Daddy's Joy

So Wednesday, the official 19th week of my pregnancy, I was laying down with my hand on my belly when I felt a thump...I was like, omg....that was the baby, lol. So when Francis got home from work I told him about it and showed him what it felt like, and he immediately put his hands on my belly and started talking to the baby. He's like, hey chi chi...you wanna move for daddy? huh? don't you wanna move for daddy? And sure enough, the baby moved! Francis had the purest smile on his face that I've ever seen :) Definitely a day for the record books :)

In other news, my flank pain is not as severe as last week, now I think that baby likes to rest its head in the area of my right kidney/bladder, because sure enough, when I have Francis massage that area, the baby moves. So yes, baby is ok, mommy is just the one in pain. I also had to take out my belly ring for good. I figure, if I plan on giving Baby Lopez a sibling in the near future, I might as well just take it out since my belly button is already popping out, instead of risking a tear, and I can always re-pierce it later.

Lastly, I leave you with this: I can officially stand straight up, look downward, and not see my feet...yes..the belly is that large, lol!

My baby's a dancer

So Friday morning I ended up in the E.R. with the worst flank pain ever! I could barely walk, I couldn't hold food down. I started vomiting from about 3 or 4 a.m. and didn't finish til that evening. I went into the hospital feeling horrible....and left feeling the same way. The couldn't tell me much and I still have to wait for some test results to come back for a final word. The radiologist informed me that my kidneys were dilated and suggested that it may be hydronephrosis, but he did not see any kidney stones or anything. So we shall see... The radiologist did tell me that my baby is a moving machine. He was like wow, he sure is moving a lot. Everything checked out ok with Baby Lopez and the radiologist gave us some films that we could take to show progress. He also said that it is a possibility that Baby Lopez is gonna be a junior...but he couldn't be 100% positive because the umbilical cord was between its legs. However, he said that from some views it did look like a boy...( Francis was estatic!!! ) In the upcoming weeks we should be able to tell for sure. Also, the baby sits super low...like almost under my belly! And (s)he was moving alot during the sonogram. One minute sucking its thumb, the next kicking its legs out, the next moving its arms...just working it all out....and yet I still don't really feel anyting definitive...but I'm hopeful that in the upcoming weeks I will be able to feel something.

Lastly, I have never seen the doctor so much until I got pregnant. Especially the E.R. But its all worth it when they tell you that the baby is just fine. HOWEVER, I have also never experienced a pain like the one I experienced Thursday night/Friday morning/day, and it make me question natural childbirth. I might have to go with the drugs afterall :/

Belly Pictures Galore :)

Week 16

Ok...so I wasn't able to download pics from both my camera and phone...but here are weeks 11, 12, and 16....when I can figure out how to get the pics from my phone I can post week 13, 14, and 15. Enjoy! Oh, don't hate on the pj's... and I know that they aren't posted in order, I haven't figured out everything with the blog site :/

Week 12 in the light pj's
Week 11 in the green pj's

Nope...Just Gas...

So we are at 17weeks and according to the baby books some mother may start feeling the baby's movements. So between that and everyone at church looking at me and saying, wow, do you feel the baby moving yet...I figure, maybe its gonna happen soon. Everyone keeps telling me that it will feel like flutters, or like bubbles, or gas... So I'm like, ok. The other night, I laid in the bed at like 5am feeling rumbling in my stomach...I'm like, ohhh, this might be it, but nope, it was just gas. Gas, gas, gas...it's always just gas. Every bubble I ever feel turns out to be gas! My mom asked me this morning, " Do you feel the baby moving???" I'm like, nope... just gas, lol.

And speaking of my mom...last Sunday I saw her. As I'm standing, talking to my grandmother, she's making fun of me saying I look like a fat frog! She even called my house the next day asking if this was the fat girl residence, lol. And yes...I have pics to post...from week 16 on down...I haven't taken my 17 week picture yet.

There's still not complaints really...I do have the occasional hip pain and sciatic nerve pain, but Baby Lopez and I are groovy. We bought one of those baby monitors to hear the heartbeat, just to read that we probably won't be able to hear anything until the third trimester :/ However, I do think I heard the baby kicking :)

Monitor for baby

So I'm thinking that maybe I should get a baby monitor that will allow me to hear the baby's heartbeat...maybe then I will think I'm pregnant. Lately, people look at me and want to touch the belly...some are ashamed to ask so they just stare...others just go for the gusto and go wow...have I think I felt it move. I'm like, no you didn't ....I haven't even felt it move yet, lol. And then there are those that are just curious...how are you feeling? Being pregnant is crazy right? Wow...are you almost ready to pop?!?!?! And the sheer reality is...which is why I say I should by one of those monitors, is that if I didn't look down at my stomach, I wouldn't know I was pregnant...well, except for when it's time to put on clothes... :/ Some people are amazed that I didn't go through the nausea and morning sickness...others are like, wow, you are so lucky/blessed, etc. I agree with the latter, and am happy that I didn't have to experience all that vomiting, etc. And a crazy thought that I've had repeateldy is that, you know...I kinda like not having a period. LOL! I know that this is an expensive way to not have a period...but over the last few months, around the time when I would normally be on my menstrual, I go, wipe, nothing is there, and I'm like...that's cool...lol. Even more crazy, is I'll be cutting my coupons, and I will see tampax or kotex coupons, and I'm like, oh well..no need for those anytime soon, lol. But yeah, Baby Lopez and I are chilling...we will have to wait a little longer to find out the sex, but that's fine...no rush...but hopefully next time I blog I blog with pictures :)

Nope..still no pics

I still do not have any belly pics to post...and it's not because we haven't taken any....but its because Daddy Lopez has not fixed the connections needed to post them...so next time you see Daddy Lopez, you can strangle him..not me.

With that being said, Baby Lopez is officially 14 weeks today. Still not significant changes. I do however, unfortunately, have reflux. Like acid reflux. If I eat spaghetti, shortly after I will burp but it will be like as if vomit came up. Quite disgusting. And from the reactions of Francis, quite smelly as well, lol. I do have a few weird revelations to share. For example, I am happy that I am not getting my period right now. Like the stop of that flow action is not missed at all. Also, I am starting to get a little curious about the sex of the baby. We probably won't find out until the new year, but I am curious to know. On the flip side, why does maternity wear have to be so expensive????? I am really not digging having to go maternity shopping. I do not see the point in spending all of this money on short term clothing :( But oh well, it is what it is. Francis and I still tell everyone that we just want a healthy baby when they ask what do we want. But outside of a healthy baby, I think Francis is leaning more towards it being a boy, whereas I think Baby Lopez is a girl...so it might just be safer to stick with the healthy baby and we'll see when we see....

An Obama Baby???

OK...so it's been at least a good two weeks since I've blogged, and I apologize for that....but to reflect...a lot has happened in those two weeks or so...we've not only gotten a new president, but the first Black president..how exciting...I started a new job that had me pretty busy my first week...and Baby Lopez was seen via ultrasound for the first time in over a month..and has grown from 9mm to a little over 2 inches :) I haven't decided if I should post the ultrasound pics yet...Baby Lopez now looks like a baby...we don't know the sex yet, but we were able to see the baby looking back at us...the head, eyes, abdomen, feet, arms, etc...it was a cool little visit (Oct. 31st). So we'll see....not sure if people really wanna see them or not...I know that the only reason I get excited about the pics is because it's my child...as opposed to when I would see other peoples ultrasound pics I would be like "ahhh..how nice..." but it was out of courtesy you know....but anyways....

So a long time ago, before I knew I was pregnant, and even after we found out, my mom had this great idea that if I had a boy, I should name him Joaquin Barack. I said no....and then recently I told Francis about it and he was like, well...he would be destined for greatness considering he's named after two presidents, one an ex prsident of the Dominican Republic, and on of the U.S..... just a random thought...I doubt if Baby Lopez is a boy that he's named Joaquin Barack....

To go back to our halloween ob/gyn visit, we get there, and the midwife looks at me and goes, "wow, aren't you big for your first trimester!" " Are you sure there's only one in there???" I'm like yeah, that's what you guys told me last time...but thanks for letting me know I'm unusally big....

Then she starts telling me about my acne outbreaks....cause thank God for make up...my face looks like some meaty pizza....but anyway, she tells me about how men and women both share the same hormones, its just women have more female hormones to make them females, and males more male hormones, etc...but since the body is all out of whack during pregnancy and hormone levels are heightenend, sometimes women get a boost of their female hormones and have glowing radiant skin....but on the flip side, those testosterone levels can rise and cause acne. She then goes on to ask if I am a domineering/bossy woman...and Francis is like, boy, you have no idea! So not only am I big..but I could've been a dude....

On a brighter note, the doctor told me that I'm lucky that I didn't suffer from the morning sickness and nausea, and if I haven't had it at this point, I'm not going to go through it so YAY!

On a darker note, I am having problems with my sciatic nerve already, and it is early in my pregnancy for me to be experiencing these problems, so she says that if it persists I might need to see the physical therapist :/

So that's it....when I find my camera I will post belly pics ....

So Surreal....

I was saying to Francis last night, " You know, being pregnant is really surreal...it's like, I know I'm pregnant, but I don't feel like I am most of the time, and then I look at myself in the mirror and receive confirmation that yes, there is something growing inside of me." Would that be considered surreal? I was reading my book "The Mocha Manual to a Fabulous Pregnancy" that my friend bought for me, and they talk about how your body is no longer your own. For example, most ladies grow hair on their legs, underarms, etc...and they shave it off and it stays like that for at least 3-5 days...well, that was the case for me, until I got pregnant. You would think that my hair growth hormones were on overdrive...I have to shave my pits like every other day....I told Francis, "look! It's like I have Don King in a headlock!!" LOL... But seriously...this hair thing is crazy..I'ma have to go buy some more razors..its like summer stock in the winter.

I was also thinking this morning about all the different things that occur during pregnancy that people just don't talk about, but when you mention it they say yeah, you are gonna have alot of that, or just wait til you get this many months and see what happens. For example, I already told you that my appetite sucks! Well lately, I will go from being full to hungry in 2 mins flat! One minute, I'm chillin, not feeling hungry, nothing...then the next minute, I'm feeling like a starving child in a third world country! I don't appreciate that. No, I don't deal with morning sickness, but I do have to keep a constant baggie of treats for myself to curve my appetite in the event that I can't readily get to a full meal. And even when I get that full meal, it's not guaranteed that its gonna hit the spot, which just leaves you with an empty feeling. Craziness I tell you. Or how you can go pee..then lay down for sleep, but before you can even get good sleep in, you gotta pee again. And if you have ever been to my house in the fall/winter, you know its cold. So imagine being all snuggled under the covers, cozy and ready to indulge in a wonderful nights rest, and then being hit with the urge to pee that is so profound you feel like you are gonna need Depends before the pregnancy is done with. Me needing to pee is actually what woke me up at 5:15am for work, so I guess it's good for something. Nonetheless, these were just my thoughts from last night/this morning...

A week in review

So I wanted to wait until I took new belly pics before I posted another blog...but a whole week went by....meaning I missed my opportunity to take week 9 pics and I will just have to dive in with week 10 belly (whenever I take some). So to give you a recap on the latest with baby Lopez... (s)he is picky. The taste bud thing hasn't gotten any better, and now (s)he just doesn't let me enjoy food. I went out with my mom over the weekend, ordered a nice chicken breast, chili, and fries from Texas Roadhouse...all I ate were fries. I had a piece of meat and it instantly disagreed with me, the chili was spicy so I couldn't eat that, and the fries just took up space. So disappointing. Last week I went and got my hair braided, and I guess there were too tight because my body went into shock. As I'm driving home, I got a sudden urge to pee....I was all short of breath and shaking as if I had been inside of a igloo naked! I had to call Francis and tell him to open the door as I ran inside to release. Then I'm standing there shaking from head to toe, for like an hour straight. I had on my clothes, coat, and a robe and was still shaking. Francis and my aunt made me some chicken noodle soup...I ate that...but low and behold it all came up. All these weeks I had been rebuking the spirit of nausea/vomiting, and here it was! Every single thing I ate came up that night...but I felt sooooo good afterwards. Lord knows I didn't wanna go to work the next day, but I had too....luckily my hair looked nice, cause you could see all in my face where I looked blue :( But back to my night of vomiting....I couldn't lay down and get comfortable because my braids were tight (I'm tenderheaded), and I was colder than cold..why was baby Lopez punishing me?? I still have no idea...all I can say is that (s)he is a finicky one...let's hope that doesn't remain until birth.

Other than that, we have been chillin....my frequency of urination has increased...and it sucks! Imagine being all warm in your bed, and knowing that the air outside of your bed is freezing cold ( I know I know, stop being cheap and turn on the heat, but not yet....) and waking up cause you have to pee...and you wanna hold it but you know that if you hold it you are gonna regret it later. That is the new story of my life...waking up at odd hours running to the bathroom so that I don't accidently pee in the bed because I drempt that I was on the toilet!

Random thought: When I was sick last wednesday, I say to Francis..."Francis, I just don't understand why I got so sick all of a sudden"...his response " maybe it's that wad of sperm that turned into a baby!" LOL

Francis also, like two days ago, decied to point out to me all the places in which I have grown, spread, etc. I'm getting dressed and he goes yeah...your pouch is really noticible now, and the fat on your sides, and your boobs, and your hips spread, and your butt is wider...I'm like, gee, thanks, that's just what I wanna hear, lol! It doesn't matter, im still fine, pregnant and all!

LIfe is passing me by....

And you wanna know why?? Because I'm sleep! ALL THE TIME!!!! Man, back to these symptoms, and the main one that I "suffer" from- fatigue. On any given day, I get home from work, let the dogs out, turn off all the phones, and I'm OUT COLD! I could probably sleep until the next day. The only reason I set an alarm to get back up is so that the dogs can be fed and I can get myself prepared for the next day. But I can definitely tell that my days are super short and life is just passing me by. My house is starting to suffer - I did two of about nine loads of clothes in the hamper. I have NEVER needed to mop my entire house at one given time. Just craziness. Not to mention Baby Lopez still is finicky about what we eat. The only thing that I can say we like, consistently, is strawberry, mandarin orange, and pineapple fruit cups. Everything else, it just depends. (S)he might like it, (s)he might not. Nonetheless, that's about all that is going on with us. Here are our pics from week 8 taken 10/8/08. I'm still not sure if I am going to scan the first set of ultrasound pics....the baby is only 7 weeks 2 days in the pic and still quite tiny, something like 11mm in size..we'll see...

oh...don't hate on the pj's ;)

Wanna know what sucks????

Being hungry for nothing. Being hungry for the sake of being hungry but not having a taste for anything!! Making food, thinking, man, this is gonna be good, and beginning to eat, just to realize, its not hitting the spot and therefore you no longer want to eat it. Baby Lopez is a trip. (S)he doesn't necessarily not like anything (i.e., no nausea/puking) but (s)he doesn't like anything either - except fruit. I can't survive off fruit!!! I went to my grandmother's house while I was on bedrest, excited because I knew she would cook for me. She made greens, cornbread, turkey, dressing, etc....all smelled really good, but tasted like nothing as it entered my mouth. She's like, what's wrong?? I'm like, nothing, it just isn't hitting the spot :( This is for the birds. I'm trying to eat healthy food so that the baby grows healthy and strong, but nothing is really hitting the spot. As much as I love peanut butter and jelly, and cereal, I can't eat that for the remainder of this pregnancy. Baby Lopez needs to get it together!

From Awful to Awesome

Wednesday night I came home from work and running errands, went to the restroom, wiped and found blood. So I'm trying not to panic, but of course I'm in a panic because blood is bad, especially so early on in my pregnancy. So I'm pacing around the house, trying to get myself situated, I call my mom and then my grandmother (who, btw, had to calm me down) to see which hospital I should go to, etc. I didn't want to call Francis because I knew he would leave work instantly and I didn't want him all in a panic you know. So instead of me having to drive out to Hinsdale, my mom's friend found me a nice hospital that's like 15 mins from the house. I went to the E.R., checked myself in at about 7:55pm and waited. I wasn't seen by the doctor until 10:40pm. They asked me some more questions, did a routine pelvic exam, and then sent me up for an ultrasound. This is where the awesome part comes in...I was able to see my 7week old baby :) It was the most awesome thing ever in life. I was able to hear the heartbeat and everything =) So once all of that was done, I went back downstairs and was able to call Francis to have him come to the hospital. He made it there about 11:30pm or so. His nervous face came around the corner wanting to know if everything was ok, etc. The doctors came back down about 1am or so to let me know that my diagnosis was a threatened abortion (threatened miscarriage) and subchoronial? hematoma. Basically I had a slight hemmhorage caused by stress, etc. and I am currently on bedrest. I have a follow-up doctors appointment today. I really hope and pray that all goes well with that. I did have a little bit of blood today and yesterday but not a gushing amount. I am trying to take it easy and Francis is doing a very good job taking care of me. So I ask that if you are reading this that you keep my family in your prayers...

It Came Like Thunder....

The rumble in my belly...pounding, moving fast, and then BAM!!! Out it comes! What you ask? GAS, GAS, and more GAS!!!!!! So I woke up this morning and it started. By the time I got to work I had killed myself 3 times from the smell in the car ride. It's gotten so vicious, I think flowers would wither and die from the scent. But I say this....considering I am scarred from my one constipation incident, I still will take this over that.

We are now in week 7 (see pictures) and no major changes/developments that I can think of. I am super tired all the time, but that's about it. I am still battling with Francis' stupid cold that I had when I found out I was pregnant. I refuse to take anything so I guess I will just have to suffer. So yeah...if I have any new epiphanies, I'll be sure to blog :)

Symptoms

How do you know you are pregnant??? Well, besides the obvious missed period, "they" say there are many other ways of telling you are pregnant- vomiting (morning sickness), nausea, sore boobs, etc. Well I have none of these symptoms! EXCEPT- fatigue. MAN AM I TIRED! There are days where I am at work KNOCKED OUT! Drool starts to form I be so tired. And I was driving to work this morning thinking, man, when I get home, I'm gonna let the babies out and take a nice, long nap. Then I started thinking, what are you gonna do when the baby comes??? You can't just go to sleep when you are tired, cause you have to care for the baby. And you will be even more tired from getting up in the middle of the night for feedings, etc. See...this is why I wanted to wait for children, I enjoy my sleep all too well...and now it is going to be down the drain, and I'ma be running around here looking all crazy and sleep deprived -like when I was a freshman in college. What to do, what to do...not to mention I have this never ending cold that isn't making things any better. I can't take any medicine, and its a head cold, combined with my fatigue, and all my body wants/needs is rest, and I can't provide that to my body right now cause I'm stuck here working for the "man"!

It Grows.....

So this morning I went to put on pants for work...and they were tight. Now, I do realize that alot of my pants are tight, but I could've sworn that I was able to fit these comfortably not that long ago. So I'm sitting here at work right now with them unbuttoned as if I just finished eating a big lunch! I so don't want to have to buy maternity clothes so early into this pregnancy. I asked my mom how soon was it before she started showing and she informed me that by the second month with both my brothers and myself that she was showing and unable to zip her pants. Yesterday my grandmother was amazed at my pouch considering I'm only like 6-7 weeks... I'm still gonna just chalk it up as me being that "thick" chick, yet used the pregnancy fact as an excuse ;)

Quick side note: I will NOT complain about gas anymore, especially after my bout with constipation two days ago. I was told that I could not blog about that experience, that would be tmi...but just know, I would HAPPILY take some gas over constipation. I'm scarred for life...I'm scared to used the restroom.....

But yes, I will put up new belly pics on Sunday, and every Sunday until birth, and you can be the judge regarding how big the belly bump is getting. Francis enjoys the bump...the first thing he does when he sees me every day is kiss the baby (belly), or "mi chi chi" as he likes to call the
unborn :) I sense a baby that has the potential to be a spoiled one ( as long as it's not rotten, we cool).

Baby dreams

So last night I had the craziest dream. And of course, the baby was in it. So I drempt that it was close to my due date, and somehow I ended up in an Ecuadorian hotel, instead of a hospital. And it was this slime motel that I stayed in once while I was in Ecuador. So I'm pissed off and refused to have my baby there. I was going back and forth on the phone with my mom and grandma begging them to and get me and put me in a nicer place. I felt myself working to hold the baby in (as if I could really control that). Nonetheless, I was determined to get myself out of that hotel, which included a doctor that in the dream I was told (by GiGi) was a horrible doctor that has been known to botch surgeries. So somehow I as I'm getting myself out of this joint, I end up in Borders. While in Borders, I'm still upset and going back and forth on the phone with my parents. So chick pushes me as we go to the counter, and I'm like, "I will drop you" "Don't think that just because I'm pregnant I won't knock you down!" Craziness right! So me AND the baby are upset. I know this because somehow I have an encounter with the baby. Its like Francis and I went to have an ultrasound, or something, and we could see the baby. And it was all upset because I was all upset, so I had to calm myself down in order for the baby to calm down. But the beauty of this dream, which, btw, I felt all of my pissy emotions even when I woke up this morning, was that I was able to see the baby :) (S)he had big, dark eyes like me..and kinda like big chestnuts, and Francis was like, yeah, but (S)he has my nose.... (oh Lord)... and it was cute. So in my dream I had a little bonding moment with the baby, and we were able to take our Ultrasound pictures and we were both happy/pleased/amazed :) So I guess the overall lesson that I was supposed to learn was that the baby can feel what I feel, therefore, no need in stressing out over anything, or being upset, cause not only am I hurting myself, but I'm hurting my bundle of joy...

So I Don't Feel Pregnant.....

Week 5

So I don't feel pregnant....that's been my sentiment the past few days, especially yesterday (Saturday 9/20/08). I think some of the initial excitement has worn off, or maybe it's because the only "symptom" I have is gas, gas, and more gas. I've always been a sleepy person (its my favorite thing to do), and I have yet to experience morning sickness... Now Ivy Rose on the other hand (my dog) has vomited almost every morning...maybe she is taking on my sicknesses for me. Who knows. I was told today that I look like I'm showing, but I think its just my regular fat and now I have an excuse for it. I do know that I feel my stomach stretching/growing. Thanks Ruth for the stomach stuff (I'm trying not to have the whole stretch mark fiasco if I can avoid it). But back to the fat, so before I would just try to suck it in when in public...but now I'm like, whatever, I can just say I'm pregnant and it will make it all better. People look at you different when you have a tummy with life growing inside of it as opposed to just being a little on the thicker half of things ;) Oh, btw, thanks to those lovely prenatal vitamins, I have neon green/yellow urine...gotta love vitamins. But yeah...I don't feel pregnant. I guess I just feel like now that I know, and the world knows, the baby should start growing so that I can start showing and maybe then I will feel pregnant. We'll see...

(Week 6)

Flatuance and more....

So last night I went to one of those baby due date calendar things to see where I stood...and according to the baby calculator I am 5 weeks....which sucks (well not literally) but I don't have my first pre-natal appointment until HALLOWEEN! That's a long time to wait to have my first ultrasound, etc. Plus, I will be past the 8 week mark of when you are suppose to have your first appointment...oh well. I already changed my appointment once, I don't wanna change it again...not trying to be a pest, even though I am already excessive.

So to the flatuance....nothing seems to really agree with me. Yesterday for breakfast, which I barely ate, I had turkey sausage, pancakes, eggs, and tater barrels.... upon not even eating half of it, my stomach was like, we don't like that....hence me not finishing it. I finished about half a cup of soup for lunch...and then I went to Friday's and had this chicken pasta..which was great, until I got full and the gas set in. It seems like it raced from under my armpit all the way down...it hurts sooooo bad. Every burp felt soooo good, just to let that air out was Great! Most people I guess get nauseous, or fatigue, or moody....but not me and my baby...no we get gas, gas, and more gas, and nothing else!

I bought pre-natal vitamins today, although I don't know how many I'm supposed to take a day, but maybe this will help with the gas, and this horrible acne outbreak I'm having..we'll see. Anyways, I will post belly pic soon...I have some from Sunday, and I'll take some at the end of this week. Francis says my belly is starting to get a little hard and take shape at the bottom, who knows..that's what the pictures will be for...comparison. Ok..gotta go do some work now...

My First 3 Days

So It's been three days since we found out we are expecting and oh what an exciting three days it's been! I have read countless articles regarding prenatal care, and development stages of the baby, etc. I have watched birthing videos and started a birth plan. I pray that we have a healthy baby(s) and that we turn out to be great parents. It's so crazy because we totally didn't expect this, yet it has proven to be the most joyous thing to happen to us in our lives! I am a complete worry wort. I have been feeling really gassy and cramping and that worries me, but I'm sure some of that will be eased after we go to our first pre-natal appointment; which happens to be on Thursday :) I've already taken my first set of pictures of my belly and I hope to keep some sort of journal and track this wonderful experience. So nontheless, this is my first baby and i'm stupid excited!

(we pee'd on a stick Thursday, Sept. 11 and got the official go from the blood test the next day)