and we're off

here we are in the 16th week of pregnancy and I have to say that it has been the longest 16 weeks since the last time I was pregnant.
apart from getting sick every morning now, and having other tell tale signs of pregnancy, I really haven't been feeling like I'm pregnant - just sick.

but these next several weeks will be kicking it all off.  it's going to be more real to me now.  this Friday we have an OB appointment and at that appointment we are going to be scheduling some tests.  first of all we will be getting our ultrasound test scheduled.  we are both pretty excited about it.  maybe we will find out if baby is a boy or girl.  but we're probably not telling!  ha ha
next we will be setting up my gestational diabetes testing.  I really hope that I pass the 1 hour because that 3 hour is horrible.
in about 2 more months from now I will be getting my rhogam injection.  "what is that?"  you ask.  well I have been blessed with a negative blood type.  because my blood cells are Rh- there is a risk that my body will try to attack/reject the baby and or cause the baby's heart to grow with a defect that may cause death for the baby.   but one shot in the kiester and that is no longer a concern.
after the baby is born they will be blood typed and if by any chance they have a positive blood type then I will require another injection of the same medicine just in case the baby's blood might have mixed with mine during delivery.  that could cause some major issues for me or even potentially kill me as my body would be trying to reject the foreign blood.  interesting how blood works.  you can take my blood type and give it to ANYONE at all and it will have no ill effects until they can be blood typed and given the correct blood type, but if an Rh+ blood were to be injected into my body with my Rh- blood I would reject it and maybe die.
that's a nutshell for you if you've ever wondered why O- is the universal donor blood.

so that's something to look forward to.

hopefully in the next week or so I will finally be feeling the baby kick.  I'm getting really anxious for that.
it is seriously the very best part of pregnancy.  yeah, it hurts when they keep shoving their little feet under your ribs and or kick you as hard as their tiny legs can muster right on top of your bladder and sometimes worse than that, your cervix.  HOLY COW!!!
but it's also the most terrifying thing when you are at the end and you have gone for 6 hours and realize that you haven't felt any baby movement and you are begging them to jab your ribs and other uncomfortable places just so you know they are still alive.
another thing to look forward to.

these next couple of months are going to go streaking by so fast.  then I'll be at the end of my... well, we'll say comfort and I'll be begging for labor to start even if I am an entire month early.

and I mean this all in the least sarcastic way possible.  I can hardly wait!

painting, my mother's day present

so thanks to the great assistance of a friend of mine and Emma's, we prepped for house painting.

our poor home has been in desperate need of a new coat of paint for the last 7 years and I started the process about 5 years ago, but something always comes up!

with the help of Emma's friend's dad we are getting primed and painting.

this morning we put the kids to work.  they don't exactly like it.  well, tough.  If I can get out there all nauseous and headache-y then they can deal with the monotony of it all.

Ronan is practicing spelling his own name.  he's getting much better

  Connor left me a message and drew a picture of me being happy and mad at the same time. 

 Timothy is trying to get primer on a difficult to reach spot.  he's done a great job and has been very helpful

 making a happy face.  he was very proud of this and stepped back with a bit of a flare.

it's too bad that we have to paint it all the way over.  but then that's why man invented cameras

thump thump swish

last month, for my birthday, Tim got me (us) a fetal doppler so we can listen to the baby whenever we want to and not have to wait until our prenatal appointments to get a chance.

at first we couldn't find a heartbeat because baby was still very small and we would have had to be right on to pick up the heart.
a few days later we found it and every time ever since.

there are days when I feel suspiciously good and other days when I feel exceptionally terrible.
on those days I bring out the doppler and have a listen to either make sure the baby is fine and I'm just having a good day or try to give me strength when I'm throwing up most of the day and half dead on the couch the rest of the day.

Monday was a half dead kind of day (Tuesday too) so I went to the doppler for some comfort. while listening to the heartbeat I heard the cutest thump and swish. I yelled for Tim to hurry and hear what I was hearing and we sat there and listened for several minutes.
those pretty little thump and swish sounds were the baby kicking me :D
I can't feel them yet. perhaps another anterior placenta. but it was sweet knowing that our baby is developing well (as far as we can hear) and can move it's little arms and legs

Prom last weekend

 

 Erica's date is her very good friend, Jonathan.  he's the son of a very good friend of mine and my sisters.  we've all known him since he was born.

 here they are exchanging their corsages.  taking these pictures in the house was a little bit of a trick.  they are both MUCH taller then I am and I was trying to give myself a bit of height by kneeling on the couch.  it wasn't working too well because I kept sinking into the couch.

  looking at these pictures and I am just amazed at how very much Erica looks just like me from 20 years ago.

and Jonathan, you are very handsome.  

 if you can't tell, taking pictures outside was bordering torture and inhumane treatment.  I made Erica take off her coat to show off her dress.  and I really feel bad about it because it was only about 46 degrees out that day (on April 28th)  YIKES

the group of friends.  they had dinner at the young lady's house in the green dress.  they had fun at dinner.

and prom was a good time as well.  Erica was so excited to tell us all about it.  and I was so excited to hear all about it. 

a very Erica and Jonathan pose

I thought I felt old before!  it's hard to believe that I have a child old enough to go to prom.
next thing I know she will be graduating from high school and then shortly after that she'll be married and have her own kids.
I feel like so much of life is out of my control... but then I guess it really is so I will just have to love every moment that comes my way - or should I say passes by so quickly.