It's a boy!!!

What a magical day!

Last night was a rough night sleeping. I was so excited! I slept from about 10pm until 1. I was up at 1 trying to go back to sleep but it just wasn't happening. Hubby and I chatted a bit and then off to sleep I drifted. I was up again at 3 and then again at 4:11 and just decided to stay up at that point.

Our appointment was at 7:45am and we were ready to go by 6:30. I had "one last pee" at 6:30 and then began drinking my liter of water. 42 ounces and one hour later we were in the waiting room and ready for our appointment. I was SO NERVOUS! I kept thinking, "What if they don't get a good shot of the privates?" and "What if they find something wrong with the baby's organs?"

Before I knew it, I was on the table and my mom and my husband were watching the screen. As the tech was doing a scan of my bladder, cervex I felt like an extreme need to pee. Luckily, you only need your bladder full for the first few minutes. I was able to run to the potty, come back and jump on the table for round two. On her hunt for my ovaries the tech said, "Do you want to know what it is because I can tell ya? I'm looking for ovaries and I've got something else" and sure enough - there "he" was! Nice shot of his penis, LOL!!!!

Hubby and I held hands and cried tears of joy, as did my mother. My mom went to the waiting room to bring in my Godmother/Aunt who got to see it as well. Mom was so overcome with emotion she returned to the waiting room while we went through with the rest of the appointment.

The cool thing about the anatomy appointment is that it's a LONG ultrasound and it is very detailed. We were able to check his brain function, his kidneys, do a full inspection of his heart (since a heart issue runs in the family) and check every little nook and cranny possible. No cleft lip issues, no spine issues. His bladder is working properly and his bones are strong. They estimate his weight at 13 ounces.

The funny thing was after our son decided to flash us he was pretty much done. No amount of shaking or tickles or the wand going all over my belly made him roll around or turn. He stayed on his back with his knees to his chest and he kicked frequently. The tech said, 'Wow! He is a stinker! He won't leave that position.' HA! I claim he's already like his daddy because trying to get my husband to roll over when he is in a dead sleep is like looking for Jimmie Hoffa. It just doesn't happen, LOL

We got several great shots and had some good conversations. We're not sure if we'd do the 3d/4d ultrasound to see him more detailed because it's so expensive but the tech advised that if we were to receive it as a gift, to do it after 30 weeks.

I'm measuring and carrying beautifully and I think she was shocked to learn that while I am an infertility patient, we had no chlomid. She asked if this was a chlomid baby and we said, "Nope..." This baby is such a miracle but also a bit of a cliche. You know that annoying saying, "Oh just stop trying and it will happen..." Yea... that happened to us.

Today while uploading the pictures I looked at my infertility posts and my infertility album and then at these posts and pictures and it really hit me.

This baby is a miracle. A true miracle.

How can anyone NOT believe in God when you see things like this? Our first ultrasound this little man of ours was a speck of rice if not smaller. And now he's almost a foot long and one pound. He's breathing, he's swallowing, he's kicking, he's even thinking already!

This baby truly proves that PCOS can only cripple you if you allow it to. PCOS is a pain in the butt and you have to be willing to do the work and kick its butt back. I still have pcos, but it will never ever again have me.

I'm so blessed and I'm so optimistic for all my cysters.

I can't wait to meet my son. I can't wait to hold him. I can't wait to tell him how much we love him while looking into his sweet little eyes and holding his sweet little hands.

Brad Paisley - Anything Like Me (Live on Letterman)

We love Brad Paisley and we love this song.

We sang it to our son today. And he danced in my belly. Happy kicks.

We love you sweet boy. We've been waiting a long time to meet you. We can't wait to hold you in our arms.

Introducing... our SON!!!

Now you know my abc's...

A, AGE, 29

B, Bed Size, Queen

C,Chore you hate, folding/putting away laundry

D, Dog, Bailey the Basset Hound is our family dog

E, Essential start to your day, Synthroid! :P

F, favorite color, purple

G, Gold or Silver, gold

H, Height, 5' 2"ish?

I, Instrument you play , piano

J, Job Title, Wife, Special Education Teacher, Aunt, Sister, Daughter, Friend, PCOS Advocate and now... MOTHER!

K, Kids, Meeting our miracle in November!

L. Live, PA

M, Mothers name, MOM!

N, Nicknames, LeLe, Gibs, Gibby, FuzzBall (my parents still call me this...I was born with a full head of hair)

O, Overnight Hospital Stays. coming soon!

P, Pet peeve, I have so many...that could be an entirely different post!

Q, Quote from a movie, Live! Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death! --- Auntie Mame

R, Right or left handed, I'm a righty

S, Siblings, one brother and lots of cysters :)

T, Time you wake up, lately... whenever I get a swift kick in the bladder :)

U, Umbrella?? Well, it's usually in the car when I'm in the house or vise versa.

V, Vegetables you dislike, Peas and beats

W, What makes you run late? buggies!

X, X- rays you've had. Knee, foot, ribs, back ovaries

Y, Yummy foods you make, Meatloaf, deviled eggs, italian chicken, shepherds pie

Z, Zoo, favorite animal, cats - all shapes and sizes!

Optimism for a friend

One of my many friends on the heartbreaking road of infertility has reason to celebrate today.

In this post, I asked you to pray for her.

Well... she is PREGNANT! It is still VERY and I mean VERY early and it's going to be a long 12-13 weeks until she's out of the first trimester but I'm feeling incredibly optimistic for her. God, please continue to watch over her as she starts this new journey!

THESE are so yummy! And they're not too tart and not too blah - they're just right! I highly recommend! :)

What the new food guidelines mean for PCOS women

PCOS and dry eye

PCOS and Dry Eye - in my opinion, it's worth the read!

AMA: Stop Photoshopping models' bodies

AMA: Stop Photoshopping models' bodies


GOOD! This is a step in the right direction.

I can't tell you how many teen girls I know who swear they are "morbidly obese" when in reality they are maybe a size 4 or 6.

What a beautiful article! HOPE for everyone. :)

Jamie O'neal- God Don't Make Mistakes.asf

Prayers for a friend!

A dear friend of mine is going through an IVF transfer right now and we need lots and lots of prayers that these little babies to be thrive and do well in hopes to make her and her hubby parents. I'm praying.... are you??? :)

Listening - Women taking a stand

Sometimes I am not a very good listener. I blame it on my age and I say I didn't hear it, but I often wonder if that is true or if I just have a short attention span. Often times, my family has to repeat things more than once to me. I am just not a good listener at times.
At times, we don't hear, because we don't listen. I read a story recently that illustrates this thought perfectly:

A man lost his watch while working in a ice house. He searched diligently for his watch, carefully shifting through the sawdust, but to no prevail did he find his watch. His co-workers also searched for his watch, but they came up with nothing.

While the men took a lunch break, a young boy who had heard about the lost watch slipped into the ice house to search for the lost watch. After just a short time, the boy came out of the ice-house with the watch in his hand.

The men were all astonished that the young boy found what they could not. They asked him, "How did you find it?" The boy replied, " I laid down in the sawdust and kept very still. In the quietness, I heard the watch ticking."

I have found that life can be so hectic and we can become so consumed with things that distract us that it is difficult to find time to slow down and just be still. Have you ever wondered why Jesus went to be alone with His Father? He secluded Himself so He could focus completely on what His Father had to say to Him.

It was never a question of whether or not God was speaking, because He was. Jesus just made a point of listening. The question for us is not whether or not God is speaking but are we willing to listen? We might need to remove some distractions and get quiet before God so we can hear Him.

Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

When is the last time you laid down in the sawdust prayer closet and just listened? If you get still before Him, you might be able to hear something of importance.

True Friends

I am thankful for true friends.

33 Reasons To Exercise While Pregnant | Pregnancy Information, Pregnancy Calendar Week by Week, Tools at Fit Pregnancy

33 Reasons To Exercise While Pregnant | Pregnancy Information, Pregnancy Calendar Week by Week, Tools at Fit Pregnancy

KICK!!!!

The baby has been VERY active lately. I've been feeling the flutters for about 4 weeks now and those are just so cool. Actually... it may have been five weeks. But just this past week I started feeling the KICKS and holy heck! Kicks are really cool! They can be anywhere, it's hilarious. As corny as this sounds, every time I get a kick I tend to laugh or say a quick two second prayer thanking God for this blessing.

Mission Diaper Bag = Complete!

For those who REALLY know me - you know I LOVE Vera Bradley. I was never a "name brand" type of gal when it came to purses or well... anything! Vera is such good quality and has fun designs. I've been eyeing the Vera diaper bag for a while now but it's just too darn expensive ($100).

Today we went to the new Vera Outlet at Philadelphia Premium Outlets where I was able to get the bag marked down to begin with and then also receive an additional 20% off. So the bag was only $40 which is about the same as other bags I've seen.

We chose Java Blue to match a purse and wallet I already have. It's girly and flowery enough for a girl and blue enough for a boy. I love the changing pad inside. It's a really nice design!


From VeraBradley.com: Our latest Baby Bag has a total of 11 pockets inside and out, including a full zippered back, and holds everything from bottles to extra clothes. We've added a special clip for disappearing pacifiers and lined the interior for easy cleaning. Also includes a 26" x 14" terry-covered changing pad with coordinating trim.

Week 19!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Think you're big now? You'll start growing even faster in the weeks to come. As a result, you may notice some achiness in your lower abdomen or even an occasional brief, stabbing pain on one or both sides — especially when you shift position or at the end of an active day. Most likely, this is round ligament pain. The ligaments that support your uterus are stretching to accommodate its increasing weight. This is nothing to be alarmed about, but call your practitioner if the pain continues even when you're resting or becomes severe.

You may be noticing some skin changes, too. Are the palms of your hands red? Nothing to worry about — it's from the extra estrogen. You may also have patches of darkened skin caused by a temporary increase in pigment. When these darker patches appear on your upper lip, cheeks, and forehead, they're called chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy." You may also notice some darkening of your nipples, freckles, scars, underarms, inner thighs, and vulva. That darkened line running from your belly button to your pubic bone is called the linea nigra, or "dark line."

These darkened spots will probably fade shortly after delivery. In the meantime, protect yourself from the sun, which intensifies the pigment changes. Cover up, wear a brimmed hat, and use sunscreen when you're outdoors. And if you're self-conscious about your "mask," a little concealing makeup can work wonders.

Baby Registry

The baby registry is complete! If you would like the "access info" feel free to email me or the hubs.

Appointment update!

Today's appointment went very well! I'll just make a list of points.

1. Weight: I gained THREE pounds this month! FINALLY! So no diet lectures for me this time around. They'd like me to gain 1lb a week from here on out but not to necessarily focus on that number if that makes sense. Which leads to the next point...
2. Because of my PCOS after women (PCOS women especially) cross the halfway point of pregnancy weight can "fly" on... so doc wants to make sure I'm avoiding sodas and juices (unless it is gatorade) which is easily done for me because I'm not much of a soda or juice drinker. I drink water and my almond milk.
   
3. My belly is measuring PERFECTLY. I'm measuring right where I need to be and the doctor thinks I'm carrying very nicely.
4. Breast feeding is something I'd like to do and because I'm already "leaking" we are taking that as a good sign. I'm truly excited because I REALLY want to be able to breast feed but in the end what matters is a happy and healthy baby.
5. Speaking of baby.... this child is hyper. The heartbeat was 162 this afternoon and the nurse was having a heck of a time keeping the monitor on the baby because once she had the heartbeat he/she would move and I would laugh from the tickling sensation.
   
6. Because he/she was moving so much from left to right the nurse said not to be surprised if they end up giving me an internal for our gender appointment on the 30th. I said, "Is this a polite way of telling me I might get an internal because I'm plus sized?" She laughed and said, "Oh honey, you're not plus sized ... trust me." I guess they've had a lot of bigger women as patients.
   
7. Calcium - I was concerned about calcium and if I should be on a supplement because I seriously can't handle milk. The doc thinks with my diet as it is in combination with my prenatal and my almond milk that I'm doing just fine.
8. RH NEGATIVE - I am RH negative so it's time for shots once we get to 28 weeks. Hubby doesn't need to be tested at all - they will test the baby immediately after I give birth using blood from the umbilical cord.
9. Exercise - I was curious if I could play WII because of all of the jumping and twisting and I CAN add that to my exercise on games that don't require much twisting action. So Wii bowling, Wii tennis and Wii basketball are A-ok. Wii boxing, not so much.
   

Overall, I'm very pleased with how today went.

I can't help but think of where we have BEEN and where are ARE now and I'm feeling incredibly blessed.

A lot of friends have asked us about having another baby (already!?!?!) and I really can't even get my head around that - we're so focused on this wonderful miracle that we focus on the here and now only. God has blessed us tremendously - no need to get greedy. :)

18 weeks from baby center

How your baby's growing:
Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Fruit Frenzy

When I was growing up in Philly, there was an older man named Jack who had a fruit truck.

Jack would have a big ole microphone/sound system and he'd go up and down the blocks of the city on Saturday's selling produce. What made Jack awesome was if you wanted a handful of cherries for $0.25 you could have them. You could have one apple or thirty apples. He gave you a price for whatever you wanted.

I MISS JACK and the fruit truck right now.

The produce section at most grocery stores has pre-packaged fruits now and even the bananas have a sign saying not to separate from the bunch.

I'm wondering if Green Dragon in Ephrata would be my best bet but I'm not so sure. My taste buds are changing and I don't want a massive amount of cherries when maybe I'd just like to have a small bowl.

New belly pics

We're practically half-way through the pregnancy now. I'm really all about fruit lately. Today I had blueberries (which I no longer like), kiwi, pineapple, grapes and my all time new favorite: WATERMELON.

Friends on facebook have been asking for more belly pics, so here they are! I still haven't "gained" any real weight - I wonder if I count my gains once I hit the weight I was when we got pregnant, no clue. Anywhoo.... some of these pictures are definitely "new" for me in the sense of showing my bare belly let alone showing me in a bathing suit

PCOS studies through Northwestern

A friend and "cyster" of mine shared this link on one of our pcos boards and I thought I'd pass it along.

Patsy played Adele! :)

Patsy emailed me a few minutes ago to see if I was listening so she could share my story about the baby bouncing around and going bonkers when she plays ADELE.

If you don't remember... see this post.

Well, don't you know as soon as the music started - baby G started going nuts in there!

I'll tell ya what... I will NEVER tire of that feeling. It doesn't get old for me at all. I've been through hell and back with infertility and heartache and feeling the movements really makes me count my blessings and praise God for this miracle.

Patsy also plugged this blog so who knows! Maybe I will meet new women going through infertility or women just like me who are presently pregnant after years of heartache.

It's amazing how many lives can be touched for the POSITIVE through social networking.

So to Patsy, thanks for being so wonderful. I love being able to listen in. And thanks for waking the baby up. I love when they go bonkers in there. :)

Does it really matter????

Does faith/denomination really matter?

Lately I've been learning about a variety of "denominations" in the
Christian religion and it's intriguing to me because truly it all comes down
to doing the right thing and living a good and honest life.

I have been finding myself a bit perplexed at different views on life, love,
marriage, peace, and spiritual wholeness.

Now that we are pregnant ((FINALLY)), it seems that religion/faith has been
an interesting (to say the least) topic of conversation with some.

I was baptized as an infant and was brought up Roman Catholic. I remained
a Roman Catholic all through my school years (Catholic school grades 1-8)
and started to stray from the Church during my high school years.
Nothing officially "set me off" from being Catholic. I was now attending
a Public High School FILLED with diversity and finally asking the tough
questions and soul searching. However, I was SO naïve at the time that I
didn't even know I COULD be Christian - I thought only Catholics had the
Bible and Jesus. I officially decided against being Catholic and finding
something new when my nephew was born. The Catholic Church refused to
baptize him because he was a bastard and therefore going to hell.

Luckily, we found the Evangelical Lutheran Church through my SIL (my
nephew's mother) and my brother, mother, and I slowly "converted" to being a
Lutheran. I still have some Catholic-isms but for the most part I would
say that I identify with my faith/denomination 100%. To me, it feels
like home. I feel like all of the issues I had with the Catholic Church
are the same issues Martin Luther had. It's a good fit.


But now that this child is coming I feel almost bullied into changing my
denomination and faith. Grant it, pregnancy hormones are in full swing
some days. Example: I can cry quite easily now.

Several people feel the need to tell me that having my child baptized is
unfair to the child, it's not right. It doesn't give my child a choice.
It forces religion. Etc...

But to ME, baptism is a welcoming into the Church, into the Body of Christ.
It gives a FOUNDATION for faith. It sets a spiritual "blue print" to help
them on their way. When my child is old enough, they can choose to be
Confirmed or not to CONFIRM their beliefs. If my child were to choose not
to be confirmed, I would be OKAY with that. If my child were to convert to
another faith, I would be OKAY with that (assuming it were a peaceful faith,
if my child wanted to join Westboro Baptist it would be a different story).
I want my child to have experience in the Church, I want a foundation for
them. I don't want them growing up without prayer or God in their life.
I don't feel having my child baptized bullies them or forces them in any
way.

But my question is WHY DO PEOPLE FEEL THE NEED TO PUSH SUCH THINGS? Sure
Catholics believe one thing, Lutherans another, Methodists another, Bible
Fellowship another... But it seems it all comes down to being more
politically centered rather than faith centered if that makes sense?

I think two prime examples of this are marriage and war.

I personally believe in love. If that love is between a man and a woman or
a woman and a woman or a man and a man - then so be it. I believe God
blessed us with love. If my future son or daughter were to find love in
another person of the same sex, I'd be thrilled that they have found love.
I do not believe that a man loving a man will result in both men going to
hell and living in eternal damnation. I just don't see God giving a
virtue half heartedly. But some faiths truly and strongly believe (and
will throw any random verse of the Bible at you which is an entirely
different post) that if you are in love with someone of the same sex then
you are destined for a one way ticket to hell. I just can't believe that.
I think God blessed people with the gift to love, and as long as you're not
careless and wreckless with that love you are ok.

In regards to war - there are several Churches making the news for
protesting and attacking our soldiers. The same soldiers who are keeping
these protestors safe. My church doesn't have pro-war rallies, but we
also don't ignore our troops. We believe in peace and we believe in
support.

I'm not going to raise my child without morals. So when topics of
baptism, faith, reconciliation and all these things come up - I tend to feel
a bit confronted, bullied and on guard.

Yes, my child will be having a Christening. It's not just a celebration
welcoming the child into the Church but it is also a cultural belief as
well. Infant baptism is far more sacred to me than dedication. It's a
sacrament. It's what my husband and I believe in.

I feel like when people ask, "Why are you doing that?" It's really saying,
"Um - that's weird, what kind of parent are you going to be?" So to all
of those out there giving me grief about the future baptism of my child,
please zip it. Keep quiet. It's insulting and infuriating.

The bottom line is this baby is a miracle and we're all children of God,
regardless of title/denomination.

Registering

I think hubby and I are going to register for our baby shower this weekend.

This is going to be a weird experience.

We did survive babies-r-us last night which was nice! Our first time there was just so incredibly overwhelming on so many levels. We did a stellar job of avoiding that place like the PLAGUE during the past five years.

I have a pretty functional list. I think my only truly "out there" request is a gliding rocker. I'd LOVE to have one.... but they're so gosh darn expensive! We tried a few out last night.

I also think we're going to go with PAMPERS brand diapers.

So if I register...I'll let you know.

This is just a weird experience - I used to dodge baby showers .... and now I'm going to have one.

Rolling In The Deep Lyrics

Rolling In The Deep Lyrics: "Adele Rolling In The Deep lyrics in the 21 Album. These Rolling In The Deep lyrics are performed by Adele Get the music video and song lyrics here. There's a fire starting in my heart, Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark, Finally"

Rolling in the Deep by Adele

http://www.mtv.com/videos/adele/604336/rolling-in-the-deep.jhtml

It's pretty much mandatory that everyone listens to "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele.

Yesterday, I was driving home from work listening to Patsy on 101.3 the Rose and she played this song and it was just... WOW!

It's one of those songs where it is soooo good that you can't remember any of the lyrics simply because you only remember how it made you feel.

So I emailed Patsy and asked her if she could please tell me who sang that song. She emailed me back right away. :)

Well, when Mark got home I played the song for him and the baby just decided to zip and zap every which way and it was AWESOME. Feeling the baby move is such a long awaited blessing after our five year journey of infertility.

So... the lesson is: Buy the Adele album this weekend and have baby rock out. :)

148... again!

I took a medical day today because I just was NOT feeling right at all this morning. I'll spare all the boring details but I will say hubby and I went to the OB to make sure things were okay with the baby. Everything is looking just fine and what I'm feeling is completely normal (yet not in the baby books). Baby's heartbeat was 148 again. I liked the Doctor. I've only met three doctors so far in this practice, I think I'll meet a total of seven. I'm just glad this baby is ok. Hearing that heartbeat is the most amazing sound and feeling in the world.