Just a few pictures

I have a couple of more on the camera I want to post too but since they are still on the camera, it'll wait tilll next time! :D



This is our first child together Sami. We have 4 cats, but she's the only one we got after we moved in together. Before that I had one and he had two. We have all become quite the big happy family, and they are all very much our first children. I can't wait to see how they react to a new member!






Here's our big buddy Tyler again. He's our favorite to take pics of because he poses and being so fat he often ends up in funny positions naturally, too. It's hard to tell with the light but he has his front paws crossed, a usual for him. He is sitting right by an open window enjoying the breeze. They aren't allowed outside so he soaks it up when he can.
One day a week or so ago, the front door flew open while we were upstairs and Tyler got out! Scared the jeepers out of us for sure. We looked all over the complex for him before Andy found him around the corner from us down a hall at someone elses door trying to get in! Now, every now and again, he'll cry at the front door like he wants out. No way! I don't get why he'd want to after that traumatic experience, though it may have been more traumatic for us than him!


Here's where one will find Tyler almost every morning. Sleeping with his daddy! He often gets in bed with both of us and lays right in the middle for some rubbing and cuddles. When I woke Andy up for this, he had been curled around Tyler with his arm over him, which is the norm. I'll try to catch a shot of that while they're still sleeping next time!

Doctor's Visit Bust!

I realize that it has been a little too long since I last updated and I am sorry. Unfortunately the big reason is there isn’t much to report on the last doctor visit. I didn’t get to see the doc! I didn’t have my Medicaid card and papers yet, which I told them when they made my appointment, and apparently it’s against the law to begin treatment without my stuff. I have since received the papers and have an appointment to at least meet with the doc on Wednesday this week. The lady I talked with says they need to do an ultrasound really soon since I am out of the first trimester, but I don't knwo if that'll be happening Wednesday. I did get a lot of my preliminary paperwork, medical history and question after question out of the way first so it was not a total wipe. The lady I met with was very nice and seemed to think very highly of the doctor she works for. It was also nice to go to a real doctor’s office instead of a clinic which seems to be where we always end up! Thelma was her name and she said that Dr Anthony is in his 50’s and comes from a school that believes in hard work. He works all the time. I said I was surprised to hear he’d be here on a Saturday, and she said he’s always working, and when he’s not working, he reads. If you talk to a doctor in his thirties, he’d want to know when his vacation and days off are! At least according to this lady, and I believe her, the whole working on a Saturday thing and all. I am over the anxiety about meeting him for now. I’m sure it’ll pick back up by Tuesday. I’ve just been feeling a lot better about the whole deal. From what I saw he is a good person. He treats Medicaid patients and not all docs will do that. The hospital he's in has the best neo natal care in Dallas. It’s not too far from where we live. Though by the time the baby comes who knows where we’ll be living! That’s my new stress! I am trying to get through all of our belongings and thin things out. Slowly. The problem is it seems in the process we just keep getting more and more stuff! I’m sure it’ll all be done by the time we move, or we’ll never have room for a baby!

I was thinking my super tired time was over, then I fell asleep at our friend’s house this afternoon! We did eat some junk-food which I think is what really made me sleepy, it was just funny. I have been finding myself waking up after no more than 8 hours even ready to go and not needing a nap unless I take my calcium in the afternoon. Last night I couldn’t even get to sleep until 2am! I am grateful and have decided to roll with it. While I’m up I may as well catch up on some of the tasks I’ve been putting off right! Working from home affords me not having to worry about schedules. Except for school and I can get through a day of school since I am home by 230, and if I am wiped, I can always nap! I am the luckiest woman alive! And I have been feeling really good; I only get sick when I eat something that upsets my stomach.
I have been having fun playing old wives’ tales about figuring out the sex of the baby. Andy doesn’t think it’s as fun! There’s even websites out there you can put in dates and it’ll tell you or a chart you can check. I get both boy and girl equally. At first I was really hoping for a boy because I thought it’d be easier on Andy and I am not very girly. But since I have been thinking it is a girl more and more I have been getting excited about having a girl! I won’t be disappointed either way, but don’t think we’re stopping here! I want at least one of each, if that means we have to 5 to get there, so be it! (Don’t tell Andy I said that!)
Here's my belly from the other morning, toward the end of week 13. It doesn't look like it's getting much bigger, yet I cannot seem to fit any of my old pants! All the maternity pants Andy's mom got me are still too big, so Andy took me to Target the other night and got me a cute warmup suit. It's warm enough to wear these last few cold days, comfortable enough to stretch over my bloat after eating, cute enough, and it may end up being my going home from the hospital outfit if I dont' completely pack on the pounds, which still remains to be seen. I am sure I will start showing more in the next two weeks. I hear about 15 weeks for a first pregnancy is usually the real blow up phase, though everyone is different. We'll just have to wait and see, but we'll keep snapping shots!

Beginning of the Last Week of the First Trimester!

Here’s how the baby is this week according to one website I read weekly:

“Your Baby
The fetus’s urinary tract is on line, and the fingernails are growing. A big portion of the amniotic fluid from this point on will be baby urine. Your fetus is looking like a baby and has advanced to the stage that its brain can transmit messages. Vocal chords are complete, and the child can and does sometimes cry (silently). The brain is fully formed, and the child can feel pain. The fetus may even suck his thumb. The eyelids now cover the eyes, and will remain shut until the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve fibers.”

I read about 3 week by week pregnancy calendars every week to see how baby is doing and if I should expect anything strange. So far, my symptoms have been mild and minimum. With the exception of the snotty nose, which I think is more due to lack of medication than anything else, though I know fluid volume increases has made it worse. I do pee a lot too, but to be fair I drink a ton of water. It is more often then normal, but that should come to an end after this week as the uterus moves up. At least until baby gets big enough to kick my bladder or sit on it! I am still tired too, but I started exercising and that seems to have worn me out!

We’re pretty healthy I think, me and little one. No issues I can detect anyway. I see the doc I selected on Saturday, so I’ll know for sure then. I got approved for the Medicaid but I don’t think I’m supposed to get my card until April. I don’t want to wait though! I am anxious to meet the doc since I had nothing to go on when I chose him except his name and address! I hope he’s cool and is interested in my way of doing things. My biggest fear is that he’s some old doc who knows what’s best because he’s done this a billion times and isn’t interested in what I have to say. Suppose that’s worse case scenario.It’ll be exciting to be out of the first trimester. This is the last week! After this I should start really getting big and then the pics will really flow!

Doing Great!

I am feeling great lately! Of course this makes me nervous, aren’t I supposed to be sick? Seriously, I think my only problems as of late are worry. I know though that the worry has not yet begun. As soon as we have this delicate little life in our hands to nurture and teach, the real worry begins! It will be a fun journey.
Last week we went to a clinic. The Medicaid had yet to come through but I wanted to see someone to be sure all was going well. They were great and said they’d send us a bill but hold on to it and give it to Medicaid once it comes through. I didn’t like a few things about the place. 1. Andy couldn’t come with me to the room for my appointment. Now to be fair I got all the girly stuff done (pap and so on), so I understand them not wanting him there for that, but I also got to hear the heartbeat on a Doppler, which he missed. It sounded great. So fast! But really strong and healthy! 2. It’s a clinic not a set doctor. I saw a practitioner, which was fine, but I’d probably never see the same one again if I went back there. I really want a doc I can see repeatedly.
While I was waiting one of the many, many times we sat there and waited for the next step, I received a very promising phone call. It was from a lady about something called the Star Program. She told me they assisted Medicaid members in choosing a physician. In fact, if I didn’t choose one they would have to choose for me. There were also two different plans I could choose from. This was great because the clinic, besides its things I mentioned, was also far away. The lady told me to keep and eye out in the mail for my information. It came the next day! I looked through it and found a list of Ob/Gyns but they were all so far. I really didn’t know what to do. She called back on Tuesday but I missed it. When I came home from work on Thursday, there was a note for me on the door saying I better call them by the next day or I’d be out of luck. I called right away and the operator explained more to me. I had more choices than I had been looking at, I just didn’t understand it all. I told the guy, I needed a little more time and I’d call back So I looked some more and called a couple of docs to see if I could use them as primary care physicians, which is what I needed to select, even though they were Obs. I found one that sounded fine and booked me for an appointment right away even though I said I was waiting for the confirmation on my Medicaid. I thought they seemed nice.
I called back and made my choice. The lady I spoke with was great! I asked her if she could tell if I got the Medicaid or not and she said yes! So I am pretty sure it’s coming. I’ll believe it for sure when I see it, but this was still awesome news. Apparently, I get a paper every month that I take with me to my appointment and a Medicaid card that also goes to appointments. Unfortunately I won’t start getting these things until April. But I have an appointment to see the new guy next Saturday. I am going to call then back and see if it’s ok if I come without the stuff or if I’d need to pay out of pocket. I am anxious to get started with him and meet him and all. His name is Doctor Anthony. He’s been a doctor about as long as I have been alive. I am also anxious to discuss things with him, just some of my concerns and ideas about the actual birth. He’s located at Presbyterian of Dallas hospital, so that’s probably where I’ll be having the little miracle.





Here is our precious Tyler resting comfortably and happily on our futon bed by our computers. How could anyone disturb such a sweetie?








Because it's funny! Here he is a fraction of a second after Andy clapped loudly by his head. He is so confused. What was that noise and what's that bright light? Why is everyone laughing at him? Don't you just want to rub this big guy!?!




Overall, it’s been a great week! Spring Break is next week so no school, though I have tests when I get back so I’ll be studying, but I don’t have to get up before dawn to do it!
Andy and I are having a great time together. I am getting the house cleaned and will soon start widling down our belongings. I know that babies don’t come alone, they come with a ton of stuff. I am a minimalist and don’t like having too much stuff, so this will be a challenge for me. I figured the best thing to do will be to clean out the stuff we have now and stream line. Plus, it makes moving easier. Now the question is where to? We have limited options as we have no proof of income yet, so we’ll see. As long as it’s closer to the grandparents!
I am getting a bit more of the pudge around the middle! I needed to though since I was a little underweight and want to go into the second trimester at a healthy weight, which is in one more week! Especially since that’s the time I really will gain! I have gained five pounds and they all seem to be in my belly. Building a little layer of fat to protect my person I suppose!

Real Life Simpsons

Very cool! :D (click play)

First baby pics!

Suddenly, it’s all so real. Last Saturday we had a sonogram at a pregnancy center run by a local church. Everything they offer is free. Sure they try to get you to go to their church, but it’s no big deal, they are super nice people and very helpful not just to us but the community. They try to prevent young girls from getting abortions and stuff.
I was officially 9 weeks and 3 days the day of the sono. EDD is Sept. 27th. Baby was about an inch long and wiggled like it’s mom! We saw the flutter of the heartbeat and the nurse played it for us. I must admit that up until that moment a part of me still didn’t believe the whole thing was real. But now, it’s so real.

These are the best pics of the sono we could get. We don’t want to scan it because it’s heat sensitive paper so we took pics with our own digicam. You can tell it’s in there at least!







I have been feeling physically so much better. I am definitely getting bigger, but I needed to even first trimester because I was a little underweight to begin with. I’ll worry about losing it after the baby comes. Here’s my belly about 8 and a half weeks. It is bigger now. That’s mostly gas! My uterus hasn’t popped out or anything but it is bigger than it has ever been. Most of my pants don’t fit anymore that’s for sure! Good thing my wonderful mother-in-law Grandma Phyllis has set me up with tons of maternity bottoms! Now that the weather is turning warmer I can even wear some.
No news on the Medicaid yet, but you know how government agencies are always so speedy with their service. Most doctors won’t see me for 2-3 more weeks anyway. We do have a preliminary appointment at a clinic this Friday. They may be able to set us up on a program. It’s affiliated with Parkland somehow, which is always a place we can go. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Overall, I feel so much better, physically and mentally, being home helping Andy on the business and taking care of the home. He is picking up two more clients tomorrow; we have a meeting in the morning. He’s going to need me for sure and he’s showing me all he can for now. It’s so good to be with him, to be together.
We are going to have so much fun as a family with our new member!

Cuteness Overload!!

I love baby kittens. Click the play button to watch the video.