Saturday, December 31, 2016

Telling the Big Grandparents and my Uncles

Seth's dad came up to visit us for Christmas and to give Orion his presents.  Orion calls Seth's dad and his wife the "Big" grandparents, so that's the name we go with.  We had wrapped an ultrasound picture as a gift for them as well.  We waited until Seth got home from work, then let Orion hand the gift to his grandpa.  He started to open it, then handed it to B so she could continue unwrapping the present.  She looked at it and instantly her jaw dropped and she started dancing around all excited.  She handed it to Big Grandpa and he just looked confused before Seth finally said, we're going to have another baby.  Big Grandma came and hugged me and Big Grandpa started talking to Orion about how Seth was as a big brother.  It was a sweet moment to share with Seth's family.



Later that weekend I drove over to visit my Uncle Troy and Uncle Forrest.  I love these incredible men, so as soon as I had a moment, I tried to tell Troy.  I showed him the ornaments that I had made for my sisters and I, but he said they were cute and passed my phone back.  So I told him he had missed something. He looked more intensely, but still was confused.  I then swiped the phone over to a positive pregnancy test and he looked SHOCKED.  It was pretty funny.  Forrest came in the room and sat down and asked what was wrong with Troy.  I told him that we were going to have another baby and he says "Cool!  If I had known that I would have done something different for Christmas."  :) He's such as sweet man.   Troy spent the rest of my visit randomly whispering "You're pregnant" and I would just laugh.  It definitely surprised them both.  They are such a blessing in my life, and have been so loving and gracious to my son and Seth.  I can't wait for them to meet this new little person.


Sunday, December 25, 2016

Telling Crazy Grandma

On our way home from my mom's house, we stopped at Seth's mom's place to tell her about the new baby.  Orion has nicknamed each of his grandparents, and he calls her "Crazy Grandma."  We had wrapped an ultrasound picture as a gift for her as well.  Orion handed the gift to his grandma and when she opened it, Seth asked "How would you like to be a grandma?" and she responded "Again!?" It was pretty funny.  Seth's sister, Krista, was also there and she seemed pretty excited.

Telling my Grandparents and the Grandpecks

Over Christmas, I also got to tell my grandparents that I'm having a baby.  I wrapped a picture of the ultrasound to give them as a gift.  They unwrapped it and my grandpa, in his typical manner just looked at it confused.  My grandma said "what is this thing? It looks like an ultrasound."  I told her that it was and she jumped a little.  She said "I thought you couldn't have more babies!??"  I told her that we were pregnant and they both grinned.  Grandma, who is an only child, said "Well I never wanted to say anything but I always hoped you'd have more.  Being an only child is very lonely."  This, of course, is after she said that exact thing to me EVERY time I have seen her for the past 7 years...but ya know.  :) Either way, I'm happy that I got to tell them and that they're both excited for their next great-grandbaby.


I also called my dad on Christmas to tell him about the new addition.  We were chatting and I told him that we were going to have a new baby.  He seems very excited for us and asked that we let them know if we need anything.  I then told my step-mother and she was thrilled, saying that she has prayed for us to have a new baby and that she knows Orion will be an incredible big brother.  She said that we made her Christmas, which was very sweet.  I'm so grateful for all of the love and support we've received so far from our family.

Week 12

We're at week 12!  What an exciting week.  We finally told my sisters and Seth's mother that this little one is on the way, and you can read all about that here:  
For this post, we'll be talking about baby and momma updates, like normal!  So what is going on this week?  

For baby:
The baby is now about the size of an apricot.  Aww, how sweet and tiny.  Baby now weighs about half an ounce and is about 2 inches long.  The digestive system is now starting to function, developing the skills they will need to eat when they are finally born!  The baby is also making white blood cells for life after birth! From this point forward, most of what the baby will be doing is just growing and getting ready to come out.  

For momma:
Overall, I feel normal.  It's nice to finally have my sisters in the loop so that I feel like I have more support and am not hiding things from them.  I'm less sleepy this week than I have been the past couple weeks, which is definitely nice.  Otherwise, it's exciting to be nearing the end of the first trimester!  See you next week! 

Friday, December 23, 2016

Telling My Sisters

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season with lots of time with your family, lots of laughter, and some decent weather.  We made a short, quick trip back to visit my family this year to spend the holiday with them, and of course to share our big news.  It's a big tradition in my family that my sisters and I get together and decorate what we lovingly refer to as "the ugly tree."  It's a tree with a hodge-podge of unmatching ornaments, ranging from the stuff mom got from her father to the stuff we made as children and insisted that she keep.  It's something that I look forward to, and definitely a tradition that I have started at home with Orion as well.  I decided, what better way to tell my sisters than to make new ornaments for this tree that we share each year?  I decided to make a jar for each of us, one ketchup, one salsa, and one Prego spaghetti sauce.  :)

I bought a couple of the large jars of baby food and disposed of the actual food (yuck baby hot dogs!!).  I washed the jars and with Orion's help we got to decorating the jars.  Orion painted the inside of each jar red, and I painted the lids gold.  We then affixed some labels on them and attached some strings to hang them from, and the story was ready to be told.

So when we got home, everyone in my family their ornament.  My step-father received one that says "I love Grandpa".  He put his on the tree.  I then had my mother open her ornament and started to tell the story.  She received an UGLY tomato.  I told my sisters they could open their ornaments.  I said, see, you have salsa and ketchup...those things come from the tomato and share a lot of traits, but there is also something that makes them different and individual.  Orion and I then went into the bedroom to get my ornament.  He quickly changed into a shirt that says "Rawr means I'm a big brother in dinosaur" and I brought out my ornament, a little jar of Prego. Arlana knew instantly, and started just saying "are you....are you...." over and over, wanting to ask but scared she was wrong.  Ashley had to read Orion's shirt before she got it.  When I finally said "yes, I'm pregnant" Arlana yelled "YAY" while Ashley started bawling.  There were lots of hugs and it was a very sweet moment.  I'm glad that I got to surprise my sisters in such a fun way.


Sunday, December 18, 2016

Week 11

We're at week 11!  Woohoo.  By this time next week we will have told most of our family about this little one.  I'm excited and nervous, but ready to be able to share this secret with the people we love. Just a few more days to wait! So what is going on this week?  

For baby:
The baby is now about the size of a brussel sprout, which is about 1.5 to 2 inches long.  Baby now has open nasal passages and will be able to smell by the end of the week.  There is a tiny tongue and palate in the mouth, and even tiny nipples on the chest.  And finally, the fingers and toes are losing their webbing and individual fingers and toes are formed.  

For momma:
Overall, I feel normal.  I'm less sleepy this week than I have been the past couple weeks, although I could happily use a nap in the afternoon most days.  The oddest symptom so far is that I am FREEZING!  I'm typically not someone who is excessively cold, but I find myself snuggled under a blanket at home, and sitting at my desk at work with a space heater under it even when others think it's too hot in the building.  

Thursday, December 15, 2016

2nd Dr Appointment

We had the 2nd doctor's appointment today, and I'm pleased to share that EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD!!  That's right.  As I'm sure most of you assumed, my paranoia was unfounded.  We started the appointment with an ultrasound, scanning the little baby and seeing the little arms and legs that have already formed.  I was elated to see a healthy baby exactly where it should be.  We measured right at 10 weeks, which is what all the dates pointed out, so our due date is July 9th, 2017.




That's right.  July 2017, we will have a brand new Baby Doty.  I know ultrasounds are hard to read, but the baby above has the head to the left and the feet to the right.  There are little arms and everything.  They measured my blood pressure yesterday and it was at 111/79, which is within the normal range, so here's hoping for a non-exciting, drama-free pregnancy.  Next week we will finally start telling our families about this baby, and probably sometime after the start of 2017 these blogs will all go public.  :)

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Week 10

We're at week 10 and the end of the first trimester is in site.  We've still managed to keep most of our family from knowing what's going on, so hopefully things go well for the next 2 weeks so that we can tell them!!  We plan on telling them at our Christmas get together, so it should be pretty interesting. So what is going on this week?  

For baby:
The baby is now about the size of a lego minifigure, which is pretty cool to think about.  The internal organs are starting to function, and several of the joints are also fully formed.  This week, the nose develops and the baby now has a sense of smell.  Also, the baby should almost have enough muscle control to make a fist.  A tiny, tiny fist.  Awww how cute. 

For momma:
I feel pretty good other than being super sleepy.  Otherwise, there aren't a lot of pregnancy symptoms to speak of. It makes the paranoia even stronger I think.  I am so so anxious for Thursday when I go back to the doctor.  Until then, I'm hesitant to get excited at all.  I hate to be so negative, but I'm also terrified to allow myself to be excited and have it end in heartache.  *fingers crossed*

Thursday, December 8, 2016

1st Doctor Appt

We went to our first Doctor's appointment today, and it really wasn't terribly exciting.  They measured my vitals, which all looked good, weighed me, and then sent me in to meet with my doctor.  Overall, I really like her.  She answered a couple questions I had and gave me some detail sheets.  We tried to listen for the baby's heartbeat and although we could hear it, it wasn't super easy to pick out.  She didn't seem too concerned about it, so that helped ease my mind a little bit.  I will still feel much better when I can see and/or hear some solid proof that things are ok.  They are going to have us come back next week, December 15th for the 1st ultrasound and I can't wait for that to happen.

Dream #2

I was in my father's house which was a huge mansion.  One of my old friends walks into the door, with one of her friends who is in two leg casts.  My father asks if they parked in the driveway and they say yes, so he tells them to move.  I tell him that they can wait a few minutes since this girl had two broken legs.  He tells me it needs to move, so I yell at him and tell him I'm 32 years old and I can park a car in the driveway if I want to.  Of course then I went to move the car.  I get out to this car and it's a red convertible.  I drive it around the HUGE circle drive and into the attached parking garage.  There is a parking attendant (Jonathan Brandis) and I ask him how I park in this garage and get back to my dad's house and he says he doesn't know.  I thank him anyway and drive to a parking spot.  I pull the car into a parking spot and then start wandering this enormous garage trying to figure out how to get back into the house.  I found a water slide and tons of people, but still no entry to the house.  I end up getting approached by a random staff person working in this parking garage after wandering for at least an hour, and apparently the original parking attendant had put out a notice to people because he hadn't seen me come out and I looked lost and confused when I entered. So I was escorted toward the door, and before I got there I woke up to my alarm again.

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Week 9

We have reached week 9.  It already feels like it's been forever since I started journalling here again, but I think it's simply because there has been so much time spent waiting and having to keep things secret.  The holidays are just around the corner, so I hope the next couple of weeks go by quickly.  So what is going on this week?  

For baby:
The baby is now about the size of a green olive and is officially considered a fetus instead of an embryo.  Yay!?  At this point, at least the beginnings of most muscles and organs have started to form.  They still have a long way to go, but they have started to develop.  The kidneys, brain, and lungs are starting to function, and the heart should now be heard by doppler.  While the eyes are fusing shut to continue their development, the ears are forming fluid to form a sense of balance for the little one.  It's all very exciting and important work at this point. 

For momma:
I finally get to see the doctor this week, and I can not wait.  It feels like I've known forever and I can not wait to hear that little heartbeat to know that things are going to be ok.  Overall, I'm tired and would gladly nap every single day, but I can't.  Otherwise, I feel pretty normal.  Vivid dreams have happened every night, but by the time I am awake enough to write them down only fragments remain.  Really, my focus this week is getting to Thursday so I can meet the new doctor and see what she has to say.  Waiting has been the hardest part of the last couple weeks by far.  By this point with Orion I had already had both the official blood tests and an ultrasound to verify his tiny heartbeat was strong and viable.  I'm definitely getting impatient.  

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Dreamland is Back

The entire time I was pregnant with Orion, I had crazy, vivid dreams that were very entertaining to retell.  I've always had very vivid dreams, but that seems even more intensified while I'm pregnant.  Last night I believe I had my first pregnancy dream again.  It was pretty short, because my alarm cut it off, but I was entertained nonetheless.  So, why wait?  Let's just tell the story.


I was sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office.  Time was passing and I just kept waiting and waiting.  Eventually, this SUPER old nurse comes out and calls my name.  By SUPER old, think 100 years old.  However, she is also SUPER fast.  I look down and realized that I'm also VERY pregnant, which means that I am anything but fast.  I get up and try to waddle after her, barely catching up with her in the hallway.  She rushes past the scale and I ask her "wait, aren't I supposed to use this thing" (in real life I would NEVER ask to be weighed.  If they want to skip it, all the better.)  She rolls her eyes at me and sighs really hard and says "I guess".  So I try to step up on the scale, but the thing is crooked and unbalanced like there is a tennis ball under one side of it.  I keep trying to find my balance, but it's leaning so far to the left, that I find myself leaning up against the wall just to stand on it. Despite the fact that I'm not actually standing on the scale, she starts pushing the tab around, chooses a weight arbitrarily since there is no way she ever found balance and writes down a number.  I look over her shoulder and see her write down 112 which is something I haven't weighed since at least middle school.  I tell her there is no way that's right, and she turns around to yell at me for looking at my chart.



At that point my alarm clock went off and my time with the oldest nurse in the world ended.  :)

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Week 8

Week 8 is officially here for this super secret pregnancy.  I love learning about what's happening week by week as the baby grows, so I figured I would share those changes, as well as how I'm doing with you each week.  

For baby:
The baby is now about the size of a raspberry and is still growing super quickly.  Hands and feet are starting to develop from the little paddles they started life as.  Eyelids are also forming to cover the tiny eye spots before they start to develop.  The very beginnings of lungs are developing, and the tail is almost gone! The brain continues to grow and develop, and the head is still at least half of the baby's total size at this point.  The baby is also moving around in there, even though it's too small to be felt by me.  

For momma:
Paranoia continues.  I've taken another test this week to make sure that I'm actually still pregnant. It sounds crazy, but ya know.  I have considered buying a little baby heart monitor to see if I can hear that, but I'm trying to be patient until I see the doctor on December 9th...but that still feels like FOREVER away.  I still have no nausea and feel essentially like my normal self.  My boobs may not hurt, but they are definitely changing.  I had to buy a new bra today in a different size!  Also, by continuing to watch my diet and stuff I've lost 6 pounds so far in this pregnancy, so that's a good start.  Also, while I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic until I see the doctor and am sure that things are going well...I find myself starting to get excited about the prospect of another little one. Fingers crossed that things continue to go well. 

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Week 7

Well we've reached week 7 of this super secret pregnancy. We haven't told anyone yet so I am writing these blogs and saving them as drafts until it's time to tell the world. It's nice to have an outlet because keeping the news to myself is very hard!!  Anyway what does week 7 bring?

For baby:
The umbilical cord is developed and now my nutrition will be shared with the baby and waste will be returned through my blood. The baby has developed little arm nublets and the organs are starting to form. It is currently about the size of a dice, so that's fun to imagine.

For momma:
I actually feel much better than last week. Nausea seems to have faded for now and my boobs aren't quite as tender. While it's a nice relief, with the fading symptoms comes my paranoia. It's hard to believe you're actually pregnant when you feel normal. When pregnant with Orion I found myself taking almost weekly pregnancy tests to make sure the baby was still there. Once I could feel movement I was fine but until that point I hate the unknown.  Here is hoping the time until my next doctors appointment goes quickly!

Friday, November 18, 2016

Telling Orion

Seth and I are both terrible at keeping secrets.  It really doesn't matter who we are trying to keep them from:  each other, our son, the people we love...we just suck at keeping things in.  We kind of wanted to wait to tell Orion that I was pregnant, at least until we had a picture or something, but as you can see by the title of this post, we did not manage to wait that long.  Honestly, part of telling him was because we suck at keeping secrets, but the other part was slightly out of necessity.  You see, I pick Orion up from school most days.  He is still super enthusiastic and excited to see me at the end of the day (most of the time) and at least twice a week he will run up to me and jump into my arms.  That's super sweet when you're tiny, but the kid is now almost 50 pounds.  Having him run full force and jump into me just isn't gonna work right now, for obvious reasons.  So Seth and I talked about it, and decided we needed to tell the boy.

We sat him down on the couch together and told him that he wouldn't be able to jump on me or wrestle around with me for a while.  He looked upset, like he thought he was in trouble, so we reassured him that he wasn't.  We then went on to explain that I am pregnant and that he is going to be a big brother.  At first, he was very surprised, and then he looks at me and goes "Wait, YOU!??" and I said "yes" and he threw his arms up in the air and yelled "YAY!!"  I took video of that moment and I'm so happy that I did.  He's very excited to be a big brother and spent the entire weekend talking about the baby and what to name it, etc.  He was also super sweet to me, opening doors for me and taking care of me.  I couldn't love him more if I tried.  I'm so proud of him and I know he will be an incredible big brother.

Orion's face when he learned about becoming a big brother:


Thursday, November 17, 2016

It's true - 6 weeks 4 days

So, I went to the doctor yesterday, and they confirmed that I am pregnant....so it's official.  PREGNANT!  I'm 32 years old, so this was definitely a surprise, but at this point we've decided that it was meant to be.  The angst is fading and excitement is growing.  I still feel a bit weird about everything, but I hope that will go away over time.

So the important things.  I'm currently 6 weeks & 4 days pregnant, and my due date is listed as July 9, 2017.  So where does all of that mean?

About the baby: 

Currently, baby is about the size of a lady bug.  Primitive blood has started to move through the tiny body, and the spleen is beginning to form.  It's growing and before long a heartbeat may be able to be heard.  Whee exciting things.

About me: 

In general, I feel pretty great.  I'm not as exhausted as I felt when initially pregnant with Orion.  I have gotten  a few of the sharp hormonal headaches that I got last time, but those are rare so far.  Unfortunately, I do seem to be experiencing some nausea.  I haven't gone full morning sickness yet, but I have felt queasy for about a week now, but it's pretty mild so tolerable for now.  I'm trying to just stay hydrated, and started taking prenatal vitamins yesterday.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Antici-pation

Well, it's been a while....a long while.  Geeky baby was something that was a lot of fun during my pregnancy, but became less and less thought about as my son continued to grow older and older.  Today he's an amazing, intelligent, sweet 7-year-old boy with a pure heart and a smile that could warm the world.  Seriously, there aren't enough kind words I can say about my son.  He's forever impressing me with his wit and his compassion for the world....


But today I'm not here to write about my son.  Instead, I'm sitting at my desk at work in a bit of shock...you see, last night I realized that my period was late...like 8 days late.  I knew it was a little bit late but I had been dealing with my grandfather going into surgery and other things, so I had attributed the delay to stress...but as the days rolled by I began to question it.  So last night on a whim I decided to take a pregnancy test and you'll imagine my shock when I saw this:



That's right.  According to not 1 but 2 separate tests, I am pregnant.  It is 100% unexpected and unplanned.  I am in complete and total shock.  So for now I sit and wait for a doctor's appointment this afternoon to confirm my suspicions...and then...well, I don't now.

My feelings right now are hyper conflicted.  I've flipped back and forth about wanting more children, not ever fully committed to the idea but never fully against it either...but Seth has been adamant that he only wanted one.  It's a tough place to be, in all honesty.  I want to be excited, but right now I'm just not.  I wish I was.  I feel horrible saying that.  *sigh*  I guess for now all I can do is wait and see how things go from here.  I just wanted to take a moment to get some of these thoughts out there.