August 6, 2012

I called the doctor and got in at 11:30 today. They said it’s probably normal and nothing to worry about, but easier said than done. So, I was able to see the PA and check on the baby. A quick ultrasound and she confirmed everything is fine with the baby. We even got to see for ourselves that baby Chambers is in fact a girl. She was moving around so much that the PA was having a hard time getting the heart rate. She finally caught it at 164 bpm. Immediately, I felt like I could breathe again. We saw the baby, she looks good and she’s active and growing every day. 

Thank God!

Sorry for the paranoia and emotions.

August 5, 2012

Okay, so the truth is, it’s not all roses and rainbows. If I’m being honest, I have to admit that I’m still really freaked out at times and I can’t help it when worry, fear or anxiety creeps in. Yes, I love being pregnant and I am still so happy to be experiencing this. However, I think it’s only human that, having been through what I’ve been through, I still worry. I had an upset stomach Friday night and woke up Saturday morning feeling really scared and emotional. For the past couple weeks, I’ve been able to feel where the baby is in my stomach. And she moves around … sometimes she’s on the left side, sometimes the right, sometimes right by my belly button or near my ribs. But, always shifting around. For the past few days, I haven’t felt her move around and it’s hard to tell where she is. 

Okay. Then, I also realize I haven’t gained any weight for the past two weeks and I don’t know why. 

Okay, then it all hits me at once. What if something’s wrong? I cried to Dell and told him I’m just worried and had been praying for a sign that the baby is okay for the past few days. There’s been no sign. I wish I had called the doctor a couple days ago instead of waiting till the weekend. I know it sounds like I’m emotional and crazy, and maybe I am. But, when you are in this situation, you just want to find peace and make sure the baby is okay. 

So, Saturday we went to Oklahoma City for a family reunion with Dell’s mom’s side of the family. The first thing his mom asks when she sees me is if I’ve been feeling the baby move. Ugh, I was dreading this. I hold it together and say “no, not really.” We meet up with his family and his brother asks the same thing. “How’s my niece? Is she moving around a lot?” I feel like it’s a cruel joke or a mind game I don’t want to play. So, I brush it off and try to think positive.

We don’t go to bed until after midnight and I wake up around 4am with severe pain. I went to the bathroom not sure if I just had an upset stomach or if something was wrong with the baby. I sat on the toilet cramping up and crying for about 30 minutes just begging for it to stop. Finally, I was able to go back to bed and felt better after breakfast that morning. 

I’m sure everything’s fine and this is all totally normal, but I don’t know. I don’t have anything to compare it to and I need peace of mind. So, I am calling the doctor first thing tomorrow morning to see if I can come check on the baby.

August 1, 2012

I can’t wait to see Dell as a dad. I know he’s ready. Here’s a story from last night just to prove it.

After work, we babysat my nephews (ages 2 and 3 ½) while my sister and her husband had a quick trip to Kansas City for their anniversary. Everything started out great. I learned that the only thing the older one had eaten that day was Cheez-It crackers. So, we decided to eat dinner together. Before dinner he was complaining his stomach hurt, but that’s not out of the norm for him. He’s very good at coming up with excuses not to eat what you want him to eat. So, I didn’t think anything of it and he ate his chicken, cheese and rice dinner. We rocked in the chair and watched his favorite shows. He fell asleep, and then woke up again. I wanted to give him his Tylenol because he had been coughing for a couple days. After a small dose, he started coughing and then throwing up. Oh no! 

As you may not be aware, your sense of smell is heightened when you are pregnant. Most of the time, this is not a good thing and last night was no exception. Gavin was sitting in the recliner throwing up all over himself and crying and I wanted so badly to hold him and help him. But, every time I got close to the chair, I would smell that horrid smell and start gagging myself. It was like my worst nightmare until Dell sprang into action to help. He told me to get away from the smell and he would take care of it. He got a towel for Gavin and comforted him so he wasn’t scared anymore. He carried him to the bathroom, covered in puke, and cleaned him up in the sink. He changed his clothes, rinsed everything off and cleaned up all the throw-up. I was not a help at all. I couldn’t go in the living room because of the smell and couldn’t stay in the bathroom with them for the same reason. I tried my best to clean up what I could and ran a bath to get Gavin all cleaned up too. 

It was late and Gavin wanted someone to lay with him upstairs, so Dell volunteered for that too. I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without having Dell there to help me. It was such a mess and we were all so tired. 

I’m so glad I married this man … not because he can clean up vomit without flinching, but because he’s just a good man. And seeing him in action last night just made me so proud. I can’t wait to see him as a dad to our little girl. It’s going to be amazing.

July 28, 2012

Today is the day we found out whether baby Chambers is a boy or a girl. We had a really relaxing day of just being lazy around the house. We were laying there watching television and I felt something in my stomach. I can’t say if it was a movement or just tightening, but when I put my hand near my belly button, I felt the baby more so than I ever have. I asked Dell if he wanted to feel and he did. He put his hand there, but quickly moved it because he freaked out! It was so cute to watch him and very neat to feel the baby like that.

We had a boy name we liked, but weren’t completely committed to yet. We both agreed on the girl name, but decided we better start looking at boy names just in case. I got an app and we started scrolling through the alphabet. There are so many to choose from, so it will take some time to decide. We put that task on hold and got dressed for the party.

The theme was “What will baby Chambers BEE?” and it was adorable. They did such a great job with the decorations and the theme. It was perfect. There was a cravings bar with homemade lemon sorbet, all sorts of yellow candies, delicious cupcakes, make-your-own fruit pizzas and lemonade, water or tea with the cutest straws and mason jars. Everything was just my style and I was so appreciative for the work they put into this to make it so special for us. Our friends and family visited, snacked and made their guesses for boy or girl. There were exactly 11 for boy and 11 for girl. Dell guessed boy and I guessed girl. Before we knew it, it was time to find out. We opened the adorable box and white balloons came flying out. We were confused and then saw the pink balloons buried under the white.

It’s a girl!

Dell sat quietly taking it all in. I am sure he’s a little nervous to have a girl, but I personally can’t wait to see him with her. I know he’ll be mush when he sees her and I’ll melt seeing them together. I can’t wait.

It will be an adjustment for me too. I’m not a real girlie girl. I’m not a big fan of shopping, talking on the phone or pink. I’d much rather watch a football game and eat some cheese dip. But, I look forward to finding that balance and helping her be a well-rounded human being. Dell and I talked about dressing her up in colors other than pink and using a large bow to identify her as a girl when she’s a baby. That’s more our style.

We go back to the doctor in a few weeks and I’m counting down the days to the appointment. 

July 24, 2012

We went to the doctor today for the appointment to find out the sex of the baby. My appointment was at 4:30 and I got a late start leaving work. I immediately called the doctor’s office to let them know I would be late, but it went straight to voice mail. Oh no! As we were sitting in traffic, I started to worry that they would be closed by the time we got there. We weren’t moving and I realized I could not miss this appointment. My friends and family were coming over on Saturday for a gender reveal party and I needed to see the doctor in order to have something to reveal. When we finally got to the appointment at around 5pm, we saw nurses leaving in the parking lot. I checked in and they called my nurse to see if I could still see the doctor. Thankfully, they were available and accommodating. They even had to turn the ultrasound machines back on because they had shut everything down for the day. I’m so happy they made time for us.

The ultrasound was quick and immediately the doctor said he knew what we were having. My response was “yeah right.” I told him to please look again and be 100% sure before we have this party. He asked us to close our eyes and he looked again to confirm the sex. Then, he switched the machine over to 4D and we got to see the baby and all the details. It was so cool seeing the little head, arms, fingers and body. Dell was amazed. We could even see the little ears, nose and eyes. We were so happy to get that picture and we both couldn’t stop looking at it. The baby’s heart rate was 152 this week. 

The doctor asked the nurse to write down the sex of the baby for us to take with us. She wrote it on a card and taped it shut, but you could see through the card if you really tried. It was so tempting to look! We went to the gym and as soon as we got home, I pulled it out of my purse and put it in a sealed envelope. My sister and I debated looking, but Dell talked us out of it. Having all that power and still refraining felt good. I knew we were doing the right thing and it would make Saturday even more special and fun. 

Tomorrow morning, I will give the envelope to a friend and she will be the only one who knows what we’re having. She’s going to get the pink or blue balloons for the party. It will be good to hand this off and not be tempted to peek!

For those of you still reading my blog, I’m sorry if I sound like a broken record, but it’s true when I say “I still can’t believe I’m pregnant.” I tell Dell that often and I think I’m still in shock myself. I’m honestly not trying to be annoying or positive Polly, but it really is a miracle. 

I’m starting to really show and I feel like my belly is growing almost every day. While getting dressed is sometimes a challenge, I really love my new belly and love thinking about the baby. Dell and I both have the “What to Expect” app and we like reading about how the baby is changing every day and week. He’s been so supportive and involved, so that’s been really nice to have. We know the baby can hear us now and we have been talking more lately. I bought a lullaby cd to start listening to and we also plan to read to the baby so that baby Chambers will recognize our voices … and hopefully be a genius too!

July 5, 2012

We went to the doctor today because I’m 12 weeks pregnant and it was time for the big checkup. My mom came with us and we got to see the baby again. It was so neat to see how much had changed in just about two weeks. We saw tiny fingers and heard the heart beat again. The doctor stayed away from the lower region of the baby, as we are waiting a few weeks to find out the sex. I want to be sure either way and am looking forward to our next appointment for the details. 

In the ultrasound picture, it looked as if baby Chambers was giving us the military salute. I just love watching it change and I’m so appreciate of the many times we’ve been able to see the baby so far. 

My pants are definitely snug and some are already hard to button. The look of just being bloated has extended to a full little pooch, but I’m not complaining. I really am enjoying every moment and trying to just look forward to continuing the journey. I think about the baby all the time and find myself rubbing my belly now that it’s protruding a bit. 

I’m not craving anything that’s good for me! I’ve eaten Taco Bueno, pizza, ice cream and anything sweet, so it’s like my bad diet 24/7. I am trying to exercise when I have the time and energy, which seems to be hard to find these days. I’m still pretty tired and looking forward to getting my energy level back up. I’ve also been really busy lately and have a lot on my mind. So I find myself having many restless nights, which I’m not a fan of. 

All in all, I can’t complain. I’m a lucky girl.

And this is how we told the office

As you may or may not know, Dell and I work together at a wonderful agency here in Tulsa. We are really blessed to be here together and love our jobs. Every morning, the entire office gathers for a quick meeting to review that day's work. The creative department reviews their job tickets and the we can check to make sure everything is accounted for. After all the jobs were read, Dell's boss found another job ticket he needed to announce. Here's what it said: 

Welcome Baby Chambers Ad

OBJECTIVE - Create a nice mixture of Dell and Audrey for baby Chambers

COPY - Welcome baby Chambers! We've been waiting a long time for you.

CTA - to be delivered at Saint Francis on or around January 17, 2013

PHOTO - Sonogram in job ticket

DELIVERABLE - healthy baby boy or girl

It didn't take long for everyone to figure it out and it was a really fun announcement. We love it here.

This is how we told some of our friends

June 19, 2012

What an amazing appointment! Dell and I were waiting to see the doctor and he was caught up at the hospital. So, one of the nurses helped with our appointment. What a difference a week makes! The baby was moving constantly – looked like a dance party in my belly. It was the coolest thing! We couldn’t believe that was happening and how much the baby had changed from last week. Last week we had frog legs and this week you could clearly see the head, brain cavity, body, arms, legs and umbilical cord. We’d never made it this far in pregnancies before, so it’s so exciting and fun watching the baby change and develop at every appointment. 

Our next appointment is on July 5^th, when I’ll be exactly 12 weeks. I’m excited to start telling people and being able to talk about it in the open. Not to mention, being able to wear normal clothes and quit trying to hide this pooch developing. 

I’m still hungry all the time and very sleepy. In addition to being tired all the time, I’m not able to sleep well at night. I wake up to go to the bathroom and then my head spins full of to-dos for about an hour. Another thing I am experiencing is back pain. Road trips are terrible for me and I turn into an uncomfortable crank-pot after about 45 minutes. It’s crazy how something so tiny can make my back hurt so bad. Even so, things have moved along really well so far. The baby is developing right on schedule and I’m doing really well. I can’t wait to start feeling the baby move, to find out if it’s a boy or girl and to get to the second trimester. 

I still can’t believe this is real. We’re having a baby!