well, here now... but this is what we had online during this pregnancy :)
Crazy! I can't believe this, as Timothy is only 9 months old. I started this page on 8/16/2007
8/20/2007
I broke down and bought 2 Dollar tree pregnancy tests on Saturday. I took one after work Saturday. It was very positive. I took the other Sunday, in the afternoon (not first morning, just middle of the day...) and it was even darker. (darker than the control line...) So this is the real deal. What I don't know is if the due date is correct. My LMP would mean baby is due March 20th, but I didn't really start getting symptoms (that I recognized as symptoms til early August... maybe late July... I think we want to wait until pregnancy and due date is confirmed before we start telling people. I was feeling icky by the end of July, but stuff was going around and I thought that was what my problem was. I have also been very very tired. But who wouldn't expect that with 6 kids, a part time evening job, and homeschooling? Oh, and a teething 9 month old? Why wouldn't I feel a bit tired? I am a little worried because Timothy will only be 16 months older than this baby. This is the same distance that Emilie was from Joseph. Fun, but wow! We are excited, but cautious.
8/22/2007
We still haven't told anyone, and I still haven't even made an appointment with Dr. Tucker to get a confirmed due date yet. I think we really need to do this, as I will be 10 weeks tomorrow if we go by dates. We will most likely tell people when we get a due date or when we hit 12 weeks, whichever comes first?
8/27/2007
Still haven't made a doctor appointment, but having plenty of symptoms. If this is a normal pregnancy for me, I will be having to dig out maternity clothes around the end of next month. We'll see! I'm in better shape than I have been in a while. I just need to call the doctor's office and see when I can get in. He likes to see patients on their 4 week marks (8, 12, 16, 20 weeks, etc.) for the first two trimesters, so not sure if he will want me in before I'm 12 weeks.
9/4/2007
I have a doctor appointment for Thursday. We will probably be announcing soon after that. We have told a few people, more on a need to know basis than anything else (work for me...) I will be 12 weeks that day. I wonder if he will do an ultrasound to confirm due date.
9/6/2007
Doctor appointment... he asked us if we've figured out what causes this yet. He said I did not seem large enough for 12 weeks, and guessed more like 9 weeks. So, he did an ultrasound and found that baby (just one!) is measuring 10 weeks 1 day or 10 weeks 2 days which puts the due date at either April 1st (lol!) or April 2nd. He's going to stick with April 2nd. What a crazy few weeks those are going to be, between Nathanael turning 5, Emilie turning 8, General Conference, Easter somewhere in there, Emilie getting baptized, and Tom's birthday. Yikes! I will scan the ultrasound pics as soon as I get a chance. This still puts Timothy about 16 months older. We were only a week and a half off.
Baby narrating now... Here you can see my arms, belly and legs to the lower right, and my face to the upper right... in that little black oval that's my home for the next 6 months. The tiny x is at the top of my head, the big x is by my feet.
Here I am again, same way... only it's not my face, more my brain.
The numbers to the right mean that I'm between 3.2 and 3.4 centimeters long from the top of my head to my little behind (or "rump" in CRL, Crown to Rump length) and that means I'm between 10 weeks 2 days and 10 weeks 1 day...)
Maybe I won't be as shy as Timothy was, in a few months. Next appointment is October 1st.
9/7/2007
Mom was embarrassing last night at Relief Society... she accidentally mentioned she was at the doctor yesterday and he was telling her weird things to do for morning sickness. The ladies there weren't dumb, but mom sure felt like she was!
9/15/2007
Nathanael says I'm a girl. I don't know whether to beat him up when I'm older or congratulate him on his foresight. Thought you were going to get something out of me, didn't you? Mom says she doesn't feel pregnant other than being tired and feeling icky. She's not even showing yet! She still needs to go get her blood drawn. Yay! (not)
9/26/2007
Happy Anniversary Grandma and Granddad! My mom is losing weight so she is worried that all is well with me. I wish I could reassure her but I'm not sure myself. She got her blood drawn yesterday. It was early in the morning so she was very tired and sick all day long. Our next appointment is Monday, and I'll be big enough that she can hear my heart beat! I hope that will help her worries. 13 weeks today! That means I'm about 3 1/2 inches long. Wow!
10/2/2007
Yay! Almost 14 weeks. Mom had a doctor appointment yesterday and heard my heartbeat loud and strong, about 150 beats per minute. I'm the right size, shape, and whatever for how far along we are. The doctor told Mom to make sure she is taking vitamins and eat right, and start wearing maternity clothes so we're more comfortable (both of us, not just her!) He also offered the amniocentesis and more tests if she wanted. She said no thank you. Again. I think Mom knows most of this with me being her eighth child, what do you think? Mom also had some contractions yesterday but wasn't worried after the appointment. Everything looks great!
10/31/2007
Happy Halloween!
18 weeks today. Appointment today. Mom has gained a pound, blood
pressure is fine, and I look normal for 18 weeks with a heart rate between 140
and 160. The big news, I guess, is that we have an ultrasound in 2 weeks,
on November 16th. Mom and Dad haven't decided if they want to find out if
I'm a he or she. We're trying to get someone to watch the
other kids so Dad can come. I'll be 20 weeks that week, so half way!
Oh, and Mom has been feeling me move for about a week and a half now, for sure.
I can tell there is a lot of excitement around the house today. Something about candy? Or costumes? Or both?
11/16/2007
Happy Birthday cousin Emma! Today we had our ultrasound. Dad was able to come. Our scanner died so Mom is not able to share the ultrasound pictures, but they are not the greatest. You can see my belly, my skull, and the darn doctor even printed a picture of my privates. The nerve! Mom and Dad were able to tell that I am most likely a boy. This will make me their 7th son. Emilie cried. I think she'll like me, eventually. Maybe by the time I get here and am so cute and adorable she won't be able to help herself. Aunt Sherri says to tell Emilie that she will have as many brothers as she does... or Mom does... I am a handsome looking little guy, as far as we can tell, with all working parts, feet, hands, heart, brain, bones, etc. I am growing just right for my due date and as far along as I am supposed to be, which is HALF WAY! Ready or not, here I come, in 20 more weeks or so... The next appointment is 12/13. I will be 24 weeks. I am moving a lot now and Mom can tell I get hiccups and do somersaults though Dad can't feel me yet. Don't worry Dad, I'll kick so you can feel it soon enough. I'm sure Mom just can't wait... hehehe. She still gets sick if she doesn't eat enough, or eats something that I suddenly decide I don't want...
PS- Mom and Dad are running out of boy names. Any suggestions? Email me at baby8@atvtnv.org :)
11/22/2007
Happy Thanksgiving! I have let Mom know I prefer mashed potatoes to the rest of the food... though that apple pie sure hits the spot! Actually, pie in general is pretty much the food of choice. For me, Mom may differ.
12/13/2007
Quick appointment, nothing new going on. My heartbeat is strong, I'm growing exactly right for my age, and making mom wake up nights with my rolling around in here. My elbows are getting sharp, hooray! I'm about 2 lbs and maybe 14 inches long. 16 more weeks! Everything looks great. Nothing exciting.
1/10/2008
Next appointment, at 28 weeks.
1/15/2008
Actually, THIS is our appointment date because Dad had some work stuff to attend to and Mom couldn't get to her appointment. Mom is very sick and the doctor said to call if it got worse... Everything looks good, I'm 29 weeks, about 3 lbs, measuring right on, very active, good heart rate, and everything! Next appointment is February 5th and Mom needs to get her glucose testing done before then.
1/20/2008-1/23/2008
Happy Birthday Samuel! Mom had to call the doctor today because she is so sick she can't function. She has double ear infections and possible strep, without testing. She is coughing so hard she contracts, and her ribs hurt from that, not me kicking them. (which is the usual cause). She is coughing so hard she's not keeping food down, either. She can barely breathe and the doctor is trying to get her better. She keeps remembering having to go to the hospital over and over again being so sick before Nathanael was born and not wanting to do that again. Because of the contractions and being so sick, she has packed her hospital bag (today) just in case. She has tried to take off work but with so few people working there it's been difficult. Dad had to take off work too, he got strep. Michael is getting sick. Samuel is sick. Nathanael is sick. Timothy is sick and coughing all night. Emilie and Benjamin have sore throats. I'm glad I'm safe in here! Hang in there, family!
2/5/2008
32 weeks! Only 8 weeks left! Appointment went well, everything looks good, putting Mom on a second round of antibiotics because she is STILL sick. Mom went and got her glucose test the 2nd, and it was normal! Yay! No 3 hours of torture with THIS baby, baby! Next appointment at 34 weeks, Mom is also getting doctor's notes for no more exercise and getting off work, doctor's suggestions. Last day of work (til after I come) will be the 21st. Oh, and they don't have a name for me yet.
P.S. It's getting crowded in here, but Mom is not very appreciative of my attempts to spread out her ribs.
2/19/2008
Hooray! 34 weeks! Last short, in and out appointment though. Next time starts the weekly appointments and NSTs. Everything looks great, mom gained a tiny bit of weight, BP is good, our appointments are scheduled til the end of the pregnancy... Mom needs to preregister at the hospital, I'm very active, plus the Doctor says he will not stop labor at any point from now on! Yay! So... um... when should I come? And mom and dad STILL don't have a name for me. They think I am about 4 lbs and 17 inches or so... almost as big as Michael was when he was born! Mom has stopped working at Sears until June, as she couldn't do everything anymore.
3/4/2008
36 weeks- when Michael was born. Not much new, just an NST, which I did well on, and a Group B Strep test. Longer appointments now, because there are only 4 weeks left!
3/11/2008
37 weeks. Nothing new, other than the doctor telling us he would be out of the country for spring break. Everything still looks good, both NST, heart beat, measurements, etc.
3/18/2008
38 weeks. Nothing new, a little protein and blood pressure not being great, but all other signs are good. NST, etc, nothing to be upset about.
3/25/2008
39 weeks! First time being checked...
Mom had to go in early, doctor is busy at our original appt time. NST was good, weight is down, blood pressure is down, Mom is tired... Doctor checked and said that we are "sitting on ready". That means we're dilated to 3 1/2 or so and 70 percent effaced. Not much longer! He actually said he would induce this afternoon but he has a lot of things going on, so what about tomorrow? Mom and Dad are still talking about it. Nathanael's birthday is tomorrow (but he would be HAPPY to share a birthday he says) but Mom really would like to not be induced this time. However, Nathanael's and my birthday are going to be close no matter what... and I could still be born on his birthday, induced or not. Still up in the air. We'll keep you posted.
The doctor also says that I am BIG. The nurse said I must be really high, as I am up between Mom's ribs and sticking out... however, when doctor checked he noted that I was partially down the birth canal... BIG baby? Not the same problem as Timothy, for sure, where he wasn't even near the birth canal and there were risks involved. He did say that I'm probably around Timothy's size, and could gain a lb in the next week if mom doesn't go into labor and we don't induce. Again, we'll see! Not too long now. Induction is more if we get tired of "waiting on nature".
3/27/2008
The doctor called me at home at 11 am, telling me that we'd waited two more days, baby hasn't shown, he felt it was best for baby and me if we induced since we were so close anyways. He was truly concerned about baby's size and that he would be getting too large. He told me to come to the hospital as soon as I could. I first called Tom. I called friends in our ward (church) to find someone to watch the kids. Tom came home, we got ready, and left. Kids were very excited! We got to the hospital at about 12:30 and registered. I was put in triage about 1 pm. IV got started at around 1:45 or so. Rooms were all full in Labor and Delivery, so they didn't know where I would deliver. They started pitocin a little after 2. I was at a 5 and fully effaced. Doctor didn't come until they got a room cleaned up for me between 2:30 and 3 pm and he broke my water. Things happened quickly at that point. I told them I felt pressure, they checked and I was 7-8 cm, doctor got there within 5 minutes, things got ready and baby was here at 3:38 pm. Size was obviously not as much a concern as we thought, but it was good to get him here just the same. Just a few pushes, but it seemed like it took longer. Everyone that was involved was a little startled that it happened that quickly other than the doctor, myself, and Tom. Especially those who cleaned up the room, haha. Tom stayed until around 5:30 when they took him to clean him up (after he nursed and we had some time together) and went home to upload pics, get the kids, rescue the friend babysitting, and then bring the kids back to see their new baby brother!
Christopher Philip Valencic
3:38 pm on March 27th, 2008
7 lbs 8 oz, 19 3/4 inches
Here is before...
...and here is after
A very great place for parents to connect!
Walmart's baby page, with development calendar, questions answered, polls, etc.
Not sure if this is a good resource or not, still trying to get it to work.
Great place for the calendar of developmental milestones during pregnancy!
And of course, our favorite.