2 Months Old

Sophie is now 2 months old and has changed so much. Everyday she is becoming more alert and is constantly smiling. I try all the time to get the first little giggle out of her and we've come close, but we're not there yet. She loves being tickled and when I make funny faces at her and brings out the most wonderful smile! Sophie can see about 10 feet away now and she follows our voices and faces when we're moving around.

Sophie is still in her harness for her hip displacia, because she hasn't improved enough in her left hip. She will try out a new brace this week to see if that does the trick. It's frustrating that she isn't "healed," but we'll get there.

One great thing is that Sophie can sleep through the night! I usually wake her up once in the middle of the night because I need to feed her or I will burst! It's a wonderful thing that she can sleep so much at night because Matt and I are finally getting back some of that needed, lost sleep!

Sophie got to meet her Uncle Tim and Aunt Antonia for a weekend visit mid November which was so wonderful. She also got to meet her Great Aunt Jeannie and the rest of the Jones/Carter/Tuchscherer clan in Oregon for Thanksgiving. We had a great time showing our gorgeous girl off to everyone!

Sophie is smiling!

Had to show off more pictures of our cutie!

Sophie's First Photo Shoot

Halloween

Just had to show off the cute Halloween pictures!

One Month Old!

Matt and I can't believe it's been a month since our Sophie was born! Our lives have changed so much in the past few weeks, who would have thought that the toilet habits of our daughter is one of our main conversation topics?

Sophie has about 4 more weeks in her harness, and she is progressing well. She is starting to sleep a little more at night, averaging 4-5 hour stints. That means I only have to get up once or twice! Believe me, that's progress! I also think that Sophie will begin smiling at us soon. She already smiles and giggles in her sleep, but I am looking forward to actually getting her to smile at me! She had her first professional photos taken yesterday, so look for pictures soon!

3 Weeks Old

Our little girl is growing... finally! We were a little worried about her because she hadn't reached her birth weight at her two week appointment. I am nursing her, but have to supplement with formula. She reached her birth weight at her three week appointment yesterday, and I am so relieved! She seems happy and healthy, just hadn't gained much weight (gee, I wish I had that problem!).

Matt and I left Sophie for the first time last weekend with Grandma Marcia and Grandpa so we could go see the musical, Spamalot. It was a great musical, really funny, and I didn't worry about Sophie too much. She pretty much slept the entire time I was gone, so apparently wasn't a problem!

Sophie got to meet her Great Aunt Nancy and Great Uncle Bob this week, as they are in town. She loved being held by Nancy, and was staring into her face so intently! Sophie also finally gets to meet Great Grandma Holman today, which we're all excited for! Grandma has been under the weather, so we've put meeting Sophie on hold until now.

Sophie gets to go to my school next week, and I'm really anxious to show her off. Hopefully those germy students won't get too close!

2 Weeks Old

Sophie is 2 weeks old, and is keeping us smiling all the time. We love listening to her little noises (she sounds so much like a girl!) and to catch a glimpse of smile when she's dreaming. She loves to stare into our eyes, and is doing a pretty good job of tracking when we move our heads. She also recognizes my voice when I speak to her, and is starting to turn towards my voice.

Sophie has hip displasia that only affects her left hip. It is located the right position, but can be popped out of joint with manipulation. If left untreated, Sophie could have a limp later in life. So, she unfortunately has to wear a harness for about six weeks. We got her fitted for it earlier this week, and she really hated it at first. She can't move her legs like she used to and she was really fussy. Now she's getting used to it, and is mostly back to her "normal" self. The harness doesn't hurt her, it's just a bit of an inconvenience for all of us. She will go back in for checks to see that the harness is doing its job and is in the right place. Here's a picture of what it looks like.

Matt and I aren't getting a lot of sleep, but we're hanging in there! Our little lady is our pride and joy, and we can't wait to show her off to the world!

Sophie is one week old!

Matt and I can't believe that our little Sophie is already one week old! We have been at home for 5 days now, and things are going well. We of course aren't getting a lot of sleep, but Sophie is waking herself up to eat and is eating well! She has had her first bath with us, and didn't like most of it! She really loved getting her hair washed though as you can see by the picture!

Our animals are getting used to having a little bundle that makes a lot of noise sometimes. Our dog, Nikki, stayed clear of her at first, but is now making attempts to sniff at her. The cats are so curious about her, and often cuddle up to me when I am nursing Sophie.

Sophie also had her first doctor's appointment. She had jaundice, but is getting much better and should have it out of her system soon! Unfortunately, her hips pop in and out of joint so she has to see an orthopedic pediatrician next week in Tacoma. She will probably have to wear a girdle type thing for a little while to get her bones fused and stronger. We'll wait and see what we find out next week.

We love our little girl, and wouldn't trade her for anything!

Check out my Slide Show!

Sophie Grace

Finally! We have our beautiful daughter, Sophie Grace Jones! She was born Friday, September 28, 2007 at 5:19 AM. Matt and I went to the hospital around 3:15 PM on Thursday because I felt my contractions were stronger and coming more often. After I got settled and on the monitor I found out that I was barely dilated and 90% effaced. I stayed on the monitor, but didn't progress too much. I had the choice of staying here or going home. I decided to stay and my doctor ordered pitocin for me to speed up my dialation. There were several other babies being born that night, so I didn't get my pitocin until around 9:30 PM. That sped up my dialation and the strength of my contractions and we talked about pain relief. I went for Nubane first which makes you feel like you've had a few too many glasses of wine, but you feel all of the contractions. I was able to relax during the contractions, and that helped me survive until I was dilated to 6 cm. I got an epidural around 1:00 AM and Matt and I were able to rest for a little while. Around 4:30 AM, my cervix was checked and I was 10+ cm! Yay! I was ready to start pushing! After only 45 minutes of pushing, Sophie was born! It seemed so quick, and apparently I am a good pusher! I was so overwhelmed with emotions when she was born that I was bawling! Matt and I are so happy with our little one, and we're looking forward to watching her grow! Enjoy the pics!

6 days overdue

I'm still hanging in here, but the end is in sight! For two days I kept experiencing the contractions that started in the doctor's office, but nothing changed. Yesterday I did a lot of walking, and this morning I woke up to stronger contractions! Yay is the word you would be looking for here, but darn it, those things hurt! Ladies who have experienced menstrual cramps will relate, but there is no moving around or taking advil or anything like that to make them go away! The nice thing is that they do come and go, but it pretty much keeps you around the house wondering when to go to the hospital. So, that is where I am at right now... trying to keep track of when these contractions come and go and how long they are. The next post you should read from me should be that I've had the baby! FINALLY!!!

4 days overdue

I'm still pregnant! Ahh!!! I went to the doctor today for an NST (non stress test) and an ultrasound. I was hooked up to the machine for awhile and could hear our little one's heartbeat and "see" her movement on the chart. Unfortunately, I wasn't having any contractions... The nurse came in and wanted to see the baby move, so she used a shocking device (I know it sounds scary, but apparently it's okay) and she shocked the baby. The baby jumped (it was the weirdest feeling by the way) and that triggered my first real contraction! I proceeded to have a few more contractions while hooked up to the machine. These contractions didn't hurt, they were just uncomfortable. I went to have an ultrasound to check to see how much fluid I still had, and it was fine. That means that the doctor didn't have to induce me that day. He is going to see me again on Friday to do another NST, US, and a cervix check. I hope she decides to come before that day though!

Week 40

I'm huge, I know! Well, our girl should be here at this point, but apparently she is enjoying her time in my womb! According to my doctor, I am not dilated, so it's a waiting game from now on. He's concerned that she weighs over eight pounds already, but the ultrasound said she was just under seven pounds. Who can be sure which one is accurate?! He has scheduled me for an induction on October 1st, but hopefully she'll arrive before that. So, I plan on doing a lot of walking, squats, and eating spicy food to get things moving! Wish me luck!

Week 39

We're almost there! I went to the doctor today and he estimates that our little girl may not be so little after all! She is measuring 40 weeks and is about 8 pounds already. Now, that is with his ever technical "feel" of my belly, so who can be totally sure? Next week if she hasn't made an appearance, we'll do an ultrasound to check her size and he'll check my cervix. If things are looking okay, we may decide to induce, we'll just have to see!

I am really looking forward to her "dropping," because it is getting difficult to breathe, and the pushing on my ribs is not my favorite thing! People at work think that I have grown in the past week, and to me, I just feel like a giant whale! It was hard fitting into a booth at Red Robin tonight. My belly was almost touching the table and I felt like I needed a shoe horn to get out of there! Oh the joys of pregnancy!

I will have wifi at the hospital when the time comes, so when I get a second I will update my blog, and with pictures too! Stay tuned...

Week 37

I can't believe we're finally in September, my daughter's *hopeful* birth month! I have about 3 weeks to go if she's on time, and things are looking good. I am getting to the uncomfortable stage with sleeping and walking around, but I'm not necessarily ready for her to be out. Like I told my mom yesterday, I can take better care of her in there vs. out in the scary world I'm sure! She is estimated to be just under 7 pounds right now which is causing her to push her legs and feet into my ribs and lungs. Acid reflux is so much fun! I still really enjoy her movements in utero, especially when she gets the hiccups. It's so exciting to think that she'll be with us in a few short weeks and both Matt and I will be able to feel her movements!

I have been spending a lot of time at school getting my classroom ready for the year. I will only be teaching for a week and a half, then I'll be gone until January. It's a really weird feeling knowing that I won't be teaching, something that I'm so accustomed to! I know that I will be really busy with the little one, so my focus will now be on being a good mom, and teaching is second. Those 29 other munchkins won't suffer though!

Week 34

Well, I had another ultrasound, but no picture this time! Dr. Moruzzi measured the head, abdomen, and femur of our little princess, and she's right on track! In fact, she's in the 51st percentile and weighing approximately 5 pounds, 2 ounces right now. So we don't have to be worried about her getting too big. It was amazing to see how big she has gotten, because we hadn't seen her in over 10 weeks! We got a great glimpse of her face with chubby cheeks and all!

I had my first baby shower last week, and it was a lot of fun. I got some very cute clothes as well as much needed items like diapers, a portable changing table, and burp rags. My mother's friends, aka my surrogate mothers, were at the shower. They made me feel very special, and I had a great time!

Week 33

Well, here I am, getting larger by the minute (at least it feels like it!). I have recently found out that I have a mild form of gestational diabetes. It's no big deal, I just have to watch my carb and sugar intake (which I should be doing anyway!). I check my blood glucose level four times a day to make sure I'm on track, and I usually am. I need to do this so our little lady does not get too big. I certainly don't want to push anything larger out than I already have to! Once she is born, I will no longer have this problem. It is all based on the placenta, so once that's gone, bring on the sugar! Just kidding! I have to lose that baby weight, right?! :) I have another ultrasound next week, so look for another picture soon!

Week 30

Wow, I'm in the last trimester of my pregnancy, which is exciting and scary at the same time! I know what's coming... and I'm trying to get myself prepared for that. Matt and I have started taking childbirth classes and it constantly amazes me how babies get into this world. You mean I have to squeeze something the size of a grapefruit out of something the size of a pea? OUCH!! I have been asking all of my "mom" friends about their experiences, which believe it or not, is helpful! Billions of women have gone through this, but I haven't, so I need all the reassurance I can get!

Matt and I have started to get some baby gifts which is so fun! I find myself opening up the baby's closet and thumbing through all of her cute clothes. It also is extremely difficult to not buy things of my own, especially because I have wonderful friends who are lending or donating used items to me. (Thank you SO much Rayna, Karen, Steve, and Becky!)

I had my 30 week doctor's appointment last week and Dr. Moruzzi says that everything looks great! We heard our little munchkin's heart beat again, and it always surprises me how fast it is. Matt says it sounds like a horse running on the track! I am continuing to grow which has put a lot of strain on my back. My doctor recommends a maternity belt, which I have ordered. I hope it helps!

Week 24

I had my final ultrasound (US) today (unless I need one later on) and it was so fun to see our little girl more vividly. My doctor was able to confirm (99%) that she is still a girl! Phew, since we have bought some girly clothes and have letters for her name! She has grown quite a bit in the past 4 weeks, and we enjoyed seeing little feet, hands, and her heart beating so rapidly! My mom came for this US, and it was fun having her meet my doctor, ask questions right along with me, and to enjoy seeing the US firsthand. The picture shows the profile of her face with the arrow pointing to her nose. As the doctor affectionately said, she is in the Alfred Hitchcock pose, chubby like him and all!

I am still getting used to the fact that I am getting bigger everyday, but we're so excited to have her in our lives. Matt and I are trying our best to be prepared for her arrival, but I know that we'll never get everything done! Any advice you would like to pass on will be heartily received!

Movement!

I started feeling our little cherub a little over a week ago (at about 23 weeks), and am so relieved! My doctor had told me that it may take awhile to feel her because my placenta is on top. Luckily I did, and it's a great reassurance that she's in there and doing well (as if she could leave and I wouldn't notice!). To me, her movement feels like little burps in my belly. She is swimming around in a lot of amniotic fluid, so I guess it makes sense! Every now and then I feel a little kick which always catches me off guard. I'm sure I'll feel more kicks in the future. So far, her most active times are when I am lying down and on the way to school in the morning.

The most fun thing that has happened with her movement was last Friday night at the Brandi Carlile concert (which rocked by the way!). I was concerned being there in the first place because I didn't want it to be too loud for her, but then I saw another pregnant lady, and I felt better! Brandi tends to sing on the lighter side, but she does have a few songs that she totally rocks on. One song, entitled "My Song," has a great drum part and everytime the drummer made noise, I noticed a lot more movement in my belly! Either she was totally into the drumming, or she was freaked out! Anyway, it's amazing to feel this being inside of you, but crazy as well since you have absolutely no control over it! I will be at the doctor for another ultrasound in a few days, so tune in for a new picture of our little lady!

Week 20

Here I am! Try not to laugh too hard!

It's a Girl!

It's official! We can start buying pink, flowers, and ruffles! At my 20 week appointment, my doctor confirmed that we are having a girl! Matt and I are thrilled, because we were both secretly hoping for a girl for our first baby (it must have been because of all the pummeling we received from our older brothers!). We're keeping her name under wraps until she joins us in September however, so there is still something to wait for!

According to my doctor she looks fine and is in the 64th percentile for growth. I guess that's not too bad knowing that her mom and dad like to eat! We saw everything from her little arms and legs, to her heart rapidly beating, to the size of her noggin! I still, unfortunately, can't feel her moving around and I found out my reason! The placenta is on top of the baby and so it muffles her movement. It is driving me crazy that I can't feel her, but before long I should be able to.

The picture above shows her face turned sideways. I am affectionately calling her "Skeletor" because her face looks so skeleton like! I know, I'm picking on her already! We also have a VHS tape of the ultrasound, so we can share a closer look at her with others. I will post a picture of me later!

Dreams

They say that many women have some crazy dreams in their pregnancy, but I thought they were all crazy themselves! It's not true, or now I am one of the crazy ones. I have had dreams about Matt leaving me (apparently this is quite normal), about me forgetting about the baby (leaving it in a small plastic box next to my car in the pouring rain, what the hell?), basically being a bad parent, and the latest one... my first "gender" dream!

So in a nutshell, last night's dream happened between 3:30-6:30 AM when I wasn't in the deep, deep sleep, I guess. I was hiking in my dream and I came to some sort of checkpoint for pregnant people. I had to have an ultrasound before proceeding on the trail. So, I went through it and they said that they'd notify me if anything was wrong. So, I headed down the trail and someone came running, "Sarah, Sarah, you have to come back." I thought, oh crap, and headed back. I saw one of my work colleagues, LaTonya, and she said that something was wrong with the baby. She said that her pancreas isn't working properly. I of course got upset and then woke up. I started thinking about the dream though, and LaTonya had said HER pancreas! Hmmm... I wonder if that's a hint? Hopefully it doesn't mean the latter, than something is wrong with the baby. Who knows, I may dream of having a boy tonight! And next week, I'll know for sure!

Week 17

Today I had my first full examination and got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time! I certainly won't go into detail about the exam, except to say that everything looks good and normal for childbirth. Hearing the heartbeat was so cool, that swishing sound is exactly like it is in the movies! It took a minute for the nurse to find it, which had me sweating, but then there it was, and I was so excited! The heartbeat average was about 148 beats per minute which is normal, a little slow, so that may indicate we're having a boy! We'll have to see... my next appointment is at 20 weeks, and we'll find out for sure at that time with an ultrasound. I'm looking forward to it!

Week 13

I survived the first trimester! They tell you that you won't suddenly have more energy or feel better once you hit the second trimester, but I actually did for a few days, that is. I have had a reaccuring headache that I believe was a migraine, and boy do they suck! I am hoping that this isn't something that I will continue to have.

So on to the fun stuff... I had my 13 week ultrasound today, and was glad to see my little one moving around in there. In fact, he/she was "bucking" up and down like a bronco! It was quite comical. I suppose he/she may have had the hiccups, but we enjoyed seeing the movement. I still can't feel anything, which drives me crazy, but hope to soon! According to my doc, I am having a normal pregnancy which makes me feel really good. Especially after all the effort that was put into making this little one!

I am not showing too much yet, but most of my pants are feeling a bit snug. Once I get up the courage, I'll post a picture of what I'm looking like these days. My next ultrasound will be at 20 weeks and hopefully we'll be able to determine if our little one is a boy or girl! I will definitely keep you posted!

It's still there!

On Tuesday I had my second ultrasound at almost 11 weeks along. My little baby, no longer an embryo, now a fetus, is growing like a weed! He/she is 1 1/2 inches long now and has visible arms, legs, and what we think is a face! Look at where the arrow is pointing, it looks to us like the profile of our munchkin! This picture only shows half of the baby, but we liked the close up. My doctor didn't check hearing the heartbeat, but we did see the little flash like we had before. My doctor kept teasing me if I could feel the baby move because he/she was flipping around and moving so much! I unfortunately won't be able to feel anything until the 16th -20th weeks. I'm really looking forward to that of course!

I am still feeling really great, with no morning sickness! I have been really tired however, and sleep an average of 10 hours every night! Everyone tells me to enjoy that because it will be over before I know it! I don't think I'm officially "showing" yet, but my clothes do seem to fit a bit tighter. My wonderful friend Karen, who just had a gorgeous baby boy, has graciously given/lent me her maternity clothes! Matt is very grateful for that... maybe I won't do too much shopping (yeah, right!). I'll continue to keep you posted!

It's official!

Matt and I are finally pregnant! Whoo hoo!! After a brutal nine months of "are we," "no," "are we," "no," we can finally say YES!

Our due date will be September 21, 2007, which seems like eons from now. We had our first ultrasound last Friday (7 weeks along) to check to see that the little bugger is actually there. He/she was and looked good according to the doctor. He/she is about 1/3 of an inch long and looks a lot like a worm. Not much like a baby! We could see it's little heartbeat flutter in and out, but it's still too early to hear it. It was pretty amazing to finally see my uterus with something in it as opposed to nothing. Take a look at the picture, there's not much to see, but in the months to come you'll see more and more! I will try to keep you posted as often as I can with how fat I am getting and how the pregnancy is going.