Hospital Adventure: Day Two.

Well, I can tell you this, life in the hospital is not all that eventful.

Since I was admitted here at Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville, Fl, I have been laying here in bed, in Labor and Delivery. Oh! And Brian surprised me and baby with an adorable Hello Kitty to keep us company while he is gone. ^-^ He is too sweet!

I spent my first night here on an I.V with 12 hours of Magnesium Sulfate to help prevent any contractions that I could begin having; that was not very fun at all and I am so happy it is over with and that it was only for 12 hours and not a full 24 hours! I was not allowed to get up at all throughout the entire 12 hours, had to use a bed pan whenever I had to go to the bathroom (which I was very thankful for being able to go so I didn't have to have a catheter), was not allowed to eat (was allowed ice chips!), and simply could not fall asleep because of how uncomfortable I was with having to lay flat, etc.
The most difficult part of the night was when I had finally been able to move onto my right side and get a little bit of sleep and woke up completely wet. When telling the nurse they had thought that my water had broke so I had to have a pelvic swab done to determine if I was leaking any amniotic fluid; which thankfully I was not. It just turned out being a little bit of spillage from my bed pan...gross, I know. =/ But when you have to go every 3 or 4 hours it is just bound to happen at some point.
I spent a lot of my night trying to sleep, watching the clock/counting down the hours until I was done, and watching exercise informercials. Why are there only ever work out informercials on between the hours of 2 am and 4 am?!
Once I made it to shift change I knew I could make it through the last 3 hours and I did, although I am still not quite sure how I managed! I was so uncomfortable!! I met my doctor on call who explained to me that they will be taking me off of the Magnesium Sulfate because I have not had any contractions at all and that I can be taken off of the I.V (except for my antibiotics) because I am not having any issues with producing fluids. I met my day nurse and then got Brian up and sent him home to get some things done since I was stable and not having any issues.
While he was gone I inhaled my lunch, indulged in bathroom privileges, and was even allowed to give myself a sponge bath; which as disgusting as that sounds, felt amazing! I was given a clean gown, was able to brush my hair and teeth, got clean bedsheets, etc. You never realize how comforting those things are until you can't have them.
During that time one of the NICU doctors had come in and talked to me about what our baby's odds of survival would be if she were to be delivered as of right now. Basically her survival rate would be approximately 88% and she would most likely have lung issues, need fluids via I.Vs, need blood transfusions, and she could have bleeding in her head. Their goal as of right now is to keep me pregnant until 28 weeks and then go from there. I am determined to make it to the 28 weeks and then hopefully from there I can make it to the ideal time of 32 weeks.
I am still being constantly monitored for contractions and am still wearing the compression bandages on my calves. Also, still taking antibiotics to prevent any possible infection and still taking all of my other medications.

I am feeling pretty good now that I am allowed to sit up on occasion, eat, go to the bathroom on my own, etc. I have cable and internet, Brian is here when he isn't taking care of things at home, and I have my cell phone.
Everyone here has been fabulous and very thorough with what they know of is going on. What they have told me is that I could deliver the baby whenever and they are trying to prevent it and are trying to keep me pregnant as long as possible.
So, that is pretty much all I can tell as of today. :)

Just keeping positive and trying to get all of the rest that I can in order to keep this little nugget in the oven several weeks longer. Aiming for that 28 weeks as of right now!!

Twenty-Five Weeks and Hospital Adventure.

Here I am at 25 weeks! 

This was taken yesterday, July 25th.

I had been feeling fine up until I got slammed with a few anxiety attacks late last night; it took Brian a very long time to get me to calm down and I think I finally fell asleep around two or three in the morning. Aside from that I had been experiencing the normal pregnancy symptoms...the occasional insomnia, heartburn, swelling, a Braxton Hicks Contraction here and there (never anything frequent or time able).
So you can all imagine our surprise when we were told to go to the hospital after my ultrasound to check my low lying placenta. During the ultrasound we were told that the baby looks fantastic and weighs about 1.7 pounds and that my placenta had appeared to have moved. Yay! But then she says that she can't see my cervix completely and asked me if I had been having any contractions, with which I replied "No.". All I have had is the occasion B.H.C. which wouldn't last very long at all and was not constant; no more than two within an hour. She then informs me that she is going to do a trans-vaginal ultrasound just to get a better look (you can imagine my enthusiasm). After that she told me that she was going to move me to the exam room and we would go from there. That was all we were told.
I am moved into an exam room and before I am even sat down on the exam table they are telling me to get dressed and to go across the street to the hospital and go to Labor and Delivery. I heard "L and D" and freaked out. I started crying because that was when I knew that something couldn't have been right; poor Brian had no idea what was going on.
Trying to maintain what little calm I had, we drove across the street and went up to L and D and began the process of being admitted. On the walk up to L and D, we ran into my doctor and she had quickly explained to me that my cervix was showing that I was dilated 3cm and that my water sack was starting to make its way through my cervix, but had not yet broken.
I was put into a room and attached to a Fetal Heart Rate monitor and a Fetal monitor to check for any contractions. After being monitored for about an hour my doctor finally came in and did an exam on my cervix and confirmed that I was indeed dilated 3-4cm. What this means was that for whatever reason, my cervix was deciding that it needed to start opening up and start labor. She informed me that the possibility of me making it full term were now zero and that there was a very good chance that I could deliver this baby any time. Hearing that my baby may be born about four months premature terrified me! They asked me all of these questions pertaining to pre term labor and none of my answers matched up with why this is happening; so basically no one knows why my body is thinking it is time to deliver; she also informed me that some women's bodies just can't maintain being pregnant and my cervix could just be incompetent and not sustainable. Because of all of this I had to be given a steroid shot to help speed up lung development in case she is to be delivered premature and was given an I.V with some fluids and some antibiotics and monitored for another hour. I can honestly say, you have not felt serious pain until you have had a steroid shot!! HOLY MOLY!! I have never been in that much pain EVER! It hurt worse than having my finger tattooed...worse than my foot tattoos...worse than breaking a finger...worse than anything I could think of! I have a fairly high pain tolerance and that shot made me cry out in pain and cry like a child. And the depressing part?? I have to have ANOTHER one tomorrow!
My doctor had called and talked to the doctors down in Jacksonville and once explaining my situation to them, they decided it would be better for me to be transferred to their hospital to be better monitored and because they have the proper equipment to take care of me and our baby if I were to deliver her now. The thought of being transferred to Jacksonville definitely made me even more anxious because the thought of being 30 minutes away from home just didn't seem comforting at all. When the doctor told me that I would be going via ambulance, I lost all of my calm. What really got to me about that was that Brian wouldn't be able to accompany me and that I had to go alone and be admitted to a newer and bigger hospital on my own. I tried very hard not to lose my wits and cry!

The ambulance ride was...not very pleasant...the E.M.T's were absolutely wonderful, it was mostly just the 30 minute ambulance ride that really bugged me. It was hot and humid inside and I felt as if I were going to fly around all over the place every time our driver made a turn or got on/off the interstate. I will admit, having cars yield and move off the side of the road felt kind of nice. Haha! I felt kind of important! I mean, I am right?! I am carrying precious cargo!! :)
Being admitted to Baptist Health System's Children Hospital was a little hectic at first particularly because everyone just wanted to get me in the system, monitors set up, and get me comfortable while I wait for the doctor to arrive. Unfortunately I had to have my current I.V pulled and a new one put in (from what I was told it was a new protocol for all patients coming from different hospitals) and thankfully it did not hurt nearly as much as the first one I had put in.
After getting situated Brian had arrived just shortly before then and even surprised me with some flowers. <3 He is such a sweetheart! <3 Him and I hung out for awhile and waited for the doctor to come in and tell us what was going to happen.

I was told I would not be able to eat, drink, or get up to use the bathroom until the doctor had given the go ahead...that was like hearing, "OH, we are going to torture you just a little bit before we make you feel comfortable and welcome.". Hearing that brought my spirits down a bit because I had not eaten since yesterday afternoon (skipped out on dinner last night because I wasn't hungry and breakfast this morning because I just didn't have time...definitely regret that!!).  The bathroom issue wasn't an issue until I actually had to go...let's just say that I do not like bed pans and they make me feel like I wet the bed...a feeling no one enjoys experiencing.
Embarrassment aside, the doctor arrived and told us that their goal was to get me through to my 26th week and then from that point on, get me through to my 28th week, and then my 32nd week, etc. Basically they want to try to keep this baby in the womb as long as they possibly can; which means that I will be staying in the hospital until they for sure know that I will be stable. If I remain stable, I will be able to go home, but I will be on strict bed rest (which I am currently on, just I am in the hospital). He said that I will be given the second steroid shot and tonight I will be given Magnesium Sulfate to stop any possible contractions if I were to go into labor; I will be on that for twelve hours and then they will see how I am afterwards. I am also on antibiotics to help prevent any infections that could occur with my cervix being open. That is his plan for this weekend and then come Monday they will see how I am and he had mentioned doing some sort of test on my cervix; I can't recall what it was but I do recall him saying that if it is positive I stay in the hospital, if it is negative I may be able to go home. He had also given me the go ahead to eat and drink and get up to use the bathroom up until they start the Magnesium...then it is no food or drink and using a bedpan for the twelve hours...yippie!
In the mean time, I have been feeling perfectly fine! In fact, I wouldn't have even known anything was wrong until they did tell me...this whole situation has just been a complete whirlwind and not what we all were expecting! The only thing that had been on my mind was, "Did my placenta move?" "When will this crib and changing table get here?!" and "I can't wait for us to go home!!". I never once expected I would end up dealing with possible pre term labor...I mean it had crossed my mind a few times but I never thought it would happen to me. Isn't that how it always is? You never think it could happen to you until it does.
The whole being on bed rest is bitter sweet. All of our plans have been put on a stand still; I can't go home now, I can't go out to practice driving to get my license before she arrives, I can't clean my house, I can't go to my friend Jess's baby shower, I can't help Magan move into her new home, nothing...on the bright side I do get to watch cable. :)
I know a lot of you were asking me what will happen as far as Brian's schedule; well we for sure know that he is exempt from doing his hike this weekend and will be here with me. We are still waiting for word in regards to this five day range; from what it sounds like they will be trying to find another ammo driver to take his place. I feel so terrible that because of me, everyone is scrambling to make things work so he can be here with me. I know how it feels to have your husband have his few days off taken from you because of someone else and I just feel awful knowing that some of our friends may have to go in for him. I truly hope that all of you know how incredibly thankful we are for accommodating our situation; I am incredibly thankful and I really mean that.
In the mean time, it sounds like he will be able to stay with me while I am in the hospital, I just don't know what that means exactly for the guard, but they sound willing to work with us through this. <3
In regards to the baby shower: I am not sure exactly what we will be doing about that since I won't be able to come up for it; which is very upsetting because I was looking forward to seeing everyone! But as soon as Brian and I talk with his mom and we figure something out I will let everyone know. :) Because I can't come home I am really hoping that we can get my mom and sister down here so they can be with me for a little bit and be here in case I do deliver; of course I would love for everyone to come down here! I know that this is a total long shot, but if anyone would be interested in coming down for a visit, just let me know and we can work it out! I would love to see a familiar face from home. :)

Trying to stay positive!! <3 

OH! Before I forgot!! Here are today's ultrasound photos of baby girl!!

How far along? 25 weeks and 2 days.  

Total weight gain: 17 pounds total, but lost 2 pounds since my last appointment, so 15 pounds. 

Maternity clothes?  Yes. 

Stretch marks? Yes. 

Sleep: Depends on how much munchkin is moving around.  

Best moment of this week? Seeing my little one, despite the circumstances. 

Miss anything? My own bed. 

Movement: Plenty of movement. 

Food cravings? Milkshakes.  

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: Yes, dilated to 4cm but no signs of contractions.

Symptoms: Pre term labor symptoms. 

Belly button in or out? In.

Wedding rings on or off? Everything is off while in the hospital in case anything makes me swell up. 

Mood? Feeling nervous, but alright for the most part.

Looking forward to: Having stable symptoms so I can go home. :)

Twenty-Four Weeks.

Week 24 has just about come to an end and currently our baby girl is about the size of a Cantaloupe! 

Every week she is getting closer and closer to being ready to survive in the outside world; I couldn't imagine having her here so soon, but there is always that possibility! From this week and on, labor is something that could happen. Of course, we are going to try to convince her to stay in the "oven" so she can bake a little longer. ;)

This week has been another one that has flown right on by; I swear I don't even recall half of it! I have spent the majority of it working on the nursery wall decorations and stalking cloth diaper forums. I am already addicted to cloth diapers and can't wait for the first week of August when we can add another diaper to our stash; Brian and I have decided that every paycheck (every two weeks) we are allowed to get something cloth diaper related. This way, by the time our due date rolls around we will have a nice stash started for her first six months of life. 

I am also beginning to get anxious as my next doctor's appointment rolls around because it will be a "big" one for me. I will be having my thyroid levels checked, my second glucose tolerance test, and an ultrasound to determine if my placenta has moved and if I can be taken off of "pelvic" restriction. Of course I can't wait to see this little one of mine as well! 

I am also getting excited for our trip home in three weeks (exactly!). I am looking forward to seeing friends and family and for Brian to have a break from the crazy schedule only known to a Marine stationed at Kings Bay. It will be so nice to feel some familiarity as well. 

More pregnancy milestones were experienced this week as well! I have experienced what it feels like to be kicked in the cervix! Of course, this isn't what I would call exciting due to the fact that it is incredibly uncomfortable and makes falling asleep even more difficult than usual. I am hoping that my munchkin flips herself around and avoids that particular area for a little while...I would trade having my cervix beaten to a pulp for a lovely rib jab any day! I suppose on the bright side, she is MOVING! Oh boy is she moving...I swear it feels like there are two of her! 

Heartburn has still been intense...even more intense than ever! It is to the point where not even the medication the doctor prescribed me is helping. Sure, it takes the edge off but it is still there. :( I was told to try Papaya enzymes, so I am going to talk to the doctor about that and see what she says. Right now I am willing to try anything to put an end to it. 

In the mean time I am just taking it easy; watching Netflix, working on those nursery items, waiting, relaxing, etc. Every thing a stay at home preggo should be doing I suppose. I am not going to lie though, I do wish I had a part time job to occupy more of my time. Brian says that I should just enjoy pre-mommy hood while I can and he is totally right. :) I am thankful that I have the time to gradually prepare for everything I need to before baby girl arrives. 

I couldn't ask for more...

...although, a milkshake would be nice. ;)

How far along? 24 weeks and 5 days.  

Total weight gain: Still unsure (other than the 5 pounds they told me about in May). 

Maternity clothes?  Yes. 

Stretch marks? Yes. 

Sleep: Depends on how much munchkin is moving around.  

Best moment of this week? Brian surprising me when coming home late Wednesday night! 

Miss anything? Mostly cooler weather. 

Movement: A few kicks there, a few punches here, and a jab right over THERE. 

Food cravings? Milkshakes.  

Anything making you queasy or sick? Heartburn has gotten pretty bad a few times to the point of almost getting sick. 

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: No.

Symptoms: Belly button aches, tingling fingers, slowed digestion. 

Belly button in or out? In.

Wedding rings on or off? Original bands off, but wearing a temporary replacement. 

Mood? Pretty 50/50 right now.   

Looking forward to: GOING HOME!! Adding to our cloth diaper stash and my next doctor's appointment. 

Twenty-Three Weeks.

Here we are, week twenty-three!

(and still looking the same as last week...I think my tummy growing has temporarily come to a halt. lol) 

The week is almost over and boy has it been a rather eventful one! 

Brian and I started our week on Tuesday together because he has been down at base working; these three and four day long work periods are really starting to get to me! I hate when he is away; particularly because I am always afraid that something will happen and I will not be able to reach him right away. 

When I moved down here, his schedule was hard to adjust to, but then it got a little bit easier as I made more and more friends. Now, with being pregnant, I feel so much more attached to him that when he is gone I am just miserable. It amazes me how much you can become attached to someone, especially when that someone is your husband and the father to your unborn child. 

Aside from my feelings of loneliness and intense boredom, this week has been pretty decent to us. 

I now have a ring back on my finger!

It isn't nearly as beautiful as my wedding set, but it will do for now. :) It is just a plain, sterling silver, 3mm sized band. I wanted something that wouldn't cost us a fortune, especially considering that I will probably only be wearing it for the last four months of pregnancy and maybe a little while post pregnancy (or until the swelling goes down); which was why we went with the sterling silver. 

We got it from this tiny little jewelry store in St. Marys; I loved the atmosphere of this place! It was so small you almost wouldn't think that they were even open anymore! The owners were genuine and honest with us about what to do given my situation. Plus, they were the only jewelry store out of all three in the town that I live in that were open during the entire week of the 4th of July (with the exception of the 4th of course)! Brian and I decided to go with them because of their dedication to stay open for the public despite it being the week of a national holiday; the other stores had these ridiculous little signs on their doors that said "In honor of the holiday, we will be closed Monday through Thursday". WHO DOES THAT?! Why on earth would you need to be closed for FIVE days (because they are closed on Sunday as well) in observance of Independence Day? I mean, I understand it being a pretty important holiday but I have never seen that before unless it were for Christmas. It also could have been my pregnancy hormones making me a little bitter towards them for not being open when I needed them to be. =P 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I am happy with our choice and feel so much better knowing that I can wake up in the morning, put a ring on my finger, and walk around town and know that everyone knows that I am married; too bad there isn't a way to announce it to the world that I am married to the most amazing guy that I have ever met! Ooh, wait, I can just tell you! 

I AM MARRIED TO THE MOST AMAZING GUY EVER!!!

For those of you who may not know (although, I can't see how you wouldn't know considering it is all I talk/post about on Facebook!), Brian and I will be coming home in 28 days! I am very excited about coming home particularly because I am pregnant. Of course I am not looking forward to the eighteen hour drive (one way!), but it will all be worth it to have my family and friends see me while expecting. 

I am also looking forward to the baby shower that my mother-in-law has been planning! We have come across a few bumps in the road with the planning process, but in the end it was all worked out. 

Basically, Brian and I had searched everywhere for the perfect shower invitation and we ended up finding two that we loved at Office Depot. The issue we ran into was that the Office Depot back home did not carry either of the invitations, so we had to have everything done down here; which was totally fine, of course. So we go online and order the invites that we wanted and have everything set up so we could go and pick them up in the store (since the closest Office Depot is 30 minutes away) and have them printed there as well. 

Well, when we arrived to pick them up, somehow something occurred and the invites were absolutely nowhere to be found! They didn't even have them in the store anymore! I couldn't understand that at all considering not even two weeks prior they were there (or else we would not have chosen them). So we were refunded for those and went with our second choice, since they had them in stock. There I was thinking that everything was going to work out now that I had the invites chosen...WRONG! The ones that we chose kept jamming up the printer and there was no way to prevent it from happening due to the size of the invite. So the manager came up with the idea of making them from scratch; which kind of had me bummed out because if I would have wanted to make them I would have had Brian's mother make them in the first place. 

After standing there watching them create my invitation, they were finally printed and handed back to me. At first I was not happy with them because somewhere along the way, the font size was changed and everything ended up being the same size font when I wanted some things a different size, but Brian assured me it wouldn't matter and that they would still look great.

We went to the craft store and picked out some ribbon and stamps to put on the invites to make them a little more unique and the end result has grown on me: 

Here it is! 

It is simple and sweet and to the point. :) Obviously the blacked out parts are not blacked out on the actual invitation. So, everyone keep an eye out for your invitation in the mail! I hope that I didn't forget anyone; my pregnancy brain always seems to get the better of me when it comes down to remembering such things. I am very anxious to see everyone!

Brian and I experienced a new "pregnancy milestone" this week as well! 

We both have officially felt our baby kick from outside of my belly! It was truly a fantastic moment! We were both sitting not he couch after a long day of running errands and I felt her starting to flip flop around in my belly. So, I grabbed Brian's hand and put it on my stomach and asked him if he felt anything. She kicked and I asked him if he felt it and he said no, and as if on cue Baby kicked so hard that he felt it and my stomach bounced! His face was priceless. <3 I then asked him, "Did you feel THAT?" It was another one of those "best moments" experiences. I can't wait for him to be able to feel her more as she grows bigger and stronger! 

I have also been witness to my belly "jiggling" on its own and that was a crazy moment the first time I saw it happen. Some days I still can't believe that I am pregnant until I feel her flop around, kick, or jiggle my tummy. It is a nice reassurance, almost as if she were telling me, "Mommy, you are no longer really alone anymore.". 

Something else you all should know is that Brian and I have also been looking more and more into how we want to raise our daughter together; something that I absolutely love talking with him about, particularly because we both grew up in different types of households (him as the youngest with three older sisters and me as the oldest with a younger sister, him being in private schools up until middle school and me being in public schools my entire life, etc.). 

So as pregnancy progresses closer and closer to an end, we have decided that we would like to give cloth diapering a try. It has been something that I was always a little curious about (along with cloth wipes), but never really considered until my friend Aubrey told me some wonderful benefits about it. Her and her husband will be cloth diapering their child as well and I kept thinking, "Well, if they can do it, why can't we? It must be really beneficial if they are considering it.". 

When I first mentioned it to Brian he was a little turned off by the thought of cloth diapering because it sounded straight up gross; honestly in the back of my mind I felt kind of the same way. But the more I looked into the more I realized how actually "un-gross" it is. With Aubrey's help/advice I have learned so much and we have decided that we do want to cloth or at least try cloth for the first six months of her life and then see how it goes and how the transition from milk to solid foods go with using cloth and then go from there. I am feeling really good about our decision! 

We have also decided that in the event of road trips, long day trips, etc. we will carry disposables around with us because the only thing that I have not liked about cloth diapering is having to carry the soiled diapers around with me. Of course, my opinion on that may definitely change after she arrives and we learn new things about C.D. But for now we will have some "sposies" on hand just in case. :)

If anyone has any questions in regards to our decision to use cloth diapers, please, don't hesitate to ask! If I wouldn't have asked Aubrey, I wouldn't have been told of all of the wonderful benefits that helped us in deciding on what to use. 

So despite Brian only being home for two days out of the week, it has been a pretty decent one I think. I have been dealing with some crazy hormones making me extremely irritable, but that is pretty much the worst of it, I think. 

How far along? 23 weeks and 5 days. 

Total weight gain: Still unsure (other than the 5 pounds they told me about in May). 

Maternity clothes?  Yes. 

Stretch marks? Yes. 

Sleep: I have finally figured out how to get some restful sleep...I basically make a nest! 

Best moment of this week? Brian officially feeling our baby kick. 

Miss anything? Still missing cooler weather!! 

Movement: Ooh yes! 

Food cravings? Beef and lemon poppy seed muffins. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: No.

Symptoms: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms, slowed digestion, round ligament pain. 

Belly button in or out? In.

Wedding rings on or off? Original bands off, but wearing a temporary replacement. 

Mood? VERY irritable.  

Looking forward to: GOING HOME!! And starting our cloth diaper stash. 

Twenty-Two Weeks.

We are just trucking right on through this second trimester! 

Week twenty-two is just about over and whoa! I can't believe it!! Please excuse my appearance in this week's photo, I haven't been up for doing anything with my hair and face, especially since the pregnancy acne has kicked in full speed. Ew. I mean just look at how red and blotchy my face is!

I am definitely not surprised that I wasn't one of those women to catch the "glow" because that is just my luck! My body is just going haywire with this whole pregnancy thing! Basically, my hair is thick and frizzy and my face is breaking out no matter what I try to do to prevent it from doing so; it is like middle school all over again! Too bad those awesome curls haven't made a come back! I would LOVE to have the curly hair that I had in high school (well, more towards the end of high school at least) because it was quite lovely and I definitely took it for granted!

Anyways, I had my monthly check up at the beginning of this week and all was well. I had my belly measured for the first time and found out that the tingly/numbing sensation is my hands is due to Carpal Tunnel. Yeah, thank you pregnancy! I swear everything that the books say may happen, happens! I suppose that is alright though considering how much it is going to be worth it. Unfortunately all I can do to keep the Carpal Tunnel symptoms at ease is to ice my wrists a few times a day and to wear a brace (mostly at night, when I am asleep). I am told it will go away after delivery...one can only hope! It is making doing things around the house that much more difficult! I was also given a prescription to help with my insane heartburn and I have to say, I have never felt so much relief before than the time I took that first pill! Brian and I also heard the baby's heartbeat; which was at 145. We also heard a few of her kicks through the heart doppler! Apparently she didn't care too much for having us listen in on her, the little booger! The rest of the appointment was spent just talking about what I wanted to do as far as delivery and if I wanted and epidural; I wasn't sure what I wanted, considering Brian and I haven't discussed or looked into it at all. It really got me thinking about it; time to add it to my pile of homework! I have several things I want to look into before our little one arrives! 

I really wish that I knew how much weight I have gained, but at the same time I wish I didn't know! I forgot to ask at this last appointment, so when we go in for my ultrasound on the 26th, I will ask then. Or I just may have Brian ask and have him keep track of it so I don't have to! Tracking my weight will make me feel pretty terrible about myself and I want to avoid that at all costs.

The rest of this week has been pretty good to me; aside from the Georgia heat making me swell up, I have felt pretty good! I have been sleeping a little better and am starting to learn what baby's schedule is. So far I have figured that she moves around the most after I eat a meal and when I lay down to go to sleep. I occasionally feel her moving around in the morning as well. Her kicks are getting stronger and still sometimes catch me off guard. Brian has yet to officially feel her move; which kind of has me a little bummed out. Every time I grab his hand and place it on my belly she stops moving! I swear it is as if she knows I am trying to catch her in the act of moving. I guess it will happen when we least expect it. :) I can't wait! 

We also figured out my wedding ring situation! There is no denying it...I can no longer wear my wedding rings. I put them on my finger the other day and they were STUCK. Brian had to wiggle and pry them off of my fingers. It was pretty funny, actually! But as you may recall, we were in the process of looking for a chain to put my rings on so I could wear them "closer to my heart", but as we were speaking to our jeweler, she made a very valid point to us. It would be terrible if the chain were to break under any circumstance and then I lost my wedding set...my rather expensive, intricate, and BEAUTIFUL wedding set! So she suggested that we look into some cheap wedding bands and that is exactly what we did. So, sometime next week I should have a ring on my finger! I can't wait to be recognized as married again because I am not going to lie, I felt really awkward walking hand in hand with Brian (who had his wedding band on) while I had nothing on my finger. I felt like everyone was judging me! 

Another exciting highlight of my week was having the opportunity to Skype with one of the most awesome ladies I know! I don't know why we didn't start doing this sooner, Aubs! Ooh yeah, because life swept us up there for a second! =P It was so nice being able to catch up with her; a good three hours worth of catch up was really what I needed! I am hoping we are able to keep up with a weekly call so as to feel more connected with each other; especially during pregnancy! 

Oh! I also forgot to mention the fact that I was given the go ahead to travel home next month! I am so excited to come home and hopefully see everyone! I mostly can't wait for my mom to touch my pregnant belly, as strange as that may sound.

Before I end this (I know, y'all are probably sick of hearing me babble on and on) I just have to share this photo: 

Mmhmm, that is right! I am totally rocking out my senior year homecoming t-shirt! I am very excited that I can still wear it, considering it is one of the only shirts I can still wear from my high school days! I have one other one and THAT IS IT. I will be very sad when the day comes that I can no longer wear them, but that just means that they will be added to the pile of t-shirts to turn into a t-shirt quilt. :) 

Well I suppose I am off to get lost in the world of Pinterest for a few hours while Brian sits here and plays Skyrim. <3 These moments are a few of my favorites. 

How far along? 22 weeks and 5 days.

Total weight gain: 5+ pounds (as of the beginning of June); I forgot to ask at my doctor's appointment! 

Maternity clothes?  Yes. 

Stretch marks? Yes. 

Sleep: I seem to be sleeping better when Brian is home (probably because I have someone to prop myself against). 

Best moment of this week? My Skype date with Aubrey! 

Miss anything? Still missing cooler weather, family, friends, and Culver's frozen custard. 

Movement: Most definitely!

Food cravings? Steak/beef, B.L.T. pasta salad, and milk.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: No.

Symptoms: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms and leaky bosoms. 

Belly button in or out? In.

Wedding rings on or off? Off. :')

Mood? Been pretty tired lately, but pretty content for the most part. 

Looking forward to: Going home in August!