I was going to post on the actual day of 13 weeks, but then I was wondering if 13 weeks marks the start of the last week of the 1st trimester, of the first week of the 2nd one. After thinking, I determined it was the last week in my first trimester, and didn’t feel like getting ready for a picture – LOL.

I got the news this week that I’ll have an article published in a magazine this summer, and with that, I’m supposed to submit a picture of myself. So, let’s just say that we played photo shoot today! I am the least photogenic person on the planet, so there’s not one pic of myself in any recent years deemed suitable for a magazine, much less a well known one.

We did this after church, since the before church pics weren’t turning out well indoors, and we were already running late late. Since  I was already dressed up after the mag pics shoot, I had DD take some preggo shots of me – just for the record. Thankfully, I was able to have some of these out decent. What was funny was DD then wanted me to take a pic of her, standing just like I did – hands and all.

Also to note – I’m thinking I looked like this at 5 or 6 months w/ #1 – big difference this time, and the first pic doesn’t really seem to show much – guess this is a good angle.

Oh, and the best news of the day – we got our first baby/ Mommy gift (which BTW, I know the baby will LOVE!!) I tell you, there’s no way I could ever try anything really addicting, if I get into this stuff like I do. Really, it’s amazing how great it is when that first dip melts in my mouth!!!

I never would’ve thought it, but this sour/ tart/ sweet combo thing has been a lifesaver for morning sickness the past 2 or 3 weeks – even as much as I hate the thought of food dye. Andrea and Greg had me worried when they were all smiles bringing a gift bag to church, I was thinking I’d be real embarrassed by something.  THIS is true friendship!

In other news, I go back for another checkup this week.

Little Mommy

That is the question. So…

What do you do when you’ve gained two or three times the amount of weight that pretty much EVERY site online says you will gain during the first trimester?

What do you do when you have – note HAVE – to wear maternity clothes because you don’t fit in normal clothes anymore – as you are just starting Week 13?

What do you do when, just starting Week 13, are the size you were at 20 – 24 weeks with your previous children?

What do you do when if you ask your husband, “Do you remember if my tummy poked out this much before? Is it bigger this time?” and he answers with a smile and chuckle that no, you’re tummy didn’t poke out this early before, and that it is bigger than past times?

What do you do when your husband tells you that if you are already wearing maternity clothes this early that you need to go get some more, because you will wear them out by the end?

LOL – I’m laughing, because I’m just loving being pregnant! True, I’m not eating the best – too many sweets and junk – but I’m still at the point where eating helps me from feeling so bad. Hopefully this will let up very soon, or else I’ll look like I’m having twins or something before long!

Little Mommy

Take your pick on which ultrasound gives the TRUE age of the baby, but I’m going by the first one and would be 12 weeks today!

I’m not really sure how it happened, but I somehow got off by a week this past week, so I’m actually a little bummed that I’m just starting Week 12 instead of just ending it. I’m not sure why exactly?

I had my first “Whoa! Hormones full speed ahead!” moment tonight. Something was said, and right then and there I broke down squawling – and couldn’t stop. Poor family. I’m thinking had this been any other time I would’ve had a different reaction, but sometimes a good cry feels good anyway. LOL

I am really starting to show a baby belly now. I’m thinking this is probably the earliest I’ve started to show, and am choosing to go with “it’s my 5th baby” instead of “it’s all of the ice cream, Krispy Kreme donuts, pecan pie, cheesecake, etc….. that I’ve been eating this past week” thought.

I’m not one to get on the scales very often, so it’s probably been 4 or 5 weeks since I’d stepped on here at home. I like to go with a first thing in the morning weight vs. doctors office fully dressed (in heavier winter clothes) AFTER I’ve had breakfast and possibly lunch weight.

Now, I’ve always had a struggle to keep weight on. Given that I’ve nursed a total of 44 months (that’s over 4 years) out of the past 6 and a half years, that makes sense. The rest of the time has been spent chasing the 4 children that ate my food for me. Much to my surprise, I’d gained about 7 lbs these first 11 weeks!

I don’t know if I’ve kept track before, but I’m pretty sure this is the most I’ve gained so early on. My pregnancy gains are usually between 32 and 34 lbs. the entire pregnancy. It will be interesting to see how that pans out this time. Either way, I’m really enjoying starting to feel more comfortable that this baby is okay, and we are really going to have a sweet little one to hold and love on this fall!!!

In other news, I’m *almost* motivated to exercise. Remember the aforementioned baby belly? I’m thinking a huge part of this is lack of muscle tone. I just haven’t had the energy to start and stick with an exercise routine – for years. But as I’m seeing how poorly I’m holding up (I can’t even sit up straight in a chair for very long anymore), I’m getting more into thinking I have to do something.

Food – I’ve still loved that Sweettarts have found me, although I am about out and my eczema has come back very bad from the food dyes in them. It’s strange how they can ward of morning sickness so well! I tried pickles tonight, and while they were good (I was surprised at how good), they weren’t fully making me feel better.

Hopefully as I near the end of this first trimester this will all fade away. I keep forgetting to try the Zofran again, but at the same time, I’d rather not take meds unless I’m absolutely dying. This is debatable according to hubby – he says this time has been my worse – I disagree.

But food has definitely been my comfort when I feel bad, and also my enemy depending on what I’m eating.

Upcoming events – I made my decision on which doctor to try again, and cancelled the other appt., so I’ll have my next OB appt. in two weeks. The tour we took of our other hospital choice the other night really gave us a hard decision. New hospital, probably less flexible doctors OR Christian doctors with a very old and outdated hospital. A really hard choice, but I feel good with our decision at the moment.

In three weeks, I’m hoping to start feeling the baby move! I’m pretty sure I was around 14 to 16 weeks before when I felt those first flutters! Given the baby will be 6 inches long, I can see how you’d feel something!

I was around 13 to 14 weeks last go round when I started having Braxton Hicks, so that’s actually one thing I don’t look forward to. Hopefully this time it’ll wait til the 3rd trimester?

I think that’s about it for now. DD and DS2 are very insistent that they need and want a baby sister. We’ll see near the end of April!

Little Mommy

It’s been strange, the topic of vaccinations has come up several times with people I know in the past couple of weeks. I ask you to let down your guard and just think of some information for a minute – make an informed decision. Within minutes of birth, the hospital staff will want to begin sticking your baby with needles, and smothering their eyes with meds – but you do have a choice, and it should be an informed one. Don’t wait to decide later, because trust me, you’ll be pressured like never before.

Doctors have long suggested we vaccinate our children, but do they really know all about what they are suggesting? Have you ever been waiting to see the doctor and notice someone in a suit come in with their briefcase? Do you know who these people are? The are drug reps – it’s their job to get doctors to promote their drug companies to you.

In exchange for the doc writing that Rx, the drug company pays them big bucks. Does this sound even just a little bit fishy to you? So the doctor gets free samples, gets treated to lunch, and gets paid? I’m not so sure they are well informed myself, and as it’s MY child they are messing with, I’d like to know what’s safe and what’s not.

Here are just a few links that might interest you, as YOU decide what is best for your child. At least now you’ll be a litte better informed and won’t have to suffer because your doctor didn’t know to tell you a thing or two… such as the shots have mercury, aluminum, and/ or  formaldehyde.

1) http://www.relfe.com/vaccine.html Vaccination Myths explores commonly believed myths on the effectiveness and safety of vaccines. I especially like the last note from the editor – that two ingredients used in the vaccines, mercury and formaldehyde, are extremely dangerous. And here our medical world is suggesting we shoot them into our babies!

2) http://www.vaccinationnews.com/dailynews/October2002/VaccinesFromAborted4.htm Vaccines made with aborted babies tissue. Okay, maybe you’re still trusting the pharma companies know what’s best for you (i.e. – for their pocketbooks), but what about pro-life issues? Did you know that aborted fetus cells are used to create vaccines? True! You can Google for more info than this one link, trust me, there are plenty!

3) http://www.mercola.com Just search his site for countless articles on exposing the dangers of vaccines. One in particular that I liked was that Merck has now come to the rescue with a new vaccine, a vaccine that treats a disease caused by people taking their first vaccine! This is crazy, and even crazier, so many people don’t even realize it.

The chicken pox vaccine was created, but what problems has it created? For one, chicken pox are more dangerous if caught when an adult. But what about shingles? Turns out that more people are coming down with shingles because they are NOT being around the chicken pox virus as much, which helps keep up their immunity. But don’t worry, Merck will sell you a new vaccine to help with that. Or you can opt to get the chicken pox and be spared both vaccines.

There is a whole world full of new information on the dangers of vaccines. As a mommy, please do the research for yourself – your baby’s life depends on it. Some get sick, some die, some have temporary problems, and others will have life long ones – isn’t your child’s life worth a little time reading something other that what the medical world tells you? Remember, they have someone paying them to share one side of the story, and no one for the other…

4) I’ll leave you with the following links, the ones that often go unreported, but just might matter the most – The Innocent Lost Babies.

http://www.thinktwice.com/hepb.htm Five week old baby died after Hepatitis B shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdVP40Ebm4U Infant reaction at 5 days old followed by death.

What you’re not told about vaccines at birth – http://www.newfrequencychild.com/2010/11/what-your-not-told-about-hepatitis-b-vaccinations-for-infants-and-children/, which leads to this article “Refuse This Routine Procedure, Or Expose Your Baby’s Brain to Danger” – http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/11/03/hepatitis-b-vaccines-at-birth.aspx.

This is a decision that is yours and yours alone. Please Mommas, I beg you, do the research - your baby’s life depends on it.

Little Mommy

Wow, it’s been longer than I meant since my last post. In the pregnancy sense, things are the same = boring.

I’ve battled morning sickness all day long a LOT worse this week, despite my B6 vitamin, which does help. My problem is that I don’t always remember to take it until I’m already feeling bad. Oops!

One discovery came thanks to a 75% off sale on Valentines candy. Seems that for some reason, the somewhat sour/ tart Sweetarts really do the trick for me. The downside is that the food coloring in them is killing me. I usually get eczema while pregnant, and over time, I’ve found that it’s food related. Food coloring and hydrogenated oils seem to be the worst triggers for me.

I’m slowly weaning off of daily naps, though it’s still hard to stay up at night. Since that’s when I work online, I’ve found I’m sometimes falling asleep – just because my eyes won’t stay open any more – early in the evening, only to wake up to get the little ones in bed and then work.

Maternity Clothes – I’m slowly making the switch over to maternity clothes. While some things still fit fine, more fitted clothes just don’t look right. I hope to add a few items to my maternity wardrobe, since some are a little worn after 4 pregnancies already.

I met a doctor last week, as well as toured that hospital, but I’m just not sure if this is where I want to be. So, we’ll be touring another hospital next week, then seeing a doctor there. It seems Birmingham isn’t the most ‘homebirth in a hospital’ friendly. I know there is a doctor here and there that might be 90% willing to work with you, but then you still have the nurses to work with. I just want everything to be when “I” want it to be, unless there is a true medical reason for it to be otherwise.

I mean, is there really a reason they have to take the baby to weigh it, measure it, and all that other stuff within the first hour or two? No, not one, except that it inconviences them to wait.

I was really excited that last time, with a firm insistence, things went just like I wanted. You could tell it about killed them for the baby not to get washed off for half the day. LOL!

That initial bonding time is priceless to me, and my heart still breaks watching the video of our first – he was on the other side of the room for probably at least 30 minutes, then off to the nursery for another hour or two. Everyone else got to see him more than I did those first few hours.

Okay, speech over, ha ha! I am just really praying for guidance for where the Lord wants us to be, and quickly.

Little Mommy