8 Weeks

Today marks the 8 week point in my pregnancy!  We thought we were a week further along, but the baby measured small on the ultrasound last week, so the doctor changed our due date back by one week.

We did some Christmas photos with my very talented cousin Shannon today.  We did some really cute poses to use for a holiday pregnancy announcement!  I can't wait to see how they turned out.

Here are my first "stats" like I see on all the pregnancy blogs. :)

• How far along?  8 weeks exactly
• Baby size:  Kidney bean  (aw!)
• Total weight gain:  About 3 pounds...I am going to go ahead and blame the fact that my thyroid levels have been WAY off ever since I got pregnant!
• Maternity clothes?  Not yet.  My regular jeans, pants, and especially leggings are working just fine!  (How lucky am I to be pregnant in a time when leggings - aka stretch pants - are trendy?!)
• Stretch marks?  Nope, and hopefully this answer stays the same! 
• Sleep:  Sleeping a little too great...and a little too much!  I am exhausted ALL. THE. TIME!  I am not a huge fan of naps, but lately it seems like I can't help taking one in the afternoon.
• Best moment this week:  Seeing the baby on the ultrasound this past Monday was amazing.  The fluttering little heart beat was the most magical thing I've ever seen.  Also, we enjoyed spending time with all our family and friends over the Thanksgiving weekend. 
• Miss anything?  While at my hubby's 10 year high school reunion this past weekend I was really wishing I could have a drink!  Maybe it was just because everyone there was well on their way... :)  Most of the time I don't miss the drinking at all!
• Movement:  None yet.  Can't wait for that!
• Food cravings:  Right this minute?  Taco Bell.  Mmmm.
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  Coffee!  I LOVE my morning coffee, but lately the thought of it makes my stomach turn.  So strange.
• Gender:  10 more weeks and we'll know.  My mom and dad both swear it's a girl (and they are usually right), but I am not so sure!
• Labor signs:  Yikes - none of those yet.
• Symptoms:  Super tired, a little morning sickness, and feeling pretty bloated.  But other than that, I have to say I feel really good!
• Belly button in or out?  In. 
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Very happy!  So excited that we are so blessed to have a baby on the way.
• Looking forward to:  Getting our pictures back that Shannon took today!  I also can't wait to share the news with everyone.  I really don't think I am going to make it to 12 weeks without spilling the beans!
• Diabetes update:  My blood sugars have been in great control.  I have finally figured out the lows and am only having them once or twice a day (rather than every hour - thank goodness!).  My last A1C was 6.4 which I am happy with!  My goal for next time is 6.0!  My thyroid levels, on the other hand, have been very out of whack.  With all the extra blood volume in my body, I require a lot more thyroid hormone.  I am working with my endo to level this out now.  I am hoping we can figure it out soon, because I am SUPER tired, gaining weight, and losing hair like it's my job.  At the rate I'm going, I'll be bald by Christmas!

Well, I'm off to finish the Christmas decorating around the Wallbank house!  Thanks for reading! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Chris and I have so much to be thankful for this holiday season! We are so blessed to be expecting our first baby.

Speaking of blessings, I hope the rest of our doctors appointments go as smoothly as my OB appointment went this past week! The doctor said everything is looking perfect. It was like music to my ears.  I was very anxious to have this first appointment to make sure everything was progressing normally and the baby looked healthy.

Annnd, speaking of doctors appointments, we had a bit of a challenge nailing down our OB at first.  It is a bit of a long story, but I think I will share my experience in case anyone else is in a similar situation and feeling unsure who to go to!

I used to see an endocrinologist (diabetes doctor) in my area, and she was SO very sweet.  Unfortunately, she had challenging hours (7:30am-11:30am-ish 4 days a week), and was constantly traveling out of the country.  Also, since she was the only endo in the area, she was an extremely busy lady.  It wasn't unusual for me to arrive at 7:15 for my 7:30 appointment, and wait over an hour to see her.  That meant I had to take a half day off of work every time I saw her, and she wanted me to come about once a month (not being pregnant!).  I knew I had to find a better fit for me.

I ended up going down to Beaumont to an endocrinologist who is absolutely fabulous - Dr. Schmeltz.  His hours are much more flexible, and on top of that, he is happy to correspond with me electronically.  For example, I upload my pump data to the Medtronic website every week, and Dr. Schmeltz will email me back with any adjustments I should make.  I never have to wait longer than 24 hours to hear from him.  Because Dr. Schmeltz is able to manage my blood sugar levels and pump settings electronically, I only have to go see him once every 6-8 weeks.  I feel like I am in much better care, and it is way less of a burden on my schedule.  Win win, right?

Wrong.  When I went to my OB in town for my first pregnancy appointment, he was very upset that I wasn't seeing the endocrinologist in our area.  He said that if something were to go wrong, no one here would see me or help me.  He also said he just flat out wouldn't work with an endo out of Beaumont.  His exact words were, "It is this doctor in town, or bust!"

I went into my first OB appointment with feelings of excitement and happiness about my first pregnancy, and left sobbing my eyes out.  It was a terrible day!  My husband called Dr. Schmeltz and he was shocked.  He said he had never heard of such a thing, and he had worked with OB doctors all over the state on behalf of his pregnant patients.  He put me in touch with a group of OB doctors that deliver out of Beaumont called Generations.  I had actually heard of them before - several other women I know raved about this place.  We knew it would be quite a drive for us, but I trusted Dr. Schmeltz and decided to give it a shot.

Chris and I went to my first appointment and were blown away.  The office itself is breathtaking, the staff is so friendly, and the OB I saw was incredibly knowledgable.  All in all, it was a WONDERFUL place, and I couldn't be happier with where we ended up.  I know I will have a great experience here.  We'll only have to drive down once every 4 weeks until the end of my pregnancy, when my appointments will be once a week.  It is a commitment I am willing to make.

Here is our first glimpse of Baby Wallbank from our appointment!

I am so glad to have all of the doctor drama and politics behind me, and now I can just focus on having a healthy baby!!

A Sweet Surprise!

On a normal Tuesday afternoon, I was chatting with my friend Becky in my classroom after school.  We got on the topic of babies, and she told me how she found out she was pregnant with her little one.  "I took a few tests that were all negative, and then I took one more about 3 days after my missed period, and it was positive!"

Hmm...

My husband Chris and I had been trying for a little while to get pregnant, but I thought for sure this wasn't the month.  I felt totally normal.  To double check, I even took a test or two (especially before we went to the Michigan v. Michigan State football game and tailgate!).  All negative.

But I was a few days late for my period, and what Becky said got me thinking.  So I rushed home and took another test.  After 3 minutes that seemed like eternity, I grabbed the test and took a peek, expecting to see the disappointing single line that had been there every other time.

Holy cow!!  This time, there was a VERY faint second line there!  I had to turn on all the lights in the bathroom to be sure I wasn't seeing things.  Sure enough, there it was.  A second line.

We are pregnant!!!

(I took about 7 tests just to confirm.) :)

We are so excited, and can't wait to share this magical journey with our friends and family!  Thanks for reading!!