Things they dont tell you about pregnancy!

Dont worry I wont get to detailed in this. I thought I would share some things I have learned over pregnancy that I had no idea about until I was going through it. All wont be shared that I have learned because all is a little TMI.

1) Your emotions are CRAZY. I mean I know they say you are emotional when pregnant, but really?? I cry over the CRAZIEST things. I was thinking more emotional like cry in movies more emotional - I dont usually. Oh no, more emotional like cry at the drop of a pin, cry yourself to sleep for no apparant reason (this was more like a sobbing for me), cry because...well just because.
2) You are not feeding 2 people. I always heard, youre pregnant, eat for 2. Totally wrong. My doctor said, eat like you eat now. You are not feeding 2 people. I have eaten almost the exact same as I did before pregnant, with some exceptions :) I do eat a little more sweets and a little more food now but not a lot.
3) You have to give blood a lot when your pregnant. Ok, so maybe like 4-5 times, but thats a lot when you dont like needles. There are so many test they run.
4) The internet is full of do/donts while pregnant. If you are a paranoid, worrier like me, DONT LOOK! It only makes things worse.
5) You only get 2 ultrasounds when pregnant (at least with my insurance) and the last one is at 20 weeks. You have to wait a whole 20 weeks more to see him again (unless your like me and do a 3-D (highly recommend) and have some issues that need more ultrasounds.)
6) Teachers dont get an automatic paid 6 weeks off!!!
7) You get SO many questions while pregnant (How are you feeling? Asking about sickness. How far along? How much longer? Are you ready?, etc, etc) I dont mind them, I just didnt realize how many I would get!!
8) You need SO much stuff for the baby! I knew we would need a lot for the baby but Oh My Word!! Going into Babies R Us and Target trying to register was insane. Aaron and I would just stand in an aisle and say, I dont know what to register for, I dont know what we need. We were completly lost, but it was a fun experience! I am sure we will need something else when he gets here, but we will figure it out along the way. :)
9) Nesting is crazy! I have always heard about nesting but when you go through it, it is just like they say. You want to clean and organize like crazy and you are stressed until its done!!! I had a HUGE nesting phase the 2 weeks before school started. I cleaned the house, cleaned the closet, got his room ready, washed everything, just went went went! I wanted it done before school. I dont have it as much now since its all done :)
10) You fall in love with your baby SO much before you even lay eyes on them. I knew that I would experience a love that I never knew when he was born, because that is what everyone tells me. Brody isnt even born and I love him more than I can describe already. I can even put into words how I feel about him and how much I want the best for him. It is an incredible experience and I had no idea I would feel that before I even held him. But I have!! And I cant wait to feel it grow once he is here!

Well, theres 10 things I learned since being pregnant! Hope you enjoyed!

Karlee

Thats Scary

Becoming a parent brings on a whole new set of anxities. At least for me it does. I think about how I treat my body to make sure he is safe and protected in there. I think about everything that enters my body first. Whether food, drink, medicine, etc. Whereas before, it wasnt that much of a thought process for me. I have an overwhelming sense of obligation to keep my little one safe. I feel as though it is my responsbility to protect him since he is growing inside me.

My husband will be the first to tell you that I am a little over cautious with this. Sometimes I get paranoid over the dumbest things. Maybe its because this is my first baby. Maybe its just because I am becoming a mom. Whatever it is, it is something I have had to deal with during this pregnancy. There have been times I have just had to say, Karlee stop! Stop worrying, stop thinking about that, Brody will be fine. God is protecting him. It honestly makes me a nervous. If I am this worried with him in my womb, the safest place for him to be, how will I be when he is out of it??? I feel like I am the only pregnant person like but I hope I am not :)

This morning my mom sent this to me. It is really great!
"Trust me and dont be afraid. I want you to view trials as exercise designed to develop your trust muscles. You live in the midst of fierce spiritual battles, and fear is one of Satan's favorite weapons. When you start to feel afraid, confirm your trust in me. Speak outloud if circumstances permit. Resist the devil in my My Name and he will slink away from you. Refresh yourself in My hold Presence. Speak or sing Praises to Me and My face will shine radiantly upon you."

That is some good stuff!! I have learned through this all that I ultimately cannot control anything. I have done my best to protect Brody while I have carried Him, but God is the one who is in complete control. Me worrying does no good. When Brody gets here, I know I just have to trust God that He will protect him and guide him. I have learned how to give over control and trust. Although I am sure I will have to give over control to God many times because I want it back, I know it will be more freeing than having control. God gave me this little boy and this little boy is His from before he is even born! Therefore, since it is God's blessing for me to be his mommy, I trust in the Lord.

What are you trying to control today??

37 Weeks - Full Term!!

Pregnancy Highlights:

Week: 37

Fruit/Veggie: Watermelon

Baby Changes: This week Brody is offically "Full-Term". His lungs would likely do ok if he were born today, but better to cook as long as possible! Although I want to meet him NOW, i know it is better for him to "bake" a little longer! He is about 6 1/2 pounds and about 19 inches long. He is making fat at about 1/2 ounce a day. His skin is getting pink. He is practicing breathing in there as well! He is also growing his peach fuzz for his hair :)

Movement: Still feeling him a lot. I mainly feel elbows, knees, etc poking me and hiccups. Not a ton of rolling or kicking but some.

Sleep: sleeping well! I get up usually once for a potty break but I am not complaining and so thankful for good sleep!

Symptoms: Mainly just the hip still. I get sharp/uncomfortable pains every now and then but nothing consistant.

Daddy Update: He is doing great! He is ready to meet his little buddy! He is such a strong supporter for me and my rock. So thankful for Aaron!

News: We are just waiting now for our little man to arrive. All clothes are washed, room is ready, and bags are packed! I got my flu shot yesterday recommended by several doctors and feeling good today so hopefully i wont get any symptoms from it :) We cant wait to meet him our little guy! I already love him so much!

Days until Brody's due date: 19 days!!!

Mommy to be

36 weeks - 9 months!!!

Pregnancy Highlights:
Week: 36
Fruit/Veggie:

Baby Changes: Brody is gaining about an ounce a day. He is close to 19 inches and weighs over 6 pounds. He is shedding most of the downy hair that covers his body. He is also shedding vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during the last nine-months in the amniotic fluid. He will swallow both of these substances along with other secretions. Because of this, this creates his meconium, his first bowel movement. At the end of this week, Brody will be considered full term. His gums are also now rigid and he can suck (we saw him sucking his thumb last week on the ultrasound!) SO CUTE! His lungs are structurally developed this week!!! Surfactant is being developed in the lungs. This will keep his lungs open when he is born. A developing baby is simply amazing!

Movement: Still feeling him move. I dont think I could ever get tired of it! I love it! He is not moving as much but he doesnt have as much room! :)

Sleep: I have been sleeping well this week! (Knock on wood :) I think it is because I am exhausted from the first week back at work! Whatever it is, I dont care. I am just glad to sleep!

Symptoms: My biggest symptom this week was my hip hurting. Tuesday night was AWFUL!! I literally could barely move. It hurt to do anything, sit there, walk, put my leg straight, bend it, lift my leg, walk, anything hurt!!! It felt like my bone was going to break at any moment. Wednesday morning it was not as bad. I asked lots of people to pray for me and I felt it already getting better. Yesterday and today I have had no pain! I believe it is the power of prayer and the Lord taking care of it. With the way it was feeling Tuesday, it had to have been him!! Thanks for the prayers! Besides that I am just tired but that comes with the territory. :)

Daddy Update: Daddy is doing well. He has been fighting a bad cough for a week. He went to the doctor yesterday and they said it was allergies. Pray he can kick whatever it is that has got him this way. He is ready and excited to meet Brody though! He is such a great support for me!

News: I had a doctors appointment yesterday and everything looks good! I have been blessed with such a smooth pregnancy! He is measuring right at 36 weeks and I gained a pound this last week. I cannot believe that our little man will be here in less than a month!! It is scary but exciting all at the same time! It is weird to think what life will be like when he is here and hard to imagine but I know it will be great. It feels like the pregnancy flew by but creeped by at some points. I am scared of the unknown and life changing. I love my life with Aaron and I. But I know that it will be amazing and once he is here, I wont be able to imagine life without him.

His nursery is ready!!! We have a few things to get done around the house, but for the most part everything is ready to go. I have my hospital bag packed and his bag packed. Maverick will go get his hair done this next week. All the last minute things are taking place now. We are so excited to welcome our little man!

Days until Brody is due: 24 days!

Mommy to be!

35 weeks and Fluid Update

Pregnancy Highlights:

Week: 35

Fruit/Veggie:

Baby Changes: Brody is about 20 inches long and weighs 5.14 pounds (went to dr. today). Since there is not much room now in my belly he is likely not to move as much. His kidneys are fully developed and his liver and process some waste now. Most of his physical development is done and he is just putting on some weight now. His lungs are almost developed now, which is great!

Movement: He is still moving a lot but more just rolls still. During the ultrasound he was moving a lot!!

Sleep: I have been sleeping really well besides last Monday night. Maverick got sick about every hour and when he wasn't sick, I could not fall back asleep. So I got about 2 hours of sleep. I have been really tired after that so sleeping well!!

Symptoms: Tuesday, I had a lot of stomach and back pain and went to the doctor but everything checked out ok and it was not anything to worry about. Last night I had some cramping which I think were contractions or Braxton Hicks, but there were not consistent so nothing to worry about. Just tired!

Daddy update: He is doing great! Things are finally settling down for him! He is ready to meet Brody and be able to hold him. He is still such a strong support for me and I appreciate all he does!

News: We went back to the doctor and Brody's fluid level was a 10. It jumped 3 points so that is great! He gained 1 pound in 1 week as week so that was also good!!! He is looking great! I just have to keep drinking the fluids up like I am. He was sucking his thumb which was really sweet to watch!!! We are thanking and praising the Lord for touching my body and the womb this week so that everything is safe and okay with Brody! I am scheduled to be induced September 19 unless he comes earlier! It is getting close!!

Days until due date: 31 days

Mommy to Be

To Drink or Not to Drink

I had my doctors appointment today. My last before I go weekly - or so I thought.

The nurse came in and listened for Brody's heartbeat and found it at about 143, which is good. My blood pressure was 108 over 65, and I had not gained any weight the last two weeks.

My doctor came in and asked how my trip to Colorado was and got out the tape to measure my belly and did and it measure 32/beginning of 33 weeks. I am almost 35 so this alarmed by doctor and she ordered an ultrasound. I think asked her some questions I had and I went to wait. I called Aaron right away and he rushed from the church to the doctor's office to be there for the ultrasound.

We get back there and have the ultrasound. We could not really see to much because he is so big now and it all kind of looks the same. His head is down, which is good, and he weighs almost 5 pounds which is good as well. BUT, I do not have enough fluid. The U/S tech then tells me to wait. My doctor will either send me to the hospital for fluids or I will have to drink more. My doctor calls me back and tells me I have to drink A LOT and I have to have another U/S next week to make sure fluid is increasing. She is not overly concerned right now and says this does not cause us to need to react immediately but wants the fluid to increase by next week. It was kind of a scary experience. Although I think everything will be ok, you want everything to be 100% ok at every appointment.

We have been very blessed this whole pregnancy to have it go so well. This little set back should be fixable by next week as well. Please say a prayer for Brody and I that by next week there is plenty of fluid in there for him.

So - what will I be doing this week?? Forcing down as much water as I can handle. I thought I was drinking enough but I guess I was not. I think my body is soaking up all I drink for me since it is so stinking hot here and our house stays at about 80 during the day as well and so Brody wasnt getting much. Pray I can drink enough this week to give him the fluid he needs!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Life Lately

I thought I would update everyone on just life and not just a weekly baby update. This summer has kept us so busy and not much time to just blog about life this summer.

July was a whirlwind. We had NYC the first few weeks of July in Louisville, KY. It was a great trip with our students. It was hot and tiring for me but I really enjoyed being there with the students.

We then got back on Monday night about 10 pm. We were home for a few days and we headed to Killeen on Friday morning. We were there for one night and on Saturday we had a BEAUTIFUL shower given by my sister from the Killeen Church. It was just wonderful and beautiful and my sister put so much time and effort into it and I am really thankful!

We then headed back to Houston on Saturday with my mom and Aaron's mom. We had our Houston shower on Sunday. We were very glad to do that so both moms could be there for both. Sunday we had another beautiful shower. All the little things like the frames, to the cake that matched, to the people and food made the shower so great! Thanks Kim and Life Group ladies!!

We were then home for two weeks. We had youth stuff going on and I was busy getting things ready for the nursery and getting all of our shower gifts sorted, washed, etc.

Aaron then headed to OKC to get some VIP letters from SNU for our youth game room. That trip took longer than he thought and had to stay an extra night. You can ask him about that trip :)

August 1, we got up at 5:10 to make our flight at 7:30 to head to Colorado for our family trip. We ended up missing our flight by 4 minutes, which neither of us have done before, and had to wait 1 1/2 hours to catch the next flight, which was not to bad. We finally made it to CO and did so much. We went to the zoo, Garden of the Gods, Seven Falls, the Olympic training Center, Aaron climbed Pikes Peak, and just had great time together with family. Friday our flight left at 8:30. Well, earlier that day we saw Justin Hawkinson and called for him but he didnt see us. Aaron had left his phone on accident at the cabin so Eric tried calling but we didnt get it until we were headed to the airport. They were eating just right up the road so we decided to stop. Before we got there there was a wreck we got re-routed for. We then stopped and said hi for about 10 minutes. We then rain into a downpour and could only go about 45. Once we got out of that we hit traffic and went 40 mph for about 30 minutes. We thought again, we would miss our flight. With lots of prayer we made it with 10 minutes to spare!! We got home 40 minutes early too!

This week I have been trying to relax and get things done for the baby and house since I start again next week. We are so blessed and have had a good past few weeks. We only have 6 to go to meet Brody and we are so excited! HOpe you are doing great!!!

34 weeks - 8 1/2 Months!!

Pregnancy Highlights:

Week:34

Fruit/Veggie: Cantaloupe

Baby Changes: Brody weighs about 4.75 pounds now and almost 18 inches. HIs fat layers are getting thicker to help him stay warm once he is born. His skin is very smooth now as well. His nervous system and respiratory are still maturing. He also has a thick, white substance covering his skin called vernix. This helps his skin from pruning in the amniotic fluid.

Movement: He is still moving a lot and my whole belly likes to move! I still love it!!! He loves to push out his leg/elbow, whatever it is and just hold it there.

Symptoms: Tired!! I am still feel really tired!

Sleep: Sleeping well and wanting to sleep a lot!

Daddy update: Daddy is doing well!! He has a lot to do with youth this week. He put the crib together for me Saturday and I love it! He is very good at keeping me sane and helping me through this pregnancy. He has been my rock and I could not have made it through this pregnancy without him.

News:This is my last week before work starts. I am trying to take it easy yet get things done. I feel like Brody's due date is so close yet so far!! I feel like I have so much to do still. We are just chugging along and getting excited for Brody to make his appearance!

Days until Brody is due: 41 days!!

Mommy to be!

33 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

Week:33

Fruit/Veggie: Heft a pineapple

Baby Changes: Brody weighs about 4 pounds now and longer than 17 inches. He is loosing his "wrinkly" skin fast and his skin is hardening. His bones in his skull are still not hardening because they need to be able to be flexible for birth. He is still gaining about 1/2 a pound a week and the amniotic fluid is maxing out so I am able to feel everything pretty clearly! Brody is receiving antibodies from me to build his own immune system. Brody's respiratory system is almost mature!! He can sense light and darkness. His pupils constrict and dilate according to light.

Movement: He is still moving a lot and my whole belly likes to move! I still love it!!! I have not seen a foot imprint yet but I hope I get to!

Symptoms: Tired!! I am feeling so tired lately!

Sleep: Sleeping well and wanting to sleep a lot!

Daddy update: Daddy is doing well!! He climbed Pikes Peak this week and so thankful he made it down safely. He said he thought of Brody while climbing which is cool! He is really ready to meet him! He will be a great dad. He is working hard with youth stuff and it should all slow down before too long and hopefully he can get some rest that he needs!

News: We went to Colorado this week and it was a very relaxing time and good to get away. It was our last vacation with just the two of us! Kind of crazy! We are trying to get everything ready for the house and get ready for Brody's appearance. Everything is going well!!

Days until Brody is due: 48 days!!

Mommy to be!