Water Aerobics

I forgot to mention that I started taking water aerobics classes 2x a week starting about a month ago. I'm lovin' it. I've been going Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7pm-8:30pm. It's in an outside pool so I've been loving the Vitamin D I'm getting as well as moderate activity. I have noticed it has taken a lot of strain off of my back.
Last week I kind of started to get worried about all the hopping around I was doing with jumping jacks, lunges, etc. Did he have enough support in there or was I jerking him around too much?! So I googled and read this:

*Water aerobics provide the same workout for your heart and body as traditional classes without the risks of falls and other injuries. The buoyancy of the water requires you to support only 50 percent of your weight, which alleviates stress on your joints and muscles.

*Following a moderate water aerobics exercise plan during pregnancy can potentially make your delivery faster and less complicated by decreasing your need for epidural pain relief, according to a 2008 study published in "Reproductive Health."

 

That put my mind more at ease. Up until this weekend I was wearing my normal swimsuit, but I noticed that I was itching my stomach a lot during the class. I don't know if it was too tight or the chlorine was getting to me or what, but I ended up buying this  maternity swimsuit. Problem solved!

Oh, one more thing. I turned 18 weeks on Saturday. I ended up weighing myself and was verrrry nervous. Luckily I wasn't too appalled! I've gained 8.4 total. If I only gain another 15lbs the rest of this pregnancy I will be completely happy with that, but if not I will not beat myself up about it.

I have a few posts scheduled and in mind:

• What I'm eating during my pregnancy
• Nursery Inspirations
• Pregnancy wardrobe for a hot summer vacation
• Long overdue arms update

So stay tuned :)

 

Gender Reveal Party

Saturday was a day full of celebration!! I spent the afternoon celebrating my friend's beautiful daughter's 1st birthday and the evening celebrating our gender reveal party. It was an awesome and overwhelming day :)
We had about 25 people over to our condo for the party. It was cramped, but I'm so glad everyone was there to share such a special moment with us! I didn't take many pictures because I was running around all night!

Table decor

17 weeks pregnant! Pink or blue??

Some of team pink :) I was actually team healthy; my skirt was blue!

My mom and niece!

It's a BOY!

bestie

I'm so glad we ended up doing the gender reveal party. It really tested my patience, but it was such a special moment that almost felt unreal. I think it's finally hitting me that this is really happening! I've never been happier <3

Gender Reveal!

We are having a..

little BOY!!

We are thrilled! I will do a recap ASAP :)

My new favorite compliment

When I was on a strong weight loss streak I used to get really embarrassed when people would notice that I'd lost weight. I don't know why, exactly. It was nice that people could see that whatever I was doing was working, but I was always ashamed that people had to see me through my weight loss struggle. The whole "Oh, Allie, you're looking great!" "Oh, thank you!" <Geez, I wonder what they thought I looked like last year..> You know what I mean.

Now that I'm not losing weight, I'm loving when people notice my healthy eating habits. I didn't want to be that pregnant woman 'eating for two' and going crazy over cravings. Sure, I'm not going to deprive myself, but I know my limitations. When I started Weight Watchers January 2010, I really did change my eating habits and choices. That's what the program is all about, right? My favorite snacks are fresh fruit and raw veggies, no joke.

With my pregnancy, I haven't had too many 'cravings' really. I'm loving peanut butter, peaches, gala apples, peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwiches, watermelon, strawberries, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and huge, fresh salads (the kind with everything on it that probably aren't very good for you :)) Then there are the evenings where I reallllly need a chicken quesadilla from Taco Bell or Arby's curly fries. It was a need, ok? :)  

Until next time :)

Recap: 1st trimester

Hi :) This weekend I turned 16 weeks pregnant, officially 4 months! I say it every week to my husband, but I cannot believe we've made it this far. I mean, I always, always had faith, but I am just so thankful everything is going so well given my history.
Here's my 1st trimester recap. I thought about doing it weekly, but that's too overwhelming for me! I am just happy to be out of the 1st trimester :)

1st trimester: Weeks 1-14

Total Weight Gain/Loss for 1st trimester: 5.4lbs Very happy with this; my goal was 5lbs.

Maternity Clothes for 1st trimester: Not really. I had a pair of maternity capris that I wore a few times, but only because they were super comfy. I wore a lot of long tank tops and cardigans. I feel like that will be my maternity staple :)

Gender: We find out on Saturday, June 16th at our Gender Reveal Party !!

Movement in the 1st trimester: Not yet!

Sleep: Not too bad, really. We did buy a new King Size mattress over Memorial Day weekend so that has helped tons!! I go to sleep around 10pm-11pm every night. I really need 7-8hrs of sleep.

What I miss: Nothing really. Weight gain is kind of getting to me so I miss trying to LOSE weight.

Cravings: Fruit, peanut butter, mexican food !!

Symptoms: dry gagging if I smell something that doesn't agree with me. Gagging if I brush my teeth too long (weird), thirsty all the time (results in peeing every 40min or so).

Best Moment in the 1st trimester: There were a lot of 'best moments'!! I'd say announcing to our family, making it week to week, hearing a strong heartbeat and seeing proper growth from appointment to appointment.

Here are some pics from the 1st trimester. no, I didn't do weekly, because I didn't want to beat myself up about it if I missed a week. Plus, I wasn't always camera ready :) I didn't really see any changes in the 1st trimester, but I can feel my body changing now. 

10wks

Mother's Day 2012- announcing pregnancy to our families

14weeks- feeling great!!

Details, details {dr's appointments}

After I got my BFP, my RE (Reproductive Endocrinologist) ordered labwork for my HCG levels. Here's just a timeline of my 1st few appointments. Keep in mind that this entire labwork/appointment process I was completely (entirely!) care free an optimistic! In my prior failed pregnancies I would be on pins and needles, waiting on a call, stressed to the max. This time, I really had the attitude of "Whatever happens, happens." Which is SO not me, but has seemed to help me, mentally, a lot. Anyways..

March 23, 2012: 1st beta: 44
March 26, 2012: 2nd beta: 161
April 2, 2012:    3rd beta: 3301!!
April 11, 2012:  1st Dr. appt. baby measuring *perfectly* on sono with heartbeat! BPM=115
April 26, 2012:  2nd Dr. appt. baby measuring right on target again! heartbeat BPM=161 *Graduated from fertility clinic to a regular OB!*
April 28, 2012:  Told my sisters I'm pregnant!
May 10, 2012:    1st Dr. appt with regular OBGYN! Love! Sono showed baby kicking away, measuring right on target again! Beginning to think this could be real!
May 13, 2012:    Told our families we're expecting! Due date: November 26, 2012-- my mom's birthday!

**Next appt is scheduled for June 7, 2012! We should be able to find out the gender at that appointment. If we can't, have no fear-- I have a backup plan! My husband works at a hospital and all of the radiology staff are more than willing to scan me. Our gender reveal party is scheduled for June 16th :) :)

Thanks again for all the support I've received through this struggle to get pregnant, then STAY pregnant. I feel very thankful and fortunate for everyone encouragement, prayers and kind words :)

Details, details {how we found out}

By March, I was beginning to feel this way:

After my 3rd miscarriage June 2011, I really had no idea what was in store for us, fertility wise. Would we ever have a family? At what depths would we go to have a family? Was it the right time? Was I healthy enough? Infertility is a total mind suck..and all of a sudden it's all you can think about.
After my diagnosis of Lupus Anticoagulant and doing extensive research, we really started trying to conceive again in November. I'm talking the whole temping/charting/OPK mess. Months went by and we noticed it just wasn't happening for us. We started to look into international adoption. J was amazingly supportive and we would sit down and read the requirements of each country and read other people's stories about international adoption. We started to think that we really wanted to move forward in the process. We requested some information from a few different agencies and decided that we would start the process on my 25th birthday, November 2012! That was in February 2012.
March 14, 2012 marked 3 years of this infertility roller coaster we've been on. I remember feeling extra emotional on this day. On March 20th I was 11DPO and decided what the heck, I will take a test. Here's what I got:

There was obviously a second line, but for the record..I HATE the line tests, I'd much rather have a digital! So I wasn't sure to believe it or what. The next morning I took the digital and it said pregnant! To be honest, I had the most calming feeling come over me. I didn't go crying to J like I have in the past, I just took a breath and called into the bedroom from the bathroom "it's positive!" and went about getting ready for work! I did tell my bestie of course, but I really just kept everything inside. I didn't rush to make an appointment..I didn't know what to do! Do I call the Fertility clinic? Do I find an OB? Luckily, I have an awesome husband that called the fertility clinic for me. They ordered me some labs and the rest is history.... :)
I will do a part 2 of additional details soon :) Thanks for sharing this journey with me.