Just wanted to update you all and let you know to expect a guest appearance this weekend. I hope this finds everyone safe and sound and having a wonderful week.
love to you all,
Carrie
Friday, March 20, 2009
My favorite part of the day
I can understand why "they" say the second trimester of pregnancy is the best of all. You don't have to deal with the yucky symptoms of the first trimester like morning sickness or the tiring ones of the third. The second trimester is where you get to sit back and finally enjoy the pregnancy. In the second trimester you get to find out if you are Team Pink or Team Blue, you get to see that baby on the screen and see how he/she is progressing and growing.
But the best feeling of the second trimester is feeling Muppet kick. Yes- it's still Muppet, we haven't been able to come up with a name yet. My favorite times of the day is in the morning when I wake up and she's kicking me and right when I go to bed and she's kicking me. I know it's her saying "I'm okay Mommy, I'm in here having fun." It's the best feeling in the world to feel something that Chris and I have created move, wiggle, kick and punch. One of my best memories so far was just last night in fact. I was laying on the bed and Chris came and laid beside me and put his hand on my belly because she was moving. A few minutes later came a swift kick to my abdomen and Chris was like "Holy Cow, your whole stomach moved." She was really having herself a party. . . a dance party at that. But I didn't care. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world.
I love those instances when I get to just spend time with her, feeling her move, talking to her, singing to her. I never knew how much love could well up for someone you haven't met, someone you've never seen, someone with which you've never had a conversation. But I do. I think God stretches your heart to make room and include the most precious gift He could have ever given a mother. Holy mackerel, I'm a mother. She's not here yet, but I am already her mother.
Feeling her kick, punch and wiggle her way through this pregnancy, spending time with her, seeing the awe on Chris' face when he feels her move, well it just doesn't get any better than that.
But the best feeling of the second trimester is feeling Muppet kick. Yes- it's still Muppet, we haven't been able to come up with a name yet. My favorite times of the day is in the morning when I wake up and she's kicking me and right when I go to bed and she's kicking me. I know it's her saying "I'm okay Mommy, I'm in here having fun." It's the best feeling in the world to feel something that Chris and I have created move, wiggle, kick and punch. One of my best memories so far was just last night in fact. I was laying on the bed and Chris came and laid beside me and put his hand on my belly because she was moving. A few minutes later came a swift kick to my abdomen and Chris was like "Holy Cow, your whole stomach moved." She was really having herself a party. . . a dance party at that. But I didn't care. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world.
I love those instances when I get to just spend time with her, feeling her move, talking to her, singing to her. I never knew how much love could well up for someone you haven't met, someone you've never seen, someone with which you've never had a conversation. But I do. I think God stretches your heart to make room and include the most precious gift He could have ever given a mother. Holy mackerel, I'm a mother. She's not here yet, but I am already her mother.
Feeling her kick, punch and wiggle her way through this pregnancy, spending time with her, seeing the awe on Chris' face when he feels her move, well it just doesn't get any better than that.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy
We're having a GIRL!! We went in on Friday for our 19-20 week anatomy scan, to make sure baby Muppet was growing on schedule. I was lying on the bed praying that Muppet was healthy and happy. The tech came in and began small talk, all the while, in my head I'm screaming- don't care about the weather or how cold it is, I NEED to know that this baby is OK. She then asked if we wanted to know the sex- to which I promptly replied "YES, but I already know the sex." She said "Well what do you THINK it is." Confidently I replied "It's a boy!" Chris immediately filled in the details of his family demographics that out of 10 siblings, 1st cousins and one nephew only 1 is a girl. I often wonder how Jill was able to put up with all of those boys! Jill- you are an inspiration!!!
Anyway, the tech put the scanner on my belly and began to take a look around at baby Muppet. And there was the baby, hunched over sleeping like a champ. The tech moved around some more and said, "Well I think you are going to be breaking with family tradition. You are having a baby girl." To which I squealed like a baby piglet (which I resemble right now) and began to cry. Baby, we are buying PINK! The tech continued on that this baby wasn't shy about letting us know she was a girl. I asked her if she was sure the baby was a girl and she said "Yes, I have no doubt that this baby is a girl."
Muppet, like at the NT scan, was an obstinate and uncooperative little baby. She wasn't moving, not even after being prodded, poked and pushed. After about an hour of the tech not being able to get all of the measurements she needed, stopped the ultrasound, and brought me some juice. Several minutes later, she came back and resumed the ultrasound. There again Muppet wasn't shy about letting us know she was a girl. In fact, the tech pointed out the girl parts and then moved on to take other measurements. We got to see an arm with her little fist balled up, we got to see her legs, and both feet, which I'm proud to say looked like it had 10 toes. We got to see her hands and finger bones and her 4 chamber heart beating away.
But the icing on the cake, other than finding out that Muppet was a girl, was seeing her beautiful little face. The tech switched over to 3D mode and coming face to face with a baby Chris and I have created, seeing that she was okay, and seeing that she is a she, well it just doesn't get any better than that!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Dreams
Just how prophetic are dreams? Are dreams just a way for our subconscious to work out our daily internal thoughts and struggles? What do they mean- or do they mean anything? As the days draw closer to Friday, I've noticed my dreams getting more vivid. Sometimes they are baby related and sometimes they aren't. Sometimes I dream that I drank a whole bottle of booze only to wake up in a sheer panic thinking that I did drink the booze and I've ruined baby Muppet. Is it because I want a glass of wine or is it because I'm so concerned about making sure Muppet has the best start possible to life and that this is my subconscious' way dealing with my concerns? One glass of wine with dinner isn't going to to hurt anything or anyone, but for me it almost sends me into the straight jacket.
Anyway- so last night I had a dream that I was delivering baby Muppet and low and behold the doctor picks him up shows me Muppet and said "Congratulations Mrs. Arnold, you have a boy. Is this God's way of saying- hey you're having a boy before the all important ultrasound? Is this God's way of telling me that we are going to have the very first Heisman Winner in the Arnold family? By the way, in case you were wondering- He'll be quarterbacking for the University of Tennessee! Is this God's way of preparing me for what's ahead? Or is this His way of saying baby Muppet isn't going to participate on Friday so I'm telling you now?
So just how prophetic are dreams? I guess we'll find out on Friday. All in all, no matter what Baby Muppet is, girl, boy- this baby will be the most loved, most doted on, and certainly the most cherished baby in all of the world! It really doesn't get any better than this.
Anyway- so last night I had a dream that I was delivering baby Muppet and low and behold the doctor picks him up shows me Muppet and said "Congratulations Mrs. Arnold, you have a boy. Is this God's way of saying- hey you're having a boy before the all important ultrasound? Is this God's way of telling me that we are going to have the very first Heisman Winner in the Arnold family? By the way, in case you were wondering- He'll be quarterbacking for the University of Tennessee! Is this God's way of preparing me for what's ahead? Or is this His way of saying baby Muppet isn't going to participate on Friday so I'm telling you now?
So just how prophetic are dreams? I guess we'll find out on Friday. All in all, no matter what Baby Muppet is, girl, boy- this baby will be the most loved, most doted on, and certainly the most cherished baby in all of the world! It really doesn't get any better than this.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Super Stomach Saturdays
Every Saturday Muppet turns another week old in gestation. So every Saturday, Chris and I are going to start posting pictures of my ever growing belly and it's getting pretty big I must say. This last Saturday Muppet turned 19 weeks old. We are almost half way there!!! Without further ado. . . .
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
18 Week Appointment and Old Wives Tales
I went in for my regular, monthly checkup on Friday. It was really nice to be able to hear the heartbeat, which was beating away in the 150's. This point brings me to a question and the validity of old wives tales. They, whoever "they" are, say that the faster the heartbeat, the more likely it's a girl, the slower, the more likely it's a boy. Okay, great, but ummm, what's fast and what's slow? So far Baby Muppet's heartbeats have been 125, 177, 168, and 150's. So are all of these above the line for a girl, or below the line for a boy and what's the magic line number?
What about the old wives tale about where you carry a child? Some say the lower you carry a baby, the more likely it's a boy, the higher the more likely a girl. What does this have to do with anything regarding the sex of the baby? I mean seriously, where in medical science can this be found? At least with the heartbeat tale, there is some truth that can be found. My friend Julie tells me that AFTER the baby is born, girls tend to have slightly higher heartbeats than boys.
What about the all important cravings test? So you're telling me if I crave sweets, it's bound to be a girl, but if I crave salty foods, it's a boy? Awesome, but I already have a sweet tooth, how exactly am I to determine if it's my sweet tooth that's the culprit instead of Muppet? What if Muppet really only likes chocolate chip cookies, I have figured it out- yep that's it. This is finally the excuse of the year, I'm sorry Dr. I know you said to gain only 25-30 pounds, but the baby MADE me put on an extra 20! Watch out Chips Ahoy, I'm coming to the grocery store, so stock up!
Finally, my all time favorite. You are supposed to pee in a cup and mix in some Drano (no unfortunately I'm not kidding). If it turns green, baby Muppet is a girl and if it's a boy you can expect some blue Drano. So let me get this straight, how exactly is your urine different if you are carrying a boy versus a girl. Don't you think that if this myth were true, that our enterprising pregnancy test makers would have already come up with a pee stick to determine at the time of a positive pregnancy test what sex you are having? If they came up with that test, they would make a lot of money. I would have already bought 3 or so by now.
All I have been able to determine is that these old wives tales are just that. . . tales, myths, non truths. They are all designed to make me wonder with anticipation and wait patiently until we get our ultrasound- which, yes, I know can be wrong or Muppet won't participate. Hopefully by March 13th, one week and 3 days from now, I'll be able to report whether we are Team Blue, Team Pink or Team Green (if the baby doesn't participate). Either way, God has given Chris and I a wonderful, miraculous, and astonishing blessing. It just doesn't get any better than this.
What about the old wives tale about where you carry a child? Some say the lower you carry a baby, the more likely it's a boy, the higher the more likely a girl. What does this have to do with anything regarding the sex of the baby? I mean seriously, where in medical science can this be found? At least with the heartbeat tale, there is some truth that can be found. My friend Julie tells me that AFTER the baby is born, girls tend to have slightly higher heartbeats than boys.
What about the all important cravings test? So you're telling me if I crave sweets, it's bound to be a girl, but if I crave salty foods, it's a boy? Awesome, but I already have a sweet tooth, how exactly am I to determine if it's my sweet tooth that's the culprit instead of Muppet? What if Muppet really only likes chocolate chip cookies, I have figured it out- yep that's it. This is finally the excuse of the year, I'm sorry Dr. I know you said to gain only 25-30 pounds, but the baby MADE me put on an extra 20! Watch out Chips Ahoy, I'm coming to the grocery store, so stock up!
Finally, my all time favorite. You are supposed to pee in a cup and mix in some Drano (no unfortunately I'm not kidding). If it turns green, baby Muppet is a girl and if it's a boy you can expect some blue Drano. So let me get this straight, how exactly is your urine different if you are carrying a boy versus a girl. Don't you think that if this myth were true, that our enterprising pregnancy test makers would have already come up with a pee stick to determine at the time of a positive pregnancy test what sex you are having? If they came up with that test, they would make a lot of money. I would have already bought 3 or so by now.
All I have been able to determine is that these old wives tales are just that. . . tales, myths, non truths. They are all designed to make me wonder with anticipation and wait patiently until we get our ultrasound- which, yes, I know can be wrong or Muppet won't participate. Hopefully by March 13th, one week and 3 days from now, I'll be able to report whether we are Team Blue, Team Pink or Team Green (if the baby doesn't participate). Either way, God has given Chris and I a wonderful, miraculous, and astonishing blessing. It just doesn't get any better than this.
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