First Weekend with the Lil One(s)!

 So this has been our first weekend with baby(ies) well, the first weekend we knew we are preggers. It's been so fun knowing we are carrying around some very precious cargo everywhere we go! The doctor has put me on some pretty limited physical restrictions, no exercise, lifting, exerting myself at all really. So my solo grocery shopping trips have now become a couple's outing so Rhett can carry my bags! He's such a trooper though! He never complains and carted me all over town to get all the necessities. I have been trying to eat a wide variety of foods that the acupuncturist has recommended to help with blood flow to the uterus and of course foods that are good for baby(ies). Something else I have started doing is drinking  tea that the acupuncturist recommended for the first trimester. It is a special blend made by "Pulling Down the Moon" ( my acu. office) and it is a loose leaf tea. I came home from "Pulling Down the Moon" on Thursday so excited to make some delicious tea and realized I had no idea how to make loose leaf tea ( I have been a coffee drinker most of my life, but retired this habit months ago)! It came to my attention you can't just pour the leaves in the water and I clearly didn't have the proper tools. While we were out I told Rhett I think I need a tea tumbler, and 3 stops later still hadn't found one. He was bound and determined to help me find one... and carted me to an Argo Tea and I finally got the prized possession!

 

 

My new tea tumbler!

After all the running around, and no lifting on my part, I was still pretty tired! We came home, I drank some tea and watched some dvrerd shows! Not too shabby for the first saturday with the lil one(s).

  Today we went to church to give many thanks for our precious gift! All the kneeling and standing was making my back hurt already! I have felt some cramping/stretching which I am assured is normal! It was kid-central where we were sitting and made me so excited to know this time next year we would have another member sitting in our pew. After church I came home to lay on the couch all day and Rhett headed into work for a while. He came back with some pre-made salads from Whole Foods. One made of Kale, one of beets, and one of Spinach. He was so cute telling me how nutrious they were and said he was asking the opinions of the workers there on what to feed his pregnant wife. He also came back with three pregnancy magazines and some yummy pastas from Noodle and Co! What a guy! I think I am going to like this pregnancy spoiled thing an awful lot!
  I am headed for bloodwork tomorrow morning at my own request and am counting down the days until Wednesday's Ultrasound! Have a great night!

Kale Salad!

Beet Salad

Preggers Mags!!

Go baby!!!

Our lil one is already making us proud! I went in for bloodwork today and I more than doubled again! The nurse said this is wonderful news and I don't have to come Monday if I don't want to because they are happy with how my levels are proceeding. I decided to still go in Monday just for peace of mind. On Wednesday we get to see the baby or babies for the first time! They said we most likely won't see a heartbeat yet, but I am still stoked to see our precious babe! I keep pinching myself or think at any moment I'll wake up from this incredible dream! I can't wait to meet our angel in nine months and look forward to sharing this adventure with my darling hubby and best friend! He already kisses my belly good night! What a cute dad! This lil one is going to have the best daddy ever!

Up, Up, Up

So I went in for bloodwork today and my hcg has more than doubled which is great! The nurse said I still need to come in every few days to check levels to make sure they are doubling, but so far so good. She said we should be cautiously optimistic. Forget that, I am just going to be optimistic! Rhett and I are so over-the-moon with this tremendous blessing. We will continue to pray for our precious little one. It gives us great strength to know your prayers are with us too! You all have been such a great support with your prayers, calls, texts, and comments! We love you all! I head back to the doc on Friday, so I will update after with my new (doubled) number!! This baby will be a fighter!!

And the verdict is......

 PREGGERS! I got the call today and I had a positive pregnancy test! My HcG level ( the pregnancy hormone) was at a 15.8 and anything over a 5 is considered pregnant. My doctor likes to see at level of 25 or above, so I am a little on the low side right now. Me, being the worry wart I am, was asking the nurse, "Should I worry? Is this okay?" She told me she has seen women with as low as a 5 go on and have a healthy pregnancy, so don't worry. They will be having me come in and get my levels checked every few days to ensure they are doubling (which is a sign of a healthy pregnancy). She said sometimes in frozen transfer, hcg levels are slightly lower. I am not going to focus on the levels though, I am going to revel in the fact that we are PREGNANT! The words we have been dying to hear forever!
 Tonight we will be celebrating by going to our orientation for a food rating program we do. We go to restaurants and are "secret diners" where we rate food and service and get free meals! Can't beat it! So today, on our day of fabulous news, we get to go out and have a free meal! Thanks to everyone for your prayers, there really is power in prayer! Keep them coming that our levels double and that we have a happy, healthy pregnancy! I go get my blood drawn on Wednesday so I will keep you updated!!

Special Delivery!

 So, I think I forgot to mention that back when I decided to start this blog I decided that I had to have the care bear's suitcase that is the inspiration for this blog's title back in my possession. Seeing as how the original suitcase I had is now long gone, I went on the search to get the same one I had back then. I searched for a few days and found one on Ebay that is exactly the same as the one I had growing up! So I placed a bid and about a week later.. I won! I was so excited!! My idea is to pack baby or babies first outfit(s) in it to take to the hospital for when they are born! I hope that they enjoy this suitcase as much as I did!

 We had been running some errands yesterday and we came home to find the package had arrived, just in time for our good news tomorrow, perhaps? I was so pumped up and opened it right away, I am very in touch with my inner child! I told Rhett I have another one on the way, that's blue, you know, in case it's twins. He laughed and said he doubts our boy will like care bears, but Rhett didn't get his nickname "Teddy" for nothing!

 Tomorrow is the big day, as it gets closer I am starting to think about it more and more, but am trying to focus my energy else where to not get too anxious about it. We will be sure to let everyone know our (hopefully) wonderful news!!!

Here are some suit case pics:

The boys might think their new siblings are in there...

Long time, No Blog!

  I have only been at this blogging thing for two weeks and here I am already slacking! I do have  a good excuse though, to keep lifting to a minimum, I've been leaving my computer at school all week, I finally brought it home today seeing as implantation would have already taken place. So I figured I was safer now to bring it home for the three day weekend! I love myself some President's Day!!

 Well seeing as I haven't blogged since Monday I should probably give the update on what's been going on since then. To tell the truth, pretty much nothing! I went back to work on Tuesday and since then I have been more tired than I have ever been in my entire life! Like whole body aches, takes effort to move from place to place tired. I never had mono, but pretty sure this is what it feels like! I am thinking it is caused by the progesterone shots or maybe early pregnancy? Hoping the latter! I've been coming home after work and just crashing on the couch. My dear dogs and good friends, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, Ross, and Joey have also kept me good company. (Complete series of "Friends" on DVD= Best. Purchase.Ever). To be honest, I haven't even been thinking much about the pregnancy test one way or the other. I, of course am really hoping it worked, but have tried not to focus on it too much, because then it becomes all consuming! We go in on Monday morning for the blood pregnancy test and will get the call later that day, luckily I don't work that day, which just makes for a better environment for receiving such an important call. Last time, I got the call in between Parent/Teacher Conferences... yeah, that sucked!

 So I am keeping the positive thoughts and prayers and I can feel all of yours, keep them coming please! Have a wonderful weekend. I am waiting on Rhett to get home, and our pizza to arrive. Fridays nights are usually our night out but this exhaustion had other ideas and the p.j.'s have already made their debut. It's fine by me though, night on the couch with my three boys and two snow babies sounds like a divine date night to me!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 I feel like a very lucky girl this Valentine's Day. I am at home on my last day of bed rest, and feel very relaxed. My mom and Rhett have taken amazing care of me! My mom leaves in about an hour and I am sad, but know I will see her again soon! I feel very blessed to have my two added Valentine's to take care of too, my lil snow babies. I am working on sending Valentine's love their way and asking them to stick for mommy!

 Bauer showed his love for Valentine's candy today. My mom left some chocolate on the bed for about 3 minutes to come grab a ziplock bag from the kitchen. She returned to find Bauer had ate about 12 pieces of chocolate, which as we know is just fabulous for our furry friends. I called the vet and they told me we were going to have to give the lil guy hydrogen peroxide via syringe (which due to all the shots, I had plenty of!) So with me holding him down, my mom shoved some good old hydrogen peroxide down his throat to induce vomitting. The vet said if it worked, no need to bring him in and thank God it worked, boy did it work! Thank goodness for my awesome mom for cleaning that up, bending and stretching are against doc's orders, so no cleaning for me for a while!! So that was an interesting turn of events today, never a dull moment with Mr. Bauer!

 I hope all of you have a wonderful Valentine's Day! Thanks for all your love, please keep the prayers coming! This time next week, we will know if our lil baby Valentine's made a home in mommy!