So...it has been awhile since I updated the blog with regards to pregnancy. On June 17th, we had our third ultrasound. I have no pictures or video to share, but I'm happy to announce that we have a healthy baby. We decided not to find out the gender. Nana, Papa, Adam, and Kenly went with me to the appointment. When the tech first looked, the baby looked like he/she was waving or giving us all a thumbs up. Kenly got really excited. The tech said she'd put $100 on the baby being a girl since Kenly thinks we are having a girl. She said kids are almost always right. Adam and I think this is baby is a girl too.
During the ultrasound, the tech called in the doctor after closely examining the baby's heart. (The baby's heart rate was 148 beats/minutes.) I was nervous until I found out that it is a common practice for a doctor to help with the ultrasound when the pregnancy is considered high risk. I was relieved when the doctor said the baby looked great. She even took a look at the "sex" to make sure everything was progressing well. She turned the screen and didn't give an indication as to whether we should be buying blue or pink.
The only problem she discovered was that I have placenta previa. The doctor did not appear worried at all. She made it sound like I had nothing to worry about. She simply ordered another ultrasound for 26 weeks to make sure the placenta moved off the cervix.
Yesterday was the 20 week mark. WE ARE HALFWAY THERE! It's hard to believe that we will welcome our baby in just 4.5 months. I celebrated the halfway point by going to see Dr. Simmons. She had not received any of the information from my last ultrasound. When I told Dr. Simmons that I had placenta previa, she placed me on pelvic rest which is a really nice way of saying no sex until further notice. She reserves the right to change her decision once the ultrasound report arrives, but for now, our intimacy is severely limited. I guess with my RA, my advanced maternal age, and the previa, she doesn't want to take any chances. And no sex is a small price to pay for a healthy, full-term baby.
Baby Brand did not want his/her heart rate taken yesterday. Once Dr.Simmons located the critter, he/she would zip clear across my abdomen. We'd hear the heartbeat and then a strange zipping noise as the baby found a new hiding spot. This critter takes after Kenly which means my hands are going to be very full.
I still get tired. I've only thrown up 3 or 4 times in the past month. As of this point, I've only gained three pounds. I was concerned when Dr. Simmons told me, but she says my belly and the baby are measuring perfect. Apparently I'm just redistributing my weight. I know this trend will not continue, so for now I'm doing the happy dance. My belly gets sore when I overdo it, and I'm suffering from the typical pregnancy curses--gas, constipation, and heartburn. One of my biggest complaints is my swollen gums. I know swelling and bleeding are normal, but I'm tired of discomfort every time I brush my teeth. This too shall pass, so for now I waddle forward until my next appointment when I can find out more.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Easter 2011--The Whole Shebang
Right before Easter, Nana and Papa came up for a visit. Adam couldn't get off work to go with me to my first OB appointment, and I was a bit nervous about going by myself. Nana went with me to the doctor, and Kenly had a special date with her Papa. Since Easter was just around the corner, we decided to fill the weekend with lots of Eater activities.
Last year I didn't let Kenly help with coloring eggs. Adam and I did it and let her be an observer. I don't mind a mess, but I don't want everything to change colors permanently. I read a tip in a parenting magazine that assured me that even toddlers can color eggs "mess free" by using a wire whisk to dip the eggs. I was blown away with how well Kenly was able to color a dozen eggs. She had the time of her life watching the white eggs magically transform into works of art.
She was showing her Daddy how pretty her eggs turned out in this picture.
Papa drew her a picture of a bunny on this egg when she wasn't looking by using a white crayon. Kenly loved the "magic" picture.
Her works of art. I tend to be a color purist when it comes to eggs, but I must admit that I liked Kenly's eggs much better than anything I've ever produced.
Kenly loves this princess umbrella that she got for Christmas. Sometimes it makes its way out of the car, and when it does, I have to fight to get it back downstairs.
Nana and Papa brought Kenly an Easter basket full of goodies. One of her favorite gift was a Leap Frog contraption that helps her practice writing her letters. She's getting good at writing a few. Just this morning she produced a recognizable Z and and O. Can I just say that I haven't met a Leap Frog product that I don't like?
We headed to Fletcher Park for a community Easter egg hunt. I thought it would be crowded, so we left a bit early. It was a good thing because every family in our town had the same idea. I've never seen so many kids in one place. In Kenly's age group (1-3), there were at least 100 kids waiting to hunt eggs. An entire baseball field was covered in plastic eggs filled with candy.
Kenly got so excited while waiting to start the hunt. She kept finding eggs.
Getting some loving from Daddy.
When they finally blew the whistle, Kenly took off to find as many eggs as she could. Within two minutes of the whistle blowing, the whole hunt was over. Kenly found six eggs, and she was over the moon with pride. I had to resist the urge to give one mama a piece of my mind. She allowed her child to collect about 12 eggs before the hunt even started, and then she hunted eggs stealing them from the little kids who were trying to get just a few eggs. In what universe is that right?
This picture best captures the pandemonium.
The park mismatched the eggs to make them easier to find. What a genius idea.
My baby bump is showing a bit in this picture. We are working on being a family of four.
Nana and Papa really enjoyed watching Kenly run around.
After lunch, we hid some eggs for Kenly in the backyard. She never tired of hunting eggs. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that we hid/hunted eggs once a day for at least two weeks. It never got old for her. Nana and Papa left after lunch on Saturday.
On Easter morning, Kenly found where the Easter Bunny hid her basket, and she had fun exploring the goodies. She received Leap Frog's Letter Factory DVD. She loves it. She now knows all of her letters sounds. She's even trying to sound out some words. I strongly recommend it to any parent who is trying to teach his/her child the letter sounds. She effortlessly learned every sound.
We all got in our Sunday finest and headed to church. Kenly wore this cute ladybug dress that Nana found at a consignment sale. This picture is grainy, but I love that Benny Bunny had to be in it.
Kenly spent some time throwing stick into the creek.
Daddy took a few pictures of the girls all dolled up.
Nothing beat performing while standing on the bench by the creek.
While we were camping, the lady at the site next to us gave Kenly this cute ladybug clip that is in her hair. She was excited to wear it with her sundress.
Easter was a blessed time of remembering the freedom we have because of Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
Last year I didn't let Kenly help with coloring eggs. Adam and I did it and let her be an observer. I don't mind a mess, but I don't want everything to change colors permanently. I read a tip in a parenting magazine that assured me that even toddlers can color eggs "mess free" by using a wire whisk to dip the eggs. I was blown away with how well Kenly was able to color a dozen eggs. She had the time of her life watching the white eggs magically transform into works of art.
She was showing her Daddy how pretty her eggs turned out in this picture. 
Papa drew her a picture of a bunny on this egg when she wasn't looking by using a white crayon. Kenly loved the "magic" picture.
Her works of art. I tend to be a color purist when it comes to eggs, but I must admit that I liked Kenly's eggs much better than anything I've ever produced. 
Kenly loves this princess umbrella that she got for Christmas. Sometimes it makes its way out of the car, and when it does, I have to fight to get it back downstairs. 
Nana and Papa brought Kenly an Easter basket full of goodies. One of her favorite gift was a Leap Frog contraption that helps her practice writing her letters. She's getting good at writing a few. Just this morning she produced a recognizable Z and and O. Can I just say that I haven't met a Leap Frog product that I don't like?
We headed to Fletcher Park for a community Easter egg hunt. I thought it would be crowded, so we left a bit early. It was a good thing because every family in our town had the same idea. I've never seen so many kids in one place. In Kenly's age group (1-3), there were at least 100 kids waiting to hunt eggs. An entire baseball field was covered in plastic eggs filled with candy. 
Kenly got so excited while waiting to start the hunt. She kept finding eggs. 
Getting some loving from Daddy.
When they finally blew the whistle, Kenly took off to find as many eggs as she could. Within two minutes of the whistle blowing, the whole hunt was over. Kenly found six eggs, and she was over the moon with pride. I had to resist the urge to give one mama a piece of my mind. She allowed her child to collect about 12 eggs before the hunt even started, and then she hunted eggs stealing them from the little kids who were trying to get just a few eggs. In what universe is that right? 
This picture best captures the pandemonium.
The park mismatched the eggs to make them easier to find. What a genius idea. 
My baby bump is showing a bit in this picture. We are working on being a family of four.
Nana and Papa really enjoyed watching Kenly run around. 
After lunch, we hid some eggs for Kenly in the backyard. She never tired of hunting eggs. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that we hid/hunted eggs once a day for at least two weeks. It never got old for her. Nana and Papa left after lunch on Saturday.
On Easter morning, Kenly found where the Easter Bunny hid her basket, and she had fun exploring the goodies. She received Leap Frog's Letter Factory DVD. She loves it. She now knows all of her letters sounds. She's even trying to sound out some words. I strongly recommend it to any parent who is trying to teach his/her child the letter sounds. She effortlessly learned every sound.
We all got in our Sunday finest and headed to church. Kenly wore this cute ladybug dress that Nana found at a consignment sale. This picture is grainy, but I love that Benny Bunny had to be in it.
Kenly spent some time throwing stick into the creek. 
Daddy took a few pictures of the girls all dolled up. 
Nothing beat performing while standing on the bench by the creek.
While we were camping, the lady at the site next to us gave Kenly this cute ladybug clip that is in her hair. She was excited to wear it with her sundress. 
Easter was a blessed time of remembering the freedom we have because of Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
WNC Nature Center--Take 2
Meghan and I took the girls back to the WNC Nature Center. They've grown so much since the last trip that it was an entirely different experience. The slide near the river otters was still a huge hit, but the approached it with confidence instead of trepidation.
I love that Ava wanted to catch Kenly at the end of the slide.
Both girls took a more active part in petting the animals on this trip.
Look at how much they've grown since the last visit. They look like girls now instead of babies.
The chickens were a big hit this time. Last time I don't think they even noticed the feathered fowl.
Both girls are developing their own personalities. Both have a silly streak.
I love that Ava wanted to catch Kenly at the end of the slide.
Both girls took a more active part in petting the animals on this trip.
Look at how much they've grown since the last visit. They look like girls now instead of babies.
The chickens were a big hit this time. Last time I don't think they even noticed the feathered fowl.
Both girls are developing their own personalities. Both have a silly streak.
Spring Break--Working Our Tushes Off
When we came home from camping on Thursday, we went straight into work mode. Kenly needed/wanted to move into her big girl bed, so that meant moving furniture and cleaning. Some of the furniture had not been moved in about six years. Can I tell you how disgusted I was to see what accumulates under furniture that has not been moved in that long? I'm still grossed out. I've never claimed to be a great housekeeper, but this bordered on being a health hazard.
We painted two of Kenly's walls a shade of yellow called peach tickle. When you ask her what her favorite part of her big girl room is, she answers, "I like the painted walls." I don't have a finished product picture because it is still not finished. The door still needs a coat of paint, the pictures need to be hung, and Kenly's hand prints need to be added to the walls. Stay tuned.
During the painting process, Kenly would often wander into the room and whine, "I need attention." She sent Adam into a full-fledged panic over how Kenly will handle the new addition. We are still wondering how she will handle sharing the limelight.
The transition to the big girl bed was much easier than I thought it would be. I'm hoping it stays that way, but as she gets more comfortable, I can see her testing the boundaries.
We painted two of Kenly's walls a shade of yellow called peach tickle. When you ask her what her favorite part of her big girl room is, she answers, "I like the painted walls." I don't have a finished product picture because it is still not finished. The door still needs a coat of paint, the pictures need to be hung, and Kenly's hand prints need to be added to the walls. Stay tuned.
During the painting process, Kenly would often wander into the room and whine, "I need attention." She sent Adam into a full-fledged panic over how Kenly will handle the new addition. We are still wondering how she will handle sharing the limelight. The transition to the big girl bed was much easier than I thought it would be. I'm hoping it stays that way, but as she gets more comfortable, I can see her testing the boundaries.
Spring Break--Davidson River Campground (April 2011)
Have I mentioned that I'm so behind in blogging?
Back in April we took a trip to Davidson River Campground during Adam's spring break. We didn't stay the whole week, but we did spend Monday to Thursday enjoying the great outdoors. We managed to find a campsite with electricity, so we had AC for the heat of the day and heat for the cool of the night.
Kenly loves camping. Camping means juice boxes, fires, and smores. It also means getting filthy and playing with sticks, stones, and critters.
Kenly loved trying to climb this tree on our campsite. She never gave up, but I think we need to have a lesson on the right kind of trees to climb.
Camping hair is the best--windblown, matted, and full of all things outdoors.
While we were camping, a tree removal company took down several dead hemlocks close to our site. It was free entertainment. I love my man too...not only did he cook, but he did the dishes.
Kenly did a bit of fishing. She never caught a fish on this trip, but she sure enjoyed reeling in the line.
When fishing got boring, she found making mud pies to be thrilling entertainment.
Nothing beats waffles by the fire with Daddy.
Chance was never far from the action. After Kenly snuggled Adam, he got jealous and hopped up into his lap for some special love.
While I was taking pictures of Chance, Kenly started begging to have her picture taken. She's such a ham sometimes.
Camping did come with a few meltdowns. Sharing a bed with Kenly while camping ensured that no one got a great night's sleep. Tired toddler equals a few tantrums.
My love doing dishes again.
Kenly and Adam made sure our camping pad was the most beautiful in the loop.
We also spent a bit of time hanging out in the hammock. Kenly spent the most time swinging, but we all had our turn.
Kenly loved "working on" the pop-up while sitting on her potty chair.
Our friends Meghan and Ava came to visit us one day while Adam was fishing. Ava and Kenly enjoyed swinging and singing in the hammock.
Swinging makes Ava sleepy.
I could just eat her up.
Kenly befriended several caterpillars during our trip. I'm happy to report that she didn't squish a single one.
This is one of my favorite pictures from the whole camping trip. Dirty fingernails and God's creatures capture camping perfectly.
We had fresh flowers at the breakfast table every morning. We even brought a few home on Thursday when we left.
Kenly looked so big while sleeping in the pop-up. The binky still makes her look babyish, but she looked so grown.
Camping with our family is amazing. We are all forced to slow down, disconnect, and enjoy a much slower pace with fewer distractions (unless you count squirrels or blue jays).
One funny story to wrap up the trip. Kenly is now completely potty trained; she has been for awhile. When we hike in the woods, we allow Kenly to "jungle squat"so that she doesn't have an accident. So, while we were taking down the pop-up, I catch a glimpse of Kenly's bare butt shining in the corner of our campsite. She has taken it upon herself to drop her pants and relive herself while we are occupied. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, "I had to go potty, so I did it in the woods."
The other day she tried to drop her pants at the park, so we had to have a long conversation about where peeing in the woods is appropriate.
Back in April we took a trip to Davidson River Campground during Adam's spring break. We didn't stay the whole week, but we did spend Monday to Thursday enjoying the great outdoors. We managed to find a campsite with electricity, so we had AC for the heat of the day and heat for the cool of the night.
Kenly loves camping. Camping means juice boxes, fires, and smores. It also means getting filthy and playing with sticks, stones, and critters.
Kenly loved trying to climb this tree on our campsite. She never gave up, but I think we need to have a lesson on the right kind of trees to climb.
Camping hair is the best--windblown, matted, and full of all things outdoors.
While we were camping, a tree removal company took down several dead hemlocks close to our site. It was free entertainment. I love my man too...not only did he cook, but he did the dishes.
Kenly did a bit of fishing. She never caught a fish on this trip, but she sure enjoyed reeling in the line.
When fishing got boring, she found making mud pies to be thrilling entertainment.
Nothing beats waffles by the fire with Daddy.
Chance was never far from the action. After Kenly snuggled Adam, he got jealous and hopped up into his lap for some special love.
While I was taking pictures of Chance, Kenly started begging to have her picture taken. She's such a ham sometimes.
Camping did come with a few meltdowns. Sharing a bed with Kenly while camping ensured that no one got a great night's sleep. Tired toddler equals a few tantrums.
My love doing dishes again.
Kenly and Adam made sure our camping pad was the most beautiful in the loop.
We also spent a bit of time hanging out in the hammock. Kenly spent the most time swinging, but we all had our turn.
Kenly loved "working on" the pop-up while sitting on her potty chair.
Our friends Meghan and Ava came to visit us one day while Adam was fishing. Ava and Kenly enjoyed swinging and singing in the hammock.
Swinging makes Ava sleepy.
I could just eat her up.
Kenly befriended several caterpillars during our trip. I'm happy to report that she didn't squish a single one.
This is one of my favorite pictures from the whole camping trip. Dirty fingernails and God's creatures capture camping perfectly.
We had fresh flowers at the breakfast table every morning. We even brought a few home on Thursday when we left.
Kenly looked so big while sleeping in the pop-up. The binky still makes her look babyish, but she looked so grown.
Camping with our family is amazing. We are all forced to slow down, disconnect, and enjoy a much slower pace with fewer distractions (unless you count squirrels or blue jays).
One funny story to wrap up the trip. Kenly is now completely potty trained; she has been for awhile. When we hike in the woods, we allow Kenly to "jungle squat"so that she doesn't have an accident. So, while we were taking down the pop-up, I catch a glimpse of Kenly's bare butt shining in the corner of our campsite. She has taken it upon herself to drop her pants and relive herself while we are occupied. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, "I had to go potty, so I did it in the woods."
The other day she tried to drop her pants at the park, so we had to have a long conversation about where peeing in the woods is appropriate.
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