Second appointment today

A couple of nights ago, I had my first pregnancy-related dream. Short and typical at this stage: I was spotting, or it was sort of a light flow period. For some reason, I didn't freak out at all, but if I saw that in real life, I would have freaked a little.

I had my check-up with Dr. Rittenhouse today. Everything looks great!! No gestational diabetes this time... the results of my 3-hour glucose testing also pointed to signs of good chromosomes: no Down's syndrome. Well, I still have a second testing to finalize this, but everything's looking just great. I am still of course dedicating myself to eating right, as hard as it is.... but I just kind of realized that everything I eat anyway has the nutrients I need. I know they're not enough, but I'm getting my protein, folate, etc etc... I'm just lacking calcium in my daily eating.

We heard a very soothing heartbeat, and baby salamander moved when I laughed from joy. The heartbeat detection went away but we heard the good stuff, so there was no more need for doctor to search for its location again.

Next appointment is in 5 weeks. We may know by then if we're having another boy or our first girl. My instincts? I REALLY COULDN'T TELL. I haven't had any dreams at all about its gender, as I did in my first pregnancy (and the dream was so right). It doesn't matter, this baby just needs to be healthy! 

4D ultrasound

Last week, we went to the perinatal lab for some 4D ultrasound. I'm on early for my integrated screening. We saw the little salamander, it's about 2 inches long. It was moving its limbs all around, we saw its head and full body and even the umbilical cord. It's always a wonderful sight to see it from this view, but of course, it's even more wonderful to see it and hold it in person. Hopefully I'll find out the results tomorrow with my OBGYN and I cross my fingers for positive news. More updates when I know! 

The dog wakes him up

Last Memorial Monday, we all slept in well into the morning hours. It was after 9am, when Gerard got woken up by a dog barking outside. One minute he was asleep, next second his head was up in the direction of the bark's sound. It just stayed up for a while, until I mentioned it was a dog.

Now we've never exactly noticed this dog's bark before, so it must be new to the neighborhood. We've been hearing it bark in the mornings, and every time then, Gerard waits for it when I ask "where's the dog?" He'll go up to the veranda door and look for a dog. He even knows how to say it: "dooh!"

Just thought I'd share. It's cute!

Last week, I took an ultrasound for the new baby. We took Gerard with us, and like any kid his age, he was all over his place. Couldn't stay put or amused with anything for more than a minute. This might be the last time we take him to any appointments because he's just too much to handle, and we need to also focus on the new baby's fetal developments.

Speaking of the new baby, Gerard has learned to rub my tummy whenever I ask him where the new baby is. The cute part is he smiles while he's at it! I love my little guy!

3 hr glucose test, back pain and more

Over the weekend, I went in for my 3 hour glucose test. I already have a negative feeling about this, knowing what kind of food I've eaten in the past months. So I gave 4 blood draws, but the 3rd draw needed two attempts. My blood stopped pumping in the middle of it all! I really hate needles. All the puncturing left me with a bruise on my arm. I had to fast 11 hours before this test, and drinking the nasty sugared drink made it really bad. In my first pregnancy, I pretty much wanted to vomit at the lab when I went through this test. This time around wasn't actually as bad, but I was alone (last time papa Egan was able to accompany me) and I kept myself occupied with my iphone. By the time I got back to my parents's house where I left Gerard for the morning, my body was weak and shaking from hunger. Thankfully, I was able to even drive from the lab to the house. I had two eat 1 and a half bananas, and as I ate my first meal of 3 burger patties and rice right after, my hands and body were shaking from the hunger. I laid down on the couch to nap and get my energy back, I was ready to pass out.

This pregnancy is killing me with the back aches. I have always had lower back pain since I was younger, but my upper back is getting a lot of pain recently. When I'm doing dishes, when I'm cooking and when I'm sleeping. I see my chiropractor quite regularly, but the pain always comes back.

On another note, my appetite has been monstrous the last few days. Just recently, I couldn't eat very well. The thought of food still makes me nauseous, though. But when I do eat, I can't seem to satisfy myself. I have been eating two meals at a time as needed, and I try to eat snacks in between. I had a large hot pot buffet dinner on Friday night, but it didn't leave me satisfied at all.

I'm almost through with the first trimester, but there seems to be no slowdown with the gagging. I've already been struggling to get up from bed and get in/out of the car. I think this is happening really early but then again, as they say, every pregnancy is different. I didn't feel this bloated in my first pregnancy until I was halfway through.

Instead of buying more maternity pants, I got talked into buying a belly band. It's working out so far. I can still wear my regular pants and not worry about my stretching belly. I would like to get more shirts though, since my wardrobe is mostly from my pre-pregnancy days and I haven't been able to really fit into them in 2 years now.

Dancing kid

My baby boy Gerard sure is getting cuter by the day. It's so hard to get mad at the little guy for touching this and that and not listening to our warnings. He's a happy little dude, which I'm glad he is.... both his parents are gloomy folks, so it's a GREAT thing that he's not.

This evening I wanted him to dance for me, so I played some music on youtube. I chose some selections from Black Eyed Peas and he was mesmerized with their new video, Boom Boom Pow. He hears this song very often in the car so he's familiar with it. He danced alright, and kept looking back at the video. A few minutes later, he starting singing it ("Boom boom!") to my delight. He hasn't ever mimicked any song that I know of and that was the first time I've heard him do that.

I hope that his new sibling will be just as happy as he is. That'll make me so very happy. :) 

Knocking on diabetic door

It seems that I'll be double-writing from now on.

An entry here will have me writing an entry for Gerard's blog, and vice versa! Well, I guess, only if there's anything newsworthy to share.

Anyway. I took a blood test over the weekend for my diabetes monitoring, and the result was shared with me today by Dr Rittenhouse. I'm at a very high level, not quite in the diabetic zone, but I need to watch what I'm eating and exercise so we can avoid it altogether. Basically, I'm entering that zone for as long as I continue to eat with less regard. I am still required to take the 3 hour glucose testing soon (I didn't like it before, and I won't like it now).

I was actually a bit overweight when I got pregnant this time around. I have been trying to lose my first pregnancy's weight but I'm a weak girl, and I just let it eat me up negatively. But on the other hand, knowing I'll be getting pregnant again, I'd have gained back that weight anyway. So perhaps, after this pregnancy, which might be my last, I'll have to kick some self ass and take this body maintenance more seriously. I promise myself I'm not going to be an overweight mom to two kids. It's for their best interest and mine that I stay healthy, so that should be enough motivation. 

Cure for cough

Over the weekend, Gerard developed a mean cough. By Monday night, it was so mean that it prompted my calling the doctor's office next morning about cough medicine. They advised none: just elevate his head during sleep and keep a humidifier on. So come Tuesday, his grandpa noticed he didn't want to eat much, but he was interested in the orange only. He ended up eating a whole and a half for the day, which is a lot for a little kid. When I came by to pick him up, he was barely coughing. That night, I elevated his head and turned our humidifier on (which never really did anything for any of us), but I greatly believed eating the oranges did the trick.

Next time the cough comes around, it shall be the orange we'll fight it with.