Labor and Delivery

Saturday evening, I began having mild contractions.  Sunday, August 29, I called the doctor because I thought I might be leaking amniotic fluid.  The doctor called back and said the only way to be sure it is or isn't fluid, would be for me to come into the hospital and have him check.  So John and I packed up the car in hopes that we would get to stay at the hospital!  We were hoping we'd get to meet baby Taylor today!  John and I got to the hospital with all our 'stuff.'  The nurse came in and did the triage work.  The doctor came in, ran his test, and determined that it was not fluid and I should go home.  John and I were so disappointed.  Today wasn't the day.

On Monday, I woke up with contractions and decided to stay home from work.  I thought for sure the contractions would get stronger and I wanted to be able to time them and be ready to leave for the hospital at a moments notice.  So I stayed home and...the contractions went away!  I was so anxious, but again, this wasn't the day.

On Tuesday, August 31, I woke up with stronger, more regular contractions.  I debated about work.  I decided to get up and get ready.  I knew if I took the day off, it'd end up the same way as Monday, a wasted day off with no progress.  So I went to work.  I called the doctor on the way because yet again, I was having signs of leaking fluid and also having more regular contractions.  When I got to school the nurse called me back.  She told me I shouldn't go to work because more than likely I'd be admitted to the hospital later.  Too late!  I was already beginning my day with the kids.  The doctor called back around 8am.  They told me to come in at 8:45.  I had a lady cover my class.  I was sure I'd be coming back to school so I didn't want to get a sub.  At the doctor's office, John met me and our midwife Jan ran the tests.  She walked out of the room to look under the microscope.  A few minutes later she came in and said you have to come see this.  She took us into her office and said look into the microscope.  What we saw was a beautiful snowflake picture.  A clear sign of amniotic fluid!  She called the hospital and made arrangements for us to be admitted today.  I got emotional, Jan got emotional, John was shocked!
We drove home to load the car with our items for the hospital.  We called family and friends and gave them the good news.  "It's baby time!"  On the way to the hospital we stopped to get lunch.  I knew it'd be a while before I ate again.  We arrived at the hospital at 11am and a nurse showed us to our room.  We were only in that room for a short time.  There was a lot of construction noise (they're adding onto the hospital).  They agreed to move us to a patio room!  This was the room I was hoping for.
My nurse went through all the questions.  She also asked if we knew when my fluid ruptured.  She decided to go with 6pm Monday night.  The important thing when fluid leaks is that the baby needs to be delivered within 24 hours.
Around 1pm the midwife, Nancy, came in.  She checked me and determined I was 2 centimeters.  She mentioned starting pitocin and breaking my water.  In my birth plan I asked that we not do either of these procedures (unless necessary).  She avoided the pitocin and decided to break my water.  What a crazy experience that was!  Immediately after my water broke, my contractions intensified drastically!  Family left the room because I couldn't handle having anyone around.  I had to lay in bed for 30 minutes while they got one round of penicillin in me (to protect baby from infection since we didn't know when my water started leaking).  The pain was incredible!  I wanted to wait on the epidural.  I told the nurse I wanted to try walking around to see if it lessened the pain.  I got up and walked a short distance.  I immediately felt like I might pass out.  I went to lay down and told the nurse I was ready for my epidural.  By this time I was in hard labor.  Didn't know it at the time, but this was SO intense.  I could hardly get through the pain.  I was on my side praying that the pain would go away.  I was trying to breathe through them, trying to create a vision.  OH it was so uncomfortable.  During this time the nurse saw that there was meconium in my amniotic fluid.  It wasn't a bad thing, but they needed to be aware of it when the baby came out.  In the mean time, the nurse was trying to quickly get a bag of fluids into me so she could order the epidural.  Around 3pm the epidural was ready.  I was so anxious and in such intense pain, I did get sick.  Poor nurse having to hold the container.  But once he put that epidural in my back, I was GOOD TO GO!  It was instant relief.  It was the best feeling of my life!  All discomfort, all the contraction pain was gone.  It was absolutely incredible.  Family came back into the room.  I was like a different person.  At 5pm the midwife came in and checked me again.  She said, "She's 10!"  I was 10 centimeters, time to push!  She said to wait until I felt the pressure of the babies head.  I felt a lot of pressure, but most of the time it would subside.
The nurse had been keeping Taylor's heartbeat the entire time.  At this time, she started having trouble keeping the monitor on the heartbeat.  She also noticed that the heartbeat was becoming slower at times.  All of a sudden she asked all family to leave the room.  I was really concerned because I knew it had to do with the heartbeat.  She rolled me on my back to get me ready for delivery.  The heartbeat got even lower when I was on my back.  She said I might have to deliver on my side.  She called the midwife.  There was a lot of pressure, but no pain.  The midwife had me get on my back to push.  I was so worried because I knew Taylor's heartbeat was slowing each time I laid on my back.  When they told me to push, I pushed with all my strength!  I knew we had to get Taylor out.  (During pushing they let me feel her head. Then I remembered that we had a hand mirror so I could watch the delivery.  John frantically went and got it from the suitcase.)  I pushed four times and Taylor's head was out.  They told me to look down.  I saw the most precious site in all of the world.  I saw our baby girl!  They laid her on my abdomen to clean her.  John cut the cord.  They were suctioning her.  They put her on my chest for a short time.  Then they had to take her to the stand next to me. They were a little concerned because her cry wasn't loud.  She was whimpering, but they were looking for a much louder noise.  They pumped her stomach to make sure there was no meconium (there wasn't).  They suctioned until they got a good cry.  They weighed and measured her.  She weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces and was 19 inches long.  She was born at 5:51 pm!
As they were examining her, I was getting more and more anxious.  I wanted to hold my baby girl!  They finally brought her to me.  She laid with me skin-to-skin for about 30 minutes.  I nursed her and then John held her.  We were finally a family of 3!  What an incredible experience this was!  We love our little Taylor with all our hearts!

Sneak Peek of Taylor's first photo session!

Taylor Marie Warren

Week 39

Had a check up on Thursday.  CNM Jan did the exam.  Said I was one centimeter on the outside and fingertip inside.  Who knew you could be both?!  Also said I'm 50% effaced.  At least we have progress!

So do these look like professional photographs or what!  My husband has a new favorite hobby!  We did two maternity photo sessions this week.  We'll be adding them to our website very soon.  Start booking your session.  We'll fill up very quickly!  haha  :)

Saturday I started having a few contractions.  Didn't really know they were contractions.  But apparently menstrual type cramping (even when mild) is considered a contraction.  So that was exciting to learn!  I also lost (brace yourself) some of my "plug" Saturday evening.  Didn't know what it was, but definitely hadn't seen anything like it before.  Sunday when I woke up I felt like I might be leaking.  I'd had contractions intermittently all night, so I thought maybe my water was leaking.  I called the nurse who paged the doctor, who eventually called me.  The doctor said he didn't think it was my water leaking, but the only way to tell would be to come in to the maternity center to have him exam me.  I knew I wouldn't be comfortable just waiting and not knowing.  So, John and I packed the car (anticipating that we'd get to stay) and headed to the hospital.  We called our parents just to put them on alert.
Mom tells me that these are actually the same steps she took when she was going into labor with me.  And I was born on a Sunday!  So I thought for sure this was the real deal!
At the hospital they hooked me up to the fetal monitor and contractions monitor.  Turns out I was having contractions pretty regularly, but I couldn't feel them.  Interesting...I thought this whole labor thing is going to be a breeze!  It was great to here Taylor's heartbeat!  It was our background music for about an hour!  So the doctor did the test to see if there was any amniotic fluid, and.....there wasn't.  So he sent us home.  He said "You could be back tonight, or it could be a week."
Thanks Doc!  That helps!
So here we sit and wait....I did eat spicy food that night and we plan to go on a nice LONG walk tonight.  We're going to get this little girl out!

Week 38

Things continue to go well as we anxiously await the arrival of our little princess.  :)  Taylor is still very active, and she feels so big!  I'm a little concerned....the last doctor estimated that she'd be around 8 pounds 1 ounce.  This honestly sounds like a good size to me.  Collins babies tend to be VERY big!  Luckily we have the Warren's to balance us out!  I'm just hoping she can fit into her newborn outfits for a week or so.  They're so little and so cute!
This past Friday I had a little scare.  Not really a scare, but a sense that this could be the day!  For a few days I'd been experiencing some...let's just say "I was uncomfortable and sore."  It hurt to lift my legs, get up from sitting, move...  So I called the doctor and they said all was normal.  I  had an appointment that afternoon, and I just knew they were going to say I had dilated, maybe even enough to be admitted to the hospital.  First time mom...what else can I say!  So the doctor did the exam and......NOTHING!  I am effacing (but they told me that two weeks ago!).  He said I'd probably go a "couple" more weeks, which would actually take me up to my due date.  So, now we just sit and wait.
I guess little Taylor is happy and comfy in her little home.  But we are so excited to see her!!!!  So hopefully little girl Warren will decide to make her way out in the next two weeks.  I can't believe I'm due next Friday!  One and a half weeks to go!
My third grade team at GHES threw a wonderful shower for me today!  I am so blessed to work with such kind, caring people.  We had a wonderful time!

Week 37

Such a cute little story...
John called me today and said, "You know what I'm looking forward to?"  He said, "I'm looking forward to taking Taylor to get her first Happy Meal from McDonald's!"
I thought this was so precious!  He said he was just sitting at work with nothing to do but think about things.  He's so excited to be able to take Taylor to McDonald's and get her Happy Meals.  He remembers doing it as a child.
Precious moments...can't wait!!

Week 31-36

Four weeks to go!!!!  Wow...a lot has happened since I last published a post.  Where to begin....

Week 31: John and I planned our last trip out of town.  We went to the beach to get our last little vacation in for the summer.  Taylor has really started to move and make my belly jump!  John and I love just watching her!  John and I did have a slight scare this week.  We have a friend that delivered a healthy little girl SIX weeks early.   Immediately, John and I panic thinking "when is six weeks for us?!"  No way we'd be ready!

Week 32: This week we celebrated my 29th birthday!  Being pregnant on my birthday was so sweet.  I can't imagine how God will bless us this year with baby Taylor's arrival.  Year 28 included my nephew's birth, engagement, marriage, honeymoon, pregnancy...  John and I have been so blessed in only one year of marriage! God is so good!

This week we attended infant CPR and safety class.  We also attended Childbirth Preparation on Saturday and Sunday.

Week 33: This week Taylor continues to impress us with her acrobatics.  She's obviously growing bigger and stronger every day.  Heartburn and indigestion are getting worse!  I can hardly eat a meal without taking a Pepcid or Tums.  She also has begun pushing up in my rib cage.  I can feel her little feet (I guess it's her feet) pushing up.  I LOVE feeling her movements every day.  I think I'm going to be really sad when I don't have that connection with her.  I feel the prepartum blues coming on.  :(  Not really, but I will miss the movements!  BUT, I know seeing her adorable little face will be so much more precious and special!

Week 34:  First shower this weekend!  I had a shower in Columbia for family and friends.  We had a great time and Taylor got some great gifts!




Week 35:  Second shower this weekend!  My bestest friend Amanda and her mom threw a shower for John and I in Rock Hill.  This was a great day spent with good friends and family.


This week I also started one week appointments.  I met with Jan, the CNM.  She did an exam and determined that I'm not dilated.  She said she could definitely tell my cervix is getting ready and that I'm a "little" effaced.  So, it sounds like there's progress.  Very exciting!  Jan also said something like, "I wonder if you'll make it to your due date?"  Well I wonder too!  She asked if I was an early baby, but I was a week late and my brother was born on his due date.  It made me wonder if she was implying baby Taylor may come a little early.  We'll see!  Now John and I need to pack our bags!

Week 36: So here we are at week 36.  John and I decided that the best way to celebrate week 36 would be to buy a new car!  :)  The last few weeks we've been looking into trading in John's truck because of the mileage.  We were looking at the Chevy Equinox and Hyundai Santa Fe.  It came down to Hyundai giving us the best trade in value AND being able to get our payments where we wanted them.  So, this summer we've purchased two new vehicles (one new and one used).  This wasn't necessarily the plan for our vehicles.  We knew we needed to trade in my Altima, but it worked out where we should also go ahead and trade in the truck.  Poor John, he's not sure how he'll survive without his "baby" (the truck)!

Week 31

It's official!  Taylor Marie Warren is our little girl's name!  :)  Here's a video of her nursery.  It's not quite finished, but we're getting there.  Hope you enjoy!!

We had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!  Here are a few pictures of our time spent with family.

Nursery!

Here's our nursery!  John worked so hard and did an amazing job!  We LOVE it!  :)  We need some decorations and frames on the wall, but the hard part is taken care of.  I'm also waiting on the other valence to come in, along with the mobile and lamp.  So exciting!

Week 30: Car and Paint

ths
This week John and I bought a new car!  Well...it's not "new"...but it's new to us!  We bought a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer.  We have been looking for a while at Carmax, trying to find a reliable car, with decent mileage, and a reasonable price.  The first car we had transferred was an '05 Trailblazer.  We weren't sold when we saw it so we kept looking.  We found a good buy and had it transferred a few days later.  When it got here everything looked and ran great!  I'm very sad to say that we had to trade in the '99 Nissan Altima.  The poor Altima had over 172,000 miles.  It was a great car.  But I am SO excited to have a new car that can hit 70 without shaking!!

This weekend we (well...John) painted the nursery!  We had been waiting to paint because we were hoping to sell our home.  Since it hasn't sold, and I'm impatient, we decided to go ahead and paint.  Choosing the paint was quite an ordeal.  We bought 6 samples total.  Then we weren't sure we liked any of them.  We were all over the place...green, yellow, pink...  So we finally decided we'd go with the custom match color of green.  John took the sample to the store and told them we needed a gallon.  He came home and started painting...only to find out that the color was completely different from what we wanted!  It was a much deeper, hunter green.  So...we got back in the car and went to get another gallon of paint, and this time hopefully what we wanted.  The lady at Home Depot actually gave us what we wanted, and then added more of certain colors to make the match perfect!  The paint on the wall is beautiful!  I was really worried about the green being a little dull, but it is beautiful!  The green with the white is adorable!  I can't wait to move all the furniture back, put some decorations up, and bring the whole room together!  So exciting!  John painted for hours to make the room look wonderful!

Beach: Week 29

John and I had a wonderful, relaxing beach trip last weekend.  We celebrated Dylan's 3rd birthday!  I can't believe he's already three!  We tried to explain that he's going to have a cousin very soon.  He's going to be a great big cousin!
Baby Girl Warren got another chance to swim in the ocean (which felt much like the temperature of a bath tub).
Here are some shots we got while at the beach.  John's taken up photography as a hobby!
John's also decided that he can be a children's picture book author.  We've been reading to our little girl almost every night.  John is amazed at how...simple...these books are.  He is determined to write one.  :)
Baby Warren's kicks and punches continue to get bigger!  John and I love to sit and watch my belly move!  She's such a strong little girl.  Maybe a future soccer player...volleyball...tennis...??
We're still not official with the name yet.  We're leaning towards one but I'm finding it hard to commit.  It's so permanent once we commit!  John is SO ready to say that this is her name.  I'll get there!

Week 27

I can't believe I'm about to start my THIRD trimester!! I feel like the time has really flown by! John and I have so much to do. It's quite overwhelming right now. Fortunately school is out and I can focus on baby needs. :)

On the last day of school, I surprised my students by bringing in our wedding video.  They had been asking me all year when they could watch it!  I could only justify spending an hour and a half watching my wedding video, on the last day of school.  HOWEVER, if I'd known I would be so emotional watching it with them, I may have reconsidered sharing it!  :)  Truthfully, it was really special to share it with them.  There were so many moments when I just teared up.  Seeing John walk down the aisle, seeing me with dad walking down the aisle, the music, the vows!  Watching the video brought back all the sweet memories of our wedding day.  And knowing that God has blessed us with our first child made it that much more emotional!  In my vows I said to John, "I know you'll be a loving, devoted father."  I remember writing those words thinking how important children would be in our marriage, and how I knew, without a doubt, that John would be an incredible father to them.  And to know that we're at that point in our marriage makes me so happy!!!! 

On to spending money...

We've spent a lot of time looking for a dresser to match the cherry color of our crib. With no luck looking at other stores, we purchased one today from USA Baby that matches perfectly! This purchase wasn't made without unnecessary frustration! Me going to the store, John calling, Me calling the manufacturer, Me calling the store...and on and on. BUT, in the end, they agreed to meet us half way and we made the purchase. Glad to have this taken care of. (Long story, but it had to do with price matching and a better deal...etc.). Anyways, John's bringing the dresser home tonight...as long as it doesn't rain! I'm so excited to start putting our baby girl's room together!

We're also trying to decide on a mattress. We bought one, but it didn't feel firm enough, so we sent it back. We bought another one online, but it's not a dual (infant and toddler) so I think we're going to send it back too! I know...we're not good decision makers! I went out today to look and feel other mattresses. Who knows?? There are so many options!

Today I ALSO took back the bedding we had picked out. It was adorable and we had it in the room for over a month. But the more I looked at it and the more I thought about it, I decided we HAD to have some pink!! We are having a girl!! This bedding was more purplish pink with animals. I found an adorable one that is definitely pink, but also with the cutest little animals (including a monkey...love me some monkeys!). So I need to purchase the new bedding online...hoping I don't change my mind again! :)

We're also in the process of finding a family vehicle...as my 99 Nissan Altima with 172,000 miles, just won't do for a baby. 

We also continue to discuss names.  However...I think we've decided on one!!!!  :))))

Baby Girl Warren also got to meet her future husband this week!!  Cooper Thomas Mullen was born on June 3.  We went to Tennessee to see Cooper, Amanda and Jayson.  When I would hold Baby Cooper, Baby Warren would kick him!!  It was so cute.  It was like she was saying, "Hey!  There's someone in here!"  Cooper and Baby Warren's first meeting was so precious! 

I had my blood sugar test this week.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I was able to eat breakfast in the morning, and the orange drink wasn't terrible.  We'll find out the results in a few days.  Praying I passed and everything is great!!

Baby Girl Warren continues to kick and move and punch.  I am absolutely loving every moment of being pregnant.  Of course, the nausea isn't fun, but with it comes a precious baby girl!  What could be better? 

Oh, and Nona Collins (mom) felt Baby Warren for the first time yesterday (June 8)!  So fun!!

Week 26

On May 28, my students surprised me with the sweetest baby shower!  We were heading out to recess and my room mom called all my kids into this small meeting room.  I thought she was doing something for the end of the year.  Then she called me in.  I walked in and there were all my cute little girls screaming "SURPRISE!"  I was definitely surprised and so excited!  We had cake, punch, and strawberries.  I opened gifts and we had a great time.  One mom made an outfit for our little girl!  It is the cutest little shirt and pants I have ever seen!  She also made a diaper bag that is the same fabric as the pants.  So cute!  I got a few other sweet gifts and a nice gift card to Babies R Us.  A few of them also gave me a basket of diapers, wipes, and little things that all babies need.  So sweet of them to think of me and our baby!
On May 29, I surprised John with a night out in Charlotte.  He didn't know it until we got there, but we were celebrating our one year engagement!  :)  We took the Blue Line to uptown Charlotte.  We got off and walked to the restaurant Cosmos and had a nice dinner.  A year ago, after John proposed in a limo, Cosmos is where he had our families waiting to surprise me and celebrate with us!  All the memories came back as we were having dinner.  We even pointed out the table where our families were sitting.  I can still see all the smiles and all the tears.  It was truly a night to remember.  Who knew that one year after our engagement, we'd be sitting in the same restaurant, 7 months pregnant?!  It was so sweet to have our little girl with us (even if only in my belly!).  :)

Week 25

We are blessed that everything continues to go well in pregnancy.  Everyday I can feel our baby girl more and more.  She is constantly kicking or poking, which I love!  The other night I felt her on both sides of my belly!  I guess she was kicking on one side and punching on the other.  It was precious, and just confirmed how big she's getting!  I can't believe that she's already over a pound and a half in weight and about 13.5 inches in length!  It seems like just yesterday that she was compared to the size of a sesame seed!  How quickly they grow!

Funny story...the other night in Home Depot, a lady was telling me her husband makes belly bands (he's in textiles).  She said, "But you look like you're carrying small so you probably won't need one."  I was so thankful for this comment.  I, of course, feel gigantic!!  So her "you're carrying small" made me feel great!  But...at work a few days later a woman asked  when I was due.  I told her September and she said, "I don't know that you're going to make it!"  So the high I was feeling with being told I was small was quickly squished by her, "you don't look like you'll make it."

Today, May 24, another parent at school told me I looked adorable, but she didn't know how I would make it to the next school year!  Oh well...it's a great thing that our baby is growing and that my belly is getting bigger. 

So I'm quickly starting to worry about this summer and the dreaded heat.  I already get hot so I can't imagine 90-100 weather.  I am really looking forward to seeing how low I can get our house temperature and how high I can get our electric bill!!  :) 

This weekend we took our little girl for her first beach swim.  She also seemed to enjoy the boat ride up and down the Intercoastal Waterway.  John and I had a great time cruising around enjoying the sun! 

Week 22

WOW!  I can't believe how quickly the weeks are going by!  It seems like just yesterday that I was laying on the couch, too nauseous to get up.  Being farther along in pregnancy brings so many new discoveries!!  I've been feeling our baby girl for a few weeks now.  Every day I feel like her kicks and punches are getting stronger.  I feel them best when I'm sitting quietly on the couch, focusing on her movements.  It's such an incredible feeling. 

Last Sunday (April 25), I woke up and wanted to hear her heartbeat using the monitor.  I was lying on my back and pushing the microphone part gently on my stomach.  Our precious little girl KICKED the microphone!  Apparently she didn't like me intruding in her space!  :)  I then put my hand on the same spot and pushed down and she kicked my hand!!  I've been trying for a while to see if she would kick me, but this was the first time!  I woke John up and tried to get him to feel the same thing, but she was done with the kicking.  Sorry Chang.

Another cool thing that happened recently was dealing with baby names.  We have 3 names picked out that we really like.  The middle name will be Marie.  The first names we like are Madison, Ava, and Taylor.  The other morning I was in the shower and prayed about guidance in choosing a name.  I was just seeking direction because of course I want it to be the right name, that God would have us choose.  So standing there I prayed about the name and just asked that God would guide us and all of a sudden the name Taylor popped into my mind.  Many months ago I was at a Christian bookstore.  I was wandering around and decided to look at Baby Name books.  I picked one up and looked up the name Taylor.  (It's always been a favorite name of mine, and I wanted to see what it meant.)  I read the meaning, "Child of Salvation."  While I was praying, that's what came to mind.  It was like "Taylor, child of salvation!"  This was such an amazing experience.  I really want to go back to the store and look at the book again...just to make sure I'm remembering correctly!!  :) 

So that's what's going on.  My belly is growing bigger and bigger!  I feel like I'm growing everywhere else too, but I'm trying not to worry about it.  It's all for our sweet baby girl!  :)

Week 20

So here we are half way through the pregnancy.  Amazing how fast these first few months have gone by.  Our sweet baby girl is doing great!  I'm feeling a few kicks and punches here and there!  Feeling her is such an amazing feeling! 
Jessica let John and I borrow a prenatal heart listener.  The first night we were able to find and listen to her heartbeat!  It was incredible!  We can both have headphones on and hear it at the same time.  The sound of her heartbeat is precious.  Almost everyday since, we've used the listener to hear her heartbeat.  I think it's just our way of hearing and knowing that our baby is okay.  She's so wonderful!! 
This morning, (April 25), I woke up and wanted to listen.  I put the monitor on and pushed down a little to hear better.  Our little girl kicked back at the monitor!!!!  I moved the monitor and put my hand in the same place.  She kicked my hand!!  I woke up John and he tried to feel it, but he didn't.  Soon enough he'll be able to feel her.  The kicks are getting stronger and more consistent everyday!!

18 weeks 5 days Ultrasound!!

What an amazing day yesterday was (April 7)!  Leading up to the ultrasound, I'd heard that I should drink caffeine to get the baby moving so we could find out what we were having.  So I had a coke on the way to the appointment.  (I hadn't had caffeine in 18 weeks!) 
When John and I got to the doctor's office my heart was raising with anxiety!  I was so excited to SEE our baby and hear how everything was developing.  The technician took us back almost immediately, which was a blessing.  We'd already been waiting weeks for this appointment!
The room was dimly lit and there were two screens.  One was a TV screen in front of me and one was the monitor for the technician.  The first question she asked was, "Do you want to know what you're having?"  John and I both said, "YES!" Random fact but the jelly was quite warm that she put on my belly.  I was expecting cold.  Anyways, she got right on with the ultrasound. 
She put the monitor on my belly and immediately we saw the baby.  I didn't know what to expect but it was simply amazing.  I've seen many ultrasound pictures but nothing could have prepared me for the movement of our baby.  The nurse patiently pointed out every part of the baby, as she took pictures and made notes about measurements.  Most everything measured right at 18 weeks 5 days.  The babies abdomen measured 19 week.  The technician was so kind and patient, she kept telling us everything looks very normal.  What a blessing!  She said I have an anterior placenta, which means it's in front of the baby.  So it's my skin, placenta, and uterus.  The doctor said this is good, but I may not feel some of the tiny punches and kicks this soon, because the placenta is between my belly and the baby.  Oh well, as long as it's in a good position. 
As she moved down the baby's body she stopped to take a picture of the baby and said, "I'm going to go with GIRL!"  She said it's a little girl.  A GIRL!  JOHN AND I ARE GOING TO BE PARENTS TO A PRECIOUS BABY GIRL!  Oh my gosh, what a rush this whole experience has been! 
About half way through the ultrasound the technician said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had caffeine before you came today."  Guilty!  I told her I had heard that it would get the baby moving around.  She said, "Your baby is doing flips and turns in here!"  She was so nice about the whole thing.  I was so embarrassed and blamed it on my sister-in-laws (yes, both Aunts!!)  :)
It was great, the technician saw the chambers of the heart and said again she didn't see anything to be concerned about.  God is good!  The last few minutes of the ultrasound she recorded on DVD so we could take it home and show our families.  You can really see our baby girl flipping, turning, and putting her tiny butt in the air!  What an entertainer she is. 
I did tell our baby "sorry" last night.  I hyped her up too much...poor little thing.  No more caffeine for me!! 
John and I invited our parents over to watch the video and see the ultrasond pictures.  Another great experience to share with the people we love so much.  I'm now almost half way through the pregnancy.  Time is flying by!  Now we need to decide on a name, nursery theme, and start buying cute dresses!  "Not too much pink," John says.  :)

Week 16-18

Here I am at 17 weeks!  Baby is sure growing!!  I've been feeling pretty good lately.  I think I may have felt our baby move a few times!  It's so hard for me to actually believe that the poke, flutter, or bubble feeling "thing" was actually a little kick from Baby! 
Tomorrow we find out what we're having!!  Will it be a precious baby girl or sweet baby boy??  It seems most people think it's going to be a girl.  I'm not sure!! 
Tomorrow will also be our first ultrasound.  So we'll be able to actually see our baby for the first time!!  I cannot imagine how special this moment will be for John and I.  I know first and foremost it will be conformation that everything is going well and Baby is developing perfectly.  And at some point there will probably be a moment where we think..."Oh my gosh, that's OUR baby!!"  I can't wait.  I've been told to drink caffeine, Mountian Dew, or fruit to give the baby a little energy and wake them up! 
As the weeks pass by, we feel more and more blessed with this precious life that will be joining our family very soon.  :)

Week 15

What a wonderful week it's been!  First, John and I were in Columbia, and I think I felt our baby move!!!!  I've tried to be very observant of the feelings I have in my belly.  Most are high, but this one was a low movement.  So I'll just continue to believe that it was the first time I felt our baby (Saturday, March 13).  :) 
We went to the doctor yesterday for a routine check up.  John came in hopes of hearing the heart beat (for the first time!).  That was the first thing the doctor did.  When the nurse put the doppler on, she kept it in one position for a minute.  I asked, "Is that the heart beat?"  I had no idea!   It sounded so different.  It was so loud!!  It was like music to my ears.  John wished he had recorded it with his phone so he could listen to it over and over again.  How precious!!  The sound really was so sweet...
In about 3 weeks we'll find out the sex of our little one.  This will also be the first ultrasound...so what an amazing experience we have to look forward to!  Getting to see our sweet baby is going to be amazing. 
Other things going on...John and I have put our house on the market.  We are hoping for a buyer before July.  That'll give us time to get out, settled, and ready for our babies arrival!  Praying for God's will...

Week 14

YAY!  The start of the second trimester!  What a milestone it seems!  John and I and baby are doing great!  I'm still feeling pretty good.  I have spurts of nausea, but I'm definitely better than I was.  What a blessing to be feeling better!  I'm also showing!  It may not be to everyone, but for people that know I'm pregnant, I think a baby belly is visible.  :)  I went shopping for maternity clothes with my mom last week.  I'm definitely not ready for maternity pants, but we did find a shirt.  I still have some growing to do before I can fit into most maternity clothes.  Can't wait for that time!!
I'm able to eat a larger variety of food which is also exciting.  (no more cheese toast for dinner!)  John and I have been taking pictures every week of my belly.  When I'm comfortable enough to show my bare belly, I'll post some pictures!  I'm usually not a fan of midriff pics! 
We go to the doctor March 16 for a routine check up.  I hope this time John gets to hear the heart beat!  Hopefully it'll be stronger and louder so we can really hear our little one.  April 7 we'll find out the sex.  That is so exciting! 

Week 12

Well I'm happy to report this week that I've been feeling a lot better!  My nausea seems to be getting better and I'm able to eat different foods.  John and I actually went to the book store and dinner the other night!  I ate a fajita, chips and dip!  It was the best food I've eaten in many weeks.
Tomorrow will mark the beginning of week 13!  We're so excited as the weeks pass and my belly grows a little more.  Speaking of...I'm not able to button all my pants!  First time in my life this has been exciting for me!  :)  I've got a little bump, but I can't wait for it to get bigger!  Hoping to buy a bella band this weekend and maybe a few maternity tops!!  YAY!

Weeks 6-11

Since we're getting a late start on this blog, I'll merge weeks 6-11. Honestly, I'm not sure I would have been able to post during this time. My life consisted mostly of work, couch, and bed. This is the first picture we took of my pregnancy, at Week 9. 

The first week of pregnancy I felt great. Then with week 6 came nausea! I know they call it morning sickness...but it didn't end...it just continued. They say with a sick pregnancy comes a healthy baby. We pray that's true!
These six weeks consisted primarily of me working, coming home to the couch, and heading to bed pretty early. In the beginning I ate frosted mini wheats for breakfast, lots of crackers throughout the day, baked potatoes for lunch, and grilled cheese for dinner. Later I switched to waffles in the morning (still loving these), fruit and crackers for snack, baked potato (almost every day) for lunch, and cheese toast for dinner.

John and I were able to take off to the beach for Valentine's weekend. I felt good enough to visit Knots Landing, where we were married, and we went to dinner. It was a great weekend. I thought I might even be feeling better.

February 16 John and I were able to hear the heartbeat! The doctor used the doppler so it was very hard to distinguish. Hearing our babies heartbeat confirmed, for us, that everything about the pregnancy was going well and progressing wonderfully. When we were checking out, John proceeded to tell me that he in fact had not heard the heartbeat. He heard my heartbeat and thought that was the babies. By the time he realized that was my heartbeat, the doctor had removed the doppler. :( So, for now, John will have to take the doctor's word that things are good. :)
That week my nausea got a little worse and I was sick a few days. Although disappointing to feel so bad, hearing the heartbeat reminded me that I'm making a baby! Praise God!

Sharing the News

The day of the doctors appointment I called and told my bestest friend Amanda that we were expecting. And how fun is it that she's also expecting?! She was the only person I could call because we'd be telling our parents in person.

The next day we told my parents that we were heading to Columbia for a meeting and wanted to have dinner with them afterwards. We met them at Cracker Barrel. At our table we handed them a picture frame that said "Grandkids." They looked at it and didn't say anything. Then they said thanks...I guess they thought it was just a gift! I just kept staring at mom and she finally said, "This doesn't have any meaning behind it, does it?" FINALLY, I thought! Yes, there's a meaning behind it...you all have one grandkid and the frame says "GrandkidS!" They were both really excited! I think surprised that we got pregnant so quickly...we'd been married for 2 months! :)
That night on the way home we stopped at Jessica and Ronnie's to share the news. We gave them a "Cousins" frame. Ronnie already knew (no comment) and Jess knew right away what the frame meant. Jackson will have a little cousin to play with!! 
The next day we shared with John's parents, his sister, and brother-in-law. John had a great idea to get them all together.  He told them we had received our wedding pictures and wanted to share with all of them.  So we all met at the Warren's for dinner.  I wanted to tell right away, but John was very patient and we waited for a little while.  When we were all in the kitchen about to eat dinner, we handed out the same frames "Grandkids" and "Cousins".  (This will be their second grandchild and Dylan's first cousin!)  Jennifer knew when she saw the frame (she said she knew that day what we were going to share!).  Debbie and Parks looked really excited to receive a cute frame.  Parks said, after a while, what's that say?  Grandkids.  Parks said are you pregnant.  Debbie looked up with the biggest eyes I've ever seen.  I said yes and there reaction was priceless.  Debbie kept saying "Oh my God...Oh my God!"  Needless to say, they were both thrilled and completely shocked. 
Sharing the news with family was one of the most exciting experiences of my life.  I will remember our parents reactions forever.  They were precious. 

Finding Out

John and I found out we were pregnant December 31, 2009.  I remember we both just stared at the test and then looked at each other.  It was an unbelievable moment.  We were both in shock!  This was something we both wanted and we couldn't believe that it was here and real and positive!  This picture of John and I was taken on Christmas Day 2009, six days before we found out we were pregnant. 

Being New Years Eve when we found out, it was a hard secret to keep from friends!  I called the doctor the next day and we had our first appointment Monday, January 4.  The doctor calculated that I was five weeks two days pregnant.  (Who knew that 2 weeks of pregnancy, you're not really pregnant?  Not me!)