Baby Evangeline

Welcome Evangeline!

Wow! I’m excited to introduce our daughter, Evangeline Grace! She was born Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 12:24 AM. She is a darling and has us both wrapped around her finger!

On November 30 I went to the doctor for my non-stress test and another ultrasound. The non-stress test went great, but on the ultrasound it showed that my amniotic fluid was low and there was some fluid around Evie’s heart. The doctor decided that I needed to be induced the next day to play it safe. We were so excited to know that our baby was coming!

We had to call December 1 in the morning to see if there was a bed and we were told to be there at 7:00 am. When we got there the nurse told us to expect labor to last 12-14 hours. She was right because my labor was 14 hours long. Unfortunately, when I arrived, my blood pressure was very high and the nurse told me that because of the induction, I wouldn’t be able to do the whirlpool bath or use a birthing ball. I had to stay in bed except to use the restroom. They began pitocin and tried to break my water, but couldn’t get the water to break at 9:00 in the morning. Later in the morning, my blood pressure continued to be high. I spent the whole day lying on my left side for an hour and then on my right side for an hour. We watched Sean of the Dead while I waited for labor to start. My labor pains progressed quickly from minor (a level 4) to more pain (an 8). I tried breathing through contractions, picturing relaxing places, holding Ed’s hand, and listening to relaxing music. Nothing really helped. I was disappointed that I had to lie in one place when I was in pain. When I reached an 8 in pain level, I decided to get an epidural. At the same time, they started me on magnesium for my blood pressure. The magnesium made me feel hot and drunk! The epidural was amazing. I couldn’t believe how quickly I started to feel better. I did get sick to my stomach several times while in labor, but for the most part, I felt so much better! I hardly even noticed contractions. In the early afternoon, the nurse said she was worried because the baby’s heartbeat was dropping with each contraction. She started preparing us for a c-section. She got the doctor and they decided to wait and watch for a while. They had me try some different positions to try to get the baby to move. After another hour or so, the baby’s heartbeat was steadier so she must have moved down further. I came in dilated at a 1 and that moved slowly. I tried to rest and nap, but didn’t have much luck. I was just happy to have less pain! The nurse that was on duty until 11 at night thought she would be there when the baby was born, but she got off early. It turns out we still didn’t have the baby by 11. Around 9:00, I started to feel pain again, which is a sign that we were getting close to time to push. The nurse checked me and I was fully dilated, but the baby was still not far enough down so we decided to labor down for a while and relax to see if the baby would move down with contractions. We kept getting phone calls and texts because the labor was lasting quite a while. I finally told Ed to turn phones off so we could focus on having the baby. At 10:00 pm it was finally time to push! I couldn’t wait. We began pushing with Ed holding one leg and the nurse held the other. After an hour the baby hadn’t moved down much so the doctor came in and moved her head so she could move down further. This seemed to work and Dr. Fahnlander left while we continued pushing. The whole time the nurse and doctor kept saying “she” when they talked about the baby. They could see the baby’s head and thought there might be some red hair! Ed even got to look! I continued pushing without much luck and was getting pretty tired, but I kept trying to push hard so I wouldn’t have a c-section. At midnight the baby still wasn’t moving so the nurse left to get the doctor. I had a feeling they were talking about having a c-section. Dr. Fahnlander came back in. They realized that my water had broken some time during the evening and saw that there was some meconium in the water. We knew that the baby would be taken away before I could hold her so that added to my worries. Dr. Fahnlander moved the baby’s head and suddenly she started moving. I even got to feel her head as she was coming out! The baby was out in a few minutes! Finally! They weren’t even ready for her to come that quickly! They put her on my stomach for a minute and then Ed cut her cord. They said they were going to see if they were right. They were! It was a girl! Evangeline was finally here. She weighed 5 pounds 12 ounces and was 19 inches long. A skinny little girl! I got to see her after they cleaned her off, but I didn’t get to hold her until we got to my room. Our nurses were wonderful and helped us take great care of Evie. Evie was born ready to nurse and I had no problems feeding her. The cardiologist took a look at the fluid around her heart and decided we needed to come back in to have it checked in 6-8 weeks. We had a good stay at the hospital, but we were ready to head home!

Our first night at home was quite a wake-up call after having Evangeline sleep in the nursery at night at the hospital. I don’t think she slept at all that night and neither did we! I was pretty worried about that, but she quickly began sleeping better at night. I usually am up until midnight and then she will sleep until I wake her up at 3:30 to eat. I am hoping that I will get the okay to stop waking her up to eat in the middle of the night. We visited the doctor on the Monday she came home and she seemed to be doing well. However, they found some canker sores in her throat that they were worried about being cold sores. Luckily, we watched her carefully and it turned out to be nothing! That first week she was back up to her birth weight and then lost an ounce. We have been in the doctor’s office almost weekly watching her weight. She was gaining at a rate of 3 ounces a week instead of the desired 7 ounces so we have started to supplement breastfeeding with formula every other time I feed her. She went from 6 pounds 2 ounces to 6 pounds 10 ounces in 6 days! We will be back at the doctor’s office this week to check her weight. I am hoping to be well over 7 pounds by then. She seems heavier and her cheeks are a little chubbier!

I was so lucky to have my mom come and stay with me for a week and a half after Ed went back to work. She was a life saver! I cannot thank her enough for her help. I felt much more prepared by the time she went back home. Around the third week we realized that Evie was a fussy baby! She cried often for up to an hour and a half even though nothing seemed wrong with her. I knew this was common and wasn’t too concerned, but it made it a little harder getting started. Especially because I am not getting as much sleep as I would like. I felt kind of guilty admitting that she is so fussy, but we love her and still think she’s great. We are starting to figure her out and get on a schedule. She still has fussy times, but we know that swaddling her really helps. She likes us to walk her around or be in the swing. She also falls asleep to the sound of the vacuum or static on the radio. I say whatever works in order to get some rest. I have heard that babies usually start to get less fussy by 3 months so we will see!

We had a wonderful Christmas with our families and spent a quiet New Year’s Eve at home. Evie, of course, got tons of Christmas presents. I loved spending Christmas with Ed and Evie. I can’t wait until she starts opening presents! We really want Christmas to be special for her!

Things have been going very well lately. Ed and I even got to have some time together. We went to the movie True Grit and enjoyed the time, but I missed my little girl a lot. This week she will be six weeks old and I will be heading back to work next week. I am not ready to go back, but I also think that I will be ready for a routine. I am sure I will be looking forward to spring break so I can spend my time with her!

We got to see her first smiles while she was awake yesterday! What a wonderful thing! She was sitting in her swing smiling away and then she spit up. I wonder if it really was a smile! She smiled again today and I even got a picture of her smiling. Well, it’s time for me to wrap it up! Hugs to all!

39 Weeks

Well, the end is in sight now! I am getting very anxious and excited to meet our baby! I have been trying to relax, but that isn’t really my strong suit. I keep having one or two contractions and then they stop. I think the baby likes to play tricks on me.

I had another appointment today at the doctor’s office. We had an ultrasound first to make sure the baby wasn’t too big. It turns out the suspected large baby is actually on the small side. At the ultrasound the baby weighed 6 pounds 13 ounces. That is slightly under what an average baby is. That makes me think we might have a little while still. The doctor said the baby usually gains about an ounce a day so another week would put the baby right on target.

They measured the body parts and everything looked fine. The heartbeat was at 140. We got to see the profile of the baby’s face, which is way down in my pelvis now. While we were watching, the baby was sucking on his/her hand. We might not need those pacifiers after all! I used to suck my thumb so maybe the baby is taking after me! Unfortunately, because the baby was so far down, we couldn’t tell whether there was hair on the head or not. The baby is still in the right position. We still don’t know the gender, which makes me even more excited to finally see this baby! I feel relieved to know the baby isn’t too big…easier on me.

Next, we had a doctor’s appointment. We had a really friendly doctor today. He said he agreed about the baby’s size being a little small, but didn’t seem concerned. I am dilated 1 centimeter and 60% effaced, so progress is being made. When I asked about how far past my due date they let people go, it sounded like it wouldn’t be much more than a week. If Baby Bittner doesn’t show up by next Tuesday, I will have another appointment. They will check the amniotic fluid, do a non-stress test, and we may discuss induction by the end of the week. So, the good news for the crazy, antsy mommy is that I should be meeting my little one in less than 2 weeks! I can hardly wait to start being a mommy. Ed is equally excited and loved seeing the ultrasound today. We hope we have news soon. Hugs to all!

37 Weeks

Wow! Baby Bittner is officially full term now! We are getting so excited! We have been pretty busy, but things are slowing down now. We had a great time going to the Iowa game a week ago. They won by a lot so that made it even more fun! We got to visit with my former roommate, Amy, and her family so that was fun. Tailgating is just slightly different when pregnant, but still fun! This weekend I spent resting because I have had a cold that won’t go away. I am amazed at how much more a cold affects me when I am pregnant, but I haven’t had too many issues with pregnancy so I still can’t complain too much! I also got a head start on some Christmas shopping. You know me…always planning ahead!

I am going to weekly doctor’s appointments now. Last week there wasn’t much to report. The baby’s heartbeat was jumping from 130’s to 140’s. I wasn’t really dilated yet. This week the doctor checked the position of the baby. Good news! The baby’s bottom is sticking out of my upper stomach and the head is down where it should be. Exactly what we want, so that was a great relief. He said that’s why I am feeling all that pressure down low and on the bladder. He told me that being on my feet at work is good for getting the baby to come and that I should walk as much as I can. I am dilated about a centimeter or 2 and the cervix is softening. All signs that baby will be showing up soon. The baby’s heartbeat was a little lower and the doctor said it sounds like a boy today. I told him that was what we were predicting and he told me to make sure we have a girl name picked out just in case. He also asked how big I was when I was born. I weighed 7 pounds and 7 ounces and he told Baby Bittner not to get bigger than that. The doctor told me that if I don’t deliver by the 39 weeks I need to have an ultrasound to find out how big Baby is getting. I keep telling Baby B. to come any time now! I am ready! I think Ed would rather wait a few more weeks and enjoy some peace and quiet. I look forward to my next appointment on Wednesday next week. I hope to have news to report soon!

35 Weeks

I’m definitely counting down now! It’s hard not to rush it! 5 weeks to go…I hope. I’m trying not to get too caught up on my due date because chances are it will be later than that. We finished up our prenatal classes and I really enjoyed them. Not that I will remember a darn thing once labor starts:) I think the baby has dropped or is in the process of dropping. My belly button seems to have moved down along with the rest of my tummy. I’m still sleeping about the same, but I get up several times in the night. I feel like I am constantly in need of potty breaks now! I have a picture that shows how my belly has gotten bigger and lower. At our prenatal class they say it’s usually 2-3 weeks before delivery that the baby drops so that’s freaking me out! The baby is still kicking up a storm and letting me know he/she is in there! My doctor’s appointments continue to be quick, but everything has been fine. Starting with the next appointment I will be going weekly. I am interested to find out what position the baby is in.

I’ve been pretty sure that we will have a boy, but I have had several dreams about having a girl so now I really don’t know what to expect. The baby’s room is done. I have a picture to show you the crib. My mom is planning to do some paintings in the room once we know if it’s a boy or girl. For now, we are leaving the spare bed in the room for guests to stay in, but as soon as baby starts collecting more stuff, it will have to move. The crib is put together, I’ve done all the laundry, and I have sterilized the pacifiers and bottles. Yes, I know, I’m a little crazy! I am a little too prepared. Now I have to occupy myself until Baby comes, but I am hoping to read a few good books while I wait.

We got some pictures taken last weekend of my pregnant belly. They turned out really great! Last night, Ed and I had a little date night. We went to dinner and a movie. I have decided that I probably won’t be going to any more movies unless I just have to see it in the theater because it wasn’t a very comfortable experience, especially with baby bumping into my bladder every so often. Next weekend we are going to the Iowa vs. Michigan State football game in Iowa City. I am really hoping the weather holds out and baby decides to wait until after that to come, but I will probably pack all the hospital bags in the car just to be safe! After that, we will probably be laying low for the month of November. I can’t wait to meet Baby Bittner and finally put a first name to our little one!

33 Weeks

32 weeks
I think Ed and I have been busier in the last few weeks than we ever were before! Things have been going well, and I am still feeling pretty good. I am getting pretty big, though! We have 7 weeks until my due date and I have a feeling it’s going to fly by!

We went to Kansas City a few weeks ago to visit Dad and Diana and to go to the Kansas City vs. San Francisco game. Ed was pretty disappointed that the 49ers lost, but we still had a good time. There are a few pictures from the trip. The baby has been moving so much and seems to respond to Ed’s voice. He or she moves a lot when Ed talks to my belly. One time, Ed put his head on my tummy and the baby kicked him immediately. It was so funny! We are looking forward to another trip to watch football in a few weeks. We are going to the Iowa vs. Michigan State game. I hope the weather is nice!

I am starting to feel less and less energetic. Sleeping is interesting! I usually wake up in the middle of the night and then the baby will kick and keep me up. The funny thing is that I can be so tired, but not able to sleep. I guess this is good practice for me! I went to the doctor last week and everything continues to go well. The baby’s heartbeat has been in the 140’s the last few times. I’m not sure what that means! They said they will start checking the baby’s position in the last month. I keep trying to guess what body part is sticking out or hitting me, but I doubt I am right!
This past weekend, we had our first baby shower in Waterloo. All of my family was invited to the shower. It was great to see everyone and so fun to open all the gifts! I have a few pictures from the shower, too. I am so excited to get the gifts put away and get our crib together! I can’t get over how close we are! I got lots of nice blankets and baby clothes at the shower so I will be excited to do some laundry (It’s not often that I’m excited about laundry)! It gives me something to occupy myself in the evenings. I also have tons of thank you notes to write.

Well, I will try to update again soon! Take care!

30 Weeks Along

We have 10 weeks until my due date! Although, most people deliver in the week after their due date so I am trying not to get too excited. There has been lots going on around the Bittner house over the last few weeks and we have more to come before the baby arrives. I am now going to doctor every 2 weeks so I have had two appointments since my last blog. At our last appointment I had my glucose check and iron check. Everything was fine. I don’t have diabetes, but I have gained more weight than I’d like to admit! I hate the scale about now! At my last appointment, the doctor guessed that I having a boy because the heartbeat was around 130. At my appointment today, it was up around 140, so who knows. Everything has been going very well and I am still feeling great! My belly has really grown and changed shape over the last week or so.

A few weeks ago we had friends over to watch the Iowa vs. Iowa State game. It was fun together, but the game turned out to be quite a blow out. That same night Ed, our friend Matt, and I went to see Hayes Carll in concert. It was just a little bar, but the show was great. The baby liked the music and seemed to be kicking a lot. I haven’t really had to worry too much about feeling the baby moving because he/she seems to move all day and all night. When I was singing songs at school the baby moved a lot, too.

This weekend we are really excited to take a trip down to Kansas City to visit Dad and Diana and to watch the Chiefs vs. 49ers game. Go Niners! I really hope they win! I think we have been on the go more now that I am pregnant than before! We are also planning to go to Iowa City for a football game late in October…if I am still up for it. I really hope I’m up for it because I love being at the games. I even have my future Hawkeye maternity shirt to wear to the game! We also have our first baby shower in a few weeks. That will be so much fun! I can’t wait to bring home things for the baby. It will probably get me more anxious for baby to come! We also installed a car seat in Ed’s car and got it inspected so that is one less thing to worry about later on. I know Ed laughs at all the things I do really early, but I am hoping to avoid too much panic in the final weeks!
We started our childbirth classes this week. We have 1 a week for the next five weeks. I really enjoyed the first class and our instructor puts a lot of humor into everything. I am hoping to set my mind at ease and get us both more informed about the actual childbirth. I have been trying to avoid the subject up until now. 10 weeks seems like it’s still a ways off, but then I remember that I’ve been pregnant for 30 weeks. I am really happy to be so close to being a mom! It’s getting harder and harder for me to go to work because I think my body is preparing me for mommy mode. I really can’t get over how amazing this whole experience has been so far. I end almost every night by peeking into the baby’s room and thinking about how a baby will be in there very soon. I hope all is well with everyone! Take care!

27 weeks

This is the last week of my second trimester! Every day it feels more real for Ed and me. Ed has gotten to feel the baby kicking more now. I swear the baby doesn’t sleep because I feel kicks all day long! I don’t feel the kicks as much at work, but that is probably because I am busy and don’t notice it as much. It is so exciting to be getting this close.

I am starting to feel the effects of being pregnant more now. I started back to work last week and had students on Thursday and Friday. I’ve been feeling tired, but I didn’t realize that it would be harder to teach while pregnant. Physically, I am feeling pretty good. I was really happy to see I still had ankles at the end of the day! I haven’t been swelling yet, but it’s still early. However, I have noticed that I am not as patient now, and I am definitely more emotional. Note the hour long crying session after the second day with students…I have never done that before! I think I am going to have a very interesting class this year, but of course, I will whip them into shape! Hahaha! I am finishing up about 2 more weeks of teaching online and then I will be taking a break until at least February. I am not sure I will want to give up my time with Baby to teach online, but we will see.

Sleeping is really starting to change for me now. First of all, we had to buy a step ladder to make it easier for me to get in and out of our tall bed! The baby loves to kick all night long, especially on the side I am laying on. I also wake up quite a bit from being uncomfortable, but it’s all worth it!

We are excited about football season…especially Ed! We are going to Kansas City at the end of September to watch the Chiefs and 49ers play. Go niners! I even got a maternity 49ers t-shirt to wear to the game. I am hoping for nice weather! My dad, stepbrother, and his girlfriend are going to the game, too. It should be a good time. I’ve never been to Arrowhead Stadium. We will also be watching the Iowa Hawkeye games each Saturday, but I am not sure we will get to go to a game this year.

As usual, I am ahead of the game. I have our hospital bags sitting out with many items ready to be packed! I bought a robe and comfy PJ’s for the hospital and for home. My family and friends have started talking about showers, which gets me even more excited for baby to come! We went to another baby class last week where parents brought in their 2 month-6 month old babies. They talked about the hospital, the birth, and adjusting at home. Although I am nervous about the lack of sleep, the babies were too cute to worry too much! I think they are born adorable to make up for the sleepless nights and crying!

Well, I hope everyone is doing well! Ed and I are excited and doing great. I hope to see or talk to you all very soon! Hugs and Kisses!

23 Weeks

I apologize for how long it’s been since my last update. It seems like we have had a lot going on lately. I am now 23 weeks along and I am feeling the baby move so much. You can’t really feel it from the outside, but he/she is very active! We had another doctor’s appointment this week and everything continues to go well. The baby’s heartbeat was 148 this time. I try not to look at the scale, but judging by my belly, the number is going up quite a bit!

We finally found an in-home daycare provider that we really like. She is right in our neighborhood so that really helps! I hope we continue to like her as we go along. Though I know it will be hard to leave Baby Bittner no matter where it is! We’ve also gone to a couple of baby classes lately. They have been very informative. We start our birth class next month, and I can’t wait!

The baby’s room is painted and coming together well. We also got our stroller and carseat so I would stop worrying about having them. I can’t believe a baby will be in them soon. I know I am ahead of the game, but that’s the kind of person I am!

We just got back from a little babymoon in Estes Park, Colorado. It will probably be our last trip without baby! We had a great time. It so majestic to see these huge mountains and drive through them. We took many pictures while we were there. Ed did a little hiking, but I refrained because it didn’t take much for me to start huffing and puffing. The only thing I have to complain about were the constant potty breaks for me. I think Ed would agree! We saw some wildlife while in the national park so that was wonderful. We saw marmots, chipmunks, elk, and moose. We didn’t see any black bears or mountain lions, but that is probably a good thing! I have included some pictures from our trip, but a picture can’t hold a candle to the real thing!

It’s August so summer is coming to a close! I am spending the next 2 weeks getting my classroom ready and preparing materials for the online course I am teaching. I wasn’t going to teach another one, but the money is hard to pass up. After this one, I will be taking a break until February or March. Luckily the online school is letting me take that time off. I went to school for a little while today and got to see some coworkers. Of course, I got to show off my baby bump! It’s hard to think about school when I really just want to relax, but that is life!

Well, everything has been going great, and I feel so blessed to have such supportive family and friends helping me out! Ed is also very helpful and loving. He talks to the baby quite a bit, too! Baby will know our voices for sure! We hope to see you all soon!

19 Weeks

Week 19
I’m almost halfway! It is going so fast. We had the ultrasound and doctor’s appointment today. I have been cleared to go to Colorado! Hurray! I was kind of worried about that! The ultrasound was amazing! I have posted the pictures. Our baby was moving around and you could just see baby’s legs kicking! It was being kind of stubborn about showing the heart so I said we’re going to have a stubborn baby…hope I am wrong!

All the measurements for the baby were great and right on track with my November 28 due date! Our next appointment will be just a quick checkup and the one after that is the glucose test. I’m not super excited about that one! It was so amazing to see the baby and know that he/she is really growing in there. Baby Bittner is weighing in at a whopping 8 ounces. Somehow I lost weight at this appointment. I think it’s because I haven’t been working out so all my muscle is gone! I need to work on that!

The weather was great last week so I was able to make it to the pool. I also got lots of new summer maternity clothes to accommodate the growing belly. I posted a new belly picture, too. Ed and I haven’t been too busy the last couple of weekends. We did have fire in our firepit over the weekend, but that’s about it. I’m excited to say that we are done registering for baby items. It was fun to do, and I couldn’t believe how many options there are out there!

I am getting anxious to get the baby’s room painted so I can get started arranging things and organizing. It’s the planner in me or the nesting instinct! I picked out the color I want so now it’s just buying the paint and someone doing it. Darn…I can’t do it! We started buying diapers so that we can take some of the financial strain off for later. We continue to look for a daycare provider for Baby. I know there is someone out there that we will love…and afford. I have to be more patient.

Best Wishes,
Heather and Ed

17 Weeks

It has been so nice having summer vacation. I am getting a lot done around the house. I am still teaching one class online until the middle of July, but that will be my last online class until after Baby comes.

Last week was my first full week off work, and I definitely took advantage of the free time. I cleaned and organized the baby’s room. I had been using the room as my own personal closet, but now it’s empty and ready for all our baby purchases. We bought a new mattress and boxspring for us and put the old one in the baby’s room for guests. We also bought a changing table/dresser for the baby! That was really exciting! We (well I can’t) just need to get the room painted so we can get the crib and guest bed set up.
I have also been trying to get the house organized now before the baby comes. I went through all our pictures and organized them. I also have lots to take to Goodwill.

I also went to work last week to organize some closets. I don’t think I will go back until August. We had a pretty nice day last Thursday so I got to go to the pool. It was my first time wearing the maternity swimsuit! I included a new belly picture above. I am not sure it has grown too much since the last picture.

Friday was Ed’s birthday so we went out to eat and went to a movie. I am trying to get to the movies a few times this summer because pretty soon it will be hard to make it through a whole movie and we won’t be able to go too much after baby comes.

Saturday was a very fun day. We went to my grandpa’s 80th birthday party and my cousin Rachael’s graduation party. I have included a few pictures from the party above. Most of my mom’s family was home so it was great to visit. After we got back from the party I headed off to my friend Amy’s bachelorette party. We had dinner and did some bar hopping. It was lots of fun, and amazingly, I made it up until 2:00 am. I can’t believe it!

I went back up to Waterloo to visit mom yesterday. It is really nice to visit with her and all the family. We officially started our baby registry at Target today, and Ed and I are planning to go to Babies R Us so we have a variety. There was a lot to think about, but it was also very exciting. I broke down and bought the cutest Pink Floyd t-shirt for baby because Ed likes Pink Floyd.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! I am looking forward to visiting with friends and doing some shopping next week. We hope to take a quick trip to Omaha for a weekend and maybe a longer trip somewhere before summer ends. Ed has been such a big help to me, and I really appreciate and love him dearly! It was fun to give him his first Father’s Day card. Take care!

15 weeks

We had our second doctor’s appointment this week. It was a pretty quick appointment. We listened to the heartbeat. The baby’s heartbeat is perfect and everything is good with me. We asked a few questions and the appointment was over. We will get an ultrasound at our next appointment in four weeks.
Summer has officially started for me. I think I will be busy getting the baby’s room ready. I also want to get registered sometime over the summer. I am really looking forward to relaxing, enjoying pregnancy, and reading lots of books while I have the chance!

Mom came to visit me last weekend. We went out for Chinese and then shopped a little. We ended up coming home with a Pack and Play! I know it’s early, but I am a planner. I can’t help but be prepared! We also were gifted with a toy box from a friend at work.

My tummy continues to grow. It has really popped out over the last couple of weeks. I think I may officially look pregnant instead of chubby. I have yet to find a swimsuit to wear this summer so that’s frustrating. Otherwise, things are going well. I am still pretty tired, but now I can rest when I want to. I am hoping to start feeling some movement, but so far, I haven’t. I know that will be so exciting! Ed has been really good and helpful. I know I haven’t been helping much around home. I told him that he will need to start talking to my belly because next week the baby’s ears form. Maybe that will get the baby moving!

I guess that’s about all that is new with us. I hope I will see you all this summer. XOXOXO

13 Weeks

The first trimester is over! It goes so fast! I am really starting to feel pregnant now, especially since I am wearing maternity pants now. My stomach still looks more like a gut than a pregnant belly, but people are starting to notice! I told my students that I am pregnant because some first graders figured it out. They were pretty excited. I am still exhausted a lot of the time, but now that the first trimester is over, I am hoping to get some energy back.

The pregnancy hormones are really starting to affect me now. I started crying watching the finale of Lost and couldn’t stop crying no matter how hard I tried. Now, I have always been emotional, but this was crazy. I was laughing at myself and crying at the same time! I seem to have cravings that change daily. One day I really want something and the next it repulses me. I also have started tasting funny things. I got a strawberry shake that I was craving, but when I tasted it, I thought it was sour or like dirt. Ed said it tasted fine. Weird!

We spent last weekend visiting Dad and Diana in Kansas City. We had a good time playing Bananagrams, but Ed says he won’t play with me anymoreJ We also got to take a tour of Boulevard Brewery. It was interesting, but of course, no samples for me! We all went out to eat at Strouds. It has really good fried chicken and pork chops. Dad and Diana also made some great food for us! I came back stuffed! I was really happy to see my brothers, Dusty and Dylan and my nephew, Robert, too!

I got some gift certificates for my birthday so I have started buying maternity clothes. My tummy has definitely outgrown my regular shorts and pants. My elastic waist skirts and shorts fit, though. I am really looking forward to this summer. I want to get the nursery ready and start buying baby items before I go back to work in August. It would be great to find some of the baby items at garage sales! I hope everyone is doing well, and I hope to see you all soon!

11 Weeks

I can’t believe how fast time is going. It seems like we just found out I was pregnant. I am now 11 weeks along, and my next appointment won’t be until 15 weeks. Things have been going very well. I still haven’t had morning sickness…knock on wood. I’m still pretty tired, but the good news is that the school year is nearly over. I have 19 more days with students! Then, Charlie and I can sleep in. Of course, every day is pretty easy for Charlie. All he needs is a lap to curl up in!

We have decided (well mostly me) that we are not going to find out the sex of Baby Bittner. I just really want to be surprised! We have started thinking about names, but don’t expect us to be telling you what the choices are until Baby Bittner is born. I am getting more and more excited all the time. It seems so unreal, but hearing the heartbeat definitely reassured me.

Last weekend, I went up to Waterloo to visit my mom for Mother’s Day. It was so nice to get to spend quality time with mom. She has come so far since September, and it warms my heart. We were both celebrating Mother’s Day, even though my baby is really easy to take care of right now! I even got my first Mother’s Day card! We went out for Chinese food. That worked out great because my biggest cravings right now are crab rangoons and egg rolls! It was good. Then, it was off to buy my first maternity bottoms. Yep, the tummy has started to grow! The maternity clothes are a little big right now, but I will be able to wear the capris and shorts in the fall when I go back to work, too.

This coming weekend we will be having friends over to celebrate my birthday. Yes, I will be 30 in one week! How can that be? We are going to grill out and have my favorite birthday dessert…Dairy Queen Cake! I just hope I can stay up later than 11:00 at night! I am looking forward to visiting with friends. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

We're Expecting-10 weeks!

We officially had our first doctor’s appointment today. It wasn’t long, but everything looked good. We heard the baby’s heartbeat today. I almost cried because I was so excited! Ed came along to the first appointment so he also got to hear the heartbeat and see what poor women go through each time we visit the doctor! We took the rest of the day to enjoy each other’s company.

I went out and bought the first baby item…a photo album so I can put the ultrasound pictures in it, along with my growing tummy pictures. The cravings and aversions are really hitting me hard right now. I can’t stand most meat, and I haven’t found much that I want to eat in the morning, but I still haven’t had morning sickness.

I have noticed that I am really lacking energy right now. I am not a napper, but I have had a nap nearly every day. I am trying to get into a routine of walking daily so I hope this energy will be back soon. I am also starting to notice that my pants are getting snug already. I feel like it’s a little early, but I am short so maybe that’s why.

We're Expecting!

March 25, 2010
I found out that I’m pregnant today. I took a test this morning and one at lunch to be sure! I went out and bought a bib that said, “I love daddy” for Ed. I got home and gave him the bib and told him the good news. I am already reading about pregnancy. My due date will be around November 28! We couldn’t be happier.