My Birthday and the Facebook Announcement

Originally written July 20, 2012

Well, I had another appointment at Comprehensive on Tuesday. We went over a couple questions we had with Dr. Tumaneng, like how long I could keep playing softball. She didn't think it was an issue to finish the season, as long as I don't have any complications. When I asked her about the placenta previa, she was kind of surprised. I guess it didn't say that in the report she got. It said it was on the back wall. I am kind of wondering if it was just barely covering my cervix, and with the little bit of spotting I had while we were in Oregon, maybe that was the placenta shifting off of my cervix. I guess we'll find out in about a month. It makes me a little less nervous though if it wasn't mentioned. But I know sometimes there are mistakes, so who knows. My Pampered Pregnancy gift this time was a meeting with their nutritionist. I'm not sure yet if I'll take advantage of it yet or not though. I'm sure she's going to want me to gain a lot of weight, and try to jam pack me full of calories and food. I've tried it before, trust me, it doesn't work.

Yesterday, my birthday, I signed up for one of my other Pampered Pregnancy gifts, my 1/2 hour massage. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as good as the third trimester one was with Nora. And actually, my lower back actually hurt more once I got up off the table. :(

Since Adam was finally able to get a hold of his dad and tell him the news, we were able to announce it to the Facebook world. I had seen a picture on Pinterest, kind of like what we did, but didn't really think about it. While I was in Oregon though, Adam found a similar picture somewhere and decided it would be a fun way to announce the news online. And I put the caption, "Here's a math problem for you... If you have 2 Gibsons and you add 3 Gibsons, how many Gibsons do you have? (Extra credit if you can tell me the property illustrated from the word problem to the picture)." Adam wrote, "Expecting #3. This child is doomed to a life a nerdiness......" Lots of people commented on the creativeness of it. It fit so well for a math teacher and an engineer.

How far along?: 14 weeks 5 days
Total weight gain/loss: Yesterday, I actually hit the 100 mark on the scale! Sounds pretty pathetic, I know, but I haven't been back up there for a while with nursing Nora still. I think I started right around 95-96 pounds, so 4-5 pound weight gain. :)
The Bump: It's there. Pretty hard to hide at this point, especially since it's summer. (With Nora I could hide it longer under bulky sweaters.)
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: I guess still finding out if the placenta shifted up, and the gender, but probably more the position of the placenta.
Maternity Clothes: I'm loving the maternity shorts. I've got 2 pairs from Nora. I could still wear my regular shorts or capris, but why when they're so comfy? :)
Symptoms: Still the lower back ache... making it hard to sleep. That can go away any time now.
Belly Button in or out?: The top half is still out a little.
Food Cravings/Aversions: I've been more thirsty lately, not for anything in particular though. I think it's just the * ahem* lovely heat we've been having. (That can go away any time now too!)
What I miss: Having more energy. Isn't that supposed to come back during the second trimester?
Milestones: The baby has meconium in his/ her intestines.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Originally written July 15, 2012

I haven't had time to write for over 2 weeks now! Goodness! My mom took Nora & I out to Oregon to visit her Great-Grandparents, Great Aunts & Uncles, and a bunch of cousins. Since we were out there over mom's birthday, I wrapped up the ultrasounds we just got in wallpaper (Grandma didn't have wrapping paper, so we improvised.) and gave it to mom as a birthday present.

Nora helping Grandma open her birthday surprise!

Grandma said she already suspected!

She was very excited, of course, but not terribly surprised, she has suspected that we were expecting when we went garage sale shopping and I was looking at baby boys' clothes. (Not that we know it's a boy yet.) She was excited to have her family there and be able to share the news in person though!

While we were out there I also got a phone call from Joan, the genetic counselor, and so I told my very confused cousin, Jen, that the results from the first trimester screening came back, and looked pretty good. She thought I was talking about the results from Nora's screening, and was wondering why they were so late, until her mom, my Aunt Carla, pointed at my belly.

When we got back from Oregon, I was the personal attendant for a friend's wedding. I Deacon Tom & Mary, Maria, and a couple other people that I knew at her wedding about Ender, but I made sure that they didn't tell the bride. When she opened her gift from us the next morning, it was signed, "Love, Sarah, Adam, Danni, Nora, & baby-to-be." I guess she didn't catch it right away, so Maria had to tell her to read it again.

How far along?: 14 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Right around a pound or so... I thought I would have fattened up more at Grandma's in Oregon, because I'm sure Nora did!
The Bump: Getting harder to hide, but since we've started telling people, I'm not so worried about it.
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Finding out if the placenta has moved up, so I won't have to have another c-section. (I don't think it has yet, because I still have a lot of lower back pain.)
Maternity Clothes: I pulled out a pair of maternity shorts today, because they looked more comfy than jean shorts, and I'm all about laziness today!
Symptoms: Lower back ache, and tired. I think the tired is from the time change from our trip, and from running around all weekend with wedding stuff.
Belly Button in or out?: The top half is still out. My cousin, Kassidy actually made a comment about it while we were out there.
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really lately.
What I miss: Right now, probably not waking up with a back ache every morning, and having more energy to get things done!
Milestones: This week the baby starts "practice breathing."

Oops... the Ultrasound on the Calendar

Originally written June 30, 2012

So we watched Baby Reese on Wednesday, and when Adam's sister, Jacque, came to pick her up, she was checking out his new tablet. Neither of us really thought twice about it. She started reading off random things she saw on it, and then came to the calendar. She read off a couple things (that's when it hit Adam, that's she was going to find out), and then said, "Uh, Sarah, is there something you want to tell me?" (that's when it hit me). Our first trimester screen, on Friday, was right up there on his calendar for her to see. So we confessed, and told her she's the only one that knows now. So she said, other than her husband, C, she wouldn't tell anyone, but she was super excited that she knew before their oldest brother, Jon.

So Friday rolled around, and we had our screening. When they called to confirm my appointment, I asked them if I really needed to see Joan, the genetic counselor, for a whole hour, as I've already been through two kids with her. So we got it switched to a half hour. Joan was excited to see little Nora, and carried her back to her office. Nora didn't seem to mind at all. Being as she pretty much had everything from Danielle, we didn't talk much about genetic stuff. There were two new kids in the family that are healthy, and Adam's mom died of cancer. Joan did ask if I wanted to be part of a research study called "Non-Invasive Chromosomal Examination of Trisomy Study" (NEXT Study). The study is to help identify birth defects, like Down Syndrom, by examining the baby's blood that transfers across the placenta to the mother, instead of doing an amnio or CVS, which put the baby at risk.

After I agreed to the study, Joan brought me to Krista's ultrasound room, and Krista (my favorite ultrasound tech of all time) followed us down the hall, doting on Nora as we went. (They all thought she looks just like Adam, of course.) Then we got down to business, scanning the little guy. He has 10 fingers, 10 toes, and a heart on the left side. He also had a full bladder (so the kidneys are working), and a full stomach (so he's swallowing). He measured 6.21 cm from crown to rump (12 weeks 5 days), while his foot was .9 cm long, and his heart rate was 168 bpm. He was an active little guy the whole time (I think he was moving more than Nora was at her screening!), and Adam commented how we're going to be in trouble when we have both of them running around. As I was watching little Ender move around on the screen, I was feeling these "gas bubbles" move around like I've been feeling for about a week now. I guess I've been feeling him squirm around inside me this whole time, and didn't even realize it. (I don't know when I started to feel Danni move around, but I know for sure by 20 weeks I had felt her. Nora's placenta was in the front, so I didn't feel her kick until around 16 weeks.)

Dr. Ahanya stopped in to see Nora too and tell us that all looked well. While we were waiting for him to stop in, I started to get a little nervous, because I thought I remember with Nora's screening that we didn't even see the doctor. But I kept telling myself not to worry.

All-in-all we got good news, the only bad news was that at this point, I have placenta previa (the placenta is over my cervix). Krista asked if I had had any bleeding, but I haven't at all (even though I did with Nora). After reading an article on WebMD about it though, I realized that I wasn't totally crazy. I thought I was having very small minor contractions, and it turns out that that is a side effect of placenta previa. The good news is that at 12 weeks, there is still a 90% chance that as my uterus grows with the baby, the placenta will rise higher above my cervix. But, if it's still like that at my 20-week ultrasound, chances are I will have to have a c-section.

And now without further ado, the ultrasound pictures...

Measuring 1 week older than Momma thinks

The alien shot

Tiny hand

Little leg

Guess he's got big feet!

How far along?: 11 weeks 6 days
Total weight gain/loss: I think I might be up a pound. Though, last weekend I went to Katie & Derek's BaBy-Q, and then a graduation open house for my mom's cousin's kid, Ryan, so I ate A LOT of food.
The Bump: Well, last week, Jon told me I looked amazing, and this week my mom mentioned something about my baby belly from Nora and how it hasn't gone away or something. I think it's getting harder to hide it, especially from people that know me well and see me often.
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Telling people. I thought I would tell my mom when we are out in Oregon visiting her family. Her birthday falls while we are out there, so I thought it would make a good birthday surprise (if she doesn't already suspect!).
Maternity Clothes: Still none. In fact, yesterday I bought a pair of regular capris that fit just fine in my regular size. On another note, my sister-in-law found my belly band! :) I'm sure I'll want that soon-ish.
Symptoms: Hungry. All. The. Time. (I tried a Preggie Pop today, and that seemed to satisfy my stomach until I could make a sandwich.)
Belly Button in or out?: Still kind of out.
Food Cravings/Aversions: Now it's a fried egg sandwich with cheese and bacon. I keep making them for lunch and they're SO yummy!
What I miss: I guess nothing really right now. I seem to have my energy back for the most part, and I'm over the icky-sicky part.
Milestones: Tomorrow marks the end of the first trimester! :)

Telling Daddy

Originally written May 14, 2012


I'll be honest, I didn't want to wait until Wednesday, our anniversary, to tell Adam. I told him on Monday. With both girls, I found creative ways to tell him about his newly conceived children, and this time was no different. (Danni's story, Nora's story) I asked him if I could give him his anniversary present early, even though we said we weren't going to do presents. He was fine with it, so when he got home he was talking to his brother, Jon, on the phone. I watched to make sure he didn't open his card or his gift bag that I had wrapped the pee stick up in. He didn't.

When he got off the phone, he opened his card and read it...

He couldn't figure it out, so he started pulling tissue paper out of the bag. When he pulled out the one that had the stick wrapped up in it, he still didn't have a clue what it might be. Then he started laughing as soon as he figured out that the two lines meant he was going to be a daddy, again! He laughed for quite a while, in shock, disbelief, and excitement, and finally came over and gave me a hug and kiss.

That night, I asked him if he thought (not hoped) it was a boy or a girl. He said what we have always said about any of our children, especially after having Danni, that he hopes its a healthy baby. The next day though, randomly, he came up to me all excited, and said, "I think it's a boy, I just have a feeling!" I've been thinking the same thing since I saw the two lines on the magical pee stick! I guess we'll find out in about 15 weeks!


How far along?: 5 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: Still nothing.
The Bump: Not really showing, I think I look a little "fatter," but I'm sure it's just a mind game I'm playing on myself.

4 weeks 6 days

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: We scheduled our first appointment for 2 weeks from now. I'm kind of excited about that, but I know they won't really do much exciting, except refer me for the first trimester screening ultrasound.
Maternity Clothes: Oh dear, I surely hope not yet!
Symptoms: With both girls I felt sick more in the mornings. I seem to be fine in the mornings, but my tummy isn't so happy in the evenings.
Belly Button in or out?: It's still half-out. It popped at 19 weeks with Danni, and about 12 weeks with Nora... I'm hoping this time around it will at least make it to 12 weeks!
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing specific. I'm just eating all the time. I was eating snacks a lot since I'm breastfeeding Nora, but I'm eating even more snacks now!
What I miss: Not having a tummy ache at night, I guess.
Milestones: Our baby is 2 mm long and this week the arm & leg buds will start to become visible.

Facebook Official!

So I guess we can make it "Facebook Official" now, and announce that we're having a baby (due August 13, 2011, I'm currently 16 weeks along). We talked about when we wanted to tell other people, since with Danielle, we felt that the pregnancy was very public. (I had a lady at St. Bernard's come up to me after Danni died, and say that I must be the teacher that was pregnant that they were praying for the baby.) We were very glad to have all the prayers from so many different people and places, and I really enjoyed keeping people updated on her progress (I think it helped to keep my spirits up!). But this time, we wanted to play it more low-key. We joked about showing up for Christmas one year with a 5-year-old, and springing the news then. I kind of wanted to wait until 20-weeks, but with rumors that were started among our family, and Adam's sister's wedding approaching (I'm a bridesmaid, and will be 6-1/2 months along), we decided to tell them sooner. I have shared it with my boss and co-workers, so now we can make it news for the rest of the world!

I'll be keeping this blog though out the pregnancy (and probably as the little one grows up... we'll see how busy our second one keeps me!), like I did with Danielle. We hope that it will only have good news to bring you, and look forward to sharing the story of our Rainbow Baby with you!

15 Weeks, 4 Days
(I was once told that this sweater made me look pregnant, so it's working great as a maternity sweater!)

Math Babies!

Yesterday, I made an appointment with Perinatal for my 17 week u/s. It was for Friday at 1pm on a day that I had workshops (no sub needed!). But, if Adam were to go, he would be missing his two most difficult classes that day. He didn't like that, and being a teacher, I wasn't too fond of it either. So he asked me to reschedule, especially since this u/s we should be able to find out the gender.

Before I rescheduled, I wanted to ask one of my co-workers, Sherrie, if she would be able to cover for me for 7th hour, if I was able to change it. She said it wouldn't be a problem, and since there wouldn't be any "paperwork" for subbing, that I wouldn't have to worry about taking from my sick leave hours (the district only lets you take them in 4 or 8 hour chunks, and I would only be needing an hour at most).

Today, on my prep, I called and got it switched to Tuesday (when Adam's done early with class). I was able to get a 2:30 appointment! (Our school day goes until 2:15pm, and usually the latest I could get them was 2pm.) Of course, I asked who it was with, and, unfortunately, it is with Dr. Danilinko (known as "the scary doctor" from my other blog from my pregnancy with Danielle). I took it anyway though. I figured at the last appointment I had at Perinatal, I didn't even see Dr. Calvin, so hopefully, I won't see "the scary doctor" at this appointment. Plus, I'm hoping that I'll have Krista again as my u/s tech, and if something really is wrong, that she'll let us know right away, instead of sending the doctor in.

Anyway, I digress... I sent Sherrie an email just asking if she could cover the last 10 minutes or so of my 7th hour that day so that I could leave and get there on time.

At lunch, the ladies were talking about Sue, another math teacher, who is currently pregnant with her second, and due in May. (Apparently, with her first child, Sue was in labor during the school day, but just kept teaching. She had Katie that evening.) I figured it would be a fine time to bring up my news. I said, "Well, I asked Sherrie if she would cover one of my classes at the end of the day, because I am going to have an ultrasound. We are pregnant with our second." Sherrie said that she was wondering if that's what it was, because she said I had a "twinkle" in my eye when I asked if she could cover my class. But she said she didn't want to ask then, since there were so many people around. Jane, the math department head, said that she already knew, but was waiting for me to say something. She said she didn't hear it from Polly or Pete (the principal & vice principal), who I had already told. (Now I'm wondering where she heard it. I'll have to ask tomorrow.)

Later during my 6th hour prep, Shannon, another math teacher, who's the same age as me, came in and said she heard about my news. She said that she's only 3 weeks behind me! (There's going to be lots of new babies in the math department!) She said she's already had one u/s for dating the pregnancy, and she's having another at 12 or 13. I asked if she was doing the first trimester screening, and she said she didn't think so. I explained what it was, and then encouraged her to ask about it.

So now I can tell the students... whenever I get around to it!

Inquiring Students

Today during PAWS (it's like homeroom or advisory), one of my students (her name is actually Sarah Rose... what a good name!), said "Mrs. Gibson, come here." She pulled me aside and secretly asked me if I was pregnant. I asked her where she had heard that rumor. She said that someone in my second hour had told her that I said that I was.

Now I never actually denied it, but I never admitted to it either. (I'm a bad liar, but I can avoid the truth!) So I started telling her about Danielle. She didn't know that I have a daughter, so she asked to see pictures. I showed her the ones on my computer, and told Sarah her story.

Hopefully, she won't be mad and accuse me of lying (cause I didn't!) when I do tell them (once I tell my co-workers first!). When I was pregnant with Danni, Megan A. asked me if I was pregnant and I denied it. Then she got mad at me when I finally told my advisory girls (and actually, Mrs. Okan got to it before I did!)

Telling the Gibsons

So Sarah wants me to tell the story of me telling my parents. Seeing as how I am the one that did it, I guess that makes sense. So there we were.....

No, for real, we were in the car driving to Jacque and Corey's house for a Super Bowl Party when I decided to call. I had wanted to call for a few weeks, but just didn't seem to ever get to it. Something would come up or I would forget or whatever. So I decided that I was definitely going to call before the weekend was up. Little did I know that they were in Duluth for the weekend and unreachable by phone. So I waited until Sunday night when I was sure they would be home before I called. My mom answered right away and after a few pleasantries I told her the big news. It went a little something like this:

M: "So is there a reason for your call or are you just catching up?"

A: "Well, I was kind of wondering if you knew off hand what you were doing around August 14th?"

M: After a quick hushed side conference with my dad "We are free that weekend, why?"

A: "Because Sarah and I are expecting our second child and that is the due date."

M: "Oh, Adam, seriously? Wow! We are so happy for you!"

Or something like that anyway. I think that it didn't have a very large impact because of the rumor that has been circulating for a few months (since before we even knew) that Sarah was pregnant. So I don't think it was a huge surprise, nor do I think it will be a huge surprise to much of anyone because of one misconstrued comment on Facebook.

13 Weeks, 4 Days

Add Two More to the List...

Well, we've told two more people. I was talking to Jacque on Sunday about her wedding, bachelorette party, and shower, and it was hard to not tell her. She kept bringing up other women, and then saying, but she's pregnant. So I wrote down on a piece of paper "Can we tell Jacque?" and showed it to Adam while I was talking to her. Adam said yes, but he wanted to tell her. So I handed him the phone. Jacque was happy for us, and even said that if there was another dress that worked better around a pregnant belly, that I could get it instead.

Yesterday at work, I also ended up telling my administrator. I had asked about the budget-job situation, and he said we wouldn't know until June or July if our jobs would be there, and then we'd have to re-apply. He said it might even just be part time. I told him I was pregnant and due in August, and I know it's going to be difficult to interview. He & his wife lost their first set of twins at 18 weeks, and so he kind of has an idea of how this second one is a joy, but it's also very scary. I told him we are waiting as long as we possibly can to tell people, and he said he understands, and would not even tell his boss until I let him know. I told him we have a ultrasound on Friday (after conferences) to find out if the baby is healthy, and he asked if I could let him know how it went.

Little Spills of the Beans

Adam's been telling me that I'm bad at keeping this baby a secret. He is kind of right. Though, I did very well today at the family Richter family Christmas party.

I told our neighbor, Sarah, across the street, when she asked me the other day. They are moving in a couple weeks, and I'm not sure when I will see them again, so I kind of wanted to tell her. She said she wouldn't tell anyone, other than Corey, her husband.

When we went to the holiday tribute that Faith's Lodge put on, I told the couple sitting next to us, as we were talking about our children, and our futures without them. (She had miscarried in the 3rd trimester, and was never able to see her son. I felt so lucky that we were able to meet Danielle.)

We went out with the Saint Bernard's staff right after we found out, and I really wanted to tell them then, just to ask them for prayers that this baby is healthy. But, Adam said we should wait. And I did. But just last week, when we were out with them again, I asked him if I could tell this time. He said we should still wait. So I was going to, but Rita asked why I was drinking water. I told her I almost always order water, then drink a little of Adam's cherry coke (which is totally true!). But she pushed the matter, and I'm a bad liar. It probably didn't help the situation that I was sitting next to Heidi, who was 13 weeks pregnant, and Stotz, who is due in February. But I think from the whole long table, only 3-4 of them heard the conversation.

I think Adam was worried that I would spill the beans today. There are three other pregnant women in the family right now, and it's hard to keep it a secret from other pregnant women, when they start talking about their pregnancies. But today, I really had no desire to tell anyone. (Honestly, I wasn't even really social at all.)

8 Weeks, 2 Days

Merry Christmas Grandma & Grandpa!

Adam and I debated on whether or not we would tell my parents. We really did not want to tell anyone this time at least until the first trimester screening, when we would (hopefully) be able to tell everyone we are pregnant with a healthy baby. But we knew that my parents would keep it a secret until we were ready to tell everyone else. I thought about telling them before Christmas, because I knew that mom would end up getting the baby Christmas presents then. But we weren't ready then.

I think two days before Christmas, I thought it might be fun to wrap up the ultrasound pictures we had gotten in a box full of tissue paper, and have them unwrap it. I was thinking mom should unwrap it, but Adam said that dad should. So we wrapped them up in a small box and after we had unwrapped all the other gifts, Adam handed dad the box.
Dad opened it, pulled out all the tissue paper, and saw the little pictures. Mom leaned over his shoulder, saw what it was, and started crying. She looked at them, and handed them to Jeff, then came and gave me a hug. Jeff was slightly confused, as he thought they were of Danni, but he said the date was wrong. So mom said, "She's pregnant!"

A New One!

About half-way through this month, I started noticing some "symptoms" that I had when I was pregnant with Danni. I figured it was the "hypochondriac" in me, trying to find little things that might suggest I was pregnant again. So I didn't get too excited or anything, as I hate it when my hopes are dashed. Besides, if we were pregnant now, then I'd miss the beginning of the school year, and I'd hate to do that.

About four days before my friend should show up, I thought I'd take a pregnancy test. I was anxious to find out, plus I wanted to know if these things actually worked "up to 4 days before your missed period." It was negative. So I figured either I'm not pregnant, or they really don't work that far in advance. So I figured my friend would show up by Tuesday or Wednesday (or Thursday or Friday). I told Adam that I would just wait until the weekend again to take another test, because by then we'd know for sure.

Well, on Wednesday morning, I figured, what-the-heck, I'll take another one. So I waited my three minutes, and then took a look. I had to squint, but I could see a very faint second line!

Adam was at work, so I couldn't tell him right away, and I would be out to dinner with the Saint Bernard's staff, and by the time I would get home, he would probably be sleeping. So I decided that I would make a slide show for Adam. (I'll see if I can post it somehow.)

I had it started on his computer, so that when he got home from work and sat down at this desk to take off his shoes, he would see a screen that said "Press Play." I sent him an email once I got to work, hoping that he would email me back, somehow letting me know that he saw it, but I never got one. So I text-ed him to see what he thought, and he said "nice show." He wasn't terribly impressed that I tried to find a creative way of telling him. (Maybe that's why he doesn't understand that it's nice to do something thoughtful & romantic for your wife every once in a while...)