Basement drama

Yes. We are having additional (worse) problems with our basement. Remember when I mentioned our basement flooded four days after moving in? It happened again over the weekend. That cap the plumber put over the sewage pipe didn't hold *nearly* as long as promised. Neither did the sewer line jetting, for that matter.
In fact, it was so bad this time we had to make the difficult heartbreaking decision to move into a hotel until everything is finally repaired. We have been unable to use the plumbing since early Sunday morning - no showers, dish washing, laundry, toilet use, etc. Talk about stressful...and expensive! Thank goodness Taylor has a lot of hotel points from traveling. I had to call in to work yesterday and today to ensure everything will be taken care of properly. Not that my husband isn't capable on his own (he is) but I felt it was important that I be there with him to shoulder the burden and make decisions. And keep him calm. It breaks my heart because we've had to leave our sweet kitty at home each night. And it REALLY angers me that our house is now a potential health hazard. Yup. You read that right. Think about it: an open sewer line in your basement is a serious cause for concern. Number one, when it overflows it dumps sewage water everywhere. At this point it's been soaked into our walls and carpet multiple times. GROSS. Number two, METHANE GAS. Don't think I need to expound on that any further. After four days of talking about this I am pretty much done.  Just ready to have everything fixed, sterilized, and face the task of hopefully having our costs repaid. There's a lot I could get into regarding this, but I am exhausted and don't want to rehash it AGAIN. So please pray for us. PLEASE. We really could use it.

The AWESOME news I have to share this week is that this baby moves SO MUCH!! It's crazy how now I feel him/her constantly. Taylor can feel too! And my coworker felt him or her one day last week. It's fun to watch people's reactions. And on that note, friends and family are fine to touch, but not strangers. Though, I think that would be in place whether I was pregnant or not. Ha.

At this point I have made the decision to list anything and everything I could possibly need for the baby on our registries, regardless of price. We have had to spend alooooot of money (and still counting...) on this basement issue with no guarantee that we will be repaid by whichever party is found to be at fault. So, hopefully by listing  a ton of stuff the really important items can be taken care of. I hope that doesn't make me sound selfish or entitled, but if it does...too bad.

Oh, and I'm back to my  prenatal vitamins! They no longer make me sick.

Weekly photo:

How far along: 19 weeks

Trimester: Second

Total weight gain/loss: Still down ten pounds.

Maternity clothes: Actually, mom bought me some maternity clothes last week!

Sleep: Not terrible.

Stretch marks: Yup.

Best moment of the week: Sigh. It's been such an exhausting week already, but the best moments are when the baby moves and reminds me that he or she is there and that we have a ton to look forward to.

Miss anything: Living in my own house.

Movement: So much movement!

Food Cravings: Still having them, but right now I just can't remember what this week's cravings were. Except rolls from O'Charley's.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Stress is bringing back the nausea, actually.

Other symptoms: Back pain after doing something strenuous...like shop vacuuming sewage water from our basement floor.

Have you started to show yet: Yes.

Gender: Won't know til delivery.

Labor Signs: None.

Belly button in or out: In, but it's stretching. So weird.

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Moody or not moody?: Not moody. Just rightfully upset about the basement and money.  

Looking forward to: Having the plumbing fixed for good and being able to move back home.

Stretch marks, sneezes, and smells

Stretch marks: I made the mistake of checking out my bum in really good lighting in a mirror...which did nothing but show me how much worse my stretch marks are than I initially thought. I haven't gained any weight - I'm still down ten pounds, in fact - but my hips are noticeably wider which is why I ONLY have stretch marks on my bum. Still using my stretch mark oil, probably 4-5 times per week, sometimes more than that if I take two showers in a day. I suppose I should just get used to them!

Sneezing: I sneeze like CRAZY now! And by now I mean for the past three months or so. These are no longer dainty little lady-like sneezes. I'm talking LOUD, bellowing, and powerful . I don't even attempt to mask the roaring monstrosities that are my sneezes anymore. 

Smells: EVERYTHING has a smell! Even if I'm not near it, or someone is describing something to me I can vividly imagine a smell. The worst smell is when you walk into someone's house and you can tell (before you're even near the kitchen) that it's about time for them to take out the trash and Febreeze everything. (Yup, Febreeze is a verb now. Much like Swiffer.) Sometimes this new heightened level of smell is a good thing - like at a bakery, or restaurant. But  usually it's not so great. Like in a public bathroom.

Consignment: I am in need of new clothes and baby furniture. I think we are going to try the consignment route first, to try and save money. Anyone have any consignment store recommendations for clothes and for furniture?

Big topic for the week: BABY REGISTRY!
I am absolutely clueless when it comes to this. There is so much STUFF to sift through. Based on a FB poll I posted about two hours ago the things I'll need most are a Boppy, a swing, lots of burp cloths and onesies (possibly cloth diapers since they absorb better), a rocking chair, pack n' play, and Dreft. I'm still left with a lot of questions, though. Like, is it appropriate to register for anything and everything regardless of price? How many places should I register? Is it inappropriate to register for a breast pump and accessories? I'm sure I'll have even more questions once we actually step foot inside of one of those huge baby superstores. We're probably not going to register until September, but if you have answers for me, tell me!

Week 18 photo:

How far along: 18 weeks

Trimester: Second

Total weight gain/loss: Down ten pounds.

Maternity clothes: Bought two dresses at Goodwill and my co-workers gave me some of their old stuff!

Sleep: Hmmm. Sleep is okay. Not like it was first trimester but I really can't complain.

Stretch marks: Yeeeeah. See above.

Best moment of the week: All day Sunday - just had a nice time with my husband.

Miss anything: Nope!

Movement: YES! A lot!

Food Cravings: Spring rolls and egg rolls. And candy!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Just random bad smells.

Other symptoms: Back pain and heartburn as usual.

Have you started to show yet: Yes.

Gender: Won't know til delivery.

Labor Signs: None.

Belly button in or out: In.

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Moody or not moody?: I think I'm better this week.  

Looking forward to: Taylor coming home from Mobile - he started traveling again this week.

Krispy Kreme

I titled this blog post Krispy Kreme because I found out our new house is about three miles away from a Krispy Kreme location. And that means I have found a great way to gain back those ten pounds I lost! Hahaha.

I can honestly say that this is the first week I've actually felt pregnant. Weird thing to say seventeen weeks in, right? Up until now I fit into my work scrubs just fine. Suddenly, my pants are tighter and my shirts are more snug. Also, I've traded nausea for heartburn (mostly...). And my boobs! They're existent now! I've even gone up a cup size...first bra size change since middle school. Sorry, but for girls like me in the IBTC this is a big deal. Earlier today Taylor commented that I'm looking round. Not in a rude way though, don't worry. And to top it all off the cashier at Trader Joe's tentatively asked if I'm expecting.

Yesterday we were talking about the day I took a pregnancy test and how shocked we were. It was no secret that we had been trying and that I had been taking Clomid to assist with ovulation. So, you ask, why were you so surprised since you were making such an effort? I probably ought to give you a bit of the background story. While taking Clomid you're required to use an OPK, or ovulation predictor kit. There's a rigid schedule to follow and I was supposed to go in for lab work 5-7 days after I saw a positive result that indicates I've ovulated. The purpose of the lab work is to determine if I really did ovulate or to see if it's a false positive. Unfortunately, that month the lab work came back and showed that I did not ovulate - I had received a false positive on the test. (Oh hey, I also forgot to mention that the side effects are some SERIOUS hot flashes and some SERIOUS mood swings. You should have heard me on the phone with my mom after I got that phone call.) Anyway, per doctor's orders I was to take a pregnancy test if I did not start my cycle by day 35, just in case. I knew the drill - call the doc no matter what result I got, which we all assumed would be negative. On day 36 Taylor and I went to a memorial gathering for a friend of his that had passed away and I had QUITE a lot to drink that day. (Yeah, the one time in MONTHS that I decide to throw my inhibitions to the wind I wind up with a positive pregnancy test.) On the way home I reminded him that I *had* to buy a pregnancy test and take it that day. I truly was not expecting a positive result since the doctor advised me that ovulation hadn't happened. I grudgingly went upstairs to take it...I say grudgingly because there's no bigger letdown than to see a negative pregnancy test while you're diligently trying to get pregnant. I don't even think I looked down at the darn thing the first few minutes. But when I did I saw TWO lines pop up. Heart racing, I grabbed the box and shakily pulled out the instructions. Once I realized those two lines meant positive I ran downstairs and showed Taylor. I think we were both in disbelief because we didn't really say much about it the rest of the night. I took the second test in the morning (positive), called the doctor, and she asked me to come in THAT day. I was trying not to let myself get too excited because I thought this would be a false positive. But nope! Taylor went with me to the doctor and they confirmed that it was real! Pretty awesome news! And here I am...seventeen weeks along and just now really feeling pregnant.

Over the weekend my mother-in-law came to stay with us because we had tickets to see Il Divo at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. It. Was. AMAZING!! We had been anticipating this concert since it was announced last November. Well worth the wait! Catherine, one of my sisters-in-law, came with us. It was a great time! Here's a photo of us before we left:

Instagram is our friend.

Also, I was able to locate the stroller I want in the color I want on Ebay for $105 cheaper than buying it from Babies R Us or from the manufacturer's site directly. The brand is Phil and Teds and the model is the Explorer. I am trying to convince Taylor to let me buy it, so wish me good luck! Here's a photo!

And just for the heck of it, here's the car seat in the color I want. It's a Maxi Cosi Mico and the color is steel grey. Pretty sure that will definitely be added to the registry. 

Weekly photo!

How far along: 17 weeks

Trimester: Second

Total weight gain/loss: Down ten pounds.

Maternity clothes: Still haven't bought any, but mom told me she wants to buy me some!

Sleep: Actually sleep hasn't been great lately. I will likely be investing in a maternity pillow in the next week or so.

Stretch marks: Nothing new, but using my stretch mark oil all over just to be cautious!

Best moment of the week: Uhhh getting to see Il Divo live!!

Miss anything: Nothing jumps out at me right now.

Movement: I don't notice it *all* the time, but when I do it's cool!

Food Cravings: This week, surprisingly, I have been craving candy.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still having an issue with gagging every time I see a toilet. No idea what my aversion to toilets is all about lately. 

Other symptoms: Nothing notable, besides occasional back pain.

Have you started to show yet: Yes.

Gender: Won't know til delivery.

Labor Signs: None.

Belly button in or out: In.

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Moody or not moody?: Yeah, moody swing city for sure. 

Looking forward to: Buying more baby items!

Sixteen weeks

Yesterday I went in for what I thought was an ultrasound and bloodwork. Nope. The scheduler at the office messed up and scheduled just a regular appointment for me...even though the whole point of going was to have an ultrasound and to have my cervical length measured. On Mondays they don't give ultrasounds at the location I go to...only on Tuesdays and Fridays, as it turns out. They only have one ultrasound tech who goes to a different office each day of the week. So, we scheduled the ultrasound for today. I was advised that even though I had an appointment today the wait would be about an hour. I kind of wanted to be like, why even schedule appointments if that's how it works?! But I withheld.

So, we went and saw little baby bear dancing away in my tummy! I was surprised because it literally looks like a little skeleton. See photos below:

BABY!

Facing down - faceplant sleeping, as we like to say.

The spine - pretty cool.

I go back for my 20 week appointment with ultrasound and cervical length check on September 7, however, I was just informed today that my regular doctor will be back from maternity leave around August 20, so I may try to call and get an appointment and ultrasound at whatever location she's going to around that time.

In other news, our basement is all dried up and being refinished. Let's hope it stays that way. I'm ready to make home improvements, not home repairs. 

Today my long awaited Eureka steam mop came in! A huge thanks to our cousins Peggy, Joe, and Taylor for giving us a Target gift card for our wedding anniversary or else I would not have been able to purchase this so soon!

I feel like I'm forgetting to talk about some other things, but there's really not much else to update, except that I think I have been feeling him or her move more. It's mostly in the evenings and I really enjoy it! I can't wait for Taylor to feel him or her move.

Weekly photo time. Sorry, no makeup...but I did get my hair cut and highlighted over the weekend!

How far along: 16 weeks

Trimester: Second

Total weight gain/loss: Down ten pounds.

Maternity clothes: Still haven't bought any.

Sleep: Can't complain.

Stretch marks: Still on my hips only. 

Best moment of the week: Seeing baby today!

Miss anything: Sashimi and sake.

Movement: Yes, little fluttery feelings.

Food Cravings: Nothing notable this week.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not sure why, but recently the smell of the bathroom makes me feel nauseous. No matter how clean it is (even my own after I scrubbed it down this weekend!) or where it is it just grosses me out. I think it's the smell of water on porcelain. Ugh.

Other symptoms: Still back pain and heartburn. OH and I got my first calf cramp in YEARS last night. Gotta reintroduce bananas into my diet because that REALLY hurt.

Have you started to show yet: Yes.

Gender: Won't know til delivery.

Labor Signs: None.

Belly button in or out: In.

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Moody or not moody?: I don't think I'm moody. But you'd have to ask my husband and co-workers if they agree with that. Lol.  

Looking forward to: It's not baby related, but the Il Divo concert on Sunday with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law!

So much going on!

I'm so sorry for running behind nearly two weeks! You would not believe how busy we've been with the move, and most recently, the aftermath of our basement flooding FIVE DAYS after we moved in. Yup, completely flooded four times and counting. Still trying to determine a cause, but needless to say we have been very stressed these past two weeks. Can't seem to catch a break. First it was the loan getting pushed back, and now our basement is ruined and we're out a LOT of money.

Anyway, on to baby related topics.

Number one: my prenatal vitamins caused me to get sick three days in a row. I didn't switch brands or open a new bottle. I didn't even change the time I take them. My body has randomly decided to reject them. I panicked after the third day and called my doc - she said to just take Flinstone vitamins for a few weeks. I used to LOVE those things. Now? Not so much. They're very tart, gritty and metallic-y. Still, at least I can keep them down!

Number two: extreme low back pain has become a fairly aggravating symptom. I have experienced it every day for the past three weeks, and am told it will only get worse. I do take Tylenol when necessary and am using IcyHot patches. This seems to do the trick, as does a good night's rest. I'm trying not to sleep on my back anymore since it only exacerbates the problem. My co-worker suggested a pregnancy body pillow, which I do plan on investing in once we know the final costs of having the house repaired.

Number three: pregnancy heartburn really is worse than regular heartburn! I figured since I already had heartburn issues before pregnancy they'd just remain constant. Not so. When it strikes it HURTS. I still take Prevacid every day and when it gets bad I just pop in a cooling Zantac and it usually helps. Sometimes it just feels like chest pain and pressure for an hour or so and I just have to drink cold water and wait for it to pass. This happened on occasion pre-pregnancy, but I suppose I should bring it up at my next appointment on Monday.

Number four: I'm starting to really research cars seats, strollers, and baby furniture. I have narrowed my choices down, but am still seeking some advice. For the car seat I really like the Maxi Cosi Mico. As far as strollers go I looked into a Phil and Ted's Classic after seeing a review from another blogger. It's awesome because you can add a second "seat" to tote more than one child, should we decide to have another baby. It would most definitely save a lot of money down the road. Any moms have advice for me about either of those or your favorite products? Let me know! There's so much information out there and it's hard to sift through it all since every brand promotes how THEY'RE the best.

Okay...weekly photos. I suppose since I'm two weeks behind you'll get two photos today!

Sorry for Instagram. The lighting was so bad you couldn't read the board.

How far along: 15 weeks

Trimester: Second

Total weight gain/loss: As far as I know still down nine pounds. Will find out more on Monday.

Maternity clothes: I probably need some but haven't bought any.

Sleep: Still good, unless I'm on my back. Then it's painful.

Stretch marks: No new ones - I did buy some Save My Skin stretch mark oil through Pure Romance. 

Best moment of the week: Feeling baby move for the first time yesterday.

Miss anything: Being a renter. Haha.

Movement: Little flutters yesterday!

Food Cravings: Yes. This week it was Subway.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not so bad anymore. Mostly feel bad in the mornings. 

Other symptoms: Back pain and heartburn.

Have you started to show yet: Yes.

Gender: Won't know til delivery.

Labor Signs: None.

Belly button in or out: In.

Wedding rings on or off: On.

Moody or not moody?: Not moody. Just very irritable due to the stress of our house.  

Looking forward to: Getting our plumbing and basement fixed. And my next appointment Monday.