Doctors orders

I went to see the doctor today, same old routine. First things first, I climb up on that evil contraption they call a scale to see my damage. I only gained half a pound since my last visit three weeks ago. The doctor did not seem pleased, but I informed her it was due to the "Prison Diet" I am currently forced to adhere to. She did not laugh. I thought it was funny, and a little bit true. Bread, cheese, and water are my main food groups.

I informed her of all the wonderful things that happened to me yesterday and I got the most wonderful advice. Eat more. I can follow those doctors orders! She seemed to think my fainting spell was due to low blood sugar and that I am not eating enough. I need to add more proteins and carbs to my diet. She said that there is no too low with pregnant women because the problem is never not enough sugar, but too much, so they don't give a range. But she definitely said it was extremely low Sunday. She also did a physical exam since I was having all those contractions and I am one centimeter dilated and 40% effaced. Everything else was all good. I go back in two weeks and then I will start going weekly.

We then went to Moe's and got some lunch. It was mmm..... Good! I had some nachos all the way and half a chicken club quesadilla. I checked my blood sugar two hours later and I am right on track. It was low actually. I think my body needs some sugar. I might just go get me a piece of cake, a piece the size of my fist!! I am definetly gonna relax a little bit more on my diet cause my blood sugar is not out of control at all. We also went to the FreshMarket while we were there. This was Alysha's first time in one of these stores. If you have never been to one, they are AWESOME!! I love that place. Alysha loved it too, she has never seen so many different kinds of cheese! They literally have over fifty of them. The desserts are fabulous. Alysha and I decided that after the Shayla gets here we are gonna go get us a big piece of something sweet.

On a sad note, Jon fried out home computer. I do not know if I will be able to upload a new pic every week. I was gonna start doing a weekly pic until Shay gets here. I lost all my other pics and lots of other stuff.

35 weeks - The heat is on

35 down, five more to go!! I am doing really good. I feel good, my energy levels are back to normal. I got this diabetic diet thing down pat. I prick my finger and bleed all over a little stick four times a day and I have not yet, NOT ONCE, gone over my sugar levels. Go ME! Nurse treestump, as I have dubbed her, was once again proven to be an idiot. lol.

As my title suggest, I have finally gotten hot. My internal temperature finally heated up. Unfortunately for me, my A/C on my car went out last week!! I need a new car, but I cannot afford a new car and a new baby. Since I have already ordered the new baby and I am expecting her in a few weeks, I will wait on the car. :) Seriously, I am HOT. Jon is freezing his buns off in the house and I keep turning down the air conditioner. haha. I told him he will have to endure it for five more weeks!

Today was a rough day. My sugar level, when I checked it before breakfast was WAY low. I thought it was odd, but I did not think anything of it. I checked it again two hours after breakfast and it was still lower than normal. Still, she did not give me a range, just how much it could not go over. I started having problems breathing, my tummy was just so tight. Jon was getting ready to leave and go get some lunch and I was standing by the door talking to him and everything went black. I dropped to my knees (an amazing feat for such a pregnant girl) and tried to get the blood to rush back to my head. That is the closest I have ever come to passing out. It was bad. I have never had everything just turn black on me like that. Jon came over and rubbed my back and helped me to the couch. I felt so bad all over. I started having braxton hicks contractions. Which are painless, but they make it really hard to breath. Your whole stomach is just so tight you cannot do anything but pant.

I assume these were braxton hicks contractions, I did not have them the first time around. But, whatever contractions they were, they lasted over an hour and they were coming every 15 minutes or so. I was so uncomfortable, I did not know whether to call the doctor or what. I was also having cramps, like monthly cramps. Jon helped me to the bed so I could be comfortable and he stayed in there with me and massaged me. It freaked him out, worried him. It finally went away, all the pressure and pain, and I was completely fine. I told Jon that was just a sliver of the labor experience, a small window into what it will be like. Of course if I have a successful epidural, I won't feel anything, so maybe I will be sitting there watching tv like other women say they did. :) I don't know if my blood sugar being low had anything to do with what happened today, but Jon gave me two chips-a-hoy cookies after my fainting episode. That was one good thing that came out of the whole experience. I have my regular check up tomorrow, so hopefully they can tell me more.

Friends shower

I had two baby showers while I was in Dothan. One my friends threw me and one my mom's family threw for me! Here are some pics from the Friends Baby Shower. In alot of the pics my hands were in the air and I was wondering what in the world, then I saw some pics with actual letters I was signing, and I remembered there were deaf people there. I actually took a pic with each of my guests, but that would be too long to post them all. Here are some highlights. It took me like an hour to open all those gifts!! So many of my friends came to honor me and Shayla that day!
The Juliebean and the Nillawafer

The only picture I got with my mom that day!!

We could be sisters!

Aren't we beautiful?

Jons favorite outfit!

A handmade crochet blanket!!

The table of goodies!

Hand in the air - Mid sign

An "E" in the air, on my chin for some reason, I wonder what I was signing?

diabetic counseling

Went to my diabetic counseling session today. It was a nightmare. These people are crazy! First of all we were there for two solid hours. It was me, Jon and the diabetic counselor lady. She talked solid the whole time. The Diet she gave me was to the point of ridiculous. Interestingly enough, you do not count your sugars with diabetes, you count carbohydrates. Sugars matter nil. But, according to these people, I have to count my fats, starch, meat, milk, veg and fruit. It is really, really, really complicated. All I got out of it was Don't Don't Don't, Can't Can't Can't. It was awful. It totally stresses me out to think of eating that particularly EVERY TWO HOURS of EVERY DAY. They made it way to hard. WAY! By the way, it is really hard to eat every six hours. All you think about all day long is what food your gonna eat next, it consumes you. I already eat small meals throughout the day, but I only eat five. Here is an example of one meal.

Breakfast: you must have One serving of each of the following: Starch, meat, milk, fat. So their version of a good diabetic breakfast is as follows: 3/4 Cup cereal, One egg, One cup milk, and 1 tbl butter. That's breakfast! (In case your wondering, cheese counts as one serving of meat.) I cannot eat an egg everyday, I tell you that! I am a granola bar/banana kinda girl.

I am going to try the best I can. My lunches were already ok, as were most of my snacks. I just cannot have fruit for breakfast anymore. It is apparently bad for me. My dinners were ok too, she was just concerned about me eating alot of protein. ???? I am only "allowed" 3 ozs of meat. HELLO, I am pregnant and 3 ozs is not enough for a flea, much less a big pregnant gal like me. I just have two words for that little diet, BITE ME.

The only good thing I got out of those two hours was how to prick my finger and ck my blood sugar. I have to prick my finger four times a day. Once before breakfast and then every two hours after a meal. We went out to dinner after the appointment and I ate pretty good, but I had too much starch. I did not care cause I was so mad about the whole stupid thing. We came home and cked my blood sugars two hours later and it was way, way low - SO THERE! Pricking my finger was not as easy as it was in the office, I had to prick myself four times to get enough blood out. YUCK! Luckily, it does not hurt really bad.

My new plan is to continue my healthy eating plan I already folllow, with a few tweaks they suggested, and see what my blood sugar looks like. No way will I start counting all that other stuff, unless I have trouble keeping my blood sugar under control. That lady was crazy, she gave me no leeway. I even asked her what would happen when I cheated a little, cause everybody cheats, right? She did NOT agree, If I did have something sweet, I would have to do without a meal, no exceptions. She was rigid and ridiculous and it was not plan for real life. What do working women do? How do you have time for all that? I am pretty ticked off about the whole experience, can you tell?

34 Weeks - Back in Florida

Every time I tell someone I only have six weeks left to my due date it sounds so surreal. I cannot believe how far I have come. It is definitely starting to SLLLOOWWW down. I am so tired and my back aches all the time. I have hit the uncomfortable stage and I am afraid it will be going by ever so slowly. I go to the nutritionist this week so she can put me on a specific diet. Joy. Right now I am just following some guidelines the OB/GYN gave me, just some basic rules to follow. They will also teach me how to prick my finger and test myself four times a day. I am not all that thrilled, but it is only for six weeks, at least that is what I keep telling myself.

I have been in Alabama for a week. I had two showers while I was there. I will be posting some great pics. It was all wonderful! I did not get one picture by myself while I was in Alabama, so I used a picture of me and mom for my 34 week shot. It is neat to look down at the six week of me and mom and then now!

One interesting thing happened while I was in Alabama. My "innie" became and "outie". My belly button has become inside out. LOL. I was expecting it, but it was weird how fast it happened, in one week. I hope I did not gain too much weight while I was there, I was on my diabetic diet, so I don't see how I could. I think Shayla is just growing by leaps and bounds. She only has six more weeks in there, she better make the most of it!

Pregnancy massage

Today started out as a rough day. I finally rolled out of bed after 10:00 and I made it as far as the recliner. I was tired and felt bad. Many of my mornings are like that now. I wake up with ZERO energy. What a crappy way to start the day.

I got ready - slowly - and went out to lunch at Basketcase. I had planned to have lunch there with my mom. I love that place, the chicken salad is so good! Then I had a massage scheduled for the afternoon. It was supposed to be a girlie day so I wanted to eat some girlie food, no matter how bad I felt. I actually felt better after I ate and even went walking at westgate.

My most wonderful friend Kristy gave me a massage for my birthday. I made this appointment while I was in Florida, so I have been looking forward to this for a while. It was SO AWESOME. My tired achy pregnant body has never felt this pampered and relaxed. She found a knot I had in my neck, (jon found it the other day) and she worked on it until it was gone. It hurt so good! I did not realize how stiff it was. She she it was a muscle spasm. She massaged away all my pain, I could totally do that every week. I think that today turned out to be the best pregnant day ever. I highly recommend a massage to any and all pregnant women, there is nothing like it! Kristy gave me the best birthday present ever!!!!!!!!!

33 Weeks - Diabetes Counseling

Today I am 33 Weeks pregnant!! I have 7 more weeks until my due date, how close does that sound?

Unfortunately, I went to the doctor for my Diabetes counseling. First thing he told me was that I do have gestational diabetes, but it will go away when I give birth. He described the condition to us and it really cleared up some questions we had. Apparently my pancreas is not making enough insulin to cycle out all the sugars that I eat. The baby's insulin levels are fine, they are not linked to mine. What happens in pregnancy is that your placenta is using your insulin and there is not enough for your body to use. He did say that I barely failed the test. Just by 5 points, so he felt really good that I can control this easily by just setting limits on my diet.

The first thing he said was NO CANDY & NO JUICE. I now have to eat 6 small meals a day and count my carbs and sugars. I basically have to watch everything that goes into my mouth. Fruits have alot of natural sugars, so I have to limit the fruits. Vegetables and meat I can eat to my hearts content. Starches and Carbohydrates are something I still need in every small meal, but in specific amounts (even if they are whole wheat/grain.) The diet does not sound so bad, it really will not be such a big change. I already ate small meals throughout the day. I already drink only water all day. I just have to change to Sprite Zero for my dinner, instead of sprite. No biggie. I bought some flavored water already, in place of juice. I have never sat around eating bon-bons and Little Debbie's. I did like to have little pieces of chocolate candy after dinner, like Ferro Roche. That I will just cut out. :) I also already eat whole grain pastas and bread. I just did not eat alot of protein, so I will focus on that.

The next step is to meet with a nutritionist. I have to start using a glucometer to test my blood four times a day. This part was upsetting, although I know this is a really important part. The doctor said as long as my levels get better and start looking good, I will not have to go on insulin. I DON'T want that.

The only side effects of this little nuisance disease for the baby is that it can cause your baby to get really big. All that sugar your pancreas cannot cycle out goes straight to the baby, so you really have to be careful. He also said that you can expect your baby's development to be about one week behind, so going into labor early would not be good. He said though that if I go full term, I have nothing to worry about.

bad news

I got my test results yesterday and I have Gestational diabetes. I go to the doctor tomorrow for Diabetes counseling. I am really not taking it well for some reason, it is very upsetting. I am sure I will feel better tomorrow after I meet with the doctor. From all the research I did on te internet it looks like I will be put on a special eating plan so I don't have a 50 pound baby. Apparently, if you don't get it under control then your baby gets huge. Don't want that. More to come tomorrow...........

32 weeks

Ok, I am little late actually posting for the 32 weeks. Better late than never. I wanna keep my pictures current, so we can see how my belly is growing. I wore a tight fitting shirt this time, so it will show nicely. :)



The whole family and I leave for Dothan on Friday! I am excited to come and visit one last time before Shay arrives. It was soo cool yesterday. I was at the pediatricians office, filling out forms for the first time in Shayla's name! It was so 'real'. She is coming so soon! Hila pointed out to me the similarities in Shayla and Alysha's midddles names, they both have a Y in them. Alysha Gayle and Shayla Kathryn. I must really like the a's and y's because I did not do it on purpose, but I like it. Soon I will get to say "my girls".


Someone asked me the other day if I ever get accused of stealing basketballs when I leave stores like K-mart. Hardee-har-har. People are so clever. I guess I will take that one as a compliment.

so cute!!

Look at the itty bitty diaper I got in the mail. SO CUTE!! Size newborn, it fits in my hand. The itty bitty girl socks are precious.

I went today to "interview" a pediatrician in Ocala. I think I have found the one I want to use. He was really nice and the staff was really professional and nice. The office is about 45 minutes away, but I think it will be worth it.

Diabetes test - Take two

I went for my diabetic test today. I got up at five something this morning, woke up my family and off we went. I got there about 6:30 and we were there until 10:00. They drew my blood four times!! She kept alternating arms and telling me how lucky I was that I had good veins. I did not feel so 'lucky'. My arms are hurting and bruised, both of them, but all in all it went fine. The last time she took blood I got faint feeling. It was funny, I did not even realize what was happening. She told me I was looking flushed and I said it was really hot in there. LOL. Everything was swimming in front of me. Another nurse came in with a wet paper towels for my forehead and they kept telling me to cough, cough, cough. (I assuming coughing forces the blood back to your head?) I don't know what happened, I mean this was the fourth time in 3 hours she had taken my blood, I was not nervous or anything. I guess since it was so late and I had been fasting since midnight and drank all that sugar, my body tried to shut down on me..... too funny. Closest I have ever come to fainting. Well, second closest.... that is a story for another time.

The good thing was the LabCorp in Ocala actually has a glucose testing waiting room. It has two recliners and a TV/DVD combo. Alysha and I stretched out, watched two movies (Serendipity and Runaway bride) and rested. Where was Jon, you ask? He stayed in the car and slept the WHOLE time. I will just call him my personal driver. lol. This time was a lot better. Drinking that stuff did not make me sick and feel awful like it did last time. This time it really did not affect me at all, I hope that is a good sign like my body processed it better this time. The only flavor they had was Orange, which was SO much better than the cherry. I did not gag at all, it tasted decent.

I am just glad its over. I will get the results next week sometime.

doctor today

I went for my regular check-up. These appointments seem so pointless. They don't do anything I cannot do at home. I can weigh myself, check my blood pressure and listen to the heartbeat here at the house! (I can even pee in a cup here - haha). But, it is important I guess, so I do it. I have only good news. I have gained a total of 17 pounds, right on schedule for 32 weeks. The doctor said that I needed to go ahead and have the the second diabetes test done and I promised him that I would be doing that tomorrow. Jon is going to take me because I dread, dread, dread it. The doctor told me today that I have to drink TWO of those bottles of glucose for this test. I almost started crying when he told me that. I just don't want to do it again, but I feel better about it knowing Jon will be there.

We left the doctor and went and had our customary lunch at chick-fil-a. We always go there afterwards cause that is what I crave. I love that place, I could eat it all the time. lol. Jon, Alysha and I had a really great day together. We went to the mall and walked around some, did some window shopping. I let Alysha come back with us at the doctors office this time, so she could hear the heartbeat. She really enjoyed that, it has been neat involving her in this pregnancy so much this time.

princess tales of woe

I had quite the harrowing experience at the Winn Dixie shopping center today in podunk fl. I got off work and I was starving. (I took something for lunch, but we did not have any peanut butter for a sandwich, so all I had was some snacks.) Needless to say I was a hungry pregnant woman. I had to stop by Winn Dixie to get a small list of things we had to have for the rest of the week and I knew it would only take a minute, (in theory). I was thinking on the way there that I would LOVE a slice of pizza, so I decided to keep my eyes open for a pizza place, although I knew the odds were against me.

I found the Winn Dixie and low and behold I see a little local pizza place that has a big sticker in the window that says "Pizza by the slice". I thought it was my lucky day! Now, it had started raining on my way there, so when I got out of the car I grab my umbrella. Interestingly enough, my umbrella was still wrapped in its clear plastic, it had never been used. I actually got this umbrella at a garage sale a long time ago, it was so pretty, bright lime green, I loved it. Anyway, I do not open it to walk in because it is just drizzling, so i just take it with me.

I complete my shopping in record time and I am heading out the door. By now it is really raining hard, but I am prepared with my handy dandy, brand new umbrella. Well, I pull of the bright lime green sleeve and I am shocked to see the umbrella is not the same underneath. It is odd looking and it has kittens all over - In a word, HIDEOUS! I am thinking, I don't want to use this ugly umbrella, but the alternative is to get soaked. So, I open it up and waddle out to my car. (I have felt bad all day, and have been moving extra slow. I just don't have any energy today.) I realize half way to my car that I have forgotten to roll up my pants and they are getting soaked. With each step I take I feel them getting soggier and soggier. All my stupid maternity jeans are not petites, so they are long. The stupid pants I had on today are mediums, but they still just fall off of me, so they are even longer. Anyway, I am stepping in some big puddles so I start tip toeing, trying to save my pants. By the time I get to my car I am completely outdone. I pop the trunk and try to bend over and roll up my pants, all while holding the umbrella.

Well, that did not work out for me, they did not stay rolled up, and in the meantime I am getting soaked. I give up on a lost cause and start to try to get the groceries in the trunk. I am having a hard time holding the umbrella and getting the groceries in, still standing on my tiptoes. I just cannot balance, so I say to heck with this and I put the umbrella up. I load the car in the rain. I am soaked, my pants are soggy and the only thing left is to take the cart to the 'cart corral'. Of course, there is not one anywhere near me. OF COURSE. So, I walk to the drivers side and go searching in my purse for the keys, so I can deposit my purse and my 20oz sprite inside. I finally remember they are in my stupid pocket, so I fish them out, all the while getting poured on, and throw my stuff in the car. I decide that I am going to use the umbrella and walk this stupid cart two lanes over and put it where it goes. I am sooooooo mad at this point that I feel like spewing forth a few explicitives. I could just spit nails.

My pants are still falling down and my pant legs are a lost cause, so I get my umbrella open and traipse over and put up my cart like a responsible citizen. I just cannot bring myself to just leave it somewhere, I think people that do that are so lazy and irresponsible. (I know, I know, just one of my pet peeves.) I FINALLY get back to my car and that stupid umbrella sticks and won't close. I put all I have into it, meanwhile I am getting even more wet cause I cannot close the door until I get that dadgum umbrella closed. Sigh. In only a matter of 10 minutes, I have been completely put out. I get it closed, shut my door and lean over and roll up my pant legs. It has been driving me crazy and I am so very mad, that I do it just for spite. Doesn't help me at this point.

The pizza place, that had once seemed heaven sent, is thankfully in the same parking lot. I drive over and park right near it. I decide I am still gonna get that slice of pizza, soaking wet or not. I deserve it at this point. I get out of the car and it has stopped raining so hard, it is back to drizzling, so I do not need my offensive umbrella. I am halfway up to the pizza place and I realize that in my anger, I double rolled up one of my pants legs, but not the other. I look around and try to decide if I care - I decide at this point I DON'T. I pass some people, hold my head high, and head into the pizza place. Now remember, I am in a little nowhere town. I walk in there and there are three men standing behind the counter, only one of them works there. The other two just stand there and look at me as I stand at the counter waiting for the other guy to get off the phone. They just stare at me like I am a bug and I wonder at this point if my white shirt has become see thru, due to all the rain. I dismiss the thought only because hey, at this point, what can I do? I look ridiculous with my pants all lopsided, I am hugely pregnant, and I am soaking wet. who cares? I hold my head up and order my freaking pizza.

After a 3 minute wait, I get my order and head to my car. Halfway there the whole thing gets funny to me and I start laughing out loud. If I thought I could not look any crazier, I have achieved it. I just cannot hold it in, I am laughing as I climb back into my car and drive home. What an experience! Finally, in true pregnancy fashion, I cry on the way home. That's right, in a matter of 30 minutes I have gone from spitting nails angry, to laughing my head and lastly crying my little broken heart out.

Ahhh the joys of pregnancy hormones..........

31 weeks down, nine more to go

It sounds weird to say I am thirty one weeks along. Nine weeks until my due date. Wow. This has been the most fun little pregnancy, up to now anyway. I am nice and big and uncomfortable, but I still feel good and get around great. I think the closer it gets, the more anxious Jon gets. He has been so sweet and good to me. Not that he normally isn't, but he treats me with 'extra care'. (like I'm gonna break. :) I am not complaining, I like it. He still just looks at me with awe when he sees my and my belly. The other day, I was irritated with him and I was standing beside the recliner and he was sitting down watching TV. I started telling what I thought about something and I instinctively crossed my arms. When he looked back up at me, he burst out laughing, right in the middle of my little speech. Apparently, I looked hilarious to him, buddha with her arms crossed on top of her belly. I knew it was awkward, but I did not know just how funny I looked. Either way, we both started laughing and I never finished my point, I guess it must not have been too important.....

Alysha lays with me for a little while on the nights Jon is home (I go to bed earlier than anyone else in the house). One night this week we were laying there and Shayla started her routine. She just starts going at it and my whole tummy just contorts for about 30 minutes. Alysha just laid her hand on my stomach and we just laid there, not really talking. After Shayla stopped moving, Alysha sat up and said, "mom, that was so cool, THAT WAS SO COOL!" I love seeing this pregnancy through the eyes of my family. They are just so neat.

Now, 'cool' is not how I would describe the gymnastics on my insides. It is a miracles and everything, but it is not fun for the mommy. But I am glad Jon and Alysha enjoy it so. Jon likes to lay his hand on my tummy at night too, waiting for Shayla to get revved up. Thankfully she does not do it every night.