Under the Weather

It has been a challenging week. I have not been feeling well and the rest of the family is sick as well. I went to the doctor yesterday after about 4 days of not being able to breathe and feeling pretty crummy. I got an antibiotic for a sinus infection. I am hoping that it helps fast, and that the baby continues to be healthy and not impacted by my illness or medications. Sleep has been rough because of not being able to breathe.

Yesterday I told my co-workers that I am pregnant. They were happy for me and I am glad that I have that behind me so I don't have to try to conceal it anymore. I have gained probably 6 lbs already and credit that mostly to eating a lot and not exercising as much. I did my kickboxing class once last week but afterward I felt like it might have been a little too much, so my plan is to scale back and wait until my 13 week appointment before I get back in there in a modified way.

Anyway, this week is all about getting better and feeling back to our normal selves!

9-Week Appointment

Monday was our first appointment at the new doctor's office. Nick was not able to make it this time,  but hopefully he can go next time. I went in for ultrasound and got to see a little figure of a person. The baby was moving a lot, the tech said. She dated me at 9 weeks pregnant and set the due date for October 28, 2016.

I then met with the nurse for genetic counseling and finally met Dr. Chao. I liked the doctor a lot. She is young-probably around my age, and had good energy. I will see her again in 4 weeks for a check-up and first trimester screening for genetic abnormalities. They will do another ultrasound at this appointment.

Overall I have been feeling very tired, very hungry and still recovering from my cold & allergies. I haven't been to my exercise classes in a couple weeks now. I just don't have the energy right now. I am hoping that will change soon, because I know it would be good for us.  Monday evening I also got out my tub of maternity clothes. There is not a lot in there, so I will need to do some shopping soon. Tuesday we went out for Mexican food and I decided that would be a good time to get into the maternity jeans! I am feeling much bigger in the stomach already, even though it is early. I don't have any shame in wearing the stretchy pants.

Ruby has told the neighbors about the baby I and told Diana last week. I haven't announced it at work yet, but will probably do that in a couple weeks.

Travels

This past week, I traveled to Washington, D.C. with a group of University Students to attend a conference, Aging in America. I was feeling pretty good going into it, but the travel was exhausting (up at 2AM) and straight into long days of conference. I either have a cold and/or allergies and it made it pretty difficult at times to engage and stay alert. I did venture  out into D.C. with the students a couple times, once at night to see the White House, Lincoln Memorial and MLK Memorial. We finished a long cold trek at The Old Abbitt Grill, which was nice. I was exhausted by the end of it all and was out a few hours past my intended bed time. One of the students in the group told me she knew I was pregnant--that she could tell when she saw me at the airport Sunday morning! I was shocked. We also went out to see the Cherry Blossoms in bloom at the Tidal Basin and they were lovely, but not good for my sinus issues.

It was so nice to get home Thursday evening. I am still not feeling well, but hoping it will pass by the time I go back to work Monday. Being pregnant in the first trimester, you can't really take many OTC meds. I did go to acup

uncture yesterday and that was helpful, at least a bit, for my splitting headache. It is hard to be pregnant, and sick, and still have to care for a family. I am hopeful that once I get though this, the rest of my time will be smooth sailing!

I go to the doctor on Monday for my initial appointment at Oakwood Women's Center. Nick will be there for that one and we will meet the new OB who will follow this pregnancy and delivery.

The Cat is Out of the Bag

Yesterday was my mom's birthday and she received the mail that held the announcement about the baby. We waited all day for the mail to arrive! I sent her an Easter egg and inside it put a Peep chick and a picture of the sonogram with the message: "Happy Birthday! New Grandchild Expected in Oct. 2016!"  She and my dad were both happy about the news.

Yesterday we also attended a birthday party at the home of my friend, Brandi. There were lots of people, and lots of babies. Seeing little babies made me wonder if I have the strength and stamina to do this all over again! I know that I will, but I guess what is hard about the second time around isn't that you don't know what to expect, but that you DO know what to expect--and there is just a LOT to expect. Anyway, Ruby took it upon herself to make an announcement that there is "a baby in my momma's belly" so that kind of explained really why I was only drinking water at the cookout. Brandi was really happy for us.

First Sight

Today I had an appointment with Dr. Brown for my annual exam. She performed an ultrasound and I got to see my first glimpse of my baby to be! At first the baby was not visible, so she did a more invasive ultrasound and there it was...heartbeat and all! She wasn't sure exactly of what the due date is but is estimated between October 28 and November 3. Looks like we might have a Halloween Baby. She told me that when I see my new OB in a couple weeks, they should be able to get a better measure on the baby and determine a due date then.

I texted Nick and Sarah a picture of the sonogram. Nick is so excited. It still doesn't feel quite real to me. This is really happening to me, again! I am having some symptoms such as slight nausea, some groin pain and a really increased appetite. I showed Ruby the picture when I picked her up today from school. She just said, " I want to see Mommy's belly get BIG!" Oh you will, dont worry about that!

I am really looking forward to telling my parents. My mom's birthday is Saturday, so I decided it would be fun for her to learn about the pregnancy on her birthday. I mailed her a package today that contained a Gold Easter Egg with a Peep Chick inside along with the sonogram and a message, "Happy Birthday! Expecting a new grandchild Oct 2016!" I think she will be shocked when she opens that. I was very tempted to tell my dad today, asking him to keep it a secret, but I remembered he is his mother's son and that would be very hard for him! I think I will just wait until the package arrives Friday to Saturday and wait for their reactions.

Here We Grow Again!

As a joke, I bejeweled the pregnancy test for Sarah

Yesterday we found out some exciting news. We got a positive result on a home pregnancy test! We are EXPECTING BABY "B" #2! I will not go to the doctor until March 18, so it will be a few weeks of waiting and hoping that everything goes smoothly. I am personally still in disbelief and probably will not fully accept it until I see the life form on the ultrasound.  However, I already can feel changes in my body and I know that something is happening in there. If all goes as hoped, we should welcome a baby at the end of October, 2016.

I couldn't wait to tell someone, so I decided to tell my sister, Sarah over FaceTime. I went to P. Terry's and got a hamburger bag and wrote "Aunt Sarah #2" on it with a Sharpie. This is how I did the big reveal with Baby #1 exactly 4 years earlier. We called Sarah and she was in a sleepy state and said "is there a reason you are calling?" Why, yes, there is! I zoomed in on the bag with her name on it. She yelled "Shut up!" when she saw what it was and read it. I think she thought we were joking.

P. Terry's #2

Since it is still so early in this process, I am trying not to get ahead of myself.  But it is hard not to start imagining how much everything will change and how this pregnancy will be both similar and different to my first one. In some ways it is scarier because I do know what to expect--symptoms, pain, stress! But it is exciting because I can also anticipate the fun aspects of it and this time around Ruby will be a part of that excitement as we prepare her for what is about to rock her world! She already said she doesn't want a baby brother because she "doesn't like boys."

My OBGYN, Dr. Brown actually stopped her obstetrics practice and thus is no longer delivering babies. That is disappointing, but I was prepared for that. Today I made an appointment with a new practice and doctor who will deliver at the same hospital we had Ruby at in 2012. Dr. Chao is her name and I just hope that she can provide the same level of care and knowledge that we received from Dr. Brown. Ultimately though, I know that I am the one who will be doing the work that matters!

I am off to kickboxing now. My goal for this pregnancy is to stay in good shape and continue with my kickboxing routine. The past 5 months I have worked hard to gain strength and endurance and I know so well from laboring with Ruby, that any ounce of athleticism you have will help you though the tough process of child delivery. Here's to a great journey ahead as we expand our little family from 3 to 4! xo C

Ruby Ryan Bassett

Ruby Ryan Bassett was born on September 15, 2012 at 10:18 p.m. She weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces and was 18 inches long. We think that Ruby is a precious angel and could not be any more in love with her than we are right now!