Tick, Tock, swish, swash

The clock is running down on this pregnancy. Where did the time go?

I must say I am truly blessed! To have been pregnant for nearly 9 months and not have any trouble has been the greatest blessing for David and I. Not to say moving around hasn't become more difficult and sleeping...! That has become near impossible with Carpal Tunnel running through my hands... Oh well, couldn't get off scott free, I guess. Walking up and down stairs has caused me to become a mouth breather and putting on sock and shoes is becoming more like an Olympic sport. That's okay David has been getting good practice putting on socks and shoes for a girl now. Pull the tongue out before you tie that shoe. :)

I had an ultrasound last Tuesday and the baby looks to be 7.5 pds already. Lets hope the tech is right and not way off like they were with my sisters pregnancy...7.5 pds turned out to be 9.9 OPPPPSSSS!

The doc expects our baby girl to arrive this week or next. She doesn't see me going to full term since last week I was already effaced(lining of the cervix begins to decrease making way for cervix to open) From the ultrasound they can tell she has some hair on that pretty little head. It exciting to imagine but I have to admit I am a bit nervous. If babies grow like they say they do at this point we're in for a big girl. I am a bit more at ease since we now have a Doula. She seems wonderful and a blessing. Katie Horner is her name and she has been helping coach couples through deliveries for years. She will be in the delivery room with us, calming me down. :)

So I have another appointment tomorrow at 11am. Hopefully all goes well again! Thanks for the prayers!

30 Weeks down and hopefully 10 to go!

I am finally at 30 weeks and feeling great. Ms. Peanut says hello! (I guess that's what she says since my belly just lurched forward:)

I have been feeling pretty good for the most part. Except on the weekends after David and I finish working on his family's home. I'm exhausted and hurt in places I didn't know I had. GOODNESS!

We've been weekend warriors for the past few months, getting the place ready for us to move into. It's been a daunting task but this weekend we made some real progress with the help of our friends, Denise, Lisa and Terri.

With some help next weekend and David and Terri's husband Russ tiling soon we should be in there by Thanksgiving weekend. I will be so relieved once we are. I need to start nesting! :)

Speaking of, Ms. Peanut's room is almost set up. I just need to get her outfits washed and put away.

David and I will be attending our 3rd of 6 child birthing classes tonight. So far its been good. We saw the dreaded video last week...YIKES!

When you think about all the stuff women have to go through to have a child, not to mention what they put themselves through... its almost comical...
Soooo, I've been thinking about having natural child birth! I know, I know! SHHHHHHHH! I don't want to hear it from you who say "DON'T," unless you have gone that route.

A friend of mine's reaction was, "Natural! Are you nuts? Say it with me E-P-I-D-U-R-A-L!" Guuuuuurl, you are going to need it believe me you are going to want to "enjoy" this time. Believe me I have 2 kids."
At this, I had to laugh. What part of docs, nurses and your wonderful partner looking at you in your most compromised position EVER, enjoyment? Yes, the end result is, but come on! Nothing could make the process enjoyable, least of all a needle in my back and being so numb that you don't know you just...well, for those of you who have not had children...I'll let you do your own research.

Don't get me wrong I'm not ruling it out completely. If I get to a point where I feel like I need to revel in the process for comfort sake because the pain wall is way to high, fine. But its not my first choice. So with that I am now looking for Doulas to help us through the process. I'm excited and interested to see if I can do it.

Say a prayer for us if you will. This year has been a whirlwind so far and I am sure the next 10 weeks, not to mention, the next 18 years will be as well. :)

Til next time.

24 weeks followup ultrasound

We had our 24 weeks ultrasound today. This is a follow-up from the 20 week visit since they couldn't see the front of Ms. Peanut. Well we saw all of her today.And double checked it was a girl.



It was great! Her heartbeat was 150 bpm, all the levels and measurements look on target.



The nurse said she looks to already be practicing breathing which usually doesn't happen until the 3rd trimester.

Check out her yawn.


She so smart already!

I know its weird, she looks like a skeleton...uummm her first Halloween guess that will be her costume. In the next few weeks through the end of the pregnancy she'll start getting baby fat and have less translucent skin so we won't see those teeth...they will be under her gums and lips. :)



And she looks like she gonna have long legs like her Daddy. :) I have felt her kick but it hasn't been anything like what it looks like these little legs could do.



Next appointment is on Oct 26th, regular checkup & test for gestational diabetes. After that I will begin going every two weeks...let the roller coaster ride begin!

Becoming a family

So between the ultrasounds and the indigestion David and I became a family, as in a married couple!

Toward the end of 2008 David and I decide to make it official. The story is much longer than that but I won't bore you to tears. So we set a date of October 10, 2009 for our wonderful wedding. A wedding all little girls dream of...which we all know came to a screeching halt come May 1st. Read posts below if you haven't already.

We moved the wedding date up to June 20th, 2009. ...And we almost eloped cause we didn't know how not to invite people to the wedding nor did we know how to plan something in a month and some days. But when I decided I couldn't live with out my immediate family and close friends there, a few friends jumped in to help. Besides, Randy and Sheryl...okay Sheryl(David's sister, well not really his sister but they should have been) would have killed us if we didn't do the reception at their place. :)

So we did it, small, beautiful and yes a little girl's greatest dream! Terri Wakefield and Sheryl Allen were our heroes and we couldn't be more blessed to have them both and all who helped out in our lives! So here is a video of the blessed event. My apologies if you weren't invited but just think about it this way, it saved you a really bad sunburn, a Saturday, and buying a gift.

David and Melissa Fitzgerald's Wedding from Melissa Fitzgerald on Vimeo.

Shock and Awwwwwhhhhhh

Its Monday August 31, 2009 and our 9:30am ultrasound can't get here fast enough. Today we will know if David's funny comments about "stems on apples" will hold true. How will he react if its a girl...
I, myself have been thinking its a boy for the past few weeks.


Moment of truth... As the nurse scans my belly say says, "A baby that moves around this much can only mean one thing. Its mean! And that only means one thing, she points to what looks like the underside of the bottom & legs and counts "1 2 3 nothing is sticking out...its a girl! I look at David is disbielf. "Really," I said! David leans back sighs, "I guess I deserve that," I cry a bit and say, "you sure do."

A girl, yay, pink ribbons, blonde curly hair...so cute...so not what I thought but wow. A girl, how cool! David says, "I think my Dad had something to do with this," as the nurse continues to scan my belly and measure the baby. She looks at us funny when I agree with David so had to I explain. "David's Dad died in March, and I found out I was pregnant the first week of May. A friend of mine said Scott went to heaven and picked out the best baby for us." And David continued, "He always wanted a girl since he had 3 boys." He would be so excited. As I write this I can just see him laughing. Well David says, she will certainly be a tomboy. I laugh in agreement. Guess we'll see!

David will be the such a good father to a little girl. I can't wait to see how this all plays out!

19 weeks

We are so excited to find out if Baby Fitzgerald will be a boy or a girl and this Monday we will know. I have found, "what do you want a boy or a girl," to be what most people want to know after you tell them your due date? The PC answer is of course, "I don't care just as long as its a healthy baby." Lord knows we do want a healthy baby but for me honestly either gender would be great.
With a little girl, I think I'll know what to expect, having been raised around girls all my life. The cute outfits and doing their hair, relating to them on soooo many levels and watching her wind her daddy around her little finger would be amazing. But a boy, now that would be an adventure for me. It would be an excuse to get outside and get dirty, to truly watch a little David grow up alongside his daddy working on equipment and tinkering with tools. Yes, to learn about little boys would be so exciting. So either way I'm good.
David on the other hand "used" to have a saying, "The Fitzgerald's put stems on their apples." I used to find that an awful saying but now I think its comical especially after may father, upon hearing the comment quipped back, Well you know it's hard to put the plumbing on the inside. Despite the offcolor nature of it all David's family is manily men so the comment is so far justified (2 brothers and 3 nephews). But since David found out we were expecting he hasn't dared utter those words. I know he will be happy with either maybe just a little more terrifided with a girl.

Baby Fitz

May 1st, May Day! May Day! I'm going to have a BA-BY!

I was coming home from an evening out with the girls when I thought about something my friend Tammy and I were talking about. I wasn't drinking and the topic of pregnancy came up as it often does these days since many of my girlfriends are at that stage in their lives. It made me think how off my cycle was...or was it? Since David was out with the guys I thought I'd go to grab a pregnancy test to put my mind at ease... Now, clearly, I thought I couldn't be pregnant. My cycle has always been unpredictable, plus with David's Dad's passing I was stressed. Then, as I neared the CVS front door, I realized I was 2 weeks late. A week late yes, a week and a half, okay but I've never ever been 2 weeks late. And so my 2 minutes were up, the stick read very faintly positive, I took another test... How was I going to tell David? What about our wedding, it was going to be so pretty but not if I've got a big ole round belly? Where will we be living? What the hell was I thinking not going back on the pill as soon I got back from my vacation at home?...Damn YAZ pills broke me out in those rashes so bad...ERRRRR! 2 minutes up... Faintly positive, which according to the directions on the Clear Blue Easy Package "a positive" no matter how faint is "PREGNANT!" I didn't believe it and magically put it in the back of my mind and went to bed. Only for it to creep to the front of my lobe every other minute. I would call the doctor Monday and know for sure I wasn't prego. Until then I would not tell David. He had enough on his plate.

Monday May 4th

I woke up Monday morning at 5:30 got out of bed and called the doc's office to see what time they opened. 7:45 the message said. At 7:45 on the dot I called. No answer... at 8am I called. "Women's," the pleasant lady said. "I need to see my doctor for a test, it's Dr. Kyzer," I quickly threw out. "Are you pregnant?" she asked. "Good question." I thought. "That is why I need a test." I finally said. With that the nice lady told me K.P., Dr Kyzer's nurse would call me back. So I went to work and waited. At 9:43am KP called. "Tell me what's going on." she said. "I think I might be pregnant," I said for the first time out loud and it seemed very real all the sudden. "Were you trying to get pregnant?" "NO!" silly question, I thought. "Why do you think you are pregnant?" KP asked "Well I took 2 pregnancy tests and both were faintly positive." I told her and reminded myself. "What was the starting date of your last cycle?" she asked "March 23rd," I knew cause David's Dad died the next day. Well Congratulations, YOU'RE PREGNANT" I cried..."really, are you sure?" "Isn't this a happy thing?" She asked concerned. It took me a minute,...I'm going to have a baby.... WOW! I really cried and sort of shook all over. "YES, IT IS!" I finally realize. "It is a good thing...not planned but good!" I said. "I just think David's gonna kill me," I joked According to your last cycle your due date will likely be December 23rd- 28th. OH MY GOSH! Too much information I thought. She continued," That means you are six weeks along. How have you been feeling? You will need to come in for a blood test so we can check your HCG and progesterone levels. On and on the conversation went. And off I went to the doctors office for blood work to make certain I was preggie. As the day wore on and I mean wore on. Usually my work days fly by but not today. I had to know if I was pregnant and I needed to tell David...How was he going to take it? Well, he took it great. Better than I did in fact. He was in the yard working on the rabbit hut for Mr. Rabbit and I mentioned to him that Briana got engaged...cause I didn't know how to tell him I was pregnant or when I should tell him. He joked That we should have a double wedding. I knew this was when I should tell him. "We may want to move our date up." He stopped what he was doing and looked at me, "Why?" Of course I cried, "I'm pregnant and I'm sorry." Half laughing, half shocked, he said "Come here, come here and hugged me and said, "It's okay, we're going to have a baby....long pregnant pause and the punch line... "Crappy timing, but it's okay." Instant relief! We're going to have baby!! Yep that's right!

First Trimester

Honestly I can't wait for the 2nd cause the 1st was great. I mean really great. I wasn't sick at all. Sleepy and drained but still able to make it to about 10 or 11pm most nights and get up at 6. I napped when I needed to. I think this is the healthiest I've been my entire life. Plus I got married which was like a dream...a very hot and humid dream but a fairy tale dream. Even in 95 degree heat I felt really good. After all the tests and 3 ultrasounds the Dr informed me my due date is actually Jan. 18th not the end of Dec or Jan 8th. I guess the only one who really knows is Baby Fitzgerald. I heard the heart beat on July 14th, 140 beats per minute, perfect. Only gained 1 pound the whole 1st trimester. My doc was impressed to say the least. Cause she gained 70 in her pregnancy and she only wants me to gain 10. I'm up for it! Between yoga, the occasional walking, swimming, working out with my friend Zacharyia, cleaning my house and helping David with his Dad's house from time to time I feel pretty good...Now I need a nap! Bring on phase 2, I'm ready, after my nap!