Rants, Raves, and Praise of a Pregnant Lady

Well I figure I better throw out all of my complaints now...so I can blame my ranting on hormones :)

~ Why is it that everywhere you go and everyone you know is pregnant when you are trying to get pregnant. All of a sudden my whole town was having a baby...

~When you announce you are pregnant, why do people feel the need to ask you "Was it planned?" First of all, that is rude! It is none of your business if we planned or didn't plan our pregnancy. Obviously it was a part of God's plan or it wouldn't be happening. By asking you are implying that I am either too young or crazy for wanting a baby. Yes today most people wait longer, but most of our parents had multiple children at my age. Oh and by the way, I am 24 years old, Mark and I both have good jobs, a home, and yes we planned our little ones arrival!!! We would like our parents to enjoy grandchildren when they can still get on the floor and play with them. Plus we are looking forward to the time when we are empty-nesters and still able to travel and honeymoon before settling into a nursing home.

~Favorite beginning moments: Telling Mark. "Hey Mark come here for a second." Mark comes to the bathroom as I proudly point to the stick I just peed on (which he had no idea i was taking the test). He looks. He looks a little closer...and a little closer...he looks at me. Then a rush of words, "That's 2 lines. 2 means your pregnant?! (I nod) So there are 2 lines. It's a yes? That's a yes?! Are you sure?. could it be wrong?! should you do another test?! WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY?!!!! I am going to be a dad!!!! (me nodding and smiling) "Yes mark it's a yes! and yes i am positive it is right." Happy Father's day a night early!!!!!

~Even though I was positive... I still peed on the remaining 2 test over the next week...just because!! :)

~ Second favorite beginning moment: Telling the parents. My mom: "Your pregnant?! Are you taking a vitamin!" My dad: BIG SMILE. Mark's mom: Squealing "your pregnant?!....when are you due???" Mark's dad: BIG SMILE. and of course hugs from everyone. And siblings of course led to a lot of screaming and jumping from Mark's sisters, and a big "I knew it!" from my brother.

~The first trimester is the scariest.... nobody told me I would pray more prayers and worry more then ever before. All of a sudden I am responsible for a little person's health and well being. Nobody told me I would start worrying about things such as: what will we do if there is a 2 hr delay and I have to work? or what if there are no good schools around here? etc. And the worrying/praying doesn't stop after the 1st trimester....I am pretty sure it continues for life....

~First Trimester woes: nausea every day, all day. Vomiting anytime, anywhere. fatigue. runny nose and sneezing. bleeding gums. frequent peeing. forgetfulness.

~First ultrasound: AMAZING!! seeing the little heart beat!!! Mark's look of pride and excitement.

~ Second Trimester woes: getting chubby...not looking pregnant....just chubby. Too small for maternity clothes...too fat for my clothes. peeing even more frequently. very very vivid and frequent dreams. HUNGRY! still have that pregnancy brain.

~Second ultrasound: JUST as AMAZING as the first!! seeing a real baby...moving...touching it's face....so cute! And again Mark's face!!! I love the 15 ultrasound pics gracing my refrigerator.

~ Favorite moment of 2nd trimester: feeling my cinnabon kick. First it felt like a twitch at about 16 weeks and gradually turned into a full fledged kicking and turning. Mark's surprise the first time he felt it. I absolutely love it! I love watching people feel my belly when the baby kicks! I can just sit smiling to myself feeling my little one flip and turn.

~ The growing baby bump. So why do people feel the need to say "Wow you are huge!" or "You are getting big!" I know I am huge...trust me I know. And I absolutely love my belly growing, but at the same time I see myself in the mirror. I don't feel attractive. It sort of scares me. I try not to think about getting my old body back, and if that is even possible. I prefer comments such as "you look so good!" "You are so cute pregnant!" "Look at your little belly." (yes i know its not little, but I like it when people say it is.) All of those are very acceptable. Please refrain from words such as WOW and BIG. And the worst comment ever: "Your face is looking fuller... you have that pregnancy glow." Okay the last part was fine, but it doesn't make up for the fact that you just reminded me of my fat face. Like I said I know I am getting rounder...I don't need it pointed out. Maybe its fluid i am retaining or just plain fat...but please keep it to yourself.

~Rubbing, patty, and talking to my belly. Anyone and everyone will do it. I can't lie. It's annoying...especially strangers. I mean seriously who are you and get your hands off my tummy!! It's okay if you ask, or I ask you, but otherwise I just feel awkward.

~ Speaking of strangers...everyone wants to know about your pregnancy...the guy on the elevator "Is it your first?" the lady behind the counter "it's a girl...how far along are you." etc. Suddenly I am very popular!!! But i don't mind...i love to talk about the baby!

~Why do people continue to guess names when we have told them we aren't telling names. Please keep guessing...I won't say yes or no! Seriously people. GIVE it UP!

~The awkward baby bump. All of a sudden it is uncomfortable to put shoes and socks on. Thank you Mark for helping me with that!!! I have trouble getting up off the floor. carrying the laundry basket is a chore. I can't see my feet. my back hurts. my feet hurt. I waddle. I get tired going up the stairs. I wake up to roll over during the night...it's not easy! I have lost my center of balance...yes I did fall down the stairs once. The most embarrassing part: my belly button sticks out soooo far...no matter how many shirts I have on, you can still see it plain as day!

Well that is all for now... I am getting hungry and need a snack! Maybe I will add more later as this AMAZING experience comes to an end :) I can't wait to see my lil cinnabon!

P.S.- This is supposed to be funny....I am really not upset!

Brady thinking about snow

Family photo!

Mark working on the crib!

Brady shows off my belly

BIG baby bump....25 1/2 weeks today!

Just Some Thoughts

I often share the stories from nursing that are funny, and I realized the stories that touch me the most I often hold in. Mostly because they are painful. But it is these stories that God has revealed so much to me, challenged me, and touched me. So today I write my wondering thoughts ....
A few weeks ago, I was sitting at the computer at the beginning of my shift and heard a fellow nurse yell out for help. I ran to the room with adrenaline rushing through my veins. Ready for whatever was ahead...so I thought. I arrived to a patient's room, a young gentleman of only 53 years, who about a month ago had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He had been in and out of the hospitals prior to that for multiple cases of pneumonia. He couldn't understand why he kept getting pneumonia and finally pressed the doctors to look in to it. They then found out he had a fistula (an opening) from his esophagus to his lungs from an advanced stage of cancer. So every time he ate, food would collect in his lungs and he would get pneumonia. A few days before this day he found out he was not a candidate for chemotherapy because of the many resistant bacterias in his lungs. He and his wife were not ready to accept this and wanted to return to their home state to see if another doctor would give him chemotherapy. Everything was set up to to get him home on Monday...this was Saturday. His son was at home preparing for his return.
My fellow nurse was panicking as she tried to suction him. Another nurse begin to bag him while I ran to call the wife. Silently I prayed for words as I dialed her cell. She was at a nearby hotel and I told her to come now. I returned to the room, where the respiratory therapist tried with little success to clear an airway. I stood at the foot of the bed rubbing his feet praying he hung on until his wife came. In the next few minutes I watched as he struggled to hang on. We lost his pulse for 13 seconds then he came back. Me and two other nurses stood there crying as we encouraged him to hang on as his wife was coming. She finally arrived. And I watched as a wife told her husband that she loved him, that his son loved him, and it was okay to go. He struggled a little longer then finally gave in. I wondered if he was looking at a glimpse of heaven or hell. I wondered if he was fighting because what laid ahead of him was the depths of hell. I wondered if he spent his whole life thinking he would get things right with God when he was old. That he had plenty of time to do that. Or had he always lived striving to serve the Lord and now was walking into the most glorious place of all. We often think we have soo much time to make our lives right or to share with others how great God is. But life is so short. One minute you feel fine and then in a short month you are dying. How many things do we do a day that are so meaningless when it comes down to the whole purpose of our lives. We need to start truly living now. Today. before its too late.

20 1/2 weeks

Baby Bump Progress, viking ~ colts game, and Mark's b-day

At 11 1/2 weeks

Today: @ 18 1/2 weeks

BUSTED!!!! first I found him trying to sneak into the bed...I kicked him out of the bedroom and 1/2 an hour later this is what I find... BAD BRADY!!!

Vikings ~ Colts game

Mark was not smiling at the end...hahaha!

Mark's birthday gift...Michigan tickets for him and his dad!

Mark calling to tell his dad the news

Mark with all his gifts so far.... he also got starbucks coffee from steph and a shop-vac from his parents

Mark's birthday apple pie!! YUM!

Growing Cinnabon

Fingers
Foot
Foot
Feet
Profile

Spine


Mouth
Face

Hand & Face
Hand

SUMMER Fun re-cap!

Sarah Erdmann came to visit us for the weekend!

Brady playing with his best friend, Phog
FUN at the lake
Brady learned to swim....finally!
family photo at the look out where mark popped the big question

Our 1 year anniversary...eating our cake topper!

4th of July with the Petrich clan

Stephanie showed her patriotism by wearing a beautiful red, white, and blue jacket and running the bases of the ball diamond while waving sparklers....thanks to a dare by Mark.
sparklers while we waited for the big woodbury show
Petrich Pyramid

Baby Cina-BUN

For Father's day, Mark and I found out we were excepting!!!

Due Feb 20th

When my parents came to help us move to the new house, we told them the good news with a frame saying: "Great parents get promoted to GRANDparents!"

My mom's reactions was, "Are you pregnant, are you taking a vitamin?"

Telling Mark's parents with the same frame!

Here's are little one at 10 weeks!!

The bun in my oven is starting to show at almost 12 weeks!

TOUR