11 weeks

I'm 11 weeks along now and the first trimester cannot end soon enough! I know that I am just 2 weeks away from the second trimester, but it feels like forever away. My first doctor's appointment is this Friday, but it is also Nicole's 18 month checkup. We'll see how that goes. Poor Nicoley has to get shots.

My first 11 weeks have not been nearly as bad as they were with Nicole. I have been nauseated and I've thrown up, but I haven't been as down right miserable as I was with Nicole. My nose isn't nearly as sensitive as last time, my emotions are not nearly as out of control. I've only burst into tears a handful of times and that was only because I hadn't eaten. I've learned that the secret to a happy pregnancy is food. I have to eat every two hours or I feel nauseated and I get emotional. Hopefully, when I get past this first trimester I will be able to cut back on all the snacking because I don't like eating 6 times a day.

I've had the cramps like I did last time, but not nearly as bad, and I get tired, but not nearly as much as last time. Some nights I can even stay up until 11pm. Oh yeah, I'm a rebel.

I don't know if this pregnancy is so different because my body has done this once before and it knows what is going on or if I am just handling it better than last time. Or, maybe it is a boy and only girls make me super sick.

A lot of people ask me if I want a boy or a girl. I don't really know how to respond to that question. A boy would be great because then I will have one of each. But, a girl would be great because Nicole would have a sister. Is anyone really going to be upset if they don't get the gender that they want? I feel like it may be a boy because the pregnancy feels so different, but who knows. I just want a healthy baby.

I already went in for an ultrasound with Norm to see my little bean. We didn't take pics because there wasn't much to see except a little black and white blobby. But, at least it is only one little blobby. I don't think I could handle twins! Norm told me that the other day a woman came in for her 20 week ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby and they found out that she was having triplets. They didn't know that they were having multiples until halfway through the pregnancy. That would really be quite shocking.

Well, I am hanging in there and hopefully I will start feeling better soon. I want to be able to come home from work and have the energy to play with Nicoley, but perhaps I will never have that with pregnancy.

P.S. You will not be getting belly pics with this pregnancy. Get yourself accustomed with the idea right now cuz it ain't gonna happen.

Survived!

We did it! We survived a miserable weekend of the stomach flu. I got it the worst of all of us, but I too survived. The weekend consisted of resting, and trying to get my house back in order (6 loads of laundry!). Being sick for just a few days really does a number on the messiness of the house.

We even felt well enough yesterday to go and see Dad Kimball in the hospital. He is recovering nicely and may be able to leave the hospital tomorrow! He is able to walk, which really is a miracle. We are so grateful to the doctors, nurses, and surgeons who have taken such good care of Dad. It will be good to have him out of the hospital.

We also went to see little Damon Mecham yesterday. He is one rolly polly baby boy. He is so cute with a little round face, just like my Nicole was when she was born. But man is he a screamer! When he starts to get mad, he starts to snort, then he starts to scream. It was startling for me at first because Nicole never screamed like that as a baby, she barely even cried. She was more of a grunter, when she wanted something she would just start grunting. I know that I got really lucky with my first kid. But, Marie is a good mommy and is taking good care of her little one.

Matt and I are so glad that we will very soon have no one to visit in the hospital. Between Dad and two sisters having babies, there was just too much going to the hospital. Nicole is very sick of the hospital.

Hopefully, this week will be a good one. Free of sickness and hospitalization.

Stomach Flu Continued

I thought that I had dodged the stomach flu when Nicole had gone two days without throwing up and I had not yet gotten sick. I was wrong. Two nights ago while Marie was in the hospital pushing out a baby, I was at home sick, sick, sick. I had been at the hospital with Marie when I was feeling very nauseated. I thought that it was my regular pregnancy nausea, but I left the hospital and went home because I knew it would be hours before the baby came.

I'm glad I did go home because it wasn't long before I was throwing up. Side note: Uncle Darin stopped by this same night and dropped off some cookies for us because they were thinking of us. Unfortunately, I tossed my cookies. Nicole was also having a difficult night, most likely from tooth pain. So, I was awake throwing up, Nicole was awake crying, and Matt was awake trying to take care of all of us. It was a really long night! We thought that we would have to go to the emergency room because I just couldn't stop vomiting (like every 20 minutes) and we were concerned that I would be too dehydrated and risk the baby. But, I made it through the night thankfully.

I called the doctor yesterday morning and got an anti nausea medication so that I could keep fluids down and rehydrate myself. It worked, thankfully! I was able to keep fluids down and didn't need to go to the hospital to get an IV. Apparently, it is very dangerous to get dehydrated when you are pregnant.

I felt really crappy all day yesterday and Nicole was a cry face all day and Matt was a trooper through it all. He even snuck out during Nicole's nap to go to the hospital to see his mom and dad. He just takes care of everyone, me, Nicole, Momma Kimball, Dad Kimball. I don't know how he does it.

I got a good nights sleep last night and I am finally feeling a little more normal today. I have more energy and I no longer have the horrible nausea, just regular first trimester nausea.

Hopefully, I will feel well enough tomorrow to finally go and see my new nephew!\

UPDATE: Matt came home from school and he has it now too. It got all three of us. Dangit.

Dad Kimball Update

Dad Kimball went in for surgery yesterday to fuse four vertebrae in his spine to make room for his tumors to grow. The surgery went as well as could be expected. He is out and breathing on his own (which was a big concern) and he is currently in the ICU. They are going to keep him there and monitor him closely for blood clots.

We will know if the surgery was a success when they can finally take Dad off the heavy morphine. The pain he was feeling should have subsided. He should only feel surgical pain now. And, we are all anxious to know if Dad will be able to walk again, but we won't know until he is recovered enough to get on his feet.

Hopefully, he will be out of the hospital in a week or so.

In other news, Anne Aguilera (Matt's sister) had her baby yesterday. Dad Kimball was able to be wheeled over to the maternity wing to see the baby before his surgery. Matt and I now have two people to visit at Utah Valley. As if our days and nights weren't already full of being at the hospital.

Stomach Flu

There is nothing worse or more sad than a kid with the stomach flu. Nicole threw up in her bed yesterday morning and I had hoped that it was just tooth pain causing her to throw up. Then, I found out that an event that Nicole and I attended over the weekend contained stomach flu contaminated people and I began to fear.

When I got home from work yesterday Nicole was really sad and lethargic. I tried to give her a bottle, but she only drank an ounce before she got up and went to the corner of the room to throw up. Poor little one! She turned around and looked at me like she didn't know what had just happened and then started to cry. She walked over to me and a gave her a hug and she threw up on me. So it goes being a mom. She threw up a few more times and I was all alone with her while Matt had to go to school. I'm just glad that she wasn't as sick while Matt was caring for her during the day.

I had one sad little girl all night. Comforted only by Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (how tired of that show I am!). Matt got home around 10pm as he had gone back to the hospital after class. I was already half asleep with Nicole watching cartoons in our bed. He took her downstairs so that I could get some sleep as I had to get up early for work today. Poor little Nicoley did not fall asleep until after midnight (stomach flu is the worst).

I woke up early and was trying my darndest to not wake Nicole, but just as I was about to sneak out the door at 6:30, she woke up. Matt took her for more cartoon watching, but I feel bad for him as he did not get much sleep last night. Matt is certainly a trooper.

Hopefully, she will start to feel better today. It would be nice if this is just a 24 hour things. I hope that I am not getting it. I'm nauseated this morning, but maybe it is just morning sickness.

Dad Kimball's surgery is today. I will post when we know how it went.

Date Night at the Hospital

Matt and I don't get a lot of time together recently while I am working during the day and he is going to school at night, so we decided to move Family Night to Sundays and Date Night to Mondays (one of our only nights together). Last night was suppose to be our first big outing, but with Dad Kimball in the hospital we thought that we would make our date night a trip to the hospital to see Dad.

Marie graciously watched Nicole for us in her very pregnant state. I think that she has more endurance, patience and tolerance in her last weeks of pregnancy than I did in my whole pregnancy with Nicole. She is quite the trooper, it is like she is already a mommy. Luckily, Nicole was on good behavior while we were gone.

So, for our date, we went to Quizznos because I have been craving their Classic Italian sandwich, then we headed over to Utah Valley to see Dad. Matt had been there earlier in the day with Nicole, but I hadn't seen Dad since they took him off in the ambulance on Sunday. He is looking a lot better than he was, this may be due to the fact that they have him on morphine for the pain, but it was nice to see some color returning to his face.

Dad is going to be in the hospital for another few days. He goes into surgery tomorrow afternoon. The doctors are not going to remove the new tumors, they are going to fuse four of his vertebrae in his back together to make more room for the tumor to grow. This should alleviate a lot of the pain he is feeling and will hopefully allow him to walk again. He will lose some range of motion in his back, but that is a fair trade for use of your legs. After the surgery, he should be good to return home once he has recovered.

So, we sat and chatted with Mom and Dad Kimball for about an hour and watched Dad eat his dinner (someone may have stolen his unwanted/delicious shortbread cookies). Hospital food definitely looks like it has improved since I had Nicole a year and a half ago. I remember sending Matt down to the cafeteria to get me real food because I did not care for the hospital food.

After our hospital visit it was back to Marie's to get Nicole. She was happy and fine and ready to go home. It was a good first date night, even if it was a trip to the hospital. As much as I miss my Nicoley during the day, I feel it is still important to have quality time with my husband. Hopefully, our date nights will be able to continue.

Dad Kimball Update

Some of you know that Dad Kimball has lung cancer. Mom and Dad Kimball moved out here to Utah a couple of weeks ago to be with their family at the end of Dad's cancer battle. Dad has been fighting cancer for 8 years now. Many of his treatments have worked wonderfully and given us more time with him.

Yesterday Dad started having pain in his hips and couldn't walk. Last night he was taken to Timpanogos because the pain got so bad. An MRI revealed that the tumors in his lungs have spread to his pelvis and back. The doctors are coordinating with Huntsman Cancer Center and we don't know what the next step is yet. Please keep Dad Kimball in your prayers.

Update: Dad Kimball is being transferred to Utah Valley today and will be going in for a surgery on his back to relieve the pressure that the tumors are causing. This will ease a lot of his pain and hopefully allow him to walk again.

Knocking Hats Off

Ever have one of those days where you don't like people? Today is one of those days. I don't like people. People are mean, people are stupid, and people are ignorant. People should just leave me alone today. Maybe tomorrow People will be more tolerable, but today I just want to knock their hats off!

My Days Without Nicole

I hate the days that I have to drop my Nicole off at a sitter's house while I go off to work. Most days, Matt is home with Nicole and it is not difficult to go off to work because she is sleeping when I leave. But, some days Matt has a day where he goes up to Salt Lake to work and we have to find someone to watch Nicole. Yesterday was one of those days.

Momma Kimball was kind enough to watch Nicole for us yesterday. I dropped her off early on my way to work. She cried when I set her down in the house, she just wanted me to hold her and I just wanted to hold her, but I got her distracted and went off to work. I know that it is probably harder on me then it is on her when I leave because I get that heart wrenching feeling in my chest because I know that I will miss her so much. Luckily, she was a good little girl for her grandma and didn't cry too much.

I'm always glad to hear when she does well with the sitter, but then at the same time I feel sad when I'm told the stories of all the things she did that day and I just think that I missed it. I missed Nicoley playing in the yard with the hose and loving it. I missed her chasing the ducks at the park. I just miss my little girl.

Mondays are more difficult than other days because I've had the whole weekend with her and then I have to leave her again. Then, to have to leave her with someone who is not me and Matt is even more difficult. I just love my little one so much. I didn't know that I would love her this much back when I was pregnant with her. I was convinced that my baby hated me and that was why she was making me sick. But, despite the not fun-ness of pregnancy, she was all worth it. Just as this baby will be, I am sure.

A Sick Weekend

Long weekend Yay! Or so I thought. Matt and I woke up with colds this weekend and I spent the weekend feeling less than good. Sick and pregnant is pretty much the worst. I'm still feeling crummy today, but I still have to go to work. That is what I get for being the income for my household. Matt used to go to work sick all the time and I thought he was crazy. I still think that actually. I wish I was home in bed. Alas that I have not yet accrued any sick days. Someday maybe, someday.

Last Friday was date night with the sisters. Marie, Sarah, Myself, and Krista took our guys out on a date. We went to Olive Garden for dinner. I brought Nicoley O with me because I had missed her all day and didn't want to be away from her for the night two. It was fun to have a night out, but I was nauseated the whole time and did not get to enjoy my dinner very much. Everyone was suppose to head over to the dollar theater to watch Eclipse, but I opted out because I was just feeling crummy. No point in going to a movie just to feel miserable the whole time. I would rather go and relax. So, we headed over to Mom and Dad Kimball's and hung out with them for a little while.

Saturday was Kristy's bridal shower. I wish that I had been more help for the shower, but I have been working and sick, so I really just brought the drinks. Anne and Momma Kimball did a great job! The food was brunchy and delicious. Kristi got some good kitchen gifts and seemed to have a good time.

After the shower, I raced up to Saratoga Springs for Jakers' baptism. I can't believe my nieces and nephews are getting so old! The baptism was good, but it was crowded! There were like 15 kids getting baptised that day and it was a game of rotating rooms the whole time. One room was too crowded and super hot and not fun.

I came home after the baptism to my daughter and wonderful husband. I love spending time with them more than anyone else! Matt, being the kind husband that he is bought me a mattress pad in hopes that it would help me sleep at night. It is this gel like pad that is super soft. But, after sleeping on it for a night and a half, I was done. That thing hurt my back like nothing else! Halfway through the second night, I was in so much pain I just left the bed and went downstairs to sleep on the love sac. It was a sweet thought, but that thing is going back to the store.

Sunday was a relaxy day, mostly because both Matt and I are sick. Then, on Monday, we traveled up to Riverton to go to their Walmart. They were the closest Walmart with a particular item that Matt wanted to finally get us the internet. The days of mooching off our neighbors wireless are over, we finally have our own internet!

We stopped at Ikea on our way back because I had never been there before. It was interesting how you are forced to walk along a path and they purposefully make you lost in that store. Nicole was good the whole time, which is really what matters most. One thing I have discovered about Ikea, all the furniture is made for small people. The couches, tables, chairs, everything is really short and small. I felt like a giant in a store for midgets.

Later in the day, we headed over to Marie's so that I could take some preggo pics of her. I am really not a photographer and don't know how to pose people. I hope that some of the pics turn out for her. We had to leave as soon as the picture taking was done because I felt terrible with allergies and being sick. I feel like my allergies are worse everytime I go over to Marie's house. I am not a fan of cats, but Nicole loves to got over to Mee Mee's and chase the cats.

I'm at work today and feeling crummy, but at least it is a short week.

Happy and Sick!

Matt and I are happy to announce that we are going to be adding to our family! Baby number two is due to arrive in April of next year. We are both really happy!

I am, of course, sick and feel pretty crappy, but I would say that I feel a little bit better than when I was pregnant with Nicole. I am 7.5 weeks along, so it is still all very new. I have quite a while before I begin to feel better.

Matt and I feel very blessed to have both a job and a baby coming. Things definitely are looking better for us.