22 weeks!

So I had my final appointment at this midwife clinic today and my usual midwife wasn't in so I saw the director. She was really nice but I know I'll be in good hands at my next clinic too. Now my due date is moved to 11/20. Good grief! Why can't they just put it back at 11/18? I know the earlier ultrasounds are more accurate but geez.

It took awhile to find his heartbeat, she said that they don't usually like the doppler. That was kind of surprising because last time they found it pretty fast. Once she found it he was steady in the 140s. I'm also measuring around 22 weeks so again, why they just can't except the fact that I'm 22 weeks I don't know. I'm telling you there is no way that I found out 3 days after ovulation- especially when I was soooo exhausted the week before I tested- which in the 11/28 scenario would have been before I conceived.

I've been feeling him move for about a week now! It took me a few days to be sure that it was him. It felt sort of like light tapping but really low, and at my last two appointments he was pretty high. I have more "padding" there so maybe I just can't feel it when he's up there. Then when you read about movement they always say that it could just be gas instead, so I was hesitant- even though I've had very little gas- to say that it was him. After 3 days I finally agreed, lol. I've felt him roll a few times too, that feels weird!! Imagine rolling play dough into a snake and the way it feels between your hands is how it feels inside your body. I've even had a few harder jabs. He doesn't like it when I sit Indian style and slightly leaning forward (I had a book sitting on the bed). I was feeling a lot of taps and then some pretty good jabs, so I got the hint. ;)

I also had a scary moment. My first real one this whole pregnancy. Since we've moved in with friends on July 1st my ankles have been slightly swollen. It was hot when we were moving and I was a lot more active and getting less sleep than usual. It's been pretty hot in the apartment too, even right now when it's only about 50 outside! The first few nights they went down entirely overnight. Then they weren't swelling as much during the day but weren't disappearing overnight either. I weighed myself and I had gained 3 pounds that week. We had eaten out a lot so I figured between that and some water retention, that explained the extra weight. Then on Saturday we had a yard sale. I sat in a chair the entire 4 hours (I got up a few times to walk around) but pretty much as soon as I woke up that morning they were huge and just kept growing! I was worried that it was pre-eclampsia. I had some trace protein in my urine last time, which they said was normal, and my blood pressure had been a little higher than the average woman (I just thought it was because I was stressed due to the move). I didn't have any swelling in my face or hands, but my ankles were so swollen it really worried me. I weighed myself and I was up another 4 pounds in one day! When Doug got off work he made me elevate my feet really high (so high I got a leg cramp the next morning) and pushed fluids through me. I drank probably another 80 ounces between 7:30 and midnight. But when I woke up everything was fine and the 4 pounds were gone. I talked to the midwife about it and she said that as long as it goes away like that it's nothing to worry about. And if my face wasn't puffy and I didn't get a headache too then I'm fine. I did have a headache, but that came later from worry. So far so good. God's really blessed me with a pretty easy pregnancy compared to most women!

And now for a move update. After my ankles started swelling (and I've gotten a little bit uncomfortable) and a review of our budget we've had to cut a few stops and shorten other ones out of our trip. We are now arriving in VA on Monday, August 2nd. Doug would like a short day trip to Gettysburg, PA with his friends but we'll see how we're doing money wise and how I'm feeling. I'm betting we'll be wanting to hurry home. So we'll either be in Harrisonburg on Tuesday, August 3rd or Wednesday, August 4th. Either way quite a few days ahead of the original date of Sunday, August 8th.

It feels pretty surreal that we're leaving the state and driving across country and starting over again in VA in just a few short days. I have a good sense of peace about, I'm more worried about keeping up with school but I'm trying not to stress about that either. Definitely pray for us as we go on this trip and get settled and Doug finds a new job.



Picture from our ultrasound two weeks ago. I can't believe it's been that long already!

21 weeks, gender news and moving plans

Pics of how I want the nursery to sort of go. Ideaboard, layout ides, and then inspiration pic.

Life's been crazy. We've moved across town and in with friends to save on this month's rent before we leave. There were other problems with that place too. Such as when we moved in they were still working on installing a shower. That was in December and in July- still no shower! The landlady, who we knew from the church here (kind of, long story) said she didn't mind us using hers but she kept rearranging the house in order to rent out differnt ends. It was a big house turned into apartments. When we first moved in she was on the other side of us with a 20x 16 living room, giant bathroom, laundry room, kitchen and one bedroom. There were neighbors upstairs and neighbors behind us in the big main part of the house. Well, they moved out early and so she decided to move into that end and rearrange the other apartment. It lost the bedroom, laundry room and kitchen- so the main area gained it, and was essentially like ours just a 20x16 room with a full bathroom. But she rented that end out, so we couldn't use it anymore. In her big main side they just threw a shower and sink (no toilet) into one of the bedrooms, and then there was a half bath upstairs. Quite odd. She would often have people over and they'd stay in the room with the shower, her grandchildren would play there, she'd sew in it etc. We were always kicking someone out just to shower. And the iron in the water was awful. It was barely bearable when we moved in, but after I got pregnant and she got so stingy with the treatment tablets, I could barely stand it. I couldn't even do the dishes and I hated showering and brushing my teeth. Then a new neighbor moved in who smoked pot and it would seep over to our side and give me headaches. And there was no insulation in any of the walls that they added. We could hear her and her grown children talk about everything- even us! That combined with all the church related drama and the fact that staying with friends while not free is signifcantly cheaper, we decided to high tail it out of there a few weeks early.

So last week we were packing everything up and moving things into our friends small 2 bedroom apartment by the 1st. Then was my ultrasound, and we've had some interent issues, so I haven't been able to really post. And I'm behind on homework. But I can always go to the library or Barnes and Noble if I get desperate. It's still a better situation than before.

So on to the ultrasound results- last Thursday, July 1st, we found out that we're having a boy! We've decided on the name Theodore Robert: after Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Laurence from Little Women and Robert E. Lee. What can I say, we're history geeks! The tech also said that I was measuring at 20 weeks and 2 days, when according to my last menstrual period I was 20 weeks exactly. So I think Teddy is just a little bigger than average- but not by much. I have my next appointment next Thursday, a few days before we leave, and I hope they'll change my due date back. There is no way, and I mean no way, in my mind that my due date should be 11/28. For a normal pregnancy it doesn't matter, the baby comes when it wants. But, if it comes before 11/18 even and they have 11/28 on paper then I'll look like I'm not entirely full term, which is bad for them statistic wise. Also, if the baby comes later and I need to be induced it's important to have a proper set date in mind. For example, if I really shouldn't be due until 11/28 but they have 11/18 on paper then inducing me after 7 days on 11/25 would actually be before 40 weeks even. At the same time if I'm really closer to 11/18 and they say 11/28 and I'm late and don't induce me for 7-14 days, then Teddy could be baking in there until 12/5 or even 12/12!

And before anyone thinks that it's impossible for a baby to just sit in there an extra 3 weeks, I was 2 whole months late. Yes, you read that right. My mom's boyfriend left her right after she found out, which was very early on, so there was no possibility for me to have been concieved 2 months later. They kept chaning her due date, first it was June, then July and finally August. It was so long that my amniotic fluid was so low, I had entirely dried skin, was super hairy and had the longest nails they had ever seen on a baby. And, I've met 2 other girls who were also born 2 months late. I guess I needed the extra time though because I was only 7 pounds 11 ounces and 21 inches long- so not huge. I would have seemed like a preemie if I was born in June. And they even needed to use forceps- I really just didn't want to come out! HOpefully Teddy won't return the favor! I'm hoping none of the due date stuff will matter and that he'll arrive at a good speed. I'm guessing some time after 11/25, but I'm not going to lie, being a week or more overdue I'm sure I'll be entirely miserable and in general just want my baby already. And again, the later I am, the more issues occur with the due date than if he comes on his own sometime between 11/18 and 11/28. But there's no telling him that of course!

I'm feeling pretty good. I really need to take a picture tomorrow, my belly is really starting to round out and I'm loving it. I haven't weighed myself yet this week, but last week I had gained 10 pounds in total, so the goal should only be 11 for this week. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a bit more, I was eating out often last week with all the moving! Also, my ankles are starting to swell. At first I thought it was just from moving (I was doing a lot more standing, crouching and light lifting than usual) but it didn't go away after Thursday night. This apartment is pretty warm, much warmer than it is outside by at least a good 10 degrees, so that could be it. I expected swelling eventually, just didn't think it would be so early. My fingers seem just slightly swollen, other than that no other swelling, which is good as that can be a bad sign.

So we're starting to gear up for our big move and long drive. As it stands right now, I really think I'm up for the whole shabang. Though we will see. We'll be packing a lot of food to cut costs and try to keep some idea of nutrition, we'll see how that goes! We're having a yard sale on Saturday to get rid of a bunch of odds and ends and hopefully everything else will fit! Here's the plan:

7/19: leave Fairbanks and arrive in Anchorage; Tyler's flight arrives

7/20: enjoy Anchorage, drive to a nearby glacier and a wilderness preserve; set out on the trip that evening.

7/21-7/23: Drive through Canada on the Alaska Highway and then turn towards Vancouver in Dawson Creek (I can't remember the name of the highway and don't have my map with me); arrive in Seattle in the afternoon of 7/23. We'll not be stopping for overnight stays because: we have 3 drivers; we want to save time and money; and there aren't a lot of towns with hotels even- it's designed more for non-stop driving or campers. Tyler and Doug will attend a Mariners game in the evening.

7/24: enjoy Seattle, we plan to go to the Aviation museum where they even have jet flight simulation- though I probably won't do that!

7/25: Morning service at Bro. Ed Byskal's in Surrey, British Columbia; leave that evening for West Yellowstone, Mt.

7/26: enjoy Yellowstone National park

7/27: drive to Denver, CO and visit my brother and catch some zzz's

7/28: drive to Hutchinson, KS to visit my aunts, uncle, cousins and grandparents.

7/30: leave Hutchinson and visit family in Jay, OK and continue on to Shreveport, LA

7/31: arrive in Shreveport and visit with friends

8/1: Morning service at Bro. Tim Pruitt's; leave for Minneapolis

8/2: Visit a friend near Minneapolis, MN

8/3: depart Minneapolis in the evening and head towards Bloomington, IN

8/4: arrive at B's house in Bloomington and visit with her and her hubby.

8/5: leave in the afternoon and head towards the Columbus, OH area to visit Doug's family

8/6: depart for Alexandria, VA in the afternoon and arrive in the evening

8/7: enjoy the DC/NOVA area and visit with Aunt Katie and Uncle Joe.

8/8: sleep in- or service at Bro. Mike Walls (we'll see how we feel!) then leave for Harrisonburg and arrive in the afternoon. Service at Bro. Ron Spencer's in Elkton, VA that evening!

8/9: crash and most likely sleep for 36 hours straight!

Before we leave I'll post a better itinerary with estimated departure and arrival times. I'm sure hardly anyone's interested in this, but between this and email hopefully my mom won't lose track of it and call me every 15 minutes, lol!