2014. I love you.

Well Happy New Year, y'all!! It seems we've made it through 2014. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hesitant to enter 2015, because 2014 has been the absolute best year of my life! It has been said that all good things must come to an end, so I wanted to spend my last waking hours of 2014 recounting my blessings & the greatest lessons I've learned this year. Here ya go!

1. Our great God is still in the business of performing miracles. If you need proof, come check out my super cute baby boy! This time last year I was straight depressed & never thought I'd get my heart's desire, but here I sit 365 days later with a 14lb butterball of perfection nursing and laughing simultaneously, spewing milk all over us both! God is good, and God is on time!

2. There's no place like home, but nobody said you could only have one. This year we packed up our family of 2 & a fetus and moved clear across the state of GA to my hometown. I was thrilled & thought that would change everything! While it did indeed change every aspect of our lives, I quickly realized that Thomasville will always be home too. I miss that place; the place where we began our lives as a family of 2, where Tyler started and ended his teaching career, the place that fulfilled my dream of becoming a RN, and the place we created new life. I miss it so much and though we live in Dalton which has always been home to me, home will always exist on Thomasville too.

3. There's nothing more sacred and spiritual than death. I know this sounds creepy and potentially inappropriate, but I spent the better part of this year working as a hospice nurse & I learned so much about death and the dying process, as well as my own view of it. Death is a very personal and private process, but as a hospice nurse I experienced it alongside my patients and their families, and that was a blessing to me. I won't go into many details because they aren't mine to divulge, but there's something beautiful about the moment a person let's go and finds peace--both the dying and those left behind. Though I'm not working in hospice any longer, I'm grateful for the experienxe and the beautiful souls I met--patients, families, and so many selfless coworkers.

4. If you want to experience true magic, look into your child's perfect eyes for the first time. There's nothing like the immediate bond that exists between mother and child, when you realize that this beautiful gift is YOUR'S and you assisted God in creating a miracle. It's so much better than I ever imagined and I pray that everyone who holds the desire will one day experience this kind of true love. Much to my husband's chagrin I want to do it over and over and over again.

5. Nobody loves you like your mama. I know this seems obvious, but you don't understand true love until you're a parent yourself, and because of this you don't know how much you're loved. Now go call your mama and tell her you love her! I promise you, you've never had a bigger fan, nor have you ever met someone who would be so eager to bear every pain and hurt and tear for you. Seriously, call your mom.

6. Don't make plans. Any plans. Ever. Life doesn't work that way! If you make a birth plan it will fall through just like your plan on when to have a baby in the first place. If you plan on having a job you probably won't find one. Life doesn't care about your plans, and God's are far better for you anyway.

7. Being a parent is HARD, y'all. People tell you this, but Hollywood has made everything look like a rosy fantasy and that's just not real. We all 3 cried through our first night home from the hospital, and on the way to the pediatrician the next day Tyler and I were zombies. We couldn't believe we could be so happy and so scared simultaneously. Tyler had dry heaves for a week and I don't know how many days I went without a shower. It's hard, but it gets so much better, and it's worth it. I still want to do it over and over again.

8. See a lactation consultant. Just do it. Our breastfeeding relationship was better immediately after 30 minutes with Carol. Breast is best, but it's impossible without support, so go find the support! You can do it!!

9. Never take a job without FMLA. If you do, you'll need it. If you don't, you'll probably wonder why it exists anyway, but better safe than sorry. I had delivery complications that didn't allow me to return to work until 10 weeks postpartum, and I was only allowed 6 weeks, so I got fired. Yep. Here we are, brand new parents with a 6 week old and zero income. That's some scary, real-life stuff y'all. Fortunately I'm a nurse, and I've now got a new & better job to start on Monday, but there was a devastating period of time when I didn't know what we were going to do! Needless to say, I won't allow myself to be caught in that situation again. The law really is there to protect us!

10. The Lord is sovereign. I hope you gathered that from #1-9, but just in case here's a reminder. This year He gave me a beautiful testimony, a perfect son, a magnificent husband who has loved & supported me through it all. He moved us closer to our families, and unexpectedly met my desire to spend more time home with my Jonas (13wks vs 6 is awesome!). This year He also gave us a sister-in-law and aunt, who is the perfect addition to our family. More recently He made a way for this new job & made it possible for me to get 2 new certifications the week of Christmas. Our God is sovereign!!

Here's to 2015! A year that will bring a new job, a brand new baby nephew, 2 new brother-in-laws, and a thousand memories with the 2 perfect Lipsey men I share my life with!

Thank You Lord for your blessings on me!

XOXO,
Hannah

Welcome to the World, Precious One: Part Two

Now where were we? Transferring to the labor room, which I believe happened somewhere between 1700-1730 (5-5:30pm), it all starts to run together at this point, so the timeline format of this blog is going to disappear too.

When we finally arrived in our room I was in a great deal of pain, roughly 6-7/10, and contractions were coming more frequently. I was begging for an epidural & my nurse finally informed me that my OB had ordered one and the anesthesiologist (who was beyond awesome by the way) was on the way. In the meantime my parents began to arrive and were just standing around the bed looking at me. The way they stared and my overall helplessness due to pain left me feeling like a corpse in a coffin...just lying there while they gathered around talking about how good I looked, which, PS, I DID NOT look good. Remember how I chose NOT to wash my hair that morning? Big mistake. I know that's wildly morbid, but that's surely how it felt! It should be noted how INCREDIBLE my husband was at that time, rubbing my back and helping me breathe through contractions instead of fighting them the way I had been. He was amazing then, and after, and now. I'm not going to start talking about how blessed I am when it comes to my husband because I'll never stop, but just know that I pray our son will be just like him--he came through in a way even greater than I had imagined.


It felt like hours later, but it was probably mere minutes, and the super nice anesthesiologist arrived to give me the perfect epidural: I felt no pain, but I was able to feel the sensation to push later on. He was so kind and the process was so easy I swear I could've kissed him right in the mouth! I was so fearful of the epidural for no reason at all! Shortly after that my wonderful OB arrived and broke my water, which could only mean it was time to get this show on the road!!

I dilated to 10cm almost immediately after my water was broken, however Jonas wasn't quite ready yet and was sitting at -2 station meaning he had quite a long way to descend before I started pushing. So we waited. And waited. And waited. The nurses repositioned me and Jonas kicked the tocometer (monitors heart rate & contractions) and we repositioned again. This went on until about 2100 (9pm), when my sweet nurse Jessica (also awesome) determined I was ready to start pushing!! Hallelujah, let's meet this boy!!!

By this point my in-laws had arrived, as well as my brother Trevor & sister-in-law to be Robin, my Granny, Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Bud, Aunt Kym, Aunt Dee, and Aunt Sharon...forgive me if I've forgotten anybody, the night is hazy and I hardly remember the world before Jonas at all at this point, let alone the night of his birth. For a fleeting second I considered allowing my Mom & Tracy, my mother-in-law, to stay in the room for the delivery, a decision I was adamantly against prior to this night. It had been a hot debate, but as always The Lord is sovereign & it is a sheer miracle that they were not around for the drama that ensued. So we kicked everybody out and the action began.

As I mentioned earlier, my epidural took away the pain, but left me with the ability to feel contractions and assist with pushing, so at this point I proudly grabbed one leg in each hand, thanked God for the flexibility that only comes with 18 years of dance, and got to work. I pushed like a champ and pooped myself like 843 times, and I was so proud. I even made Tyler get out the camera and take a picture of this spectacular pushing I was doing. I was a rock star and I knew it, a fact that baffled me as I whine when my hair gets pulled or I stub my toe...I NEVER expected to handle childbirth so easily, even with an epidural.

We pushed for roughly 45 minutes before Jessica (awesome night nurse) mentioned she was starting to see, "a little more blood than I feel comfortable with," so she decided to call in my spectacular OB to check it out. At this point I was calm, I'm a nurse so who cares about a little blood? I had no idea what was about to happen.

My OB came in the room with another RN and an urgency I hadn't been expecting. She was sternly giving verbal orders to Jessica, and furrowing her brow at the blood I seemed to be spewing. She pulled on shoe covers and was pulling the bed apart quickly and tossing the pieces to the side. My sweet OB typically has the most calming demeanor, so I knew something wasn't right. I was ok until she asked my nurse to call for respiratory therapists, "for possible infant resuscitation." WHAT. RESUSCITATION?! My precious, perfect miracle may not be breathing? She also asked for the hemorrhage box, which I knew from my ER days was full of medications that aren't used on the regular and are meant to control heavy bleeding. This was bad...but my labor had been going so well? What went wrong?? I would've given anything to NOT be a nurse at that point, to be at least slightly more oblivious to the goings on in the room.

I didn't have a birth plan. I know myself well enough to know that when I plan things they never go the way I have lined out in my head so plans are useless. I didn't have a plan, I only knew I didn't want a vacuum or forceps assisted delivery, and I could be ok with everything else. My OB had me put my feet in the stirrups and began to finally start talking directly to me. She explained, briefly, that I was bleeding significantly, which she feared was a terminal abruption, and, "We have to get this baby out NOW." I'll never forget the sound of her voice when she said that. She was scared, I was scared, we were all scared. The anxiety in the room was palpable. She explained that she was going to use the vacuum on his head to pull him out (cue the voice in my head screaming NOOOOOOOOOOO) and briefly explained how it worked. In the meantime the respiratory therapists had arrived so we were ready to roll.

Something inside of me changed. Call it mother instincts, but suddenly I no longer mattered. At all. He wasn't even here yet, but I had already forgotten about everything except the desire to protect him. I said a quick prayer in my head, something basic like, "Please God, please protect this baby. Take me if you need me, but please let me see him and please let him be ok." And then I pushed. HARD. I held my breath and I closed my eyes, and I forced his body outside of mine. There's something so magical about birth--even a medicated birth--that you can't even describe. It's so raw and so very human...so incredibly, undeniably special and miraculous, I'm still so grateful for the experience.  I pushed twice and at 2201(10:01pm) I heard the most beautiful sound I've ever heard in my life: Jonas's loud, long, STRONG cry!

I knew he was ok when I heard my OB say, "Praise God." She allowed Tyler to cut the cord and she laid that beautiful, perfect, full-of-life, healthy baby boy on my chest. It's a moment I'll never forget and one that still seems so surreal in my head. It's the moment my family became 3 instead of 2. It's the moment we completely died to ourselves and the world began to revolve around Jonas. It's the moment I gained my purpose for living. The moment I became Mommy.

My boy was here! 7lbs and 8oz of screaming perfection:

My perfect miracle boy!

First family photo! (Mama should've washed that hair!)

My boys, my whole heart outside of my chest

 The minutes that followed immediately after his birth are some I want to keep special and sacred for only my family to share, but trust that they were magical and perfect and filled with emotion. A mommy and daddy were born with Jonas that night, and suddenly my world was in motion. Thank You, GOD!

The events after I met my son were much less special and mostly scary, but I'll write more on that later. For now, bask with me in the joy that miracles are possible...I know because I'm holding one.

XOXO,
Jonas's Mommy

The Day We Met Our Miracle: Part One

I haven't blogged in months, but I can't not have a record of how my sweet miracle made it into this world, so I'm back with our birth story, the story of the happiest day of our lives. Disclaimer: this will likely get graphic, if you know me at all you know I don't sugar coat things and Im a bit of a tell-all.

Monday, October 6, 2014
0630: I woke up with a strange, but mild cramping sensation. Though uncomfortable, this cramping was far from severe and not how I imagined labor pains would feel, so I texted my mom and went back to sleep.

0930: I woke again to continued cramping, but assumed all was well...I shouldn't be able to sleep through labor, right? I texted Mom again, then Tabitha to see if she wanted to go walk with me @ the mall. I was still completely convinced it WASN'T labor, but I knew if it were true labor my pain would increase while walking. Tab agreed to meet me at 1130 for lunch and walking, so I hopped in the shower. I chose not to wash my hair, a mistake that may plague me the rest of my days, because I was planning to sweat at the mall & shower again on my return home. While showering the "cramping" continued in waves, but I remained unconcerned.

1130: always late, I left to meet Tabitha, her 2 year old, and her 3 week old. In retrospect I really shouldn't have driven myself to the mall, but I still thought all was well--I was expecting to be induced for carrying him past term, not for him to arrive 8 days early! I got the best parking spot at the Belk, a fact that seemed to negate my concern over having 3 "cramps" (I was still refusing to call them contractions) in the 20 minutes it took me to get there.

1200: Lunch at Chickfila was priority one, and I greatly enjoyed my chicken nuggets, followed by a double doozie from the cookie company...aside from cramping I felt great! Then we walked...and walked...and walked. I finally got the bright idea to use an app to time my "cramps," which were lasting 30-40 seconds at that time and roughly 3 minutes apart. I finally had one that was painful enough to force me to sit down, which is when Tabitha intervened and forced me to call my OB, who didn't answer, so I left a message.

1430: Tabitha wasn't keen on waiting for a call from my doctor, so we decided to leave...I tried to drive myself home because I had a "good parking spot," but my dear BFF refused. We loaded the kids in the car and went to pick up Tyler. In the meantime my OB nurse called & made the official recommendation that I go to the hospital to be checked, "just in case." Once at my house my sweet husband rushed out and threw everything we needed in Tabitha's trunk, before squeezing himself in between two car seats in the backseat. We were stopped by two trains on the way back to my car, but we finally arrived and were officially hospital bound!

1515: We checked in at registration to the sounds of Bruce Springsteen singing Born in the USA, a fact my husband found fascinating and I couldn't be bothered to notice as my pain had crept to roughly a 4/10. The registration desk took FOREVER, with the employees answering faxes and eating cupcakes while I labored...

1545: We finally arrived in a labor and delivery triage room to be assessed, and I was just praying I wouldnt be sent home. A sweet, new nurse checked in on me first and reported I was 3cm dilated and 90% effaced, borderline for being sent home by any standard. After her, a more seasoned nurse checked me and determined I was actually 7cm dilated and 100% effaced--WHOA! I made her repeat that so I could process it, & immediately sent Tyler to notify our parents that we were having a baby TODAY!!!  My pain was intense at this point (possibly because I heard that I was 7cm) so I begged for an epidural...@ 7cm I wasn't sure I would be able to get one. I was admitted by the nurse in training who meticulously asked every single question on the admission assessment (6N nurses do you feel my pain here?!), then we were finally transferred to our room.

I want to cuddle my boy, so this one will just have to come in installments.

Blissfully Exhausted,
Hannah (aka Mommy😍)

18!

Well we're at 18 weeks & this Mama has been an awful blogger as of late. Ooops. I'm also homeless, so you can't expect too much. Here we go!

How far along: 18 weeks, 5 days

Gender: He's a BOY!!!

Weight gain: +6lbs on the dot

Maternity clothes: Scrubs, scrubs, and scrubs. Otherwise it's mostly maxi dresses

Stretch marks: No

Belly button in or out: In, but huge and shallow. I'm thinking it won't be long till it's OUT.

Sleep: I've slept REALLY well the past few nights, but I think that's because my husband was here & I danced my little pregnant heart out at recital.

Best moment this week: Finding out my sweet little nudger is a boy, like I had known all along! Jonas Paul Lipsey is coming at you in October! The mother was right!

Miss anything: My sweet husband. This commuter marriage is getting old.  

Movement: Yes! Nothing sweeter.

Cravings: Fruit rollups. We're gross.  

Queasy or sick: No! I am blessed!

Looking forward to: My husband living here in north GA with me. Oh, and BABY SHOPPING!! And house shopping because Jonas needs an actual place to call home.

I'll try to be less absent in the coming weeks!!

XOXO,
Hannah & Jonas

Week 15!

This one will probably be another short one, but not because I'm feeling any less blessed, I'm just wondering where that so-called "second trimester burst of energy" is! I haven't seen it!! I suppose it doesn't help that we've been working hard cleaning up and packing up all day today. I won't bore you with details, but I will give you some week 15 news!

I took 2 pictures this week because I wanted one with regular clothes on instead of just a camisole. I refuse to take bare belly photos to publish, but I did expose my beloved belly band which better highlights my growing bump. We had been riding with the windows down, so try to ignore my messy head.

How far along: 15 weeks, 4 days

Gender: Mama can't get away from masculine pronouns 

Weight gain: +2lbs as far as I know

Maternity clothes: Scrubs, scrubs, and scrubs. Flowy shirts and belly bands...I think I've stretched the belly band use as far as I can though

Stretch marks: No

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: I've been sleeping well, aside from waking up due to little bitty on my bladder

Best moment this week: My sweet Clinkscale moved this week! He/she provided me a beautiful moment in the midst of sadness (work-related), and I will always be grateful. A wonderful moment that brought to light the sanctity of both new life and death and how blessed I am to experience both. Thanks, Clinkscale, you're steady teaching your mama already. You just nudged me again, does that mean you're acknowledging my thanks? I love you.

Miss anything: I would say Tyler, but I'm looking at him now. I'll be missing him again tomorrow though, of that I am sure.  

Movement: YES!! What a thrilling feeling, however fleeting it may be

Cravings: Breakfast: biscuits, hashbrowns, waffles, you name it.  

Queasy or sick: No! I am blessed!

Looking forward to: Anatomy screen on May 13th and Disney with the marching band this weekend!

It feels good to be in Thomasville, but it will feel even better to have my family back together again in Dalton.

XOXO,
Hannah

14 Weeks Blessed...a little late

Hello blog world! This blog SHOULD have been written at least a week ago, but internet is splotchy at best at my dad's house, so here it is.

A lot of things happened in week 14, which is another reason I should've been blogging at the time, but it's too late for that now. On the first day of week 14 I was on my 2nd day of a new job, and at 14wks and 2days I got to hear my sweet Clinkscale's heartbeat at my doctor's visit. I also found that we'll learn Clinkscale's sex on May 13th--a date that can't get here soon enough. That's all I've got for now, here are the week 14 basics:

How far along: 14 weeks and 6 days when this photo was taken

Gender: Mama had a few doubts this week, but still thinking Clinkscale is a boy! 

Weight gain: +2lbs according to the scales at the doctors office

Maternity clothes: Scrubs almost all the time, with loose fitting dresses and pants with a belly band when I'm not working

Stretch marks: No

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: Sleeping well aside from waking up about once per night for a bathroom break

Best moment this week: Seeing my sweet husband on the weekend! Staying 5 1/2 hours away from my husband during the week is not as difficult as I had anticipated, but it sure does make the weekends sweeter. I was also excited to hear that we'll be having our anatomy & sex determination scan May 13th. I can't leave out the fact that I started a brand new job that I'm loving!

Miss anything: Just the love of my life during the week  

Movement: I had one questionable feeling, but I thought it was gas...still not certain

Cravings: Breakfast foods 

Queasy or sick: No! I am blessed!

Looking forward to: Weekends with my husband and our anatomy scan May 13th!

That's all I've got!

XOXO,
Hannah

Hey oh! 13 weeks!

Hello beautiful friends! We've officially reached week 13! I can't believe it on one hand, and on the other it feels like it has taken a million years. Right now we're watching Gravity which is way too intense for me to focus too intently on this blog...but watching movies "in space" gives me vertigo and totally freaks me out, so having this distraction is probably best.

In non-baby-related news I am moving home this week! I'm super excited and scared to death and worried about missing the crap out of my husband while we're apart. We've set up a schedule though, and we should easily be able to see each other every weekend...it's not enough, but we do what we have to. Please keep us in your prayers!

And now...the miracle:

 

 

How far along: 13 weeks, 0 days

Gender: Mama still thinks Clinkscale is a boy!  

Weight gain: +0.8lbs according to last week's appointment, and I haven't weighed since 

Maternity clothes: The shirt in the picture is maternity, but it's the first I've worn. Otherwise I'm all about a bellyband and some flowy shirts

Stretch marks: No

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: Sleeping like a rock these days, thanks to my magnificent pregnancy pillow

Best moment this week: Announcing the pregnancy on facebook...most fun I've had in awhile! People are so positive and uplifting, and it just increased my blessing. We also got word yesterday that our first trimester scan was 100% normal, and our risk for genetic abnormalities that we were tested for is 1 in 10,000 which is the best result you can get it. Praise the Lord again!

Miss anything: Lunch meat, I only want it because I can't have it

Movement: Baby is moving like a wild child, but I can't feel it yet

Cravings: Pizza. I really, really love pizza.  

Queasy or sick: No! I am blessed! 

Looking forward to: Moving home and a doctor's appointment next week, I love hearing little Clinkscale's heartbeat!


That's it for today! Thanks for praying with us and loving on us, you guys are truly the best!

XOXO,
Hannah

The Rest of the Story

Hey yall!

So in case you missed it yesterday, we're pregnant!! I doubt you did, I posted it everywhere, but I just really like saying it. Aside from congratulations, the question/comment I've gotten most was, "How did you finally get pregnant? What worked for you?" so I figured I owe you an answer. And by that I mean I WANT to give you the answer, because it's such vivid proof of our God's power and love that I just can't keep quiet.

Let's begin with the basics in case you haven't been following our journey...I don't ovulate. Like ever. I was on contraceptives for the first 2 years of our marriage, but after that all things in the baby making department ceased to exist. I figured out I wasn't ovulating on my own, and after 3 different MDs in 2 different cities it was finally confirmed. My sweet little demon ovaries were rebelling against my heart and soul and saying no.

We did 3 rounds of Provera in hopes that it would "jump start" my menstual cycle naturally, and when that failed we tried Progesterone + Femara to make me ovulate...which also failed. In January I finally started seeing my current doctor (who is fabulous and wonderful and I wish she'd be my primary MD, my OB, my dentist, etc all at once. I love her!) and she gave me the ultrasound I had been begging for. My suspicions were confirmed at that time: I have PCOS. There was one beautiful thing on that ultrasound though...one teeny tiny microscopic almost-mature follicle: AN EGG!! One beautiful egg! We knew it was likely that we wouldn't "catch" it, but at least it was there...and with it came hope.

We left the doctor's office that day with the plan to return in a few weeks to start Provera and Clomid in order to stimulate ovulation. Here's something you should know: Provera is toxic to a zygote/embryo (tiny baby who isn't big enough to be a fetus yet) and if pregnant it would kill the baby. I was SO excited to be handed this hope! I just knew Clomid would be my ticket to motherhood.

Approximately 4 days later that microscopic egg matured and was fertilized. A beautiful, perfect life was formed, we just didn't know it yet, and our pregnancy was so young it would never register on a test before our doctor's appointment. We proceeded with our plans to travel to the doctor and start our new medication regimen.

Remember the snow storm that shut down Atlanta? That snow storm saved our baby's life. Though I'm sure it's not the only reason God shut down Atlanta, I just know He shut it down to keep us from getting to our appointment. If we would've made it to Calhoun we would've started Provera and potentially terminated the pregnancy we prayed for so long. I've said it before and I'll say it again: God is SOVEREIGN! He shut down a city for my baby when it was but a mass of cells!

So that's how we got pregnant. Through prayer and not medicine. Through God and not science, because GOD IS ABLE. If you take nothing else from my story, please take that. God loves you enough to shut down a city and force people to sleep in schools and grocery stores. All for you. You're that important and that loved. You have been since before you were born.

How blessed we are!

XOXO,
Hannah

12 Weeks Blessed

Today is the day that I wish we were announcing our pregnancy. We are 12 weeks today, but given that it's April Fool's and I have a HUGE problem with pregnancy announcement jokes, I have refrained. But it's been SO HARD. Oh. So. Hard. Because this is literally the best secret ever.

I posted a status on fb today & I've gotten so many beautiful, supportive messages from people I've NEVER met saying they're praying for me. If you're reading this, you have no idea how much you've blessed me today. I hope you're not offended by my pregnancy announcement today after posting such yesterday. Though pregnant, I still remember the heartache of April Fools past, and I still long to raise awareness for infertility and the men and women still in the middle of their battle. I have not given up on you, and I will NOT stop talking about it.

Onto little baby perfection. I got to see my little precious today!! It was our first trimester screen which consists of an ultrasound and a blood test. The ultrasound looked great, but little baby Lipsey (Clinkscale, if you'll remember) is an acrobat!!! Clinkscale was moving SO MUCH we had a hard time getting pictures of him/her. He/she was literally JUMPING. He/she put his/her little feet on my uterine wall and took off! JUMPING!! I'm also pretty certain there was some twerking happening at some point. Because of this act I will ask that everyone try not to buy my baby teddybears because I do not want a little Miley Cyrus on my hands. Please and thank you. Clinkscale is his/her mother's child and was very agitated with being disturbed by the US wand. There was kicking, smacking, and head butting at the wand when Clinkscale was prodded. Our US tech was cracking up and said it was the most entertaining ultrasound she had seen in a long time! That's Mommy's baby!! I'm so very blessed, but sad I didn't get my little gymnast/swimmer extraordinaire on video!

 

How far along: 12 weeks, 0 days (measuring 12w1d, little overachiever)

Gender: Mama is sticking with boy in spite of the elevated heart rate (161) 

Weight gain: +0.8lbs...apparently we are fluctuating

Maternity clothes: My mama bought me some, but I'm still in regular clothes + belly band 

Stretch marks: No

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: Knock on wood it's been better this week!

Best moment this week: Seeing my precious miracle via US!! 

Miss anything: Not that I can think of

Movement: Baby is moving like a wild child, but I can't feel it yet 

Cravings: Whatever you're having still.  

Queasy or sick: No! I am blessed!

Looking forward to: Announcing my miracle!!! AHHH!! Roughly 12 more hours!

Thanks for praying with me and blessing my heart, friends. I love you!
Hannah


11 weeks bumpdate!

Hello all! Mama & Clinkscale here, reporting in at 11 weeks, 2 days! Nothing major going on this week aside from the fact that I'm down to 5 more shifts at the hospital and Clinkscale is doing some serious development in utero. From what I read Clinkscale is growing fingernails and tooth buds...here's hoping he/she isn't born with teeth because Mama really wants to breastfeed without getting bit! He/she is the size of a lime!

This week I peed in a little cup that supposedly told me Clinkscale's gender! I'm not sure it's accurate, but Aunt Tab gave it to us, so we used it! It said to wait 5 minutes to read the test, but mine immediately turned the color of fresh stomach bile from a patient with a small bowel obstruction, so I knew the answer was boy.

In other news, I got a belly band! This morning I couldn't comfortably button my jeans and breathe simultaneously, so I knew it was time. Oddly I have lost weight instead of gained, but I can still tell a difference in my abdomen...I'll let you be the judge based on photos.

I also tried on bathing suits today, which made me painfully aware of the changes Clinkscale has made on my body. My breasts no longer fit in anything you could call "cute," and I certainly can't wear anything that doesn't have an XL in the tag. I took a picture, but I really don't think it's appropriate to share with the world at large, so I'll keep it to myself. My darling Meghan had a good time laughing at/with me, it was surely a reality slap! And we're only getting bigger from here!!! I'll take it though, any day of the week. What a blessing my swollen body is! I am thankful!

Without further rambling, I give you week 11:

 



How far along: 11 weeks, 2 days

Gender: Mama and Intelligender (thanks Aunt Tab) say boy!

Weight gain: -1.5lbs but I don't know how

Maternity clothes: Won't be long, Mama's got a belly band!  

Stretch marks: No

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: Maybe a little better this week. I woke up last night from 0315-0430, but I didn't work today so I was able to catch up.
 

Best moment this week: Bathing suit shopping, it was nice to be able to see the changes Clinkscale is making in my body...a reminder that he/she is really there! Also I took the Intelligender test which confirmed my suspicion that Clinkscale is a boy...if it's accurate:)

Miss anything: Copious amounts of caffeine, mostly

Movement: From what I read baby is moving, but I can't feel it.

Cravings: Everything. Sometimes Zaxbys, sometimes Chinese. It varies.

Queasy or sick: No! I am blessed!

Looking forward to: First trimester screen and ultrasound next Tuesday, 4/1/14, I can't wait to see my little bitty miracle again!

Can't wait to share our big news with yall, it's almost time!!!

XOXO,
Hannah

Mom & Clinkscale reach week 10!

Hello all!

Today is 10 weeks into our official journey as parents!! And, coincidentally, I have 10 more shifts left as a med-surg nurse!! After the day I had yesterday, the latter seems more immediately exciting. Not sure I should admit that, but yesterday was truly horrendous...this may be why mama looks SO tired in this week's picture.

I read somewhere that at 10 weeks gestation the miscarriage risk decreases to 3%. Because of this I can breathe a sigh of relief, and I also find it remarkably more difficult to keep this secret. We will overcome the silence though, and hopefully be able to tell you in about 2 weeks!

How far along: exactly 10 weeks

Gender: Mom is still sticking with boy, Dad still doesn't know

Weight gain: 0, I think? I haven't weighed myself. I feel fatter, so I'll just stick with that

Maternity clothes: Not yet, but I'm almost exclusively in scrubs, so who knows 

Stretch marks: No

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: What is this sleep you speak of? Between the million bathroom breaks and the wild, vivid, sometimes inappropriate dreams, I don't sleep anymore. Couple that with the anxiety I have toward my job, I've been awakening between 0345 & 0400 every morning I have work. This morning (my ONE day off) I woke super early, but I was able to go back to sleep and rest a little. You know you're pregnant when you dream about BOGO bakery treats and double fisting them, your 2 year old niece singing wrecking ball, and simultaneously punching someone while putting gum in their hair. Thanks, little Clinkscale, Mommy thinks your imagination is as vivid and crazy as her's.

Best moment this week: I've been working a lot this week, so my best moment is that I'm still pregnant in spite of the insane stress. Also coming home Saturday evening to find my precious husband cooking both dinner and breakfast and having laundered my scrubs...he sure knows how to make me feel special and cherished.

Miss anything: SLEEP.

Movement: From what I read baby is moving, but I can't feel it.

Cravings: Whatever you're having. Seriously. And by you I mean in real life (even cafeteria food at work?), on TV, and in pictures. I want all the food.

Queasy or sick: No! I am blessed!
 

Looking forward to: Going home for the weekend for a 5K and a pregnancy announcement photo session! You'll get to see those as soon as we hit 12 weeks!

XOXO,
Hannah

Week by Week

Now that the big secret is out, I want to share the photos I've taken in the meantime. I wish I had done a blog post for each week, but I'll catch up now and do them every week from now on.

Here's a picture from the day we found out (February 14, 2014), we thought we were closer to 6 weeks, but it turns out we were only 5 so the board isn't 100% accurate!

That day we were shocked and ecstatic and not even sure what to do!! So we had some dinner, bought What to Expect When You're Expecting, and bought a marker board to document the occasion!

 

7 Weeks

February 27 we FINALLY got to go to the doctor and get a little peek at our little miracle. Little bit was confirmed to be 7 weeks and 2 days old that day. I don't have a picture of my belly (it hadn't changed much), but I DO have some pictures of this precious baby of mine:



Heart beat going strong at 141 beats per minute!! I cried like a baby and couldn't believe this uterus was mine!!! What a bountiful blessing for our family!!

8 Weeks

Week 8 brought no real changes in my body aside from some constipation, which is what accounts for the belly you see in these pictures. That's not the miracle of life, folks, that's the miracle of poop all backed up in your colon where it isn't supposed to be. Thank God for Colace, I say!

9 Weeks

And now, I bring you to today. March 13, 2013, at 9 weeks and 2 days:

How far along: 9 weeks 2 days

Gender: Mama's guess has always been boy

Weight gain: 0

Maternity clothes: No maternity clothes yet...I can still wear my old ones, plus I live in scrubs which are elastic waisted & don't require me to stay one size.

Stretch marks: No

Belly button in or out: In. No change yet

Sleep: Nothing like it used to be. I stay up later and wake up earlier, and I wake up at least once per night to go to the restroom. When I wake up in the middle of the night I also have a very difficult time falling back to sleep.

Best moment this week: The colace is working and the constipation is resolving...at least for now!

Miss anything: Regular sleep and regular poops.

Movement: Too small to feel yet

Cravings: Chickfila chicken sandwiches, hashbrowns, and Taro froyo...the more condiments the better. Also Mexican food is creeping into my thoughts very often this week.

Queasy or sick: Not really. I've been blessed with no morning sickness, just a tiny bit of queasiness when I take too long to fill up my empty belly--this baby wants me to eat all the time!

Looking forward to: Sharing our good news with the world! I am DYING over here trying to keep this most wonderful secret!!

 

XOXO,

Hannah