My Pregnancy with Sam

**I was just going through my posts and found that I had written all this out from my pregnancy with Sam, but never actually posted it... now that he's a year and a half, I'll share it with you all!**

5 weeks 2 days

February 4, 2014 - Week 6
I highly doubt it is, and really hope, that it's not the case, but I can't seem to shake the feeling that we might be having twins. I don't know why or where I got this idea. Or, why it keeps coming back as something that my mind thinks is going to happen. But, I guess we'll have a couple weeks to wait and see. Around 8-10 weeks, we'll have a dating ultrasound, and they'll be able to see how many itty-bitties are in there.

February 20, 2014 - Week 8
We had the dating ultrasound and she only saw one baby in there... But I'm still not 100% convinced. Here's hoping she's right though! I also asked where he/she was hanging out, because I'm wondering if placenta previa will be an issue again. She said he/she was hanging out kind of low in my uterus. :(

9 weeks 1 day

March 11, 2014 - Week 11
We had our first trimester screening today. The kids and I met with Joan before the ultrasound, and I told her nothing had really changed about our family history. She loves seeing the kids! All went well, though the placenta is close/partially over my cervix. Krista (yep, I got her without even asking!) said there's a better chance it will move this time. Nora & Nate sat very nicely the entire ultrasound eating their lunch. Krista even gave each of them an ultrasound picture of the baby! So sweet! :)


March 21, 2014 - Week 12
I had an appointment with the new provider today. Jennifer seemed to think that a VBA2C (vaginal birth after two cesareans) was something that the clinic wouldn't do. I told her that Dr. Mahan said with Nate, that I could likely try a VBAC again. So when I left, I made sure I could get an appointment with her next time. If she decides that I can't attempt a VBAC again, then I may switch to Dr. Hartung (though the baby would be born in Wisconsin, and that's no good!)

12 weeks 4 days

March 22, 2014 - Week 12
Someone in one of the Catholic Mom groups I'm in on Facebook posted about getting a relic from St. Gerard, who is unofficially the patron saint of mothers, pregnancy, and infertility. I had already found a prayer (below) that I have been saying everyday in hopes of the placenta moving so I can have another VBAC, but I sent a request for a relic from him that I can wear. I can't wait to get it!

O Sainted Brother Gerard, whose heart went out to the unfortunate; who relieved so many poor, healed so many sick, comforted so many afflicted; behold me worried and troubled as I kneel at thy feet. In vain to turn to men to seek consolation and help; therefore, do I have recourse to thee thou who art so powerful in heaven. Graciously assist me, Saint Gerard, that being freed from this trial or strengthened to bear it for the love of God, I may praise and thank God and serve Him with greater love and fervor. Amen.

15 weeks 2 days

April 29, 2014 - Week 18
The scripture I reflected on this morning was Psalm 5:3, "At daybreak, Lord, You her my voice; at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly." I've been saying that St. Gerard prayer every morning, in hopes that God will hear my prayer and I've been waiting and watching expectantly for His answer. I thought it was so fitting.

18 weeks 3 days

April 30, 2014 - Week 18
I finally had an appointment with Dr. Mahan. On the way in Nora said that we were going to get the baby out of my tummy. So I explained to her that after she turns 3, then the baby can come out. Dr. Mahan said what I thought she'd say about VBA2C: totally fine. She said I'd have to have continuous monitoring though (which I did last time anyway), and if anything went wrong I'd be in the OR right away. She listened to baby's heart beat (160 bpm), and Nora remembered our talk earlier about how we need to listen with our ears and tell Dada about it when he gets home from work. Nate was just perplexed by the weird noise and watched me and Dr. Mahan the entire time.

18 weeks 6 days
Dressed up for a wedding in my bridesmaid's dress
when I was 5 months pregnant with Nora

26 Weeks 3 Days

27 Weeks 1 Day
All dressed up for a cocktail party at my
friend Anna's home. 

29 Weeks 3 Days

July 23, 2014 - Week 29

All was looking good at my appointment, except that I was measuring small (just like I did with Nora), so Dr. Mahan said if I am measuring small at my next appointment that she would order an ultrasound. She also said she'd want one done anyone to check for placenta accreta.

August 7, 2014 - Week 32

I had my appointment with the nurse today. I was measuring small again, so she ordered a growth ultrasound. I'm sure we'll see in a couple weeks that it's just low fluids like with Nora. With summer pregnancies, I find it hard to keep hydrated enough. I thought I was doing better this time around, but I guess not! I was also supposed to see the lactation consultant they have on staff, but I guess the patient before me had a lot of questions. We had a play date to get to, so I said I'd just meet with her next time, but that I didn't really have any questions at this point (since this will be my 3rd baby nursing!)

37 Weeks 4 Days

First Ultrasound

Originally written June 11, 2012


We had our first ultrasound on Thursday. It was just for dating purposes, nothing is wrong this time. (With Nora I had spotting early on and they did an ultrasound to make sure everything was okay.) I remember being able to clearly see teeny tiny little Nora with the abdominal scan at 6 weeks, so I thought for sure at 8 weeks they wouldn't do an internal at all. Wrong. That was all Lacey, the ultrasound tech, did. While she was doing the ultrasound, Adam was standing with Nora in front of the screen showing her her little sibling.We could see the baby moving around his/her little arms & legs, and I said Third looked like a turtle with a big head, but Lacey said she always thought they looked like gummy bears at this point. She checked the heart rate, and it was 180 bpm, and measured the baby to be 2.23 cm long from crown to rump.

After the ultrasound we met with Aimee again. I guess the date she had originally given us lined up with the date on the ultrasound (January 11th), but it's 2 days ahead of what I calculated (January 13th). Not as close as Nora's, but not as off as Danni's. She did a pap and wrote up a request for MN Perinatal to get the first trimester screening done for us. (I guess they do them there too, but I feel more comfortable at Perinatal. I've heard too many stories about babies with severe heart defects, like Danni, not be detected on any ultrasounds. I trust Perinatal to find anything, if there is something.)

One thing I've been meaning to write about is how we're doing emotionally. With Nora, I was always worried something was wrong, or something might happen and we'd loose her. It wasn't until well into the second trimester, and after several ultrasounds where we had seen her 4-chamber-heart beating away, that I finally let myself get a little excited about having another baby. This time I haven't been nearly as worried. I think it's a combination of not really having time to think about the fact that I'm pregnant again, since I'm chasing Nora around all day, and that I know what it is like to have hope for a normal, healthy baby during a pregnancy again. At this point I can't feel the baby move or anything, so I really have no idea what's going on in there. So I'm kind of wondering that if once I start to feel the baby move, if I'll be a little more obsessive/ worried about making sure he/she is still kicking around in there.

On another note, with people having babies and being pregnant, it's so hard to talk with them about pregnancy, and not slip up that I'm preggo too! Plus, I went to lunch with one of my friends from college, Natalie, and half way through she said, "I half-expected you to tell me you were pregnant again. You know, 3rd anniversary, 3rd kid." I chuckled and said that Adam wished I was, and played it off like I wasn't.


How far along?: 9 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: Still nothing, really.

8 weeks 6 days
Sporting my new hair cut! :)

The Bump: I'm starting to feel more self-conscious about it, and with it being 90 degrees, I can't wear big bulky sweaters like I did with Nora to cover it up.

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Hopefully getting some good sleep in the second trimester, and being able to tell people. (It's getting harder to not slip up and say something about being on kid #3.)
Maternity Clothes: Still none, thankfully!
Symptoms: I wake up every night to pee. :( Then I wake up in the morning (if I actually fell back asleep) with a backache. I'm hoping this is just a first trimester thing and doesn't go on the whole nine months!
Belly Button in or out?: It's still half-out...
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really. I guess yesterday around noon I really wanted something chocolate, and found some Tagalongs in the freezer. Tasty!
What I miss: Being comfortable in bed at night & getting more restful sleep.
Milestones: This week the development of the heart is complete! Hopefully it has 4 working chambers and all the right plumbing.

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