Week 14 - Starting the 2nd Trimester!

I'm popping right out!! Today I'm 14 weeks 2 days..into my 2nd trimester already! The nausea is finally subsiding...which I am more than ecstatic about! I was taking anti-nausea meds for a little while, which did help, but then they started giving me awful headaches, so I stopped taking them. I have to make very sure I drink enough fluids and eat enough protein along with lots of fruits and veggies...that makes a huge difference with my headaches and tiredness.

I haven't felt Mini Who move yet...but that should be soon. I think I felt the other three move in the fourth month! My next appointment is Monday the 30th...I'll update again!

Change in Nursery Plans!!

Sean diligently working on insulation where the girl's closet will be built. We decided to move the girls into this room instead. It will be just about the same size as their old room. Having a bunk bed helps with this tremendously...it will fit nicely into the corner next to the other window.

We will also be extending the bathroom out about a foot or so and building a new linen closet behind the bathtub, which is to the far left of where Sean is in the photo. This means we'll be putting in new flooring, which will be tile, and ripping out the old linen closet. We'll also be replacing the old medicine cabinet...THAT I'm very much looking forward to! It will also get a new coat of paint...very unsure on the color still.

This is the old chimney that was hiding in that small closet we ripped out. Tonight, Sean will be starting the process of tearing that out! He has to empty it first...it is FULL of soot, etc. At least it's all dry and we can use the shop vac! Then he has to go up in the attic and chip the bricks apart, layer by layer. The mortar is old and falls apart quite easily, so hopefully this job will go quickly! Sean's been putting it off...it will be a mess!

This is the far wall on the north side of our house. The first layer of insulation board and foam to fill in the cracks and holes is done. Next comes the wiring and installing outlet, switch and light boxes. Then the pink insulation can go in...then...the drywall!

Sean and I will be making a trip to Lowe's maybe this weekend to start picking out flooring, drywall, paint, lights, etc...for this room. Pretty sure we'll be putting in wood flooring over the old pine planks. There are so many choices and colors... I'm thinking of a lighter wood for the girl's room. They've talked about having each wall painted a different pastel color...so a light wood floor would be beautiful!

For the nursery, the walls will be painted a very light yellow. I'm thinking a dark wood would look awesome...but then, I don't know what color crib we'll have....hmmm. I know I don't want a white one. I do want a transitional crib...so the color of the crib and floor really need to look nice together!

Sonogram and due date!!

Finally...my first sonogram photo!! I went in on Thursday for my monthly OB visit, very much looking forward to this next sonogram. Mini Who is VERY active!! Dr. P(not my regular dr) had a difficult time getting measurements! :)
Mini Who measures just about 4 cm from head to rump.
I measured at 10 weeks 4 days on Thursday and my official due date is September 21st! Just 4 days after Sean's birthday!

I think the sex of Mini Who can be found out around week 20. I don't want to be surprised...never have. Since I have two very different decorating ideas this time, plus people who have many things gender specific to pass on to me, I need to know. It will makes things go so much smoother.

Sean was not able to go with my to this appointment due to taking over as boss for the week, so my best friend and neighbor, Pam, HAPPILY went with me. I almost think she was more excited than I!! She cannot have any more biological children(she has 3), so she told me she's going to live vicariously through this pregnancy!! LOL!! I, of course, don't mind at all!

Dr P prescribed me anti-nausea meds...thank goodness!! I have to take one every 8 hours...it just dissolves on my tongue. They are really working! Yesterday I was able to eat cereal with milk(dairy has not been agreeing with me) and a good-sized salad for lunch!!! I'm actually looking forward to making dinner tonight without gagging the entire time! The only side effects I'm noticing are a slight headache which I'm trying to counter with more water intake and a slight extra tiredness.

Stop back again soon...I plan to post a new belly pic!!

More Nursery Demolition!!

The third or fourth bin full of old plaster...this stuff is SO heavy!

Lots of lathe to be burned!

All of this lathe has to come down! There is blown-in insulation behind it...most has settled...that's why this room is so cold!

That used to be the girl's closet on the other side of that open wall. I had the idea to use this space to add a little extra square footage to the nursery. We'll have to build a new, smaller closet inside the girl's room on the other side of the white wall.

I'm so very excited about this...I can just picture it all finished!! And I look forward to when I can share those photos with you!

1st trimester almost over....

Within a week or two, my first trimester is coming to a close, and hopefully so will the nausea. Mornings have been okay...it's the afternoons and evenings that are the worst. I actually got sick 4 days in a row last week...so exhausting and not daring to eat anything for fear or getting sick again!

Yesterday was a pretty good day and I'm thankful for that. I had only slight nausea and around 9PM, I discovered that eating a few handfuls of Kix cereal with no milk comforted my stomach!!

Thursday at 10AM is my next OB appt with sonogram, so I will be asking my Dr about nausea meds. We'll see what comes of that.

I may be posting again later with more demo pics of the nursery...depends on how I feel though!

Mood Swings Anyone???

These last few days have been rough...the nausea is consuming me and it's been very hard to put a smile on my face and keep it there. I am also watching Pam's neices this week for the most part as her and her family are very ill with whatever NASTY bug is going around! The girls are very good when they are here, but with the nausea and my mood swings, my patience is unfortunately very thin(mostly when Caitlin and Sara argue) and I have to really catch myself.

On top of this, our cat Gracie unexpectedly had kittens on Sunday! We thought she was just eating too much and not getting enough exercise! Hah! I wasn't home when Gracie delivered the first one...which ended up dying...Sean had no idea what to do and was totally grossed out. I rushed home with my nephew, Rocco(I was watching him), and got Gracie settled in the cellar until she stopped bleeding, the kitten taken care of and everyone calmed down!

About 3 hours later, as I was sitting in the rocker watching TV with Gracie on my lap, I felt her belly get hard....and OH...she started to push!! She wasn't done delivering, so I took her in the kitchen on a towel and helped her with the next kitten. I had to take the sac off and cut the cord because Gracie was clueless, again. Me playing vet again...this happens a lot! This kitten is a very light orange/tan tiger...and so cute! It may be darker once the kitten fuzz is replaced.

Being pregnant and seeing a precious little kitten dead is really hard, especially when I'm pregnant. Last night I was mad at Sean for not trying to save the first kitten, but then totally understood his aversion to blood, etc...he just couldn't do it. So I'm not mad anymore. I think something may have been wrong with that one anyway...something about it's front leg wasn't right.

So to anyone who prays, please pray for this nausea to subside soon. It's really wearing me down.

Curl up in a ball.....

That's what I feel like doing most days now. My nausea has been so bad the past week and a half, that I just want to curl up in a ball under warm blankets and sleep the day away...sometimes I just want to cry. I've only actually gotten sick once...and that was from brushing my teeth. sigh.

I'm doing okay today so far...but it's only 9:30 AM. I had a couple waffles with peanut butter for breakfast and that seems to be helping. I'm thinking I'm lacking in protein, but when EVERYTHING makes me gag, it's really hard to make anything for myself. I feel even worse that I can barely make anything for the kids or Sean. Even looking in the refrigerator was making me gag yesterday...I think it was the thought of certain things in there.

It was so bad yesterday, that I asked my best friend, Pam to pick up a McD's bacon ranch salad with crispy chicken and ranch dressing. It was the only thing that sounded good and I needed the protein from the chicken plus the fresh greens. It really did help tremendously...
so THANK YOU PAM!!

Due date change...

So my first appointment with my OB was Thursday. I wasn't sure I would be getting an ultrasound or not, because it was also my yearly exam....but was secretly hoping! I did have one and was surprised to find out I'm only about 6 weeks along. By my calculations, I was pretty sure I was around 8 weeks! Must be my cycle was different during the month of December...

Anyway, my Dr said everything looks great and he wants to see me back on February 26th for another checkup and ultrasound. By then I'll be about 10 weeks and we should be able to see little arms and legs forming!! I was very happy though to be able to see the TINY heart beating in the first ultrasound.

Not human babies...but still babies!

Our guinea pig Betsy, FINALLY gave birth to 4 adorable babies on the 27th, in the early afternoon. She required no help and has been a wonderful mother! The baby above is only an hour or so old...I'm helping it dry off a little more. I checked online and the hair style is Abysinnian and the color is golden agouti. The one below is the same color, but with smooth hair. The third baby is jet black and the fourth is a pretty rust color that I haven't decided is orange or red, according to the standards. It also has 2 white spots on it's head...so cute! And they are already squealing like Betsy...they are very loud sometimes!

Here's Caitlin holding the smooth golden agouti...can you tell she loves them??

And Betsy in her little box with her babies.

Nursery Renovation...the beginning!

This room is quite small, about 7 x 8' or so. It was the lowest priority for updating...but now that we really need the space, it will be completely remodeled before September! There is only one window that is on the back of the house...and this is where the morning sun comes in.

Behind this wall is Cara and Caitlin's closet. Sean wants to use part of the closet for a built-in dresser/closet for the nursery...save on space! Our house was built in 1913-14, so the electrical is old as well as the framing. A couple of the boards in this wall are starting to crumble a bit...time for reframing! The lathe and plaster has been completely removed from this wall...Sean won't do the other walls until we have the supplies to finish it quickly...ie.. insulation and drywall!

The one window, which is very low and the original pine plank floors that were painted who knows how many years ago!

The door is new though...when Brendan used this room as his bedroom, he had folding doors that needed to be replaced.