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Lilypie Second Birthday tickers

Monday, April 18, 2011

Olive Oil

I love this stuff!  It has so many uses!  It's tasty and healthy to cook with.  It's a great alternative when you are allergic to the lanolin in lotions and creams.  (Breastfeeding with an allergy rash is not fun!)  It's also a safe and effective way to get rid of cradle cap.  Rub a little on the flaky skin, let it sit a few minutes then wash it off thoroughly with baby shampoo.  It completely removed Aery's patch of cradle cap without irritating her skin or leaving it raw and sensitive!

Just had to get my plug in there!

Website

Derek put together a website for Aery the day she was born.  He was doing great keeping it updated before he went back to work.  If we all keep showing interest in the updates, it will be great motivation to keep it going.  Aeryanna's Website has pictures and a blog to update everyone on her many adventures!

The first month

Amazing. That about sums it up.  I had some idea how much my life and identity would shift and change.  my daughter centers me.  When I start to stress, or hormones cause unexpected mood swings, just holding her in my arms instantly brings everything back into perspective.  Her slightest discomfort causes me to hurt.  Her contentment makes me feel happier than I can explain.

I can't believe how much she has changed.  It makes me alittle sad to see those changes, but I'm excited to see how she will develop and grow.  Thrush has been our biggest challenge.  The second round actually caused her pain when she ate.  We're luck to have Dr. Medford!  She is so thorough even when calling in medications for Aery!

One of my favorite things this last month has been watching Derek bond with Aery.  She already has dad wrapped around her little finger.  I love seeing her instant calm when she hears his voice and the way he has embraced being a daddy.  I am so proud and lucky to have such a wonderful family.  I can't wait to spend the next years growing together.  I just wish time wouldn't move quite so fast.  I'm already learning to cherish each moment and appreciate the little things that happen.  Smiles, tears, baths, quiet mornings, time with other family members have made this last month one of the most memorable in my life.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Amazing day

This week has been absolutely amazing.  I'm VERY glad I listened to the doctor when he advised that I not go to work last Monday!  I was in full blown nesting mode.  The only thing I still had to finish before I was satisfied was the floors.  I had an appointment at 2:30 and was determined to have the floors finished before I went to the appointment.  During the morning, I had what I thought was a baby sitting on my bladder.  She has done it in the past causing scares; it felt just the same this time.  I called the doctor after a couple of rounds of this.  They asked me to come in a little early.

Derek met me at the office for my appointment.  I won't go into details.  Let's just say it was amusing to watch the doctor get a little excited when it was in fact NOT my bladder this time.  From there it was straight to the hospital.  (Have I mentioned that I love having a doctor who is literally across the street from the hospital?)

At the hospital, they started pictosin and would not allow me to get up because my water had broken.  Back labor is definitely NOT fun in that situation.  One epidural and 8 hours labor we were ready to push! 45 minutes later on 3/22/11 at 2:23, Aeryanna was here!  Her birthdate and time will always be easy to remember! 32211223...kinda weird huh? But I like it!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Almost there!

Well, we made it to the last week.  The last week has been an eventful one!  Things have been very stop and go.  I had really good contractions a week ago.  The doctor on call gave me a Lortab, which pretty effectively stopped what contractions I was having.  Unfortunately, they never really picked up again after that.  I've had back pain and aches, but no real contractions and no real progress as of Wednesday.  I go back to the doctor tomorrow to see if anything new has happened in the last 5 days.

I've been lucky with this pregnancy really.  I had morning sickness, but it was manageable.  I didn't swell until 2 weeks ago, and I lost all of that water retention and swelling within a week.  I really didn't hurt or feel too miserable until 2 weeks ago.  I haven't gained much weight.  I know a lot of people who have had a much harder time with being pregnant, so I try not to complain too much.

I've had a harder time dealing with the last week than I have anything else that has happened.  I've never handled the unknown very well. (Maybe that's why I like teaching....I can plan ahead even if those plans have to change).  I like the unknown even less when there is no clear cut answer as to what I need to be watching for.

I understand that labor is different for everyone, but when it's your first time, that's kind of a crap answer.  I've had to work very hard this week to keep from second-guessing and becoming frustrated with myself and others.  I beat myself up wondering if I would already be holding my little Fish if I hadn't accepted the Lortab last weekend.  That has been the hardest thing for me to overcome.  If that choice stalled things, I am very frustrated with myself.

On the bright side, I've attempted to stay busy getting the house ready.  Through much stress, hard work, and a few tears, the house is pretty much ready.  I've had some great help from lots of people, and I REALLY appreciate them all!  Having the house clean and ready for a baby has been my biggest stressor throughout my pregnancy.  Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am not the greatest of housekeepers.  It's a skill that I know I will have to maintain from this point forward.

I am also officially on maternity leave as of tomorrow.  My doctor gave me "the look" when I talked about coming back to work after Spring Break.  He didn't tell me I couldn't work, but you could tell he didn't approve either.  After much deliberation, I asked his opinion.  He advised that I stay home.  I think this is mostly for ease of getting to the hospital if something were to happen this week.  I'm a little nervous about having time on my hands.  I think part of my struggle last week was not having as much to occupy my mind.  Work has kept me focused on other things besides going into labor.

Hopefully things will pick up quickly this week, so I won't have much time on my hands to think about it!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

The most amusing memories

Over the last few months, I've realized that the best reactions and comments I've gotten from people about my pregnancy have been from students at school, younger family members, and other friends' kids.  I just have to share/record the best of them here!  (I apologize in advance if i embarrass anyone, but I couldn't resist sharing!)

One of our friends' pre-teen daughters texts me off and on.  One morning a couple of weeks ago, she sent me a text that said "I'm so glad you are getting a baby".  I LOVE it!

When one of my students found out last semester his response was "I thought you were just getting fat!"  I know it sounds bad, but it cracked me up!  He said it more like he was relieved that there was a reason I was getting bigger, not as an insult.

Another student looked at me 2 weeks ago and said "Everyone says you're pregnant.  Are you?" Before I could even get over the "REALLY?!" reaction and respond another young man looks at him and said "NOoooo, the bump on her stomach is a tumor.  What did you think it was?!"  P-R-I-C-E-L-E-S-S!

And now, for one of my favorites!  I posted this week on Facebook that the doctor is still projecting 2-3 weeks until the big day.  My 10-year-old cousin's comment on my status was  "hope it comes out alright and no problems with it".... I laughed so long over that one!  I love how kids express things sometimes!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Crunch time!

Only 4 weeks to go!  Where have the last 9 months gone?  I can't believe I have 4 or fewer weeks until we get to meet Areyanna!  I know it COULD be more than 4 weeks, but I won't be a very happy camper if that happens!

Not much else to report this week. We had a little scare on Monday, but Dr. Anderson thinks it's just par for the course being almost 36 weeks pregnant for the first time.  Things sound like they are progressing great!  If I can make it through the next 2 weeks until Spring Break I will be doing great!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Time will tell...

Well, I had an eventful morning!  I had some symptoms that I was told to call my doctor if I experienced after I got to school.  I called and instead of the just take it easy response I've received in the past, my doctor had me go to labor and delivery at the hospital I will be using to get checked out!

On the bright side, the symptoms are just the norm for a first time mom at 35 weeks and not a sign of anything to be concerned about.  Plus, I got to get my preregistration out of the way since I was a captive to the monitors for a couple of hours!  I was having very mild contractions every couple of minutes.  Now that I've seen the correlation between the contractions and something actually measuring them, I notice them more when they happen, and am not chalking them up to the baby shifting around or stretching.

On the down side, I got to blow another half-day of work.  I go back to the doctor on Wednesday, so maybe I'll find out a little more then.  This is the start of a process that could go quickly from here or could drag on for another month or more.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see!  I for one would be very happy if Aeryanna could be patient for another 3 weeks or so, but if she's anything like her mama, she may get impatient!  Until any other big changes occur the waiting game continues....

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Memories and Hopes

Yesterday made me stop and think about some of the things I want for Aeryanna someday.  It all started with a stick of gum.  When I was growing up, my grandparents' lived across the street from a very sweet man.  I always new him as Mr. Sheriff.  I didn't even know his first name until I was a teenager.  What I remember most about Mr. Sheriff is going across the street to visit him when he was out in his yard.  He always carried Wrigley's Doublemint gum in his pocket and would give me a stick of gum.  At Halloween he would put together goodie bags for me with packs of Doublemint and plastic necklaces.

When I was in high school, Mr. Sheriff adopted a little chihuahua mix that wandered up to his house.  This little dog LOVED to run whenever it got the chance.  I can remember chasing that dog down the street and bringing it back to him quite often.  By that time, he didn't chew gum anymore, but he would always pat his pocket with he saw me and say "I don't have any gum today."  Even in college, I would go say hello to Mr. Sheriff when he was sitting in the swing in his garage when I came home.  I knew it meant a lot to him because he would always come across the street after I left and tell my grandparents that I came to visit him.

Mr. Sheriff passed away a few years ago, but I will never see Wrigley's Doublemint gum without thinking of him.  I mention all of this because I found a pack of Doublemint in the pocket of a jacket this week.  It made me think back on all of the years of going to visit Mr. Sheriff.  One of my hopes for Aeryanna is that she will have someone like that with whom she can make memories that will stick with her for a lifetime.  I want her to have that connection with someone and learn the joy that can you can get from making those friendships.  We all need someone like that in our lives.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Counting down

I can't believe I only have 45 days until my due date!  Hopefully I will stay healthy for the rest of them!  The antibiotic shot I got 2 weeks ago has done me a world of good.  I feel SO much better!  I missed getting a 32 week belly pic, so hopefully I can get Derek to take one for me this week.

Everything is right on track according to my doctor.  I go back in 2 weeks again, then I will start weekly visits!  It doesn't seem possible that we are already at that point.  Derek has given Aeryanna a nickname.  He finally felt what I meant when I said she is like a little marching band in my stomach some days, so he has started calling her "Fish".  He go the inspiration from Despicable Me.  Here is the clip that gave him the idea!



The name is appropriate given the context and the fact that she will probably be a little fish if she takes after her parents.  We both love being in the water, and I hope to pass that love along to her.

My little Fish  just keeps trying to move in what little space she has left.  Her favorite foods right now are Benjamin's Donuts and orange juice!  She goes crazy when I eat them!  For those of you not in the Amarillo area, Benjamin's is a local donut shop owned by a Korean family.  They make buttermilk donuts that are to die for!  They also make breakfast burritos and sandwiches.  Our favorite burrito is their Bulgogi burrito.  Bulgogi is a Korean beef dish made with cabbage, onions, and bell pepper.  They make the burritos with all of this plus rice, cheese, and optional jalapenos.  YUM!  If you are interested in giving them a try, they are located on Bell St. just off of I-27.

Today is a much needed extra day off!  Little Fish and I are enjoying being snowed in with the cats.  I can't wait to be able to spend days like this with her here!  It will be SO wonderful to spend days like today with her!  The next month and a half will be the hardest for me so far.  I don't like waiting for things to happen, I like making them happen!  It may drive me crazy having no control over when and what is going to occur when Aeryanna Michelle decides to make her debut!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Exciting weekend!

It's been an exciting (and slightly exhausting) weekend!  My baby shower was GREAT!  I have wonderful friends and family that made it as good as it could possibly be!  I got lots of goodies that I can't WAIT to get to use!  It makes things that much more real.  I'm getting more impatient for the big day to get here!  I can't wait to hold Aeryanna and watch Derek experience being a dad.

Here is my awesome cake!

I feel so loved!

One of my favorites!  I really wanted the seahorse for Aeryanna!

As my sister pointed out yesterday, I only have 8 weeks until my due date.  I can't believe it!  It really doesn't seem possible that so much time has gone by!  the first semester of school flew by, and this one is going even faster.  I look at the calendar and just can't fathom how little time is left! It makes me excited, nervous, impatient, and a little freaked out all at once!  I am at the point where I wish the next 8 weeks had already passed, and I could move on to the best part!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Good news and time marches on!

So, I had my last monthly baby check-up today.  After this I will be seeing Dr. Anderson twice a week for a while, then once a week.  I can't believe I'm only 8 weeks and 2 days from my due date!  It's mind blowing that things have moved along that fast!  Everything looked good at the visit today.  We got to listen to Aeryanna's heartbeat (one of my favorite things).  Dr. Anderson could feel that she is already head down.  That was a relief to me.  It makes it easier to make more sense out of exactly what I'm feeling when she moves around now.  He thinks things are looking great and that my concerns about having the baby a month or more early are more than likely not something we will have to worry about.  We'll start watching for that more closely after 35 weeks, so I have to make myself not worry about that until then.

I asked him about doing SOMETHING to help me get over  the respiratory crap that has been driving me crazy for 2 weeks now.  I told him azythromycin doesn't cut it for me when I have respiratory infections.  Dr. Anderson gave me a shot of rocephin!  I love, love, LOVE having a doctor who listens to me.  Hopefully a good, strong dose of antibiotics will kill this stuff once and for all!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Tired of being sick!

Getting sick during pregnancy is by far the worst part of this pregnancy.  I know I've been lucky and had it pretty easy, but I am so tired of this respiratory bug! I've had it for almost 2 weeks now.  At least the Z-pack the doctor gave me last week knocked whatever this is back enough that I can function.  The downside is I can already feel it starting to build back up in my sinuses!  If I can make it until Wednesday, I can ask Dr. Anderson for SOMETHING stronger to make it go away!  I have taken so many Z-packs in the last 6 years that they are no longer effective in fighting off infections in my system.

I've always had a hard time fighting off respiratory infections of any sort.  I know my immune system just must be really weak when it comes to my sinuses in particular.  You can bet after this round of illness I'll be seeking out an ear, nose, and throat specialist as soon as I can after Aeryanna gets here to prevent this from happening again.

At least I got my flu shot early this year.  It seems to be keeping the flu at bay.  I know way too many people around me have had it, but I seem to have missed it.

All I have to do is make it through the next 9 or so weeks....then I will at least have a FEW more options available!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Reading essentials...

One of the ways I prepare for life changing events is to read as much as I can find on the subject.  You can thank my mom for that!  So when I found out I was pregnant, I immediately started gathering books about pregnancy.  (Ok, so I don't know if you can call it gathering if you download it on a Kindle, but still...)

I found 3 books that I would call essentials for any first-time mom, or any veteran mom who hasn't read them and is interested in a good read.

The first and probably best known book was What to Expect When You're Expecting.  
This book is in it's 4th edition.  I can remember seeing it in my mom's bookshelf when my sister was born.  It really has a lot of good information and resources.    
It offers a great breakdown of the various aspects of pregnancy. The What to Expect website is excellent as well.  It even has a neat section for dads-to-be.








The next book that I think is a MUST for pregnant women is The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy.
 It has a lot of good information.  What I really love about the book is the straightforward, sarcastic, humorous way it is written.  It's as good or better than visiting with your girlfriends about everything pregnancy!













Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy is another entertaining book.  It doesn't have quite as much
information as the other two, but it is a good looking life for someone famous during their pregnancy.  It's refreshing to know that even famous people have the same dramas and traumas during pregnancy as the rest of us!












I haven't read On Becoming Baby Wise, but this method of establishing a feeding and sleeping routine
has been recommended to me by a co-worker who swears by it.  I've looked at the Parent Wise website, and it sounds like a fairly common sense method.  The idea behind the method is to establish a pattern of eat, wake, sleep.  You keep the baby awake more after feedings during the day to help the baby sleep longer at night.  Amazon has used copies of the book for cheap.  I am going to be borrowing a copy of the book from the co-worker who recommended it, so I'll have more of an opinion later, but if it gives me even a few tips for helping baby sleep through the night, it would be worth a used copy!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Joys of pregnancy....how time flies!

Wow...80 days to go until my due date.  That's kind of a scary thought!  We are officially less than 3 months away.  That number almost made me panic a little!  How will I get everything done?  How can I make sure we are as ready as possible?  It's even scarier that 80 days is just a guess...in reality, it could be even less!  I can't believe it!!!!!

Okay, now that I've taken a moment to breathe and get past the mini-panic attack, I know that I can only do so much to be ready.  I will take one day at a time and try not to focus on how fast time is going by!

On another note, Baby Hyde has introduced me to a new joy in pregnancy.  We think it's great fun to sit on mommy's bladder and kick her in the cervix simultaneously!  SOOOO not fun when you are slightly bent over helping a student when that happens (or any other time for that matter)! Talk about OUCH!  If you've never experienced it, I can't describe it...it's just an experience unlike any other.

I've also got the worst outbreak of fever blisters that I have EVER had!  My lips felt like someone had taken micro-bubble wrap and wrapped it on my lips.  Needless to say, the last day or two has not been much fun.  Thank goodness I can still take Valtrex; it's just the pits taking two 1-gram pills at once!  It seems to be helping though, so I shouldn't complain too much.  I'm going to blame some sort of hormonal pregnancy change on the outbreak.  Usually my fever blisters come on when I am stressed or run down.  No matter what, that has been the worst thing to happen during this pregnancy to date!

 I'm just thankful I only have one class period when I can't as easily go sit down when I need to.  Even that period, if I absolutely have to, I can find things for my students to do that don't require me to be up and moving as much!  I'm also very fortunate to work with teachers who understand that when I sit down and have students come to me, it's not because I'm lazy, it's because I need a break.  I really couldn't ask for better people to work with.  I fit better with my current colleagues than I have at any other school before!