Today's Doctor Visit

Well, I didn't actually see the doctor today. This was my OB new patient work-up appointment. I went in, filled out paperwork, then the nurse took me back and got my weight and blood pressure (which she said was great! No yucky preeclampsia worries yet!), and then she asked me mostly the same questions I had already filled out for her paperwork. =D lol She gave me a freebie bag with information on pregnancy and also some samples of formula. Then I peed in a cup for her and lastly I had my blood drawn (bleh! needles...).

I made another appointment before I left, and hopefully I'll be approved for Medicaid by then. The receptionist told me, however, that if I was declined, the clinic has a financial aid form that I can fill out and apply for if I am declined. That was very nice of her to let me know that! =D So my next official see-the-doctor appointment is October 27th. A month away! lol ...I'll be over 7 months by then. My doctor won't have a lot of work to do before I pop! =D

Otherwise, just dealing with 'Revenge of the Cankles.' I think that because of my accident on Thursday, since I haven't been able to move my ankles and toes normally, my circulation got all funky and helped fuel the return of the cankles. ; ; To me, they're alot worse than the first occurance earlier this month ... I actually press my finger into the top of my foot and it leaves a crater! Bleh! These are not my feet ...maybe it's a good thing I can't see them as well! =D

So that's all for now. Time for lunch! =D

One of my worst fears come true ...

**** First off, so no one worries too much ...Baby Ohz is doing fine. This post is not about him/her. ****

Jaimie and I live in a raised ranch style home. Our main floor is where we have our living space -- bedrooms, kitchen, living room, bathrooms, etc. The bottom floor, or basement, is where I have my daycare space set up, as well as our laundry room and garage. A staircase in the kitchen leads down to the lower floor from the main floor.
Since I moved here over a year ago, one of my biggest fears has been falling down our stairs. Usually the only time I'm worried is if I have to carry something down the stairs ...and I frequently haul my laundry basket up and down these stairs. So I worry a lot.

So, after using these stairs thousands of times, carrying laundry up and down, it finally happened. Thankfully not to the extreme that I always feared ...but it was enough to scare the living crap outta me. As I got to the bottom of the stairs carrying a basket full of clothes, I missed that last step at the bottom. As I look back on it, I kind of amuse myself because in that split second when my foot missed, I thought to myself, "Duh, stupid, you still had one more step."

I can't tell you exactly what I did after that. I can't remember if I dropped the basket as I fell to the floor or if I got to the bottom, dropped the basket on my own and then dropped myself to the floor as pain started to radiate from my ankles. I can tell you I missed the step ...and I can tell you I was on the floor cursing ...but if you ask me about the fall itself, I have no clue.

By missing that step, I twisted both my ankles really bad. They *hurt* like nobody's business. Thankfully, Jaimie had called me about 10 minutes before I went down the stairs to say he was really close to home and on his way. So I was only at the bottom of the stairs for about 30 seconds before he came thru the door. Obviously this was not what he was expecting when he got home ... and after the day(s) we've had lately, this one was just icing on the cake.

Again, to reassure everyone ...Baby Ohz is perfectly fine. Thankfully, I fell from where I did and not higher up on the stairs. *That* would definitely have been bad. The only thing injured on me is my ankles. They haven't swollen (at least not that I noticed), but my pinky toe on my left foot is bruised. Last night, I had to limp because my right foot was hurting more than my left ...but today it is the opposite. I've taken acetaminophen to ease the pain, but ended up waking up at 4:30ish this morning because the meds wore off. Boy, did my ankles hurt. And here I thought I'd be hobbling around from being pregnant before I ever had to hobble around for anything else!

And, as an added note, when I had my weekly Wednesday conversation with my Mom, we talked about me carrying laundry up and down the stairs. She had said if it were her, she'd just throw the basket down the stairs and pick it up at the bottom. Jaimie has now restricted me from basket carrying on the stairs, so I'm going to have to go with Mom's method if I want to get my laundry done. =D

Promotion!

As some of you may remember, I was raving about my friend, Corinna's, pictures of my friend Kellie on her wedding day back in August. Since then, Corinna has been vying to be "Jacksonville's Hottest Photographer." I know most of the people who read or visit my blog have never met Corinna or been a client of hers, but I would love if you would take a look at her blog or her website and, if you think she is awesome (which there is no doubt! lol) then please add your vote!! And if you're in the market for some amazing photographs (especially if you're in Florida), then Corinna is definitely your best choice! =D

Also, one of my forum buddies, Joy, gave me the link to her website where she makes and sells her own hand-stamped jewelry. Some of my favorites are her leaf earrings and the little oval 'mommy' necklace. =D She has all her creations on display on her Jewelry Blog, but if you'd like to order any, you have to go to her Etsy site.

So, please, check out these two wonderful women's sites! You won't be sorry! =D

Balance in the Dream World

Yesterday morning was a pretty crappy morning, dream-wise. I had a dream that I was giving Baby Ohz a bath in the tub, but whenever I would try to pick her up, my hand would slip from behind her head/neck and she'd fall under the water. I kept thinking, "Oh my gods, she's going to drown if I can't get her out!" After about three or four times of trying to pick her up and her falling back in, I got her out and wrapped her in a towel.

Jaimie thinks this dream stemmed from the day before when we were in Target registering for baby stuff. I saw a cute little baby bath tub and Jaimie said, "Why do we need that? We can just bathe the baby in the sink. My mom did that with me." Well, so did my mom ...but that doesn't mean *I* want to ...at least not when the baby is that tiny. All I thought of in that moment tho was how yucky our sink can get. lol Nothing about keeping hold of the baby. Anyway, I think my subconscious took hold of this 'bath time' moment and stored it for nightmare use! ><

In going to dream dictionaries, I tried to get a little insight into the 'drowning' dream. It could be in one part a fear that I won't be a good mother, etc., but I know that the human mind likes to use symbolism in dreams. So, I found two good analyses of my dream.

1. To see someone drowning in your dream, suggests that you are becoming too deeply involved in something that is beyond your control. Alternatively, it represents a sense of loss in your own identity. You are unable to differentiate who you are anymore. To dream that you rescue someone from drowning, indicates that you have successfully acknowledged certain emotions and characteristics that is symbolized by the drowning victim.

I've read that many mothers can feel they've lost their identities after the baby is born because everyone and everything becomes focused on baby, especially themselves. So, maybe an underlying meaning to my dream was a fear of losing who I am. I, of course, consciously haven't felt this way about the pregnancy or the baby ...but who knows what my inner mind is doing! lol

2. Overwhelming circumstances in real life, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, or something feeling out of control—or a fear of such things.

Aside from the whole, ya know ...being pregnant thing, other aspects of my life seem to want to stress me out and at times make me feel like there's nothing I can do to overcome them. So I thought this explanation of a drowning dream was a good one ...although I think this one is specifically geared more towards yourself drowning.

Now, on the flip side of my little baby dream drama ...I had a **wonderful dream** last night/this morning. I believe it started off with me at my appointment with my new OB next week. I was walking down the hall to go to be weighed, measured, whatever ...and I made a comment on what I heard my nurse and someone else saying. I jokingly said, "Hey, you don't want me to pop this baby out right here." The nurse didn't seem amused by this because she said, "No, we don't want that to happen. The baby's still too small."

Next thing I remember is sitting up in a hospital bed. I looked down and cradled in my right arm was my baby ...all wrapped up in a blanket with a little cap on. This baby was seriously the most beautiful baby I had ever seen and I *knew* it was mine. Jaimie was standing next to the bed with me and I was waiting for him to tell me what it was ...a boy or a girl. I knew that he wanted to be the one to tell me ...that this was something very important to him. Jaimie looked at me and said, "It's a boy." I beamed and looked down at our son and said, "Hi, my beautiful Jaiden." I remember touching his cheek with the back of my fingers and thinking my skin must feel so rough compared to his soft skin.

And that is all I remember of that dream. But definitely a nice turn-around from the previous morning's dream of bath time issues!! So, including these dreams, I've had two in which our baby was a girl (in the drowning dream, I knew it was a baby girl) and one in which our baby was a boy. I wonder which of my dreams is right about the baby's gender! =D

Hair Growth ...or lack thereof...

So, yes ...it has taken me this long to realize that my hair has not really been shedding at its normal rate. Before pregnancy hormones rampaged my body, it was a very normal occurrence that a decent little ball of hair would fall off my head during showers. Now I'm luck if a few strands fall out. This probably wouldn't be too much of a problem if I had shorter hair. But, I've let my hair keep growing since meeting Jaimie because he adores long hair. It makes him sad even if I mention getting it trimmed (to get rid of split ends of course!)! ^.^

So now ...I have a super head of *long* hair. It was thick to begin with ...now it's super duper thick because of the pregnancy. I did some reading and here's what I found out:

"Normally, your hair goes between an active growing phase and a resting phase. At any one time, about 90% of the hair on your head is actively growing at a rate of about half an inch a month for two to six years. The remaining 10% are in a resting phase where they will stay for two to three months before falling out. During pregnancy, though, the increase in hormones causes more of your hair to enter into the resting phase, resulting in the appearance of thicker hair."

Also, I read somewhere that you can experience slowed down growth of leg hair ...which, I think, is fantastic ...seeing as it's getting harder and harder to shave my legs! lol I thought it was pretty strange that I didn't seem to need to shave very often! =D But I definitely like it! Saves me money on razors!

Anyway, to do a little comparison, I went thru my pictures and found one of me (and my hair) last August, as well as one that we took over the weekend. So here's my hair from one year to the next:














I'd say it's nearly doubled in length ...but that's just me. =D I've been practicing self-braiding ...as I've never *ever* been good at doing *anything* with my hair. As I was braiding my hair today, I was reminded of my mother. When she was pregnant with me, she too had very long hair and used to braid it. It's almost as if I'm carrying on a tradition by having my hair long and braided too. Unfortunately, she cut hers off after I was born, but she still has the braid of her hair. Scissors + my hair = Sad Jaimie. hehe So mine will remain long ...just constantly pulled back and out of the way of tiny, grabby hands.

Here is my tribute to my mother's long braided hair:

Friday's Visit to the Doctor

As some of you know, my prenatal care has been ...well... non-existent. It's not because I don't want to, tho, but because I haven't been able to. Well, Friday I made an appointment with our family doctor to ask her some 'girl stuff' and if/how it would affect the pregnancy (plus I figured she would have some advice for me *and* possibly be able to use a doppler ... most doctors' offices have them).

Jaimie was able to get off early and he met me at Dr. Wilson's office. We went in, talked to her, and about ten minutes later she was ready to listen to the heartbeat. We didn't even have to ask! =D Not only is she a great doctor ... she's a hawtie too! =D lol

As she walked out for the doppler, she joked about heartbeats. Jaimie and I would definitely love twins ... but I truthfully think it's just one Baby Ohz in there. I'm sure I'd be a lot bigger by now if I was carrying twins! Dr. Wilson came back in with the doppler and proceeded to hunt down Baby Ohz' heartbeat. She found it pretty quickly on the left side of my belly button. It was the most wonderful sound Jaimie and I have ever heard! Dr. Wilson said the heartbeat was at 150 (and according to old wives' tales, that means Baby Ohz is a girl! lol).

As she was listening, Baby Ohz kicked the doppler and it made this loud static sound. I busted out laughing because I not only *heard* the kick, I felt it as well. Jaimie only made my giggle fit worse, but I finally calmed down and Dr. Wilson was able to continue. =D

She moved the wand to the right side of my tummy where you could still hear the heartbeat, but she said it had an echo on it. She thinks that was the umbilical cord (and not another baby! lol). After one last listen, she helped wipe up the doppler goo and our appointment continued.

One of the reasons we like Dr. Wilson is that she's completely straight with us. She doesn't sugar coat anything ... something Jaimie has always liked about her. She is just brutally honest. After talking to her, Jaimie has changed his mind about Medicaid. We talked about it at length, and I reassured him we wouldn't need it for long. I don't plan on 'mooching' from the government forever ... just until I can get my business going and we can be completely stable.

As we were leaving, we spent a few more minutes chatting with Dr. Wilson. We talked to her about the miscarriage we had in January, and she told us that she had had two miscarriages herself, but still has two beautiful children. It's a horrible thing to have happen, but it's also kind of reassuring to know that my doctor knows how it feels to go thru something so physically and emotionally taxing. It's also reassuring to us to know that miscarriages don't mean you can't have a healthy baby (or babies!).

So Friday afternoon was absolutely wonderful. We had a great conversation with Dr. Wilson and we got to hear our little Baby Ohz' heart beating away! S/he even has our sense of humor already by kicking at the doctor! =D

More Funny Pregnancy Stuff

It's always nice to get a good laugh ... especially when your hormones like to be all over the place! Here's some great "Pregnancy F.A.Q.'s" for you to enjoy (it was long so I copy/pasted my faves!) and my smart ass comments in italics!! lol

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Q: Am I more likely to get pregnant if my husband wears boxers or briefs?
A: You'll have an even better chance if he doesn't wear anything at all ((I'll attest to that!))

Q: What is the easiest way to figure out exactly when I got pregnant?
A: Have sex just once a year ((But what fun would that be?!))

Q: What is a chastity belt?
A: A labor-saving device ((Also something my father probably wishes I could have had!))

Q: What is the most common pregnancy craving?
A: For men to be the ones who get pregnant

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A. No, 35 children is way too many already ((I'll start with two and work my way up to four! lol))

Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college ((This one had Jaimie laughing! =D))

Q: How will I know if my vomiting is morning sickness or the flu?
A: If it's the flu, you'll get better ((...Guess it's not the flu...))

Q: Does pregnancy affect a woman's memory?
A: Most of the ladies I asked don't remember ((And to think my memory was bad to begin with ... wait, who am I and what am I doing here?!?!))

Q: My breasts, rear end & even my feet have grown. Is there anything that gets smaller during pregnancy?
A: Yes, your bladder

Q: Ever since I've been pregnant, I haven't been able to go to bed at night without onion rings. Is this a normal craving?
A: Depends on what your doing with them ((*wink wink* lol!))

Q: My wife is 5 months pregnant and so moody that she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question ?

Q: What's the difference between a pregnant woman and a Playboy centerfold?
A. Nothing, if the pregnant woman's husband knows what's good for him

Q: What position should the baby be in during the ninth month of pregnancy?
A: Head down, pressing firmly on your bladder

Q: What are forceps?
A: Giant baby tweezers

Q: What's the best way to get a man to give up his seat to a pregnant woman?
A: Brute force

Q: How do I know if my baby has dropped?
A: He/She will start crying. Be more careful!

Q: How long is the average woman in labor?
A: Whatever she says, divided by two

Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant

Q: I'm modest. Once I start to deliver, who will see me in that delicate position?
A: Authorized hospital personnel only -- doctors, nurses, orderlies, photographers, florists, cleaning crews, journalists, etc.

Q: What does it mean when the baby's head is crowning?
A: It means you feel as thought not only a crown but the entire throne is trying to make it's way out of you

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy

Q: Does labor cause hemorrhoids?
A: Labor causes anything you want to blame it for ((LMAO! I love this one!!))

Q: When should a baby not be circumcised?
A: When it's a girl.

Q: Where is the best place to store breast milk?
A: In your breasts

Q: Is there a safe alternative to breast pumps?
A: Yes, baby lips

Q: What does it mean when a baby is born with teeth?
A: It means that the baby's mother may want to rethink her plans to nurse

Q: What is the best time to wean the baby from nursing?
A: When you see teeth marks

Q: What is the grasp reflex?
A: The reaction of new father's when he sees new mother's breasts. ((OMG, can you blame him?! It's like having a boob job!))

Q: Can a mother get pregnant while nursing?
A: Yes, but it's much easier if she removes the baby from her breast and puts him to sleep first.

Q: What happens to disposable diapers after they're thrown away?
A: They are stored in a silo in the Midwest, in case of global chemical warfare. ((That's what those silos here are for!!))

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if your change the baby's diaper very quickly

Q: What causes baby blues?
A: Tanned, hard-bodied bimbos

Q: What is colic?
A: A reminder for new parents to use birth control

Q: What are night terrors?
A: Frightening episodes in which the new mother dreams she's pregnant again

Q: What are the terrible twos?
A: Your breasts after baby stops nursing cold turkey

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And one more joke that I couldn't resist. I'm definitely going to be careful of where I sit from now on!

Look Up Before You Sit Down

(This is from an actual trial in the UK.)
A young woman who was several months pregnant boarded a bus. Then she noticed a young man smiling at her. She began feeling humiliated on account of her condition. She changed her seat and he seemed more amused. She moved again and then on her fourth move he burst out laughing. She had him arrested.

Then the case came before the court, the young man was asked why he acted in such a manner. His reply was: "When the lady boarded the bus I couldn't help noticing she was pregnant. She sat under an advertisement which read 'Coming Soon: The Gold Dust Twins', then she moved under one that read 'Sloans Liniments Remove Swelling'. I was even more amused when she sat under a shaving advertisement which read 'William's Stick Did The Trick'. Then I could not control myself any longer when on the fourth move she sat under an advertisement which read 'Dunlop Rubber would have prevented this accident.'" The case was dismissed.

Funny Pregnancy Letter

A lady on one of the forums I go to posted this. I think it's kinda funny, but totally must have been written by a *very* hormonal pregnant woman!

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Dear Non-Pregnant Person,

I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. ..

If you are thinking, surely she doesn't mean me - then you should probably read this twice.

1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you an a$$.

2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby".

3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in 2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it. The same goes for the name of the baby.

4) The body of a pregnant women should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5) Likewise, no women wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about to pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she
is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!".

6) By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7) There is a reason that tickets to L&D are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their
mother, MIL or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents. Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9) If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should cleanup the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still
leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10) The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

I hope this helps - it sure makes us feel better.

Signed,

All Pregnant Women

Ahhh! Cankles!!

So, last night, I got up from playing WoW with Jaimie and Miah 'cause I had to pee!! lol When I sat down in the bathroom, I looked down to find that my right ankle was missing! It was so swollen that it looked like my calf and ankle were one in the same. It was like I sprained my ankle badly but didn't have any of that nasty pain associated with a sprain. =D

I'm thinking it was caused by a combination of the socks I wore that day and me sitting at the computer too long. When I ran out to the library and Wal-mart today, I grabbed a pair of footie socks to wear that are notorius for leaving an indent in my skin (you can see the line in the middle of my foot in the picture). I didn't really think twice about it, 'cause I usually take my socks off the second I'm back in the house. But they were so comfy yesterday that I left them on.

Even tho the swelling has gone down, I find it very weird that it only occurred on my right side. One of the sites I looked up gave a list of things to do to prevent swelling. I've done more than a few of these that have probably helped cause the cankles -- like crossing my legs/ankles when I sit at the computer; sitting at the comp too long; wearing those darned socks that were too tight; not having my feet up; and I could probably do with some more water throughout the day. lol So I have a lot to work on. But I'm glad it happened the night before my doctor's appointment, because I can ask her about it this afternoon. Hopefully it's nothing and is just normal cankles. It's just the one-sidedness of it that worries me most.

Finally ... Air Show Pictures!

On August 16th, Jaimie, Miah, and I went to the Air Show at Offutt Air Force Base in the neighboring town of Bellevue. This was my first air show (that I can remember) and it was an absolutely perfect day. The only thing that tried to ruin it was some nasty crampy pains in my legs. I felt like I'd been doing some awful workout! But I didn't let it stop us from having a great time! Here's a few stills and a slideshow at the end. I'll also try to work in a couple of the (not too awful) videos I shot with my camera.

Jaimie and the F-15 Eagle

Jaimie and Miah in the back of the Stratotanker
USAF Honor Guard Drill Team performing
Two F-22 Raptors ... Jaimie's in love!
And here's the slideshow with lots of additional pictures!

As for the videos, I would first like to say that they all came out rather crappy. It has made me realize how much I hate my camera and need a new one. Don't get me wrong, my little HP Photosmart 317 has served me well ... but I'm tired of not being able to look thru a viewfinder (which sooooo would have helped on this beautiful sunny day), red-grainy videos, and blurry close-ups. I did some research on Kodak's website, and I've picked out the Z710 series ...it's one of the older series, but it's still better than what I have now. One day...

Anyway, on to a few less than perfect videos!

I can't remember which plane this was, but thanks to the stream of smoke you can follow it fairly easily as it rolls, climbs, and dives. It takes a few seconds before I actually 'find' it ...so be patient. =D

The next video is a dog fight between a P-51 Mustang (USA) and a Zero (Japan) from WWII. I lose them here and there, but you can see the 'explosions' as they 'fire' at each other.



This video is a snippet from the USAF Honor Guard Drill Team performance. They're doing the wave with 11 pound rifles with bayonets at the end. >.>



And here's the F-15 Eagle flying by ... she is super fast!



And the F-15 Eagle doing precise 90 degree turns ...on its side, upside down, on its other side, then rightside up again!



F-15 rolling by (can you tell we liked this one a lot?)



And lastly, one of the coolest things I've ever seen. They call it the "Heritage Flight" and it involves the World War II P-51 Mustang, the F-86 Sabre, and the F-15 Eagle. It gives me goosebumps every time I think about it!

And that will about do it for Air Show 2008 goodness!! Until next year!