Spring Blossoms 2013 - 10 born; 5 pink and 5 blue rainbows!!

[baileybubs]

Hey ladies, how are you all today? I have taken the day off work coz I feel crap today!! Hardly slept at all, think its the beginning of pregnancy insomnia, or just the fact that I cant get comfortable and my chest is so itchy plus my nose all blocked up!! The joys lol, but its all worth it for my rainbow!!

UK ladies - do you know anything about financial help whilst you are on maternity? I know we get child benefit which is £20 a week, but I only get SMP which is £135 a week, that means whilst on maternity I will be getting £100 less a week than I do currently, thats a lot over the month and we will struggle paying our bills (of course there are things that we are cutting back on and we are also saving whatever we can now). But I keep reading that we cant get working tax credit or child tax credit coz my normal full time wage and df's wage add up to more than £29k a year (only just!!) but surely whilst I am on SMP for 9 months my wage will be reduced so I am entitled?? Anyone got any experience or advice? Its looking like we will just have to manage somehow but would be nice to think that there is some sort of help we can get coz I dont want to be forced to return to work when my baby is only a couple of months old!

 

[rainkat]

Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well Bailey I'm with you on the insomnia. It's 5:30 am here and I think I slept a total of about 3 hours. I finally got up to give dh a break from my tossing and turning.

Otherwise I am feeling 100% better I went to a silent auction on Saturday and picked up some cloth diapers. They are adorable!! They are my first baby purchase and somehow having them in the house makes everything seem more real.

Super-excited to meet Marathongirl today
I'll be wearing a 3/4 length red jacket. 5'10', long brown hair and slightly pregnant My real name is Kat.

 

[baileybubs]

I think its really exciting that you guys are meeting!

 

[marathongirl]

Me too Rainkat.
I will have on a black bomber style jacket and black pants. I'm 5' 8 and brown long hair. I will post more later Ladies

 

[RomaTomato]

I'm jealous of your lunch at Pagliacci's! Their lasagna: nom nom nom.

 

[marathongirl]

It was great meeting Rainkat today!! Too bad we all couldn't meet sometime. Can you imagine?
Roma- congrats on becoming an onion and 17 weeks!!! Are you still using your doppler everyday?
AFM- I had some good news today. I had the triple screen blood test and nt scan and my result was negative!(meaning that I am lower risk) I only talked with the receptionist and she couldn't give me my exact risk in a number but I feel positive! the doctor will call me on Wed she said. Hope everyone had a great day

 

[rainkat]

It was great to meet you too Marathongirl. I look forward to watching our bumps grow. It would be so cool if we all could meet.

Roma I always order the same pasta dish... the Roman Holiday. Mmmm!!

Midwife appointment tomorrow at 4:30. Can't wait to have a peek at little one.

 

[Pinkorblue11]

Hope you're feeling better, Bailey.

Glad you ladies had a great meet up! I agree, all of us meeting up one day would be fun, fx!

Roma~ Yay for 17 weeks!

 

[marathongirl]

Will be thinking of you today Rainkat! So glad you are going to see the LO!

Pink- I keep meaning to ask you where you live in california? Both my kids were born in Santa Rosa and we lived in Petaluma for 4 years. I loved it down there and would move back in a second.

AFM- Still using my doppler daily. It is so reassuring I always have a huge smile on my face when I hear LO! Tomorrow morning I am going for a echocardiogram(us of the heart). I have always had a heart murmur and my maternity doctor has only heard it for the first time and wants to check it out? Apparently these tests are quite common during pregnancy so hoping all is good. I've never had any problems with my heart and have run many marathons so we shall see? Anyone know of anyone else who has had this?

 

[Pinkorblue11]

Marathon~ I live in Sacramento. Any chance of you guys coming back to California? I haven't been to either of those cities but I've heard how nice they are. My midwife lives in Petaluma and loves it.

My SIL has a heart murmur. Her doctors were pretty concerned during her first pregnancy and I do remember her mentioning being monitored but at 14 yrs old, it kind of went over my head at the time. Not sure if it was just one u/s or more but all turned out well, healthy baby girl who's now a teenager. She has a 5 year old now too and all went well during that pregnancy. Wishing you the best and thinking good thoughts for you! Keep us posted.

 

[rainkat]

Hope everyone is having a good day so far.

That was the most fun appointment I've ever had We spent about 10 minutes watching baby do gymnastics. LO was waving, opening hands and making fists, and put hands in mouth. At one point we were looking at the head, I felt a big swish and suddenly we were looking at bottom. The screen was turned for the kids to see so I didn't have a super clear view but I *think* I might have seen girl bits. Maybe it's wishful thinking.
Technology is changing so fast, I bet home ultrasounds will be next.

MG I hope your ECG went well (I'm sure it did )

 

[Pinkorblue11]

Glad you all had so much fun at your scan, Kat. Probably not too much longer, I remember seeing prototype handheld U/S devices on tv awhile back.

 

[7Eleven]

Hi everyone! :wave:

So I went in for my scan today and everything seemed to be great! I may be measuring off by 3 days? But that's nothing to worry about.... I think I can finally let out a breathe of relief and I think things will be fine from here on. I did get a scan pic but it's one of baby doing a somersault and is upside down?! If she didn't tell me that I wouldnt even know what I would be looking at. I just thought that was such an odd picture to give a parent

So looks like I am expecting another boy!! Tbh I felt disappointed at first...I feel guilty about it but now I am fine and happy as long as bubs is healthy .

 

[marathongirl]

So glad you had a great apt Rainkat and that the kids were able to see the baby!When is your 20 week scan? Did your midwife hazard to guess at the gender?

7- Congrats on a great scan and being team blue! You are the first to know and it will be interesting to see how we divide up between pink and blue! Of course we also have our team yellow!!

How is everyone else?
AFM- had my ECG today and it was harmless. I was all nervous about the procedure. I don't have any results but I' glad it's over!

 

[marathongirl]

Hey Where is everyone? It's been quiet on here the last few days.

Super happy to be an onion!!! Yay!
This weekend will be hard as it was last year at this time that I found out I had lost my LO at 12 weeks and had the Dand C the next day. Dh and I go to church on a regular basis and we will be lighting a candle for our LO this weekend.I sure hope these anniversaries get easier with time.
Hope everyone is doing well.

 

[rainkat]

Sure has been quiet.

Tomorrow was my due date for the one I lost
I am thankful that I am pregnant again. I don't know how I would manage if I didn't have this little one to focus on.

Is anyone else thinking of cloth diapering? I used disposables with my others but I might give cloth a try this time. It's so overwhelming. No idea where to start.

 

[marathongirl]

Hey Rainkat! I used cloth diapers with my first 2 and it was good. I did have a diaper service so didn't have to wash them. I also used disposables at night so they could sleep through the night! I would consider going all the way with this one and buy my own diapers? I will look into it. We could go to Mothering Touch and check it out? Hope everyone had a great weekend! Both of my kids are in hockey tournaments so I guess I know what I will be doing?
So sorry for your anniversary too. Kind of weird that we both have an anniversary this weekend? I agree thank goodness we have our little bubs to concentrate on. Big hugs xo

 

[Pinkorblue11]

Big hugs Marathon and Kat, anniversaries are hard, sending you both peaceful vibes.

Yay for team onion! Have fun at the hockey games and good luck to your kids!

I'm going to cloth diaper this time! I have friends eager to help me get the hang of it and I'm excited to do it. DH said he's claiming the diaper washing duties, no argument here.

I had a scare yesterday, a lot of pelvic pressure that wouldn't ease up with rest. I feared the worst and called the perinatologist's office and was told to come on in. My mom drove me, made sure the hospital provided a wheelchair and I got to the office. I was seen right away and almost couldn't bear looking at the screen, I was afraid to see funneling. Thankfully no funneling at all, in fact I gained some cervical length. Checked on the baby and it looked like gummybear was sucking his thumb. (just easier saying his still 100% yellow) So cervix is still closed, stitch still in its original spot and most important is no funneling. The peri said it can be normal to feel some pressure as baby gets bigger and now I have a baseline for 'normal' and anything stronger than that, I get checked out. Going back on Monday for my regular appointment and starting the first of many 17P shots. Just got my 20 week u/s scheduled today, Nov. 29th. Feeling grateful for all being okay right now and praying it continues.

Hope you all enjoy your weekends!

 

[marathongirl]

Awwwww Pink sorry you had to go through that. I'm so glad that gummy bear is good and that your cervix is also good!! Yay. This is your rainbow!! I hope everyone is having a good weekend. Taking a little break between hockey games!

 

[rainkat]

7 congrats on team blue! Boys are awesome.

Glad to hear everything is okay Pinkorblue I wish DH were that on board. He says he's going to use disposables. I'm sure once he sees how easy it is he'll come around.

Sounds like fun MG. We could check out Abbysprouts too. I haven't been there yet. I bought a groupon for Jamtots but it's way out in Langford. OT: your dh came up in conversation at my mom's birthday dinner last night. She was showing off her new shoes. Turns out she has been buying from him for years and was absolutely tickled when I told her we are bump buddies. She went on and on about what a small world it is. I think she's planning to stop by the store to congratulate him

My scan is set for Nov. 26. Apparently they don't tell you the gender but they will note it in your chart so my midwife should be able to tell me at my Dec 3 appt. I don't think she gave a concrete guess at the last appt. but she nodded when dd blurted out "It's a GIRL!" (I asked later how she knew and she said she didn't see a penis). HR was 155. All the old wives tales point to pink.

How is everyone else? Any gender guesses?