Week 14

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the first week of your second trimester. Do you feel like there are butterflies in your tummy? Your baby is moving around and creating little fluttering sensations inside the womb. This is also called quickening. The sensation is sometimes confused with feel like gas. Don't be discouraged if you don't notice Baby moving just yet. Many women don't feel quickening until around week 20.

What's Happening with Your Body

Finally Looking Pregnant
This week you may still be tired and fatigued, although your nausea is probably gone. You may be experiencing some growing pains as your baby belly pushes your internal organs aside. As your stomach loses space, you'll likely have more heartburn, indigestion, and flatulence. You continue to take frequent bathroom breaks as your bladder has less room to expand. Sleeping may become more difficult, too, as your baby bump grows.

Can't stretch your zipper anymore? Your baby bump may finally be making a dent in your wardrobe. If your favorite, snug-fitting jeans are getting a little too tight, you're in need of a shopping spree.

What's Happening with Baby

At 14 weeks your baby is a regular wiggler, Your baby-to-be's face is becoming more distinguishable as his eyes move closer together and his ears move closer to their final positions. He's also growing soft baby hair all over his body, which is thought to help anchor developing skin, as well as forming hair on his eyebrows and scalp. He may hiccup too, even though his lungs are filled with fluid, not air.Your baby is continuing to grow and mature at this point. Your baby’s arms are going to begin to lengthen and be more proportioned to the rest of the body. The liver is beginning to produce bile, while the spleen is beginning to produce red blood cells.

The development of your baby’s brain enables him/her to use his/her facial muscles to grimace, frown, and squint. He/she may even be sucking his/her thumb. Because you have begun the second trimester and most of the critical development has been completed, the chance of miscarriage decreases.*

New poll

I put the poll back up since I accidentally deleted the last one, and since the countdown is on to the big day! So please don't forget to vote :).

Grandma, grandpa and I went to Benton today to get lumber and new flooring. We came home with a truck load of stuff! Tomorrow I'm going to get the paint. We are painting the living room and hallway, as well as putting down new flooring. Grandpa is building the back deck next week. I am so excited, perfect timing since the weather is getting nicer.

****We are Officially 1/3 of the way through the Pregnancy!****

I am feeling much better this week. You can probably tell since I have been blogging every day again. With those headaches I didn't feel like talking on the phone, getting out or even blogging. Things are looking up. I have an appetite for sure, and the headaches are barely there. I'll take it! I have had more energy too. Grandpa and I put together the new computer desk tonight, so all we are waiting on is the new computer to come in. Jeremy picked this one out. We ordered it from Best Buy. Hooking it up should be fun!c

I found out today that Chloe loves pickles

I'm hoping the past couple of days have been indicators that the second trimester really is better than the first (as all the books and websites say). I don't know about you, but I am so ready for October.

Jeremy was at another post today so I didn't get to talk to him. He should be back at Taji tomorrow. I may hear from him late tonight, that would be great! I always sleep better when he calls at bedtime. I'm mailing him some antibiotics tomorrow (thanks Jana for calling them in!). He is still having tooth problems and they won't give him antibiotics out there :(.

Week 13

Actually, we have 6 months until he is home in Arkansas...5 months until the deployment is over and he is in Hawaii, and hopefully a little over 4 months until he hits Kuwait. We are getting there!

Congratulations, Amanda! You're 13 weeks pregnant. Your fully formed fetus, now in about its 11th week of development, measures 2.6 to 3.1 inches from crown to rump and weighs between half an ounce and seven-tenths of an ounce -- about the size of a peach. The head is still disproportionately bigger than the body, but the rest of the body is starting to catch up. In fact, your baby is growing rapidly these days. The face is starting to look more human, with eyes moving closer together. Toes and fingers are clearly separate, and ankles and wrists have formed. External genitalia are becoming visible. Intestines are shifting into their proper place, too. Your uterus is filling your pelvis now and starting to grow upward into your abdomen. It probably feels like a soft, smooth ball. You have most likely replaced tight fitting clothes with more comfortable clothing. Stretch marks may be appearing on your abdomen, breasts, hips, or buttocks. Your body's changing inside and out to accommodate your developing baby. Your internal organs shift positions to make room for an expanding uterus, and your skin stretches to allow your bump to grow outward. You're finally not just feeling pregnant—you're looking pregnant, too!
Your high-risk period is over. If you've not already begun sharing the good news, now's the time!
Hooray! Your morning sickness should be starting to subside, and miscarriage is less of a risk. The second trimester brings in relief and reality. ... Yes, you're really having a baby! Now that the high-risk period is over, you probably have some pregnancy announcements to make. That is, if you've been able to keep the big news a secret. And if there's a big brother or sister in the house, now is the time to let siblings know that a baby is on the way.


These are just a few pictures from the wedding I went to this past weekend: Felicia and Ryan Thomas


Tiffany, Eddie, Me


It was fun! I had to go home and call Jeremy though, because the ceremony made me miss him. Oh, and guess who caught the bouquet?!

Ashley!!!

Every now and then I have to....I'm Sorry!!

First of all, after talking to Jeremy today I found out that he needed 407 points for his promotion to Sergeant and he had 512!! That deserves a bonus or something. Another exciting thing that he has going on out there, is that he is packing his first box (I forgot what they call them....they're like huge locking rubbermaids) to be sent back to Hawaii. Already, they are getting things ready to be sent home! Nothing of his personally, but weapons and stuff. That is a great sign. Next month, he is putting in his packet for Officer Candidate School too. I know he will be glad to get that finished and submitted. Jeremy is really achieving great things out there, and not just passing the time. I think that says a lot for him. Which reminds me.

If I hear one more uneducated comment about how "these guys signed up for it and they should expect to go to war" or "they knew what they were getting into and that's just part of the career" or "war is a part of life we all have to deal with" I think I may knock that person out. Seriously, and I am not a violent person. I wonder if the people (that are stupid enough to make this comment to my face) realize that because these men and women joined the military, their ignorant asses don't have to be drafted? Do they realize that because the soldiers "knew what they were getting into" that makes those soldiers more heroic? Of course they know what they're doing! Someone has to do it! What idiot civilian says these things to a military wife pushing month 10 of a deployment, carrying the child of a soldier at war that will barely make it home (hopefully) for the birth of his first born child??? Way too many and I can't be nice anymore. As a military family, we are prepared for lots of things. There will be plenty of hard times, just like other families face. How ungrateful do you have to be to make statements suggesting that we all deserve to go through the sleepless nights and worrying? That those soldiers deserve to miss out on life's events with the attitude that "they made their bed now they have to lie in it"? The thing is, all of the comments I receive I do not ask for. I'm not asking for sympathy when these comments pour in. All someone has to hear is that you're military. In fact, I don't mention:

1. My schedule revolves around one phone call
2. It kills us that Jeremy can't experience this pregnancy with me
3. I'm scared to death that he won't make it home in time
4. Dog food bags are heavy
5. So are full laundry baskets, trash cans, 24 packs of water and Barney! What happens when I'm huge?**
6. Insomnia is worse than many things
7. We don't get to watch our favorite shows together
8. We will be married for 2 (going on 3) years when we get to experience our first Christmas together
9. When he left I was 24, when he gets home I'll be 26.
10. We don't get to cook together anymore
11. I rarely cook at all, ever tried cooking for one?
12. The first time he will go to the baby doctor with me, it will be to meet his child
13. My husband can't leave work early when I'm sick
14. I can't be there for him when he is sick, or having a bad day
15. The smell of his cologne=automatic sobfest
**Jeremy can't wait to be home and live a more normal life, but Thank God for my family helping me through all of this...that is how we will make it until he comes home**

Grandpa cuts the grass, carries out the trash if Brian forgets, helps me with the vehicle, is building me a deck, is putting down new flooring, fixes my appliances and represents his grandson (he leaves out the in-law part) with his 25th ID Tropic Lightning hat every day.
Not to mention, grandma and grandpa have provided a place for us to call home! We are so grateful. They are both great listeners too, I walk across the street with issues A LOT. My dinner time is often at their house, thanks to grandma's cooking!

Brian has already experienced the pregnancy wrath and I am scared for his future :) Plus, talk about a good last minute grocery shopper/errand runner!

I digressed...we have tons of supportive family and friends and we love you...back to the point

My list could go on for a long time but I won't. I have already written way more than I had planned about this subject and I am sorry! I think we have a good life and my point is, everyone I come across seems to know more than Jeremy and I do about the war, the military, politics, being an army wife, etc. and I didn't ask for anything but an oil change or (fill in the blank with random daily chore). If it is such a matter of fact thing in our lives, that people can remark about the weather, gas prices, razorbacks, and then well yeah yeah war blah blah get used to it...then I'm about to make lots of enemies. All I'm asking is leave it at weather and razorbacks PLEASE!?!

Conratulations Jeremy!

Specialist McNair is now Sergeant McNair! Points came out today and he made it! I'm so proud of him. Hopefully, someone will take pictures when he gets pinned. I wish I could be there to pin him :(

2nd OB Appt/Fair/Carwash

Our little Chloe loves the car wash. She is so cute when we drive through. We went the other day and she is hilarious. She will hop in my lap if it gets too loud, but then she is back to chasing the soap.

Well my computer is working for now...I have no idea why but I'm sure it won't last! My appointment yesterday was great. My doctor answered all 11 of my questions I had written down, and then several of mom's too :). We did get to hear the heartbeat, and it sounded awesome! I got it on video and Jeremy has already seen it. I thought about putting it on here but I don't know, I'm still not accepting how my stomach looks in it haha! Anyway, the heartbeat was 164 and she said it sounded very strong and healthy. She said you've got a happy baby! It was a little higher than average but she said it was good. As long as it is above 120 and we definitely made the cutoff. She thinks the headaches are from my hormones surging and unfortunately they are probably going to stick around. The farther along I get the higher my hormones go :(. I really don't want 6 more months of a DAILY headache, but I guess I'll just have to deal with it. Yesterday we didn't get everything in Little Rock accomplished and I didn't go to the game because my head was pounding. The doctor gave me Tylenol 3's to take when I'm desperate. Anyone ever take those during pregnancy? Or does anyone have advice for kicking these headaches? I drink one caffeinated drink a day and I take Tylenol once a day too.

We went to Purple Cow after Duck Duck Goose (the consignment sale at the fair grounds). Mom noticed that her nails and phone matched my purple vanilla shake. Then she wanted 50 more pictures with the purple shake, since it is her favorite color. Yeah people thought we were crazy, but we already knew that.



Mom got a double chocolate malt.

The fair was fun last night. They had better rides this year...naturally since I can't ride any of them. There were several there that I had never seen before at a small town fair. I went with Ashley, Jana, and Andrew. We had fun. We got funnel cake and stayed a couple of hours walking around and petting the animals. It was a nice night too, a little humid though.

Kira and Ashley on the cobra (Kira was at the fair when we got there with Lacey and Jeremy's brother Chris)

On one of my favorites, the rainbow

Jana petting the goats


I loved the little goats, they were so sweet and cute!

Goodnight

Tomorrow is my next appointment! I have my list and the video camera ready (to tape the heartbeat for Jeremy). Mom and I are also going to Duck Duck Goose, a huge baby stuff consignment sale at the state fairgrounds. After that we are going to see our good friend Janey in West Little Rock. Then tomorrow night I am going to the Sheridan game with Jana and Andrew. After that we are going to check out the Sheridan fair. So tomorrow will be a long day, I hope I can make it without feeling miserable with a headache. I still have one today and I desperately want it gone. Well that's all for now, goodnight everyone!

Week 12/Rambling

So this explains why I went from eating broccoli every day to hating it....weird and probably too much info for some!! I'm sorry :)
Because progesterone slows down the digestive tract, which may lead to constipation and indigestion, pregnant women may also instinctively stay away from meats and veggies like broccoli that can be hard to digest, says Dr. Gil Gross, an associate professor of ob/gyn at Washington University in St. Louis.

Anyway, all I know is that my headaches are so annoying! They start at the back of my head at my neck and it just gets worse as time goes by. It makes me sick like a migraine would, but it feels like a tension headache/migraine. I am definitely asking my doctor about this Friday.

Then there is poor Jeremy...he has been so sick! A couple of days I didn't hear from him because he felt too bad to even call. It sounds like there is a really bad flu going around out there. The army will be releasing their point requirements for promotions this month on the 19th. Every month the amount varies. He made a perfect 150 when he went before the board and there are numerous other ways to get points. I think he said the requirement would be between 400 and 600. He has 540 total I think :) I promise I listen, there is just so much to take in! If he makes points, then he will be a Sergeant and he gets a raise on October 1st. Friday we also find out when our big appointment will be to determine the sex of our baby. Mom is going with me Friday to my appointment to video just in case they do another ultrasound or if we get to hear the heartbeat. We are just really looking forward to Friday.

Brian went to The Eagles Concert tonight...lucky!

And lastly, I am halfway through with week 12. Almost to the second trimester woohoo!!

Here is my week 12 update

By now, nearly all of your baby's organs, structures and systems are fully formed. The heart begins pumping several quarts of blood through your baby's body every day. Your baby has also begun to develop nerves and a spinal cord, allowing him to feel some types of pain. While your baby's brain is not the same size it will be at birth, it does have the same structure. Fingers and toes have separated and hair and nails continue to grow. Your baby is approximately 2.5 - 3.5 inches and weighs about 12 - 14 grams.

Also, the external genitals can now show definite signs of male and female gender. Before, Where there was only reflex movement, your baby now moves spontaneously and at random, although his movements are still too slight to be felt. With the use of a Doppler, you may be able to hear your baby's heart beat at this office visit. It will sound very fast, similar to the sound of a running horse’s hooves. Once you hear this sound, you can rest assured that your risk of miscarriage is greatly reduced.

This time next year your baby will be 24 Weeks Old!. Can you believe it? Time flies so fast!

Your Body
While your morning sickness and tiredness may be even less frequent, you may be getting lightheaded or have headaches again. This is from the increase in blood volume. Remember the safety precautions regarding dizziness? Well, those can apply here as well. Be sure to talk about any symptoms or illness you may experience with your health care provider. It is important for you to communicate any concerns, worries, or questions you may have.

Your uterus will begin to shift up and forward as it grows, taking the pressure off the bladder and you'll have fewer trips to the bathroom. But don't get too used to that. It won't be long – in the third trimester - where the baby and uterus will be big enough that it they start pressing on your bladder again. Your placenta has taken over producing your hormones now so you may find yourself with slower, less frequent, less intense mood swings.

Plum Cute

Week 11
Maybe you’ve noticed… your baby is a super-duper grower! Your lil' fetus will be gaining a substantial amount of weight this week and has already achieved fruit-size-status comparable to a plum. What's more, your little scientist is already starting to explore their body, focusing most intently on touching their head, and especially their face and mouth. Their mouth in particular will provide them with hours of entertainment. This happens not only because your baby is gaining coordination, and is therefore able to move a hand on command, but also because their palms have gained sensation and can actually “feel” what it touches.They're also developing their swallow reflex this week. And lastly, your baby's smelling and other olfactory senses will begin developing this week, which when combined with the maturing taste buds, will provide your baby with their first experiences of taste and smell.

And how's mom doing? If you’re still enduring the joys of morning sickness, it should finally be subsiding to the point of non-existence by the end of this week. The growing placenta combined with your little one’s developing pituitary gland have given you a break on hormone production, so now your can focus on the fact you’re about to enter the second trimester of pregnancy, which can be most aptly characterized by lots of growth for both you and your little uterus-tenant.
I am so behind! I'm finally posting the week 11 update and Sunday begins week 12. It's my computer's fault though. I really think we are going to get a desktop pretty soon (as soon as I find a desk haha). My laptop is so messed up all the time, and I am constantly getting kicked offline. It is very aggravating. Anyway, everything is going well. I am still having headaches, and I got sick only once. I got too hot the other day when we went to an outdoor concert and that put me down for the rest of the night. We had to leave early because I was feeling awful! I thought I wouldn't make it to the car (thanks Ashley for driving me home). I learned my lesson, no more sitting in the hot sunshine! So other than the self inflicted sickness, I'm good. If the headaches would go away...and maybe if I had a little more energy...I would be feeling perfect. My second appointment is a week from today, and hopefully we will get to hear the heart beat. I'm taking the video camera so that Jeremy can hear it too :). Tomorrow night I'm taking the dogs and we are staying at mom's. The storms are coming and they sound pretty scary!

Barney and I had a photo shoot the other day

I love how Barney and Chloe are so close, this is how they sleep and hang out, side by side. They are buddies!

From Iraq

Ok...So I promised that I would post pictures. I'm seriously trying to gather them up and organize them so I can post them. I didn't forget. So for those of you who are waiting impatiently for me to post them....I will have them soon. The reason for the delay is that I gather picture from all the guys who take pictures on our patrols because they are the ones who have pics of me. And not to mention that sometimes they capture the moments better. Just my way of trying to give you guys back home a better visual of what this place is like and what really goes on in the day of a soldier (at least a soldier in my unit).
Anyway...in my attempt to gather pictures, I now have to gather even more. There are pics of our dismounted patrol from tonight.
This month is Ramadan for the Islamic world. Ramadan is the "holy month" in which Muslims believe that God (Allah) revealed the 1st revelation of the Koran (the holy book for Muslims) to the profit Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. So, to honor the "holy month," Muslims fast between the daylight hours. About 90 minutes after sunset, a big loud speaker from the town mosque sounds out the prayer of a priest. After the prayer, everyone gathers in streets and eats tons of food. So in order to continue winning "the hearts and minds" of Iraqi's, we walked over to one of the outdoor restaurants and ate kabobs, hit the hookah, and played games with the locals.
I'll post the pics and give details of the patrol in the next few days.

Sweet

I found this on a friend's blog and thought I would share:

A baby asked God,‘They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,
but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?’
God said, ‘Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.’
The child further inquired, ‘But tell me, here in heaven I don’t have
to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.’

God said, ‘Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you.
And you will feel your angel’s love and be very happy.’

Again the child asked, ‘And how am I going to be able to understand
when people talk to me if I don’t know the language?’

God said, ‘Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and
sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care,
your angel will teach you how to speak.’
‘And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?’
God said, ‘Your angel will place your hands together
and will teach you how to pray.’
‘Who will protect me?’
God said, ‘Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.’
‘But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.’
God said, ‘Your angel will always talk to you about Me
and will teach you the way to come back to Me,
even though I will always be next to you.’

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven,
but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked,
‘God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.’


God said, ‘You will simply call her, ‘Mom.’

I will do my best little baby, but I don't know that you will call me an angel :)

It has been a long day, and I'll post some pictures tomorrow along with the Week 11 update. I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

Week 10

Your astonishingly tiny baby has been hard at work growing as fast as possible—almost doubling in size in the past three weeks! Amazingly, you’re in for a repeat size doubling performance within the next three weeks! Your tiny champion still weighs less than a quarter of an ounce but has already completed the most critical stage of their development. Using Doppler technology, your doctor or gynecologist can let you hear their tiny rapid fetal heartbeats this week (145-165 beats per minute!). Chances for miscarriage are greatly reduced when the heartbeat can be detected, so take a sigh of relief if you’ve been needing one—it hasn’t been an easy ten weeks! What’s more, they’re getting ready to make their first baby poop! Your little one’s major organ systems are developing, including a functioning digestive tract capable of moving food all the way through their bowels. The final shiny gold star on their fetal behavior chart for the week: your little scrapper has already developed defense mechanisms to protect them on reflex.

And how's mom doing? More good news for mom: the placenta has grown substantially in size and function and is now beginning to manage some of your child’s hormones, finally taking some of the hormonal burden off of you! Since the placenta has gradually taken over the hormone production for your baby, you should finally start to notice that much-awaited decrease in morning sickness symptoms. Like everything else, though, this is just a general guideline... if you have lingering effects for another couple of weeks, don’t fret (or fret, but don't blame us)—pregnancy is not a standardized procedure so much as an individual journey


This sums up what I have been trying to explain to people. When you aren't pregnant you can't grasp this happening (or I couldn't anyway), but I really haven't been hungry...I feel yuck before I eat, so I eat then feel worse. How aggravating! At least I haven't thrown up, I still feel lucky and blessed for my lack of morning sickness. Everyone asks "Have you been sick?" I say no and they immediately say it is a boy. I had a lady at the swimming pool in Dallas tell me I'm having a boy too, she said always remember the lady at the DFW Holiday Inn that got it right!! We will see in late October!


So we made it back from Texas Sunday night about 7:00. The trip home was fine. There were lots of Louisiana license plates on the road. It was so sad :( Everyone had their cars packed with their belongings and their pets. I wanted to cry. Texas was tons of fun, even though we never made it to The Cheesecake Factory haha. Brian and I swam a lot. One day we were at the pool from 9 to 4. We even had an hour and a half nap by the pool. We had it all to ourselves and it was indoor. We got lucky! It was good to see dad too...we hadn't seen him since Christmas in Colorado. He is getting ready to go out of the country and work for a year or two, so it was hard telling him bye.

We loved the Grapevine Opry! It was a great show and they are very talented.

I always take a picture of our hotel room for some reason.

The pool and hot tub, Brian took the pic.

Our setup, I already miss it.

Dad and Angie

Me and Brian


Brian and the crowd after the show.

Just another day in the Sand Box

Hey everyone. Amanda has been having problems with her computer. So, she hasn't had a chance to let everyone know that they all made it safely home from Dallas. The pregnancy is going well overall. She's still having some problems with having an appetite. When she does want to eat, she is really nauseated afterwards. As for me...Everyday here makes me miss home even more. I can tell September is going to be an extremely slow month. We have a lot to look forward to in October. I should make Sergeant on Oct 1st and most importantly....we get to find out the gender of our child. I'm so anxious!!! I really wish I could be there to hear the heart beat for the first time. Hopefully the doctors can record it and Amanda can send it to me. It's about 10:15 pm here on a Tuesday, Sept 2nd (about 2:00pm central time)...and I'm about to call my wife to see how here day is going. I'm going to bet that she might still be in bed napping...lol. Take care everyone and I'll have more pics to post later on this week.