It's a Girl!

So it's been almost a month since I last updated.  Sorry!  I guess the time flies when you're having fun.  Well we have some big news.  We found out the Friday before Thanksgiving that we were having a girl!  We had the ultrasound scheduled, but did not tell any of our family because we wanted it to be a Thanksgiving surprise!  Sorry fam!  We were so excited the entire day that Friday, at least I was.  I couldn't stop thinking and wondering what it would be.  This was Austin's first ultrasound visit.  He wasn't able to be with me at my other two, so I was really excited about him seeing the ultrasound.  As expected he was "cheesing" the entire way through the visit...he couldn't stop smiling.  I know that he wanted a little boy, but I could tell that he couldn't care either way.  Austin guessed before the doctor announced the news that it was a girl, and he was right!  He was so happy...happier than I thought he'd be.  He said, "well, I guess you'll have to do the disciplining because I'm not going to know what to do with a little girl.  All I'm going to know how to do is spoil her!"  We decided that her name will be Abigail Lauren Mackens, but we will call her Abby for short.  There is no real significance in the name other than the fact that we just like it.  We did choose Lauren because it was similar to my middle name Lynn.  I guess that is the only big news to announce.  As far as myself, I'm hanging in there...getting bigger every day.  I can feel me abdomen stretching out, way past where I feel it should be.  It's amazing how the body can distort this way!  LOL.  Because of the stretching, my abdomen has been a little sore.  I've also been able to feel baby Abby move more and more frequently lately.  I have felt her move almost every day the past few days.  Some days she is more active than other.  It is hard to explain the feeling , just feels like a flutter I guess.  Those who have had babies will understand.  Those who haven't...well you will and then you will understand.  It is an amazing feeling.  I love knowing that she is alive and well in there.  

Gaining Weight

So...went to the doc Monday and was weighed at 5.5 more pounds than the time before.  Yikes! So when the doctor came in to see me, she said "so most people don't gain this much weight at this point..."  I assured her that I have been eating healthy, well -balanced meals and that I am not eating junk.  Then she goes on to say that around the holidays, like Halloween, people tend to eat more carbs in the form of candy.  Now I have witnesses (my sister being one) that can prove I did not eat hardly any Halloween candy!  So I guess I'm just one of those women who are going to gain a lot of weight when pregnant.  Average weight gain is about 5 - 10 pounds at this point and I've already gained 15!  I've started keeping a food journal to prove that I am not overeating.  I'm just going to say that I was so fit before, my body had a lot of catching up to do as far putting on weight for the baby.  :)  lol

1st Trimester from Austin's view

So Jess had wanted to get pregnant for quite a while before we finally decided to start trying.  I tried to convince her that it would be in our best financial interest to wait until I was going to graduate from medical school.  However, she was very determined to get me to see her side and it eventually worked.  We both agreed that having a baby next spring would be perfect timing for both of us.  Jess would be off for summer and able to take care of our new child and I would have finished my tough clinicals and would be able to spend more time at home.  Thus, we decided to start trying in August.  

As things turned out we got a wonderful surprise in July.  Jess called me and told me she took a pregnancy test and that it showed 2 blue lines (positive).  I told her I wanted to see one for myself before I got my hopes up and sure enough the second one was positive too.  We set up our first OB appointment and neither of us were too impressed by the physician.  We changed to Dr. Betty Jo Dulaney who has turned out to be a great OBGYN.  Jess got her first ultrasound with Dr. Dulaney and it showed our little "peanut" sitting there in her uterus.  We then got a second ultrasound at 13 weeks that showed a much more developed baby, our developed baby.  

The first few weeks went great besides a few weeks of Jess having morning sickness.  The hardest part so far is that I have to work a lot of hours.  I was in my neuro rotation when we found out but I soon transfered to OBGYN and began working much more.  Now I'm in my surgery rotation which is supposed to be the worst of them all, and it has lived up to the hype.  The only good thing about my rotations is that OBGYN helped prep me for things to come.  Plus, I plan on delivering our baby so I made sure to get plenty of practice.  I will also have a pediatrics rotation in the spring so hopefully all the long hours will pay off when our baby is born.  

So now we wait.  Wait for the 20 week ultrasound to figure out the sex of our baby.  There are many landmarks that will be coming soon and we'll try to keep everyone updated.

First Trimester

Austin and I had just discussed getting pregnant.  We both really wanted a baby although we weren't sure if it was the right time with Austin still being in medical school.  We decided that although it would be stressful, it would be one of the most wonderful things that had ever happened to us.  Then poof!  A week later we find out that we are already pregnant!  I took the test at home one Friday evening and called Austin as soon as it showed a faint plus sign.  He didn't believe me or the test, so we went back to the store that night and got a digital test that said pregnant or not pregnant...and of course it said pregnant!  It was a pleasant surprise.  I think we were both in disbelief for a few weeks.  Austin wanted to wait until after the first trimester to tell our friends and family, but I couldn't wait.  I'm too impatient.  I finally convinced Austin that we should go ahead and tell everyone when I was about 7 weeks pregnant.  I think they were as surprised as we were.

As soon as I was 6 weeks pregnant, I was having trouble fitting into my normal clothes.  I could pull my pants on, but was having trouble getting them buttoned.  I felt as though I had just had one too many servings of dinner the night before.  I had my first bout of morning sickness at about 7 weeks.  That lasted for about three days and I haven't been sick since.  At that point, the extreme tiredness had not yet kicked in.  I didn't start getting really sleepy until about 10 weeks pregnant.  I was so tired that it took me three school periods to wake up and then as soon as I got home, I went straight to the couch for a long nap.  That lasted for about 3 weeks and then suddenly went away.  At about the same time I got extremely tired, I also got extremely hungry.  I was constantly hungry and felt like I needed to eat every hour.  I couldn't get enough food!  That also faded.  Now I feel pretty normal except for the occasional heartburn.  

I had my first Dr. appointment at 8 weeks.  At this point, I had already gained 3 pounds.  Austin was able to go with me to that appointment.  There was really nothing special about that appointment except for the fact that they confirmed I was pregnant.  We were hoping that I would get an ultrasound, but I didn't.  Neither one of us were crazy about the first doctor so we switched to Dr. Dulaney after hearing others at my work sing her praises.  I went to see Dr. Dulaney when I was 10 weeks pregnant.  I'd gained another 3 pounds by this appointment! She let me hear the heartbeat and sent me to a clinic for an ultrasound.  The ultrasound was the most wonderful experience ever!  To be able to see our little creation was so magical...I only wish Austin could have been there.  My 3rd appointment was at 13 weeks.  I had put on another 4 pounds at this point.  I was gaining weight like crazy!  Austin was able to come with me to this appointment and was finally able to hear the heartbeat for himself.  We opted for the screening tests...mainly for the ultrasound...but they were not available to do and ultrasound that day.  So Austin missed out on the second ultrasound. :(  I had to go back for the ultrasound/test the next day and was able to see how much our baby had grown and also could see it kicking and moving its little feet and hands.  Of course I had a picture made so that Austin could see our little baby.

Going Blogging

Austin and I have just created our baby blog to keep you, our friends and family, up-to-date with what is going on in our lives and with the baby.  We will try to keep it updated at least once a week but we make no promises!  We love you all and stay tuned for more postings and pictures!