Nothing special...

I don't really have anything funny or earth-shattering to share, but I felt like I needed to post something...so here I am. 

I went to the dentist this morning...it was interesting. I had a new hygienist  which I didn't like because I like to know what to expect, and all dental hygienists have their routine. Anyway, it went fairly well, but the older I get, the more I grow to hate the scaler...the little tool they use to scrape plaque off of your teeth. The sound is just atrocious. Then, she suggested I do a foam fluoride rinse...ok, fine. Well, after swishing it around, she held the little sucker thing up to my mouth to suck out the foam, and I somehow managed to spew foam all over the side of my shirt. She helped me clean it up, but I was rather irritated at myself. She finishes up and the dentist comes in to check everything. Just as he was finishing the phrase "Your teeth look great...", he found where one of my old fillings had popped out. So, while I was there I had him fix it. Luckily, I didn't need an anesthetic. 

So, to treat myself for my dental visit (I have no problem rewarding myself like a dog), I stopped at Starbucks for a (decaf) Pumpkin Spice Latte. It was good, but the lack of cool weather didn't really do it justice. Then, as I was driving into work, I took a drink and somehow spilled some of my coffee on my jeans. Most beverages just dry up and you can't tell anything ever happened...Pumpkin Spice Lattes are not most beverages, apparently. I totally have a few blobs on my jeans. Awesome.

Tonight and tomorrow morning we're going to a marriage/family conference that our church is hosting. I think that Kyle and I do pretty good, but I know that we can always learn how to do better. Especially now that we have a kiddo on the way, we think it's even more important to be in tune with one another, and learn how to keep our faith as the focus of our marriage and family as the chaos ensues. Wait, there is no chaos, right?!

Tomorrow night we're having our church group over to our house, which I'm really looking forward to! Since we built the house, we haven't really had any group stuff at our house...we had company in and out for quite a while right after we moved in, and then we found out I was pregnant, and cleaning the house for a group of people (or even just a couple) to come over just was not a priority. The only thing I screwed up about this party was that I scheduled it before I knew when the OSU game would be played. I think I'll still be able to catch the end of it though ; )

Last but not least, I got Gus a new "indestructible", knotted, rope toy...this is what it looked like after two days. I'd put him up against a badger any day of the week. Speaking of Gus, I'm really proud of him. Kyle was gone last weekend, and on Sunday night, Gus and I had already gone to bed when Kyle got home. I heard the garage door, but I just laid there to wait and see what Gus would do...sure enough, he hopped up when he thought he heard something and growled a little, and then as soon as he heard some footsteps he started barking like a mad man. I'm proud of my little pint-sized guard dog ; )

Well, that's kind of it for now. I'll do a baby update post soon. 

Happy Friday!

Tuesday Humor

Because I'm tired...because I have a headache...and because I needed a laugh.

I'm sure you needed one too.

Hello, Second Trimester!

I had been reading and hearing about how much better the second trimester is, but I think it's one of those things that you can't appreciate until you experience it.

I was lucky in that I never had severe morning sickness. But while I never felt horrible, I never really felt good either. It was such a weird feeling. Normally, if I feel bad, I can take a nap or just take it easy for a day, and feel better...but that's apparently not how pregnancy works. I guess I just felt kind of puny all of the time. And it didn't help that I was waking up for the fifth time (to pee) every night/morning around 3:30-4:00 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep until my alarm went off at 5:00 a.m.

Although I don't feel 100% myself...I feel so much better!

The past few nights I've been sleeping like a rock (only getting up once or twice). I've been going to bed before Kyle, and I never even hear or feel him get into bed. I just wake up and he's there. That's how I know that I slept well ; ) Plus, most any nausea or lightheaded-ness has dissipated. 


This morning I had one of those great mornings that I haven't had in a while. 

- I love my outfit and I love even more that I am able to use the hair-tie around the button on my pants, instead of using the belly band. That thing is getting annoying.
- I slept on my hair wet, and I didn't wake up with any cow-licks...just a few turns of the curling iron and my hair looks good!
- Friday traffic is the best...because it's almost non-existent.
- I left early enough (shocker!) to stop by Jamba Juice. I've been hitting up Smoothie King once in a while (because breakfast still isn't my friend), but it just hasn't tasted good to me...so I thought I'd give J-J a whirl. So glad I did! I found a smoothie that I love...not too sweet, and it has fruit and veggies in it...all stuff I really need to be eating more of. It's called the Berry UpBeet, it has strawberries, blueberries, mango, and Red Juice (carrot, beet, broccoli, spinach, and kale). You should try it. 
- As I was driving in to work...I was just washed with this God-induced, blissful peace. I haven't felt that in a while. It's the feeling that makes me acutely aware that the world is so much bigger than me, and that my short time here is meant for a higher purpose...and that stressing about the little things is so minuscule in comparison to everything else. 
- Last but not least, it's finally starting to get (relatively) cool around here...so I'm getting out my Fall decorations this weekend! I love Fall! I love pumpkins, hay bales, cinnamon scented stuff, leggings and boots, scarves, fire pits and s'mores, and, of course, football. 


I hope everyone is having a great Friday, and has a wonderful weekend!

TTC

So, seeing that I'm pregnant, it appears that we were successful in the whole "trying to conceive" [TTC] arena. 

That being said, I know I have several friends who are starting out on this journey for the first time, and although I realize that I'm by no means an expert, I thought I would share some of my experiences and research. TTC can be a frustrating process, so if I can help alleviate some of that for others, wonderful!

First things first, before you even get started, I highly suggest going to your doctor (regular family physician or OBGYN) and asking for blood-work to be done. I say this because sometimes health and/or fertility issues can be caused by underlying problems with little or no symptoms...like having low iron levels or blood sugar issues. Even if you become pregnant while having health issues...it's just much easier to treat them prior to becoming pregnant rather than afterwards. An extreme example...there's a woman on one of the message boards that I participate in, that found out she had Hepatitis C when her insurance provider denied her coverage after getting her prenatal lab work back when she was 8 weeks pregnant.

Another kind of blood-work you might want to consider is genetic screening/testing. They can't test for everything, but my OB told me that they could test to see if I was a carrier for things like Cystic Fibrosis. If I was found to be a carrier, then they would test Kyle, and give recommendations for going forward. Again, just another, non-invasive thing that gave us a little peace of mind about beginning our journey.

Regardless of when you think you may start TTC, begin taking a good quality prenatal vitamin now! I took an over the counter vitamin prior to becoming pregnant, and switched to a prescription grade vitamin after conception. A lot of women have to try a few different kinds before they find one they like because the high amounts of iron and such can cause stomach issue sometimes...especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Heck, the gummy vitamins are better than nothing! 

Along those same lines, there are a lot of supplements and teas designed specifically to boost fertility. I personally didn't use any of them, but it's worth looking into if you're in a hurry or are having some issues and/or don't want to jump to prescription medicines. (i.e. supplements to encourage ovulation instead of taking Clomid)

Also, I highly recommend getting this book. It's basically a 3- month plan to getting your body ready to become pregnant. I really like it because it incorporates both Eastern and Western medicine philosophies. It also takes into account each woman's body type and lifestyle as fertility factors...it's not a "one size fits all" miracle cure. It's amazing the small things that can throw your body and hormones off balance. For instance, it gives and example of a young woman who was in great shape and seemed like an ideal candidate for pregnancy, however, they discovered that she basically had too LITTLE body fat. She had to gain 4-5 pounds before her body would start ovulating. For me, I needed to drink a lot more water and get more sleep. Again, it's not a cure-all, but why not give your body the best chance you can?

Lastly, figure out what your body is doing. By that I mean, track your menstrual cycles and ovulation. There are a ton of different smart phone apps and websites that can help you with both. I say that because even women with perfectly regular cycles can ovulate at an odd time. Plus, if there is an issue, you have records of your cycle history for your doctor, which can help them help you. I did this from the beginning because TMI Warning: I had never had regular cycles, even on birth control, so I was convinced that we would have a lot of issues. So, I started tracking my cycle early on, and I also used some ovulation test kits. Yes, I said kits. Plural. I figured out that one brand I had ordered was defective, so I ordered more...two different kinds from two different manufacturers. They worked ; ) There's a couple that we're friends with, and they tried for months with no success, and then they figured out that she was ovulating just a few days after when she thought. Yes, a couple of days can make a huge difference. 

Now, if you're a couple that just wants to have fun and see what happens...all the power to you! I just know for some, it can be terribly frustrating, especially if your clock is ticking. For me, I wasn't necessarily in a hurry, but I wanted to know as soon as possible if something was wrong so that I could go to my OB and start figuring out what we needed to do. I didn't want to get a year down the road and find out there was something we could have done earlier. 

As for the males...
It's not a bad idea to have your man take a regular multi-vitamin as well. He's half of this process, and his little guys need to the right nutrition to do their job too. Also, avoid things tighty-whities, hot-tubs, and the bike if you're and avid cyclist. All those things cause  the sperm to become over-heated...and heat kills sperm. No bueno. It's also a good idea to review his prescription drugs, if he's on any. Some have been known to affect sperm count and motility.

For both of you...
Eat healthy and exercise. Also, avoid tobacco, alcohol, and drug use...all three are linked to affecting the ability to ovulate and produce sperm. Yes, we all know that couple that had a drunken night and found out they were pregnant a few weeks later. Just don't make it a habit if you're seriously TTC.

On a relationship note...
Again, I'm know I'm not an expert, but just a tip that I think will save Kyle and me, and everyone else, from stress now and a big headache later on...TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING NOW! TTC, pregnancy, and raising kids have a lot of unknowns and "what ifs". I encourage everyone to discuss them, and possibly come to some resolutions now, so that when the time comes, you both know what page you're on and how you're going to handle the situation.

Examples:

What if we try for a long time and can't get pregnant? How much medical intervention are we okay with? How do we feel about adoption? Is the dog enough?

How would we handle a special needs child? Do we want the screenings done that give us the chances?

How will our roles in the house (cleaning, laundry, cooking, etc.) change during pregnancy? While raising kids? One income or two? Do I really trust him to wash my favorite sweater for me?

For us, talking about these things really lessened my anxiety about it all because I knew/know what to expect, regardless of the circumstance. Plus, we knew/know what to expect from one another...preventing some unnecessary arguments. He may still ruin my favorite sweater, but at least I'll have clean underwear. 


For those under the age of 18 reading this...
You can disregard anything I've said above in terms of the difficulty in becoming pregnant, because regardless of whether preventative measures are taken or not...your chance of becoming pregnant (or getting a girl pregnant) is 99.99%. So just don't, OK?


I've thought up several cute sign-offs for this post, but given the topic, they all come out sounding dirty. So I'll just say...have a great rest of the day!

Oh Baby!

That's right. We reproduced. 

Watch out world...there's a mini Kyle or Sara headed your way! Although we'll try to mitigate any damage that may occur, I claim responsibility to nothing more than our insurance will cover. On the other hand, should our little one figure out how to eliminate famine, balance the national budget, or become a missionary that leads an entire nation to Christ...we'll take full credit for that one ; )

He or She is due to arrive in late March. So, far I've felt pretty good for the most part. I just get tired really easily, and don't feel up to par some days. It's frustrating because I have all of these things I want to do, but my body just says "nope, not today". But, when I really started reading about what all my body is doing in biological and chemical terms...it's amazing that I get out of bed in the morning! 

I'm honestly just thankful that I haven't had it as bad as some. My poor sister-in-law was really sick for about the first 14 weeks. I've definitely had my days, however, when I've thought, "how in the world do women have more than one??". I'm sure I'll understand more after he or she gets here.

Food-wise, I haven't had any cravings really, just aversions. I used to think that pregnant women used the "cravings and aversions" thing as an excuse to eat junk...I understand now. If something doesn't sound good, that means if I see it or smell it, I'll probably start dry-heaving. No joke. The odd one for me is that I don't really care for sweets! Other than the occasional frozen fruit bar or ice cream, I really have no desire for desserts. That's very bizarre for me! I don't even care for sweet potatoes any more. Actually, thinking about sweet potatoes as I type this is making my stomach turn a little. Weird.

Funny story: Last night I was sitting on the couch and Kyle had gotten up to do something, and I asked him if he would get me a cheese stick. He came around the corner and looked at me funny, and said "you want what?'. I said, "could you get me a cheese stick while you're up?". (He was 10 feet from the refrigerator) He laughed and said, "Oh! I thought you said cheese steak [sandwich]! I'd go see if I could find one if that's what you really wanted, but I thought it was a pretty odd request at 10:30 at night." I laughed and said "No, even if that's what I wanted, I wouldn't ask you to do that. Well, not yet anyway...give me 20 weeks." 

To those that know me, I'm starting to show a little. I'm tall, but short-wasted and thin...so my stomach didn't really have much of a chance for concealing anything. I keep reading about these women who are able to wear their normal pants up until almost delivery. Whelp, that's not happening here! Even my yoga pants squish me in all the wrong places. This part of pregnancy, sucks. Oh well, it's short lived and for a good cause ; )

All in all, we just feel extremely blessed that we've been given such a precious gift. And we're very excited to see what God has planned for us as this kiddo makes its arrival into the world!

So, now that you know our big news, I'm sure you understand my lack of posts over the past couple of months. I've had a bit of baby on the brain : )