Y'all wanted belly shots??

You know how much I hate getting my picture taken. Which is why I haven't supplied you with any belly shots throughout my pregnancy. Ruth is the sweetest girl in the world and she offered to do them for me. Completely her idea, I promise.



And yes, that is about what I look like.

Why we don't want to know...

When we were pregnant with our first child we had nothing in the way of baby things. We had lots to make and buy in preparation for that child, so we found out what gender it was. With our second there was a chance that it would turn out to be a different gender which would require more preparation, so we found out again. Now we have all the supplies we need for this one, so why find out???

Here is a general break-down of why we have chosen to wait until we see the child with our own eyes before finding out what gender it is:

• We already have blue stuff; we already have pink stuff. Essentially, we're already prepared.
• We found out with our other two, so now it's time for something new!
• We don't want to be tempted to purchase MORE baby stuff (since (aside from a few things we need) we already have enough to get by for the first few weeks/months)
• We have discovered how much FUN it is to make other people think we're crazy.
• We like playing the "name game" too much to only have to decide on one gender of names.
• We want to experience how it was in the 'olden days' when nobody ever found out what they were having.
  
• It's like a game... and we're WINNING!

We already passed the most difficult part when we had our ultrasound last Friday. The technician was an expert at keeping the private parts private so no matter how hard we tried to see something we still didn't see.

There is a catch though. My sister has all my old baby clothes so she's going to need to know what we're having so she can send us the right stuff. So the technician was nice enough to write it down and seal it in an envelope. The mystery envelope should be arriving at my sister's house any day now.

Do YOU want HER to tell you what we're having?? You have to meet these simple requirements to be able to know the news:

1. You must not live within 200 miles of us
2. You must not contact us via phone until the baby is born (unless you're Mom or Bekah.. I trust you)
3. IF you email us you must have someone else proofread your emails BEFORE you send them to make sure you don't slip up.
4. You cannot make any sort of mention of the gender ANYWHERE on the internet.
5. You cannot tell anyone who does not meet these requirements
6. You must somehow convince my sister to give up the information (she does accept bribes)
7. You must be related to me in the motherly or sisterly sort of way.

P.S. Pictures from the Ultrasound to come later (gotta get 'em on the computer somehow...)

Pregnancies.

I've been thinking a lot about my past pregnancies lately. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm going through it again and noticing how completely different they all have been. I'm trying to compare this time to the previous two in hopes that that will help me determine the gender of this baby but what I've come up with so far is that I'm having a half-boy-half-girl-half-alien. I thought it'd be good for journal reasons to write down and compare my different pregnancies. If you don't care or want to be spared the details then you have my permission to skip this one. It's mostly for me and my descendants to read anyway.


Pregnancy #1: Ruth
Dates of pregnancy: August 2003 through April 2004 (approx. 9 months)
How I found out: I peed on a magic stick, it told me I was expecting. I wasn't surprised though...I was two weeks late.
How I felt emotionally: Embarrassed (it was un-planned after all...), Excited (I had planned my entire life to have children), Nervous (I have to push something the size of a watermelon out of where?!?!). No real changes in actual day-to-day emotions.
How I felt physically: the first 8 weeks were great! after that I was nauseated ALL the time and the smell that bothered me the most was the smell of my husband after a long day at work (sorry Jonesy, I still love you!). The nausea did not end until Ruth was born. Had heartburn so bad I felt it in my ears.
Cravings: none.
Aversions: Husband's sweat, the sight of a large family-size can of Wal-mart brand Ravioli (still makes me feel yucky--the small sized can didn't/doesn't have any effect on me), and many, many other things.
Felt First Movements: I was probably around 24 weeks when I first felt Ruth kick me.
Braxton Hicks Contractions (those are the contractions that aren't real contractions, just tightening of the belly): None. (that I felt)
General health: Didn't get sick a single time. Not even a cold.
Weight Gained: 20 pounds
Labor: At 39 weeks. Contractions started at 11:30 pm. Pushed the kid out at 7:20AM. epesiotmy (spelling?), stitches.
Result of Labor: baby girl, 6lb 6oz, 18.5 in. Rushed to NICU per breathing troubles. In NICU 5 days with pneumonia.
Post-Labor: got very nauseous. almost puked all over myself.


Pregnancy #2: Blighted Ovum.
Dates of Pregnancy: July 2005- September 2005
Details: Got pregnant, apparently the fetus aborted very early on (still microscopic sized). The placenta didn't get the memo and kept on growing-tricking my body into thinking it was still pregnant. Went in for first ultrasound and did not find a baby (was about 14 weeks along). Had surgery two days later.


Pregnancy #3: Gareth
Dates of Pregnancy: July 2006- March 2007 (approx. 9 months)
How I found out: Peed on another stick! (those sticks are pretty useful)
How I felt emotionally: Excited (we'd been trying for so long). Day-to-day emotions normal.
How I felt physically: Starting about week 9 I felt pretty nausiated. There were things that made me sick. I also had a ball of flem at the back of my throat constantly that would cause random puking. Week 16 my morning sickness went away completley and I felt stupendous! (the ball of flem stuck around though so I continued to have random puking parties).
Cravings: Oreo shakes with lots of oreos(they had to be big, soggy chunks), arby's roast beef sandwiches, Wendy's Jr Bacon Cheesburgers. (nothing healthy)
Aversions: Raw chicken, anything between the hours of 5 and 8pm, and a Deigo music CD that we had checked out from the library (still to this day when I hear songs from that disk I feel a bit sick)
Felt First Movements: Around 16 weeks
Braxton Hicks Contractions: started around 19 weeks. Felt them all the time. Very annoying and uncomfortable.
General Health: pretty healthy except for the time I got the flu (the fever, achy kind, not the puky kind).
Weight Gained: 3 pounds (no, that is not a typo)
Labor: at 39 weeks and 1 day. Contractions started at 12:30 AM and baby came out at 9:35AM (ish.. i can't remember exactly right now). No epesiotmy, no stitches (thanks Dr. Perrin!).
Result of Labor: baby boy. 6lbs 15oz. 19.5in. Healthy!
Post-Labor: didn't get nausious (the nurse had slipped me food and snacks during my labor :) I did have an ill-effect from my epidural...my right butt cheek was numb for two months!!!


Pregnancy #4: Penelope or Mortimer (no, those aren't the real names we're thinking of using)
Dates of Pregnancy: September 2008- June 2009 (I am 19 weeks right now, check the ticker on the side to keep track)
Due Date: June 8, 2009
How I found out: Peed on another stick! This time I was actually surprised.. wasn't expecting positive (except I had to have been thinking it was possible.. I don't just pee on sticks for no reason...)
How I feel emotionally: Surprised! Day-to-day emotions have been VERY rollercoaster-y. I cry a lot these days... for stupid reasons...don't make fun.
How I feel physically: Starting about week 6 feeling morning sickness (not as bad as the last ones) VERY tired. Still bad heartburn, pepsid ac helps. Got the flem again (thus inducing random puking episodes.) VERY tired.
Cravings: Hot wings, chow mein noodles, corned beef, chocolate and licorice, and those gummy orange slices. Oh, and lots and lots of Dr. Pepper.
Aversions: Raw chicken, anything between the hours of 5 and 8pm, the smell of garlic.
Felt First Movements: Around 16 weeks.
Braxton Hicks Contractions: started around 18 weeks. annoying, but nice to know my uterus works and is practicing for the real thing!
General Health: I've had a couple colds. Got a bad sinus infection at around 6 weeks, antibiotics cleared it up.
Weight Gained so far: according to the scale at the dr's office, I have gained a total of one pound so far.

Side affects during ALL my pregnancies: The enamel on my teeth disappears. The dental hygienest was most distraught. Cure: swish with ACT Flouride mouthwash every day.