Happy Baby-Giving!

If any of you are surprised, you don't know us very well :) We have announced a pregnancy every Thanksgiving (though not necessarily on the blog) for the past 2 babies.

Flowers Eric brought home when we had done the test
learning we were for sure pregnant!

This pregnancy has been a crazy ride so far! As with each of my other two children, we knew with in a week that we were pregnant (no actual way we knew, we just knew) - funny story actually ... We were at the Precoa Picnic and a co-worker of Eric's/friend of mine came up and asked me when we were "going to pop out another one." I had been thinking about it all week long but my thoughts confirmed when she asked that question - though I couldn't very well tell her, "I'm already pregnant! I'm only about 4 days along and have no proof." lol. I'm pretty sure that would have gotten me many a strange look. So I simply said, "soon..."

Anyone who saw me once I hit 4 weeks (the time we took the pregnancy test so we knew for sure) knew almost immediately that I was pregnant. My uterus says, "everybody MOVE!" and out my belly goes! I had a lot of friends at church and Eric's work ask how far along I was. Imagine their surprise with my answer! Sometimes the follow up question was, "how many you got in there?" haha. This is still a common question, even now.

When we got pregnant, I was teaching a show choir of 7-12 grade girls in Sherwood, 3 ballroom classes - 9-11 year-olds, 30+ year-olds and 18-30 year-olds, and I was about to start being the technique teacher for the In-Motion formation ballroom team. But when I hit 6 weeks, everything changed.

I was standing in the kitchen and felt a gush - a major gush. I raced to the bathroom to find lots of blood. I had heard that some spotting when pregnant is normal, but this was something else. Scared, I called Eric at work who suggested I call my friend, Nicole (a nurse who is also pregnant) and see what I should do. We had "accidentally" told Nicole and her husband Scott we were pregnant the night before when they had us over for dinner so she wasn't surprised about that. She told me that what I was experiencing was definitely not normal and I needed to get in to see a doctor asap. Knowing I didn't have a doctor yet, she gave me the number for her doctor and I placed a call. Eric came home immediately and we spent the afternoon in prayer waiting for our appointment.  

The kids with us at the doctor.

We arrived for our Ultrasound prepared for the worst - the bleeding and cramping had not subsided. We walked in with our kids and ... there was a baby on the ultrasound machine! Then the machine picked up a heartbeat - a strong heartbeat. I immediately started to cry. We had a meeting with the on-call doctor who informed us I had a hemorrhage - a blood clot that had worked it's way out of my placenta and was between the placenta and the uteran wall. She said it wasn't much to worry about and to just take it easy.

Flowers Eric brought home after stopping
by the store for me. So thoughtful!

We went home elated. I taught a class on Monday however and felt awful after. I went to the grocery store and was instantly wiped out... My actual doctor called and asked me to schedule a follow up ultrasound for 1 week from the last one (Thursday to Thursday) and a meeting with him after. This was where I learned more. First I learned the doctor is the Stake President in the stake my brother was serving in at the time and he knew my brother well - pretty small world! Then we got down to business. The hemorrhage had shrunk but he explained to me truly what the hemorrhage meant. If I do too much, it bleeds into itself rather than reabsorbing into the placenta. If that happens, it grows and can detach. Upon detaching it would move and separate the placenta from the uterus and I would miscarry. I wasn't placed on "bed rest" given I have 2 kids and that isn't possible but I was placed on "veg on the couch and don't feel guilty about it" (his exact words). Eric went to the store and bought some frozen dinners and paper plates (he has been such a trooper through this whole thing picking up my slack and making me still feel like I'm doing my part) and I went about informing my "bosses" that I could no longer teach my classes. I had many wonderful friends touch base with me, bring meals, and take my kids. We called my family and told them rather than wait till around the table at Thanksgiving, just incase we did lose the baby - we wanted them to be able to celebrate with us before they had to mourn. (Since Eric's family is close by, we had already told them in person) My brother is district leader and he needed to pick up things from my shed so I told him the week of Halloween when he stopped by (he also reorganized my shed and carried out all of my AC units for me - THANKS BUD!). He was so excited and shocked! I've seen him since then and he's informed me that I look a bit "rounder" than each time before, lol. Thanks kid. It's better than the people who say, "you don't even look pregnant!" PUH-LEASE say I don't ALWAYS look this FAT! 

About 2 weeks ago, the bleeding stopped, but the cramping has continued. Though we haven't had an ultrasound, we assume that means the hemorrhage has reabsorbed but caused irritable uterus. So for now, the danger has passed, but I'm still on lay low orders because cramping later in the pregnancy causes pre-term labor so I need to get it under control. I know right away when I've "done too much" as I cramp heavily. I'm taking it as easy as I can which isn't difficult since I'm exhausted most days. I have a few high energy days where I can (carefully) get caught up on housework. Those occur about once a week and I am so grateful for them!

We are so excited for this baby. We are due May 26, 2015 and we simply can't wait!

14 weeks

1 week

8 weeks

7 weeks

9 weeks

Aaron is beyond excited. He loves to tell me the baby is a girl because he has friends, why does he need a brother? He tells me she is crying and will come kiss my belly and then sing Itsy Bitsy Spider to calm the baby. He has asked multiple times when we go to the store if we are picking up the baby - or at the doctor asking if the baby is going to come out yet. In a tender moment when he first learned about the baby, he asked while in the car if we would have to give Audrey back in order to get the new baby. He was very sad at the prospect and was quickly elated when we told him that we got to keep Audrey; our family was simply growing.

If I ask Audrey where the baby is, she points at my tummy and enjoys kissing it (and then goes fishing for my belly button which used to point inward but is now out...). She giggles and lays her head on my belly. I'll have to get a picture soon of both kids resting their heads on my belly since it's a fairly common occurrence these days. I'm just comfortable I guess.

Both kids have been major helpers since I spend so much time on the couch. Aaron is great at cleaning up his toys and putting away dishes. He and Audrey both love to clean up trash and put it in the garbage can. They are great at snuggling with me on the couch watching movies or playing together while I nap beside them. They bring me toys to play with too, just incase I get bored.

How blessed I am to have my little family! I'm excited to see it grow!