Week 23... YAY!

Well, I still cant believe I am lucky enough to have made it this far. It seems like I wake up each day and I am bigger. For the first time in my life, its a big I dont mind! I have a few pictures from last week, but Im still too shy to post actual belly pics. The top one is to show the expansion of my face alone... you can imagine my ass!!! Hehe.
Ok so now you see the belly sort of. Maybe Ill get brave enough to bare it for some pics this weekend.
Ok, so whats happened this week? Well Marcus got to feel a kick for the first time. I realized two days ago that when I rested my hands on my belly, I could feel little movements, and last night forced him to sit still long enough to feel it too! This is no small feat, which you know if you know Marcus.
I also realized that I can no longer see much more than my toes when I look down. Its so strange. I knew it would happen, I just thought it would be later.
I have learned that I have a watch dog cat. Yesterday I was out walking Neko, yes he walks on a leash, and he was so good. He was doing his usual stopping every few yards to enjoy the grass, but then the weirdest thing happened. A stray came up wanting some attention. This has never been a problem, but when I reached out my arm, Neko lunged at him. It was so odd! I read some on the internet and it seems his behavior is protective of me. In other examples they gave, he fits right in. Guarding doorways to rooms Im in. Clinging to me if anyone comes over. Its so silly to me!! Also flattering. I've had him almost ten years and its good to know I'm not the only over-protective on in our relationship.
In other Neko news, he was caught sleeping in baby's crib, more than once! Marcus removed him and scolded him every time he did it, until Neko figured out to do it when Marcus wasn't home. Im not technically allowed to be lifting things over 5 lbs, so Neko at 13 is definitely out! And he knows this. Well, I caught him in the bed and no amount of poking was moving him! As soon as Marcus came home, we moved it so he cant get in it anymore. But I thought I would share the funny pic of him lounging in the crib.

WHAT A BRAT!
Ok, in other news not involving the cat, we are looking at 3 houses tonight and are really excited about them all. I just cant wait to pay rent to myself and have a room to make all pretty!! Keep your fingers crossed for us. Its a VERY competitive market here. We have already lost one house we loved. Hopefully our time is coming!

Everyone wants to know the name. Well, I do too!! I have a list. But I cant narrow it down to less than 8. Here they are, in alphabetical order of course:
Alana, Audrey, Ella, Juliana, Mila, Natalie, Nora, Sofie. In case we have a boy we know the name will definitely be Milam Oliver.
Any input or new ideas would be awesome!!

I really hope to write more this weekend. I have to start blogging more. I just get so exhausted by the little things. Not to mention my arthritis really doesn't enjoy my typing!

Halfway Done!!

Well, its been a while, but Im back at it.
Originally I was waiting to write until I found out what I was having. That was supposed to be a little over a month ago. At that ultrasound, they couldnt see anything, but I had another scheduled for about a week later. So I figured then I would wait until THAT one and share the news. That evening, however, I Was admitted to the hospital with a brain hemmorhage. It was really scary, but I'm ok. The doctors say they have no idea why it happened and its pretty rare, but it heals on its own. I wasnt really up to spending time on the computer after that, and then I went to the US to see my mom. So its been a while, but atleast I do have reasons.

To catch you all up, Im getting really big in the belly now, I think bigger every day. I still have some morning sickness, but not as bad as before, tg. Oh, and one more little thing--- Its a GIRL!!! Im so happy to know and be able to prepare. From the beginning Marcus and I both sort of knew it was a girl. Nice to be right. Of course, Ultrasounds are sometimes wrong, but we truly think its a girl.

Ok, so I am in week TWENTY ONE!! Can you believe it? I cant! After my past, I never thought I would make it this far. Its so exciting to feel "safe" in my pregnancy now. What else is exciting are the movements I am feeling. I love to feel her move around. At first, about 15 weeks, its was like a fish swimming around. Now Its sort of like a fish still but almost a scraping feeling beside my belly button. Its almost always in the same spot, just right of the belly button. On days she isnt moving much, I like to eat one piece of candy to get her moving, just to reassure myself. When I wa sin Florida, she hardly moved the last 3 days. I was really scared. But then on the train from Copenhagen to Kalmar, she moved SO much that I couldnt stay asleep... annoying to some, but so precious to me. I think its the only time I would ever enjoy being kicked. (atleast I think thats what she is doing)

I didnt get any pictures in Florida. I dont know why, maybe just lazy. I promise to take some soon and share. For now, I will show my April 25th ultrasound. Its pretty amazing, to me atleast.
www.ImageShack.us"

End of week 14: only about a thousand to go..YAY!

Its not so long since my last post, but that's because IT was late.

I have been following orders and resting, as usual. It seems like I was only on non rest for a week and I'm really getting bored with it. I am also turning into a real insomniac, I think. Its 4:52 am now and I have been awake since about 2. I have been sleeping about 4 hours per day for a while now and its really starting to show. Maybe these hormones will calm down soon and let me rest...EEK.

This week its been a real struggle to eat. I only skipped the one morning sickness pill, Lergigan its called, and it has thrown me completely off track. That or its not working anymore. I pretty much gag at the smell of anything. Including my own shampoo and deodorant. I'm hoping my body will get used to these crazy hormones soon and I can rest and eat. I worry about the baby getting enough food. I do drink alot of water, and the doctor said that even if I am losing weight, the baby with take the nutrients it needs from me.

I have been trying to find info on what is going on with me, and I cant find any. At first I was really freaked out about it, but I have decided that its just not up to me. If this baby is meant to be, it will be. It really hurts to lose them, and probably even more this late, but I cannot force things. I CAN rest and relax and be the best mommy to my little fetus that I can. It makes me nearly cry when I think of it!!! Hormone surge anyone??

So I haven't done the yoga again. I am hoping after my visit on the 17th I will be cleared for activities like that. I am considering joining the swimming place since he said it would be fine to do that. Its just such a weird feeling when my cervix moves down SO low when I move. I am scared to do alot, even if its water exercises.

With this week ending, I am feeling truly like I am at a safer point. My doctor warned that a miscarriage CAN still occur even to week 16, but he sounds pretty certain that it wont. And that makes me feel very good. It seems impossible to lose the baby when you have seen its heart beating away. And its little skeleton. It was incredible to see the spine and ribs and all the limbs and every bone in its little body on this ultra sound. I keep imagining holding it in my hands. Its like the size of a kitten now. It just amazes me!! The baby measured exactly as it should have. Head and body are both developing perfectly.

I got the appointment for my big ultrasound on April 25th. Seems odd since I have had quite a few already, but I guess at that week they want to measure everything and try to tell the gender. I really cant wait. Marcus and I are really thinking girl. Its just a deep feeling both he and I have. Hard to explain. I will be totally happy if I find out its a boy, but shocked. I have done all of those old wives tales tests, and they ALL say its a girl. And that was after Marcus and I both started calling it her. LOL. Either way, I cant wait!!

I have decided against most prenatal testing and made that solid this week. I am a worrier by nature, and I just figured the more I know, the more I will worry. I don't worry about "defects" anyways because this baby will still be my baby and will have all of our love and support. The only think I kind of worry about is the illnesses that cause death quickly after birth. I just don't know what I would do if that happened. But I feel 99.9% sure it wont happen anyways. Marcus and I are both healthy. The idea of a big ole needle poking around in there worries me far more, especially since it can cause miscarriage.

We also made a list of names this week. It gets kind of hard when your siblings all have kids, and your friends too, because alot of great names are taken. LOL. I have found several that I love and hopefully still will when the baby gets here.

Next post, probably in a few days, I promise some pics. I just have felt so badly and my looks really reflect that. Plus my face is getting really fat!!! Its all part of the deal, I know. I just have to get used to being a whale.

Week 14 and counting!!

Ok, so I am now in week 14 of my pregnancy. The week I thought I would feel safe at. Also the week I thought I would feel better at. Wrong on both. I thought I would be clever and skip my morning sickness medicine Sunday to see how much better I was. Well, I realized that backfired as I was puking the night away. So I'm still sick with morning sickness. And very bad morning sickness. Its lovely. Also, I have been put on basically bed rest.

I was at the emergency OB last night after having the usual issues and was told that everything is far lower than normal. I'm thinking "is my baby gonna fall out of me?" LOL. But this can cause trouble, so I have to be very selective in what activities i do and basically just rest. As if I haven't done enough of that for two freaking months. I go back in 2 weeks. I should be resembling a bowl of jell-o by then.

And for better news. I am still planning on going to Florida if everything is OK. My mom is giving me a baby shower and I cant wait! I have been registering for stuff online and its so much fun. Even if you never get anything from the list, its neat to imagine your little one and the cute stuff available for it. I chose Target because its easy and has nice stuff. Mainly I was a slight Target addict before moving to Sweden. That may have something to do with it.

And even better news: When I was at the doc last night he did an ultrasound and that little thing is so cute!! You can see the whole skeleton now. All the ribs and the spine. Its amazing. Everything measured perfect, it was moving alot. Great heartbeat. I think its gonna live, I just have to be careful. I cant wait until I can just have fun with my pregnancy. I did buy my first maternity pants this weekend. I don't know how I can ever go back to normal pants. They're so comfy. And cute. I feel really lucky to be pregnant now when the options are so vast. Imagine what our poor moms went through. I just don't see myself as a tent wearing kind of gal.

OK, I guess that wraps up my 14 week update. I will try to update sooner with the next one!

12 Weeks: Only 28 More to Go!!

I am on the last day of week 12 now. I cant believe the first trimester is finally coming to a close. I am so excited to get it over with! I don't know how women manage to have more pregnancies after this. I don't think I can handle another 3 months of grade-A nightmare. It's the sickness, the worry, the sickness, the sleeplessness,the sickness, the skin, the sickness. I just don't think I will forget and think its a grand idea to do it again, but I have been assured that I will.
I met my midwife on Wednesday. She was really nice. I was a little nervous because there is a weird vibe to the whole "midwife" thing in the US. I always think of patchouli wearing overdue for a bath hippies when I think midwife. But in Sweden, its your only option. And I didn't smell any patchouli, she looked clean, and she was really professional and up to date.
I have started thinking about birthing options, and it turns out, you don't really have any in Sweden. I wanted a water birth but because of a large number of deaths, they don't do them in Sweden. Makes me wonder why they still do it in the US. I never even heard that your baby can die during one. That's very scary. So in light of all the dangers of not doing it in a hospital, it looks like I will be going full on hospital style. Yay.
I'm still not sure about the epidural. I know it hurts like a mofo, but I just feel unsure still. I guess we will see in about 6 months when I am in agony and screaming for anything to dull the pain!!
I have decided that since I have been feeling minutely better, I am gonna start doing this prenatal yoga dvd I got. Its been SO hard for me to get up and do anything. I suppose it wont hurt more than an extra throw up session to just try it. And it may even help.
I read that the uterus is the size of a peach and the baby is the size of a walnut now. That's so weird. I have been totally excited since getting the ultrasound picture where it really looks like a baby! The last one, it still looked like a blob.
I guess I better stop now. Body needs nap. Again.

Pregnant and Sharing

Well its Thursday of week 12. Sis in law requested a blog so everyone can join in and what a super idea that was!! I am actually surprised I hadn't already done this.
So I am pregnant and living in Sweden. Two things that are new to me.
When SIL Mami was pregnant, I really got to see alot of how things go in the states, not to mention the 500 or so TV shows about it. But here, I have been a little nervous about doctors, medicines, and just the general goings on of things medically. So far, I have had absolutely nothing to worry about. The specialist I had before conceiving and until last week was amazing. And I just met my midwife yesterday and she seems to be pretty fantastic as well!!
One thing that's super about Sweden is that almost everyone under the age of 60 speaks English, even if its only a little. Most people under 50 though, speak English very well. I am so happy to be able to communicate with doctors and nurses, etc. I am learning Swedish too, but I think I would have a breakdown if I couldn't speak English on the important stuff!!
I hope everyone that reads my blog enjoys it and maybe learns a little bit about Sweden and our life here. I will try to update weekly or more and share pictures, too.