Week #10! Double Digits

Jared and I just got done re-doing our bedroom and doing some serious winter cleaning. So, I look a bit drab. lol

How far along? 10 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 2 pounds

 Maternity clothes?  I need to. Just pants. I can live with one pair of maternity jeans for now. I have a $5 off coupon for maternity jeans from Target. I need to go before it expires!

Stretch marks? Nope.

Best moment this week:  My midwife appointment. It couldn't have gone better. Everyone was amazing and really personable and sweet. 

Miss anything: Sleeping comfortable.

Movement: Nope

Food cravings: fruit! anything fruity and sour.

Anything making you queasy or sick: The smell of Jared's chew. I still never have been sick. Nausea is only in the mornings really when I need to eat asap. I get acid reflux at night really bad though and I cant sleep because of it. 

Have you started to show yet: I think so! My jeans don't fit and my stomach looks a lot bigger compared to week 4/5 when I was normal...I look pregnant naked.. but if I have clothes on, I look like the average chubbers. 

Gender: No idea. I can't wait to find out though.

Labor Signs: No, no, no!  

  Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On! 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy. Excited to be shopping for stuff! We got a few cloth diapers and swaddles. 

Looking forward to: My next ultrasound that is on the 7th of January. And then I have my next appointment with my midwife on the 27th! I'm excited for that. And I think Jared and I will start buying some bigger items for the baby. 

                                   your baby's the size of a prune!

"Now, she's about 1.2 inches long and weighs about .14 ounces. Her body length will almost double in the next three weeks."

"Now that you've reached 10 weeks, you can stop wondering when you’ll start to actually look pregnant. It’s probably right around now, as your baby continues her rapid growth and your tummy starts to develop some extra curve . In the process, your ligaments and muscles are starting to stretch, so don’t be surprised if you start feeling some aches and pains. While, some moms-to-be don’t really get them, others find these sensations -- called “round ligament pain” -- well, downright painful. Your breasts have probably gotten bigger too, since they’ve been prepping for breastfeeding for weeks already! That’s why week 10 is probably a good time to stock up on some new, looser clothes -- and maybe your first round of maternity wear. Don’t go too crazy though. As your body continues to change, you’ll likely want to get some more essentials along the way."

your baby at 10 weeks

• Baby has working arm joints, and her cartilage and bones are forming.
• Her vital organs are fully developed and they're starting to function.
• Her fingernails and hair are starting to appear, too.
• Plus, she's swallowing and kicking in there. (Can you believe it?!)

My kitty!!

Anyway, as for symptoms - I cannot stop burping. It's a little funny but some of them burn. I cannot sleep because of it and my body aches at night. I think Jared is going to buy me a pregnancy pillow. And my pants officially do not fit. Jared took me out to lunch today and I had to go in yoga pants, Ugg boots, and a sweatshirt. lol. I feel changes in my stomach area. And I no longer am able to sleep through a night without needing to pee. It's constant. My face is broken out super bad and my chest broke out in a rash...BUT I actually feel okay other than at night. 

3 more weeks till I'm done with the first trimester!! Where did the time go!???

First Appoinment

First appointment was a success. I took a urine sample, got a physical, pap smear, breast exam, and blood drawn. 10 vials of it. 5 large. 5 small. I wanted to die but they used a butterfly needle with made it seem a little easier. I don't think anyone likes getting naked in front of someone they just met and laying on a table with your legs wide open and your husband standing their snickering pretending to be on his phone. But hey, we laughed through it all and I LOVE my midwife. She's awesome. Everything looked and felt normal on the surface and the blood tests results for all sorts of stuff and the pap smear results will come in later. 
All the ladies seemed really sweet and really fun to be around so I'm excited to come here and have a baby at this birthing center. It's about 30 minutes away from our home which isn't too bad considering I know a lot of woman travel up to two hours to birth at a birthing center verses a standard hospital. I'll get into my reasoning's as to why I am against hospital births and why I decided to choose a birthing center instead. Trust me, I don't make decisions lightly. My decisions always have facts and evidence behind them. Anyway, my arm hurts, tingles, and feels weak. I felt like all my blood was sucked out of me and I was going to shrivel up and die. I didn't. But my arm still hurts. I'm proud I didn't cry or die and I'm proud Jared didn't faint. 

That's it for now. Next ultrasound is in two weeks. And In February is my next appointment and required birthing center tour. I get to see the water birthing rooms which I'm excited about. 

:) - Carly

Week #9

How far along? 9 weeks!.

Total weight gain/loss: Nada. Just the same.

 Maternity clothes? No. But yoga pants are the daily pant.

Stretch marks? Nope.

Best moment this week:  Ultrasound! And it was perfect. We saw and heard the heartbeat which was 170bpm. The nurse said it was strong and healthy and even saw a little movement. The baby is right behind my bladder.

Miss anything: Tuna!

Movement: No.

Food cravings: chex mix, bagels, and fruit bars

Anything making you queasy or sick: Ive actually felt so much better. Only thing that makes me on the verge of puking is Jareds gas at night. Soy milk does not agree with him. I was almost in tears beating him to wake up and fart somewhere else.

Have you started to show yet: I hate saying that I am because all the books and research say most first time moms dont show til the 2nd trimester.. but I don't know what to call my gut. I haven't gained weight so it's not just food.  You decide.

Gender: No idea. I can't wait to find out though.

Labor Signs: No, no, no!  

  Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On! My fingers were a bit swollen today though for some reason.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy. 

Looking forward to: December 27th. It's my first official appointment with a doctor at my birthing center. I'll be getting the full on exam, blood work, blah blah.. the full shebang. I hate vaginal exams and blood work but it has to be done. I'll get a more thorough ultrasound and get all the measurements taken too. I'm excited!

                                               

At nine weeks pregnant, you and baby have made two big accomplishments: You've made it to month three, and she’s no longer an embryo -- now she’s a fetus!

Basically that means she’s becoming more and more baby-like, and you’re inching closer and closer to leaving the nasties of the first trimester behind you. Just one more month to go! 

                                                              

your baby at 9 weeks

• This is a milestone. She's no longer an embryo -- now she's a fetus!
• She's developing more distinct facial features.
• And she might now have a strong enough heartbeat to be picked up by a fetal doppler.

Week #8

I spelled Raspberry wrong. Oops.

How far along? 8 weeks.

Total weight gain/loss: Nada. Just the same.

 Maternity clothes? No. But I bought the belly band because my pants won't button.....

Stretch marks? Nope.

Best moment this week:  Decorating more for Christmas and going Christmas Shopping.

Miss anything: Deli meat. 

Movement: No.

  Food cravings: Fruit with yogurt. and cereal. eggs. and toast with peanut butter and banana slices with some honey.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm in a 24/7 state of nausea still. It's more at night when I lay down. It takes hours before i fall asleep. It's horrible.

Have you started to show yet:  ... I look like a fatty. I've puffed up. I have a gut this week and it's not just bloat. 

Gender: No idea. I can't wait to find out though.

Labor Signs: No, no, no!  

  Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy. 

Looking forward to: FIRST Ultrasound in 4 days!!! 

New Shirt! "Jingle Belly, Jingle Belly, Baby's on the Way"

Look at this photo.. I have a total tiny bump. How is this possible? The baby is only a Raspberry! lol

Now she weighs in (yay!) at about .04 ounces and measures about .63 inches. This week, she's growing about a milimeter each day.

your baby at 8 weeks

• You can't feel it yet, but she's moving those arms and legs like crazy!
• Her fingers and toes are now only slightly webbed, and her tail (yes, she had one) is gone.
• Fun fact: your baby's taste buds are now forming.

and that's all for now. :)

Week #7

I just woke up from a nap here. I'm nauseated and it shows. lol

How far along? Well, my due date changed. So, I think I'm 7 weeks and 1 day.

Total weight gain/loss: Nada. Just the same.

 Maternity clothes? No

Stretch marks? Nope.

Best moment this week:  Getting approved for health care! Lots of paperwork and questions asked, many trips to different offices. But, I got accepted. i was denied before i was pregnant but now that I am, I got accepted. So.. my first ultrasound is next week on the 20th. And my first OB appointment is on the 27th at the place that i really wanted to give birth too. A woman's birthing center that allows water birth!

Miss anything: Still, being able to sleep on my stomach without my boobs hurting and not being nausea's! 

Movement: No.

  Food cravings: Fruit with yogurt. and cereal. eggs. and toast with peanut butter and banana slices with some honey.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm in a 24/7 state of nausea. No puking but I'm always on the verge of doing so. I would like to puke and get it over with but my body doesn't want to. It's hard to fall asleep when you feel like puking on your husband. 

Have you started to show yet:  My uterus is the size of a grapefruit from what I've read which would explain the hardness. I still feel bloated. It's a permanent bloat. But I know it's too early to show so I'm sticking to being swollen. 

Gender: No idea. I can't wait to find out though.

Labor Signs: No, no, no!  

  Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or Moody most of the time: So relieved to have insurance! and the baby will have full insurance for a full year after being born. 

Looking forward to: My ultrasound next week! I hope their is a heartbeat. I'm praying their is. 

• She's generating about one hundred new brain cells each minute!
• Not only is her brain becoming more complex, but her heart is too.
• Also important: She's developing a permanent set of kidneys
• Her arm and leg joints are now forming.

 pregnancy symptoms at 7 weeks

• Nausea. Hang in there. Your hormones will become more normal in the second trimester.
• Food cravings and/or aversions. It's okay to give in here and there, but remember to choose healthy options.
• The urge to pee -- constantly! Even though you probably don’t look pregnant yet, your uterus has doubled in size.
• Zits. Thanks, hormones.
• Extra saliva (gross!) -- likely, this is also hormonally triggered.
• Emotional -- not only are your hormones out of whack, but you're likely still getting used to the idea of being pregnant.

My nose is in full affect. I can smell the cat box a mile away. I hate my dogs breath when I used to love it. Smells like dog poo. 

I hate being touched. I tell Jared to never touch me. I don't know why but the nausea is just awful. 

I pee all the time. More than i ever used too. 

Just wanted to share a short documentary
Click

I find it so inspirational and beautiful on the way some families choose to give birth in other countries.



On another note, yesterday Jared and I went to a Pregnancy Resource Center, got a confirmed positive pregnancy test to re-apply for TNCare health insurance.
Before I was pregnant I got denied. Now that I am pregnant, I got accepted for a 45 days limited insurance to get my first OB appointment. We got in Tuesday bright and early to the Health Services to complete our paperwork for my health insurance and the babies. On Thursday I signed about 100 pieces of paper, got prenatal pills...which i already had.. but I have another bottle now. And got my blood pressure, weight, and the basics done... Soo.. Now I just need to wait till Tuesday to turn in all the paperwork to get official insurance cards and then make an appointment at a office of my choosing which I've chosen Lisa Ross's Woman's Birthing Center in Knoxville, TN. They are an all woman's center that has a more natural approach to pregnancy and child birth which is what I'm totally going for. So..excited but not at the same time. What woman is giddy about a pap smear, pelvic exam, and a whole bunch of blood work? Not this girl...But..what must be done, must right?

On Dec. 20th Jared and I go back to the Pregnancy Resource center to get our first ultrasound!!! I'm so excited to hear that heartbeat. I'll be 8 weeks and 3 days so we should be able to hear it.

And this weekend Jared and I are going to take our pregnancy announcement photos for our family and once they are sent and received, this blog will be open for them to follow our life as we become parents!
and putting up the Christmas Tree too and lights! Woo Hoo!

My love for my Husband

Just like to take a little bit of time to say how thankful I am for my husband. 

The more I read about controversial subjects when It comes to parenting, the more I feel so damn lucky to have a husband that whole heartily agrees on my views and opinions on parenting. 

Anti-circumcision (or any superficial alteration that serves no medical benefit like baby piercing), Breast feeding, attachment parenting, co sleeping, anti-spanking, hitting/swatting, selective and delayed vaccinations, cloth diapering, natural laboring and birthing, and just raising our children to be strong and compassionate people without the use of anger, violence, or overly use of modern medical interference. Being that my husband makes snarky remarks about "dirty hippies"  I'm pleasantly surprised that he wants to be a peaceful father that coincides on how I want to be a mother. We want to love, we want to teach, we want to raise grateful and loving children. 

I'm slightly bothered on the outdated belief that a lot of parents have on child bearing. 

The statement, "Not hitting your kids will make them into ungrateful brats with no manners" - truly bothers me. I was hit, smacked, and whipped with a belt. A lot. and left to cry alone with no redirection.  And I am in no way trying to throw my parents under the bus BUT this method of "discipline" did not work at all on me. It made me resent my parents very much. And the older I got, the physical punishments turned to verbal abuse and severe resentment. And it created hatred and violence at time. That swung both ways some nights.  To this day, I've never hugged my parents since I was maybe 10 years old. Very rarely do I say I love you to either of them.. I lost that feeling that should be so strong between a child and parent.

The violence I was raised in taught me to be violent as a way to express myself in anger. I don't ever want to have my children  lose themselves in violence. I want to break that cycle and teach my children that words are very powerful. Getting down eye level to a child and talking them through a moment of frustration is so much better than raising your hand, a stick or whip to a child. 

In my opinion of course. 

My lesson for the rest of my life is to learn on my own how to be a wife and mother. And It's fucking hard to be your own guide in life. I never had a proper family to guide me for that. I sure as be damned if I continue the cycle of abuse. My father was abused beyond imagination as a child, and he then couldn't grasp or understand to end it himself. It's now my absolute responsibility to create a childhood for all my future children that I so desperately deserved myself. 

With that said, I grew up as a very strong person but for the wrong reasons. I am strong because that was my defense mechanism to keep everyone at bay. I have always been a very defensive person because I feared being weak, being vulnerable. 

I want my children to be strong because they exist. Because they have opinions. Because they will know they have a strong family to lean back on.
Because they will know words are so powerful beyond any and all. 

My husband is the solar opposite of my family. He's calm and almost blissful 100% of his awaking days. I believe he will be a great father. A father that I yearned for. His patience is beyond anything I have ever seen. It extends my own patience a lot of the time. 

By not taking out anger on a child, will never make a child a brat. It will make a child learn to respect you. I was a brat because I rebelled against my home life. I felt no love, no peace. You don't put violence on a child and expect not to teach it to them. You teach a child the correct behavior and you communicate. You teach, they learn. You don't whip or smack a little being that relies on you for guidance, trust, nourishment, and love. A child whole heartily sees you as their world. It's your job to create that unbreakable bond without instilling fear or teaching violence is the way to get answers. It shouldn't be a dictatorship.

This is just my opinion in my nook of this huge world on physical/verbal punishment verses positive discipline. 

My husband is so damn amazing sometimes. He allows me to be a free little bird. He let's me gather my own opinions so I can make our little nest. The bits and pieces are for us to choose from and from that, we make our nest a home... for our family.

- Carly.

Week #6

How far along? 5 weeks 6 days. Took the photo a day early. 

Total weight gain/loss: Nada. Just the same.

 Maternity clothes? No

Stretch marks? Nope.

Best moment this week:  Hm...Decorating the Christmas-y. We got all our stuff out of the attic. 

Miss anything: Sleeping on my stomach without my boobs sore. I get nauseous if I sleep on my left side :/

Movement: No.

  Food cravings: Meat. Meat. Like cheeseburgers. I know, its awful. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: No sickness. I get queasy at night. and if i lay on my back or left side. When I sit up too fast.. bend over.. things like that.

Have you started to show yet: Nope. But Im still swollen/bloated and it's like hard.. if that made sense. Like my uterus is hardening. 

  Gender: No idea. Wont no for a while. 

Labor Signs: No, no, no!  

  Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or Moody most of the time: Little stressed. I didnt want to being a baby in this small rental home. but we will make due. I cant wait to move into a big farm home and decorate and all that within the next year. Im pretty content. I've even got Jared to clean the cat box here and there.... 

Looking forward to: Getting an ultrasound. I may not get one this early because it's a little unnecessary at this point and I want to go natural as possible without any medical interference.  But, we'll see next week what the doctor says. :)

Baby is the size of a pea now.

This week's major developments: The nose, mouth, and ears are beginning to take shape. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through his body. His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to his lungs has appeared. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones.