seemed to have subsided. I may have to pick up real caffeinated drink instead of taking Tylenol. I try really hard not to take any medicine except for my prenatal vitamins.


I am still trying to get in 30 minutes a day a few days a week to get in some cardio. I could tell yesterday on the elliptical my heart rate was reaching 140 a lot quicker than usual so, I would catch myself and slow down. Other than that I wouldn't believe I was pregnant if I hadn't had heard a little heartbeat in my tummy and seen the ultrasound. Pregnancy seems to agree with me and I've been pretty lucky from what I've heard. 



Now in three weeks, I should be able to know if we are team PINK or team BLUE. We both lean towards team BLUE, but sometimes I get a feeling that may be it's a girl. Either way as long as he or she is healthy- I DON'T CARE :) 





How far along? 14 weeks 
Size of Baby A? weighing around 1 oz and measuring 3.5-4 in. the size of a nectarine! 
Maternity Clothes? still no sign of a need for maternity clothes. the belly band may be used soon as my jeans are getting a little tighter. 
Weight Gain? okay, so my husband pointed out i wasn't clear on this the past few times i was writing total weight and then i wrote none. i meant i hadn't gained any that week. to me this is difficult b/c my weight is different from the time i am the doctors then what i was that morning. so i am going to go by the doctors scale. i had gained 3, but this last visit i lost 2. so a total gain of 1 lb as of 13 weeks and 5 days. i think it's because i changed my diet to watch my sugar intake and all the water i have been drinking. doctor said it was totally okay. 
Gender? thinking boy but who knows!
Sleep? no so sleepy during the day anymore, but at night i am out!
Movement? i feel flutters but it may just be gas :) 
Cravings? none really i am enjoying cheese and strawberries a lot. 
What I miss? i am doing okay without alcohol but when my husband decideds to have some (which is rare) i do get a little jealous. especially if he's just having one when we are out to dinner. 
Symptoms? ligament stretching pain
Best moment of the week? ultrasound of course and being told my sugars are perfect

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Last Week of the First Trimester!


Hello All!

This is the last week of my first trimester! I am only excited because it just means another month down and closer to finding out the sex and meeting Baby Anderson! My first trimester wasn't bad at all except for all the sleep I was  getting. I hope that doesn't change much. Today I woke up (only because Riley was ready to go out) at 7:30am- which is about normal for me. But, I felt like I could have kept sleeping and sleeping and sleeping some more. I took Riley out and caught up on some DVR'd shows. Then it was hitting me like a ton of bricks. I was SO TIRED again. So, Riley and I watched last nights Catfish in bed for an hour. Finally, I figured it was time to get out of bed. I went to the gym before lunch and the rest of the day was spent on the couch. It was rainy here today which, made me a feel a tad lazy about being so lazy!

I have once again volunteered to coach youth soccer on post. I did it last year with a friend (well, we became friends- she knew Tyler from high school) and I had a lot of fun. I had every intention of coaching this season until I found out I was pregnant. I wasn't planning on it, but the youth center called and asked if I could help again because they didn't have enough volunteers. I said yes.. who am I kidding? I work two days a week and need something else to keep me busy! We will see how this goes... it's over by the end of March so, I shouldn't be too uncomfortable by then. And, it really is fun!

Here is a picture of last years team- they were so much fun and we only lost one game!

Well, last week we said goodbye to a dear friend... Tyler's jeep. I remember when we first got it- he was so proud! We then got the Durango and I kept telling Tyler that there was no need for us to have 3 vehicles. Plus, we would have to somehow get all 3 back to Columbia at some point. Then, of course a newborn and infant can't ride in a jeep wrangler. We finally decided to sell and after about a month... we had a serious buyer. Last Thursday we said goodbye.... 

I wasn't very emotional, but I think Tyler thought it was very bitter sweet. On another note, I needed a step stool to get in it because it was jacked up so high ;) 

This past weekend, I decided to go look at maternity clothes. Ugh. They are all so ugly. I went ahead and bought two pairs of jeans because they were buy one get one half off and I can wear jeans to work and I got two belly bands- while my jeans still fit- they are getting a little snug. That is, of course, when I wear jeans. I try to wear my leggings all the time! We also walked over to Old Navy. Of course the maxi dresses are too long because I am so short and the maternity tops are not flattering, but I bought a few so that I could wear them with leggings because they are long enough. I am going to try to the belly band/jean combo until I just can't anymore. The plus side of being pregnant all summer? Hopefully all the cotton dresses I own will work while pregnant! 

Yesterday, I went to the doctor and was able to hear our LO's heartbeat again- it's the best! I could listen to it all day, everyday. I didn't expect to hear the heartbeat at this appointment so Tyler didn't go with, but I am so excited for next Monday to hear it again and hopefully he will get a chance to hear it for the first time :) 








How far along? 13 weeks and 3 days 
Size of Baby A? weighing around 1.5 oz and measuring 3 in. The size of a Lemon! 
Maternity Clothes? bought not worn yet!
Weight Gain? no change
Gender? don't know yet!
Sleep? all the time. 
Movement? none yet!
Cravings? still candy, but i try to eat strawberries to hold off that craving. i did have a craving for chedder bay biscuts from red lobster and I HATE that place, but went for the craving!
What I miss? still would like a glass of wine or cold beer every now and again
Symptoms? fatigue and some ligament stretching
Best moment of the week? hearing the heartbeat again :) 

Monday, February 11, 2013

Sleeping Beauty...

I am now 12 weeks and 2 days pregnant. I don't necessarily feel pregnant except for the fact that I feel like I could sleep and sleep and sleep some more! Not so much during the day if I keep myself busy or if I am working. But, if I am just watching tv then I do get tired. I try to at least get in 30 minutes of cardio everyday. I will either take Riley on a walk or go to the gym. I have heard that staying active during your pregnancy will  make labor a tiny bit easier (TINY, I am sure) and my cravings have been sweets (still) and I don't want to develop gestational diabetes... so, I am trying to keep that at bay. I am also trying to keep a crazy weight gain at bay. I know how much I'd like to gain, but I know the baby has other ideas... I am sure. My husband was a 10lb baby- OH GOODNESS- I sure hope our baby didn't inherit his baby weight! But, I am easily ready to go to bed at 7:30-8! Although, I do have to get up many times during the night to use the restroom! That's annoying, but really nothing new for me! Then my alarm goes off at 5am for Tyler to get up and I go right back to sleep until about 8:30am. And only then do I actually get out of bed because I refuse to sleep any later than that! I could keep sleeping, but Riley eventually gets our of bed and his in my face to go outside. But, I know I should definitely get my sleep in now while I can. I've heard later in the pregnancy you may develop some insomnia and then of course once the LO gets here... I probably won't even know what sleep is!

In other exciting pregnancy news... we ended up buying a crib, mattress, a sheet, blanket, changing table, some clothes, and etc. We had our usual Sunday activities i.e. Tyler's haircut and the grocery store, but we decided to get a car wash and go to Target. I hadn't been to Target in a long time. I knew they had baby stuff, but I didn't expect to buy anything! Tyler has been wanting to do some baby shopping for quite some time now especially for the bigger stuff. I made him wait till I had at least heard the heartbeat. But, if it was up to him I am sure we'd have a full nursery by now. We looked around and he started looking at the cribs. They had a really good deal on this crib and changing table. It's not the most fancy or expensive crib on the block, but it will either have to be moved across country or it will be sold in 2 years. Either way it was a good deal and we didn't want to buy something big and expensive and not be able to bring it home. If we do bring it home it can change into a toddler day bed or headboard. It was a good deal we couldn't pass up. We also got a gender neutral sheet, blanket, and clothes. I didn't want a empty crib! The colors and theme will change once we know the sex. There is SO MUCH more needed in the nursery, but this is a start and we were so sick of looking at a empty room.

Here are some pictures of the crib and changing table and temporary bedding...


Tyler picked out this really cute grey elephant sheet. I then found a lime green elephant blanket. I loved the sheet so much that I am thinking that I make the elephants a theme... if not elephants, then jungle themed. But, I just love the sheet! And even I don't I really like the grey so I may stick with grey, yellow, and pink or blue depending on the sex! But, I have plenty of time to decide! 

How far along? 12 weeks 2 days
Size of Baby A? weighing around .5 oz and measuring 3 in. The size of a peach! 
Maternity Clothes? still none yet, but maybe soon for comfort reasons. 
Weight Gain? 3.6 lbs
Gender? still not sure, but i can't stop looking a boy bedding! ha
Sleep? my best friend
Movement? none yet!
Cravings? still fruit-y candy. someone posted a picture of starburst on instagram and i thought i was going to go crazy! 
What I miss? i sort of miss more than one sweet tea during the day
Symptoms? fatigue, sciatic pain
Best moment of the week? buying and looking at all the baby items at traget 



Wednesday, February 6, 2013

No more alcohol AND I have to limit my caffeine intake!?



Well, as many of you know now via Facebook. Tyler and I will be welcoming a new bundle of joy this August. I tried to wait as long as I could to announce the news to our Facebook friends, but I couldn't wait any longer! I swear there was at least four people to announce via Facebook they were also expecting in August and I couldn't hold it in any longer :) 

I have blogged before, but the last time it was a different website and for a totally different reason. I am so happy to be blogging about such a blessing and not about missing my fiance because he was thousands of miles away fighting in a combat zone. Also, I regret to inform you that there hasn't been much cooking going on lately. Nothing fancy.. I haven't done much of the recipes from the blog because I don't make special trips to the grocery store that much. We go on the weekend and get basics for dinner and lunch for the week. But, I promise- if I am make something outstanding- I will surely let you all know. I still want to cook my favorite things from the blog, but haven't. These baked wings are a must VERY SOON! 

Anyway, a little bit about me and Tyler if you are a first time reader of mine or just don't remember! Tyler and I met in college, but did not start dating until he was about to go to Basic Training in Fort Sill, OK. We were engaged a year later and married a year and a few months later because he was deployed as soon as we arrived at our first duty station, El Paso, Texas. Which, is one of the hardest parts, to me, about being pregnant. I am so far away from home and family. Tyler and I will have get through our first years of parenthood alone! There will be a lot of skyping, visits, and telephone dates I am sure. 

Tyler and I did want kids and our first thought was to wait a year or two before we try. Well, there were different plans in store for us. A few months later I took a test and VOILA... there it was...
Needless to say the first four tests were not digital. This was probably the sixth test to confirm. HA. Luckily we were a few days away from coming home for Christmas and would get to share the wonderful news with our family face to face instead of skype or over the phone. What a wonderful Christmas present! 

The past 11 weeks and 4 days have been filled with lots of emotions. My sweet husband has been quite surprised at the way pregnancy can change a person. He used to claim that I had a cold heart and didn't cry. Because one time we went to see Marley and Me in the theater and I didn't cry. What he doesn't know and I've told him a thousand times... I did cry. I just hid it very well :) But, the past few weeks I have been crying over very simple and small things. I think it scared him a little bit! Also, you mean I can't drink alcohol AND my caffeine is limited!?! After figuring out what I can and can't do I realize the sacrifices far outweigh the risks by a long shot! No more hot baths? Ugh. 

I am very excited about this journey and I can't wait. I announced it because I went to the doctor on Monday and heard our little one's heartbeat. I got so emotional because all I've wanted for the past two months was some sort of confirmation besides a pregnancy test that there is, in fact, a growing baby inside of me! I have switched my insurance and am able to see an off post doctor. Hopefully I can share this journey with you as I have seen many other pregnant and new mothers do. I have actually stolen the questions below from other moms-to-be. I read their blogs and I couldn't wait to be expecting one of my own and then once I was I couldn't wait to shout it from the rooftops and share my experiences with you! 

I am quickly rounding out my first trimester and I am happy to report that the biggest change for me was that I am tired. I can go to sleep on my own every night because I am so worn out! I used to need extra 'help' to fall asleep like Ambien, but once I found out I was expecting I quit taking it. I am having no problems falling asleep at night. Which, is the greatest thing for me. Pregnancy and I agree with each other. I have no morning sickness. I got sick once while home on Christmas vacation, but I think it was the food I ate... I have been eating real authentic Mexican food and then eating Casa Linda's at home maybe shocked me a bit? Just kidding! 



How far along? 11 weeks 4 days
Size of Baby A? weighing around .5 oz and measuring 2.5 in. The size of a large plum! 
Maternity Clothes? none yet. i have always been obsessed with leggings b/c they're comfy. i've been wearing them more often ;)
Weight Gain? 2.8 lbs
Gender? unknown, but we both kind of want a boy. we'll be happy with either :)
Sleep? all the time and i love it. 
Movement? none yet!
Cravings? fruit (bananas and strawberries esp) or fruit candy (starburst, fruity gum, jolly ranchers, airheads, fruit snacks)
What I miss? the occasional beer on the weekends with my husband, hot baths, caffiene (the amount I would drink) 
Symptoms? headaches, sciatic pain, fatigue
Best moment of the week? hearing the heartbeat of my LO! so excited!