SO SWEET and thoughtful, thank you so much Auntie June (you can decide what you want to be called for now, it's that :)) I love it all, you truly spoiled me I am lucky to have you as a sister, THANK YOU!!!
xoxo
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Holy Package!
No, we haven't found out the sex yet! I am referring to the amazing care package my sister sent me after telling her I was pregnant!!
So much fun stuff, a maternity tank and dress (unfortunately it's only a matter of time before I fit into them!), What to Expect When you Are Expecting book (a staple in a prego woman's library), Fit Pregnancy mag, stretch mark lotion (again just a matter of time :(), Aveeno body wash and loofah (smells amazing I've been using it everyday), and an eye mask and earplugs so I get my rest.
SO SWEET and thoughtful, thank you so much Auntie June (you can decide what you want to be called for now, it's that :)) I love it all, you truly spoiled me I am lucky to have you as a sister, THANK YOU!!!
xoxo
SO SWEET and thoughtful, thank you so much Auntie June (you can decide what you want to be called for now, it's that :)) I love it all, you truly spoiled me I am lucky to have you as a sister, THANK YOU!!!
xoxo
Officially official!
My last annual exam with my gyno was in mid-July and she advised me that when I did become pregnant they did not handle OB. Bummer bcs. I really like her and have been going to her for about 5 years now, but she gave me a card of a woman's practice that they recommend.
So we know how the story goes and I got a positive HPT (home pregnancy test) a few weeks later http://babyaltbaum.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-and-when-i-found-out.html and it was time to see a doctor and make it official!!! I first made an appointment with the woman's group that my doctor had recommended me to. I had to wait for my new insurance to become effective on September 1st, so I had to wait about 3 weeks (it felt like FOREVER). I made an appointment for September 9th but found out that they don't do an ultrasound at your first appointment. What?? I thought beside the HPT that is the first thing they do at a pre-natal appointment to make sure there really is someone alive and well in there?!
Maybe I am naive but I also REALLY wanted that reassurance of the little picture!! Also, by this time I had planned that I wanted to tell my family who do not live locally, by sending them the little picture of the TINY baby in belly. Lastly, what woman who finds out she is pregnant doesn't want to look at that little picture everyday after getting it and seeing the little life that is growing inside of her?!
I decided to call another recommended doctor who was a solo practice (and does an ultrasound at the first appointment!!!) and schedule an appointment with her as well to at least do a little research to be able to compare the two, this appointment was for September 7th. So both appointments in the same week and then we would choose from there who to continue seeing throughout the pregnancy - very exciting!!!
As soon as we got to the appointment I filled out paperwork (so fun!), got weighed and measured (apparently I lost .5 inch in height since my annual a month and a half ago, interesting??), sat with the doctor and went over some questions before going into the exam room. She was very nice, gentle, and calm about everything and it was FINALLY time to look at the little sweet pea on the screen....SAY CHEESE little one;
The top one shows the 8 week old bambino and the little yolk sac (which is the thing that looks like a halo/empty circle). The head is at the bottom of the picture and the feet are up by the yolk sac. The bottom picture shows a big blob in the center of the little body and that was showing it's heartbeat, where it's heart is. AWWWWWW!!!!! Trust me it took a little time to get these images and I was immediately crying so my stomach was bouncing up and down. It was for sure a surreal moment, I'm so glad Tim was there with me!
I left the office smiling that it was officially official, I had a little one growing inside of me!! Our neighbor is a lactation nurse at the hospital where the Woman's Group delivers and is about 2.5 miles from our house, so after our appointment on the 7th and before our appointment on the 9th, we knocked on her door to pick her brain. She has been at the hospital for 17 years, loves it there and coincidentally recommended a doctor that practices within the Woman's Group that I would be visiting the next day. All good information and we were on our way.
On Friday, the meeting at the Woman's Group was thankfully not as long, I had been sent the paperwork and filled it out ahead of time and I wasn't getting an ultrasound. As small world would have it the nurse practitioner that I was seeing that day is one of Tim's past clients, which he didn't realize until we got to the office and her name was on the board. Random for sure and a little weird...but she was very sweet and it was almost a little more comforting to have a small connection there. We didn't have as many questions since we had asked almost all of them at the other appointment. Our questions were more based on the specific hospital and how the group works versus solo practitioner. She felt around on my belly and said everything felt in place and asked how my symptoms were, and we were pretty much on our way!
Now it was time to make a decision of who to work with for the next 8 months and which hospital I'd rather deliver at! The Woman's Group and Sharp Mary Birch - A top rated Woman's Hospital in California, and both the office and the hospital are so close to our house I could walk there when I go into labor, BUT I might not be guaranteed a private recovery room? OR The solo practitioner and Sharp Grossmont - Where our sister in law Mary delivered Ella at and it was a very nice hospital, I would have my own labor, delivery and recovery room BUT the hospital, all pre-natal appointments would all be about 15-20 minutes away, and did I like the doctor enough? Although Tim was born at Scripps La Jolla and I have heard nothing but good things about the hospital, Tim and I ruled it out as an option because we had great options at our back door.
Decisions...Decisions!!
So we know how the story goes and I got a positive HPT (home pregnancy test) a few weeks later http://babyaltbaum.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-and-when-i-found-out.html and it was time to see a doctor and make it official!!! I first made an appointment with the woman's group that my doctor had recommended me to. I had to wait for my new insurance to become effective on September 1st, so I had to wait about 3 weeks (it felt like FOREVER). I made an appointment for September 9th but found out that they don't do an ultrasound at your first appointment. What?? I thought beside the HPT that is the first thing they do at a pre-natal appointment to make sure there really is someone alive and well in there?!
Maybe I am naive but I also REALLY wanted that reassurance of the little picture!! Also, by this time I had planned that I wanted to tell my family who do not live locally, by sending them the little picture of the TINY baby in belly. Lastly, what woman who finds out she is pregnant doesn't want to look at that little picture everyday after getting it and seeing the little life that is growing inside of her?!
I decided to call another recommended doctor who was a solo practice (and does an ultrasound at the first appointment!!!) and schedule an appointment with her as well to at least do a little research to be able to compare the two, this appointment was for September 7th. So both appointments in the same week and then we would choose from there who to continue seeing throughout the pregnancy - very exciting!!!
As soon as we got to the appointment I filled out paperwork (so fun!), got weighed and measured (apparently I lost .5 inch in height since my annual a month and a half ago, interesting??), sat with the doctor and went over some questions before going into the exam room. She was very nice, gentle, and calm about everything and it was FINALLY time to look at the little sweet pea on the screen....SAY CHEESE little one;
I left the office smiling that it was officially official, I had a little one growing inside of me!! Our neighbor is a lactation nurse at the hospital where the Woman's Group delivers and is about 2.5 miles from our house, so after our appointment on the 7th and before our appointment on the 9th, we knocked on her door to pick her brain. She has been at the hospital for 17 years, loves it there and coincidentally recommended a doctor that practices within the Woman's Group that I would be visiting the next day. All good information and we were on our way.
On Friday, the meeting at the Woman's Group was thankfully not as long, I had been sent the paperwork and filled it out ahead of time and I wasn't getting an ultrasound. As small world would have it the nurse practitioner that I was seeing that day is one of Tim's past clients, which he didn't realize until we got to the office and her name was on the board. Random for sure and a little weird...but she was very sweet and it was almost a little more comforting to have a small connection there. We didn't have as many questions since we had asked almost all of them at the other appointment. Our questions were more based on the specific hospital and how the group works versus solo practitioner. She felt around on my belly and said everything felt in place and asked how my symptoms were, and we were pretty much on our way!
Now it was time to make a decision of who to work with for the next 8 months and which hospital I'd rather deliver at! The Woman's Group and Sharp Mary Birch - A top rated Woman's Hospital in California, and both the office and the hospital are so close to our house I could walk there when I go into labor, BUT I might not be guaranteed a private recovery room? OR The solo practitioner and Sharp Grossmont - Where our sister in law Mary delivered Ella at and it was a very nice hospital, I would have my own labor, delivery and recovery room BUT the hospital, all pre-natal appointments would all be about 15-20 minutes away, and did I like the doctor enough? Although Tim was born at Scripps La Jolla and I have heard nothing but good things about the hospital, Tim and I ruled it out as an option because we had great options at our back door.
Decisions...Decisions!!
Dreaming
So I had my first "baby dream" last night. I don't remember exactly how it started what I do remember is looking at a sheet of paper that the doctor was filling out and it said FEMALE (so I guess in my dream I had a girl) and time of birth said 3:27 PM (that was the time on Tim and my wedding invitation). Tim was sitting in the room with me and I didn't know that I had a girl until I looked at the form so I realized (in my dream) that I had a c-section and didn't get to meet her right away. I in fact never even saw the baby in my dream at all. The form also stated ~8 months and I said I thought I was only 4 months along and they said I was further along and that my doctors must have misread all my tests leading up. ummmmm ok!?
So, from the office/room, I was brought to a recovery room which looked more like a triage from a war movie and there were about 50 cot beds and all women who had just delivered in there with their spouses, visitors, and babies. I remember asking why I was in there if I had a c-section, shouldn't I be in a private room?? From there it went to a scene where I met Tim in a hallway who was sulking because we were supposed to go away and now he had to cancel it and he would loose out on the miles he used to book it. WHAT!??! haha!! And that's the last I remember of the dream.
If anybody that interprets dreams wants to give that one a shot, I'd be amused at the results! :)
So, from the office/room, I was brought to a recovery room which looked more like a triage from a war movie and there were about 50 cot beds and all women who had just delivered in there with their spouses, visitors, and babies. I remember asking why I was in there if I had a c-section, shouldn't I be in a private room?? From there it went to a scene where I met Tim in a hallway who was sulking because we were supposed to go away and now he had to cancel it and he would loose out on the miles he used to book it. WHAT!??! haha!! And that's the last I remember of the dream.
If anybody that interprets dreams wants to give that one a shot, I'd be amused at the results! :)
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Little Miss Forgetful
According to my family and Tim my memory has always been amazing! I heard many friends talk of this "pregnancy brain" but obviously I never truly understood it. Well boy do I NOW! There have been so many little things here or there in the past few weeks;
About 10 seconds later I saw it sitting over by my cookbook stand - OH RIGHT!!! I was about to make eggs!!! LOL, whoops!
- I left to drop clothes off at the dry cleaners but I forgot them at home
- I RSVP'd yes for a baby shower even though I had an event going to contract for that same day, once I realized I immediately had to change my response, SORRY LAUREN!!! xo
- Took Zara to swim at the beach and forgot to bring a towel for her, she stood dripping wet in the trunk the whole way home :(
- So many other funny things, but my favorite has to be my "missing iPad story";
About 10 seconds later I saw it sitting over by my cookbook stand - OH RIGHT!!! I was about to make eggs!!! LOL, whoops!
Old Venice
Not as in Venice, Italy, we only got to Florence and Tuscany and that was back in May ;). When wracking my brain about how to tell him I was pregnant, I looked on websites and read some articles and with the cute, creative ways I found, I decided to combine a few ideas and make it my own. One of our major exciting life changing events was when Tim surprised me with a marriage proposal at one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego, Old Venice (www.oldvenicerestaurant.com, super yummy and charming Italian Restaurant in Pt. Loma).
We were engaged on April 11th (a day after my 1/2 birthday, and the excuse he gave everybody of why we were all getting together), such an amazing night and I will never forget it!
Since the baby is due right around mid-April and I love that restaurant I decided I would take him to lunch there to "surprise" him this time. He was a little suspicious as to why I was taking him to lunch mid-week but we haven't eaten there in a while AND he though my friend had come the week prior in NY so he wasn't suspicious at all. We sat down and ordered, then I said "do you want to know why I brought you here?", and I gave him a card and a little box which read;
When he opened this box this was inside;
He immediately had a look of confusion then excitement and we hugged and kissed and his first words were "no, what? really? But you lied to me?" and I explained the story as explained in my previous post :) We enjoyed our lunch and discussed when we would tell family and friends, what the next step was, what I can and can't eat now, and just relished in this new exciting chapter we were about to start.
We took this pic to always remember our special lunch! XO
We were engaged on April 11th (a day after my 1/2 birthday, and the excuse he gave everybody of why we were all getting together), such an amazing night and I will never forget it!
We took this pic to always remember our special lunch! XO
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
How and when I found out...
So, we had been trying for a few months and I was starting to wonder more and more if it was going to happen, I do realize some couples try MUCH longer, I think I was just getting impatient :) I had my annual exam mid July and discussed with my doctor that we were trying and she said it's going to take 6 months to a year you have nothing to worry about this stage in the game. I went on my way feeling good and everything was going to happen naturally...little did i know how soon after my appointment it would!
I had planned a trip East to visit family and friends for the first week of August, I was very excited to have some girl time and east coast sunshine!! My dear friend/Aunt Flow (however you refer to it) was also "due" during this time. I landed in NY went to the bathroom before heading out to greet my mom who was picking me up and like clockwork sure enough signs that my friend had arrived were there, BOOOOO....bummer, but I knew I had to keep my chin up, I had a lot of fun things in store for the days ahead.
I texted Tim and expressed that my friend had arrived and I was sad, a few words of encouragement from him and it helped put me in a better place. The first three days of my trip were spent with my childhood girlfriends who all have at least one child. It was so nice having them to chat with and bounce stories off of in regards to their experiences (PS - thank you girls, your conversation and advice were invaluable! XO).
So I went as far as to visit the local CVS in my hometown and stock up on the goods for the week. The next 3 days I was spending down at the Jersey Shore with my mom, sister, and aunt. I was so excited to just relax and spend time with them, it's been a long time since just the four of us got together. We went swiming the ocean, took walks on the beach, watched sunsets from the balcony while eating cheese and crackers with our Skinnygirl cocktails, it was truly a summer vacation!
So by now it's about 3.5 days after I landed in NY and that friend that I thought had arrived wasn't really in full force (for lack of a better term), I started to wonder and get curious as each day passed and it was less than more I thought "am I actually getting a missed period??". At night I would research on my phone and I now think what I had was implantation bleeding. I really just thought I was just having a strange month even though I am always very regular, so I went about my trip eating and drinking as I normally would.
I didn't want to say much or get too overexcited, Tim hadn't travelled with me so I didn't want to find out when I wasn't with him if I was in fact pregnant and how could I tell my family before him?? (I love you all very much I just felt it wouldn't be right :)). I just had a day and a half left before I returned to San Diego, I knew I had a test at home for when the time came so I decided to just wait!
I got in SUPER late on a Sunday night (thanks crazy weather over Atlanta), and while Tim was still sleeping early Monday morning I went and took one of the tests, after maybe a minute...PREGNANT read in the window (I didn't mess with the ones that have plus or minus, or one line or two lines, I wanted full on words in my face proof)
OMG!! Now what to do??? I couldn't just run into the bedroom and shove the stick in Tim's face when he was half awake (although I thought about it!) I decided to stay calm and collective and spend the day thinking about an exciting way to tell him.
I had planned a trip East to visit family and friends for the first week of August, I was very excited to have some girl time and east coast sunshine!! My dear friend/Aunt Flow (however you refer to it) was also "due" during this time. I landed in NY went to the bathroom before heading out to greet my mom who was picking me up and like clockwork sure enough signs that my friend had arrived were there, BOOOOO....bummer, but I knew I had to keep my chin up, I had a lot of fun things in store for the days ahead.
I texted Tim and expressed that my friend had arrived and I was sad, a few words of encouragement from him and it helped put me in a better place. The first three days of my trip were spent with my childhood girlfriends who all have at least one child. It was so nice having them to chat with and bounce stories off of in regards to their experiences (PS - thank you girls, your conversation and advice were invaluable! XO).
I didn't want to say much or get too overexcited, Tim hadn't travelled with me so I didn't want to find out when I wasn't with him if I was in fact pregnant and how could I tell my family before him?? (I love you all very much I just felt it wouldn't be right :)). I just had a day and a half left before I returned to San Diego, I knew I had a test at home for when the time came so I decided to just wait!
I got in SUPER late on a Sunday night (thanks crazy weather over Atlanta), and while Tim was still sleeping early Monday morning I went and took one of the tests, after maybe a minute...PREGNANT read in the window (I didn't mess with the ones that have plus or minus, or one line or two lines, I wanted full on words in my face proof)
OMG!! Now what to do??? I couldn't just run into the bedroom and shove the stick in Tim's face when he was half awake (although I thought about it!) I decided to stay calm and collective and spend the day thinking about an exciting way to tell him.
Monday, September 19, 2011
I'm pregnant!!!
As my first trimester comes to an end, I realize there is three months of exciting news to share with friends and family and I should get a start on it! So the basic "details"...
I am due in mid-late April, April 14thish.
We are not 100% sure if we are going to find out the sex yet...I always said I didn't want to find out BUT that was also before finding my calling in life as a planner and I am already starting to think of paint colors, bedding options, and decorating, SO MANY OPTIONS!! So likely we will find out before arrival, regardless, we are excited and would be happy with a boy or a girl!
To my friends that have been asking for weeks if I was pregnant, I found out on 8/10 but Tim and I agreed to wait until the end of my first trimester to tell friends...so I didn't lie I just didn't tell the whole truth. Family only found out 3 weeks ahead of you, don't be mad!! :)
We are so excited to share this journey with you all!
I am due in mid-late April, April 14thish.
We are not 100% sure if we are going to find out the sex yet...I always said I didn't want to find out BUT that was also before finding my calling in life as a planner and I am already starting to think of paint colors, bedding options, and decorating, SO MANY OPTIONS!! So likely we will find out before arrival, regardless, we are excited and would be happy with a boy or a girl!
To my friends that have been asking for weeks if I was pregnant, I found out on 8/10 but Tim and I agreed to wait until the end of my first trimester to tell friends...so I didn't lie I just didn't tell the whole truth. Family only found out 3 weeks ahead of you, don't be mad!! :)
We are so excited to share this journey with you all!
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