April 29th OB appt

Today was our 4wk checkup from our last visit.....we didn't expect to get an ultrasound but i figured my kid was acting up so he could show off in front of his Grandpa Doss! Measurement was 5.96cm about 2inches, and heartrate was 162. Both baby and I are doing really well, our next appt will be May 27th at 16wks. And then at 18wks on June 10th I will have my anatomy ultrasound which will show measurements for organs and probably the gender too......even though im just convinced its a boy, because of course today I got sick right before going to the doctor. The doc increased my zofran and still no weight gain, only loss. I will have another appt on June 24th right before we come to Texas!!! My doc said that it was no worry me and baby traveling at 20wks:) Today was the day that was the ahhhh relief, of being through the first 3months and feeling comfortable to get excited and share our joy with everyone. A few years ago I doubted that this day would come. We still have a long road but I believe that this was the first major hump! Now we are going to enjoy a big STEAK from Outback!

My dad is here!!!

Finally my DaddyO is here, at a skinny 195!!! Just in time for our 12wk & 2days appt tomorrow!

Since ive become pregnant.....i dont feel pregnant, im not even showing, only sick? But i did develop some other pregnancy issues. my asthma got a little worse, and i hate having to take my inhaler so i went and bought a humidifier, my doc also gave me a RX for a peak flow meter that i can measure my flow of oxygen. Tomorrow im going to be asking my doc if i can take some additional FIBER supplements due to a certain pregnancy issue.....ive been craving red meat so tonight we had the famous ALAN KREITINGER burgers....well as close to it as we could come! mmmmm so good with some pickles!!! yes this week the pickle craving started and i could probably eat about 10 but i get heartburn! Now when is the 2nd trimester boost of energy coming???

1st Thunder over Louisville

April 18th we went to the Galt house with friends to watch Thunder over Louisville! It was amazing, by far the best fireworks Derek and I have ever seen. The fireworks were on both sides of the bridge, and ON the bridge! We were on the 17th floor so it was amazing! We also got to see the air show from up there which was really LOUD! On another today im 11wks, still suffering from nausea and vomiting.....and have now lost 12lbs! i guess that baby is taking from my fat reserve i had built up(HA HA)!! anyways, one more week and we will have our 12wk appt on April 29th, and we'll be through this first trimester and will have peace of mind.

Derek has still been communicating with his biological father and grandmother, week by week they are getting to know each other. Everytime they talk i get so excited and want to jump up and down because i see how curious and interested is when Derek is talking to them.

goodnight for now.....peace & love :)

Wow....what a night

Tonight was very emotional for Derek and I. I was just the crying baby in the background. I think all of this came about because Yes, Derek is going to be a Daddy! In no way was I coercive, maybe a couple of years ago I was but he wasn't ready. Yesterday Derek was "spring cleaning" and decided that he would try his biological father's # Joe Gwartney that his mom had printed out a long while ago. Keep in my mind Derek did not have contact with his father growing up except maybe 1x when he was 12y/o, and ever since he can remember Alan Kreitinger is the man we call DAD! It ended up being disconnected and we got on whitepages online and found his biological/paternal grandmother Laverne Gwartney. Derek made the phone call, and heard the answering machine and hung up. His exact words were "I think I just heard some of my family members." He was so excited, but at that point was not ready to leave a message. Today he came to pick me up from work for lunch, we went to whole foods....mmmmm. By the way the doc gave me the goooooood stuff....ZOFRAN! I stuffed my face with brisket, tofu, asparagus, brocoli, cheesy pasta, oh it was so good. Well during our lunch Derek told me he left his grandmother a message, I was so happy. I got home from work it was raining pretty hard, sat on the couch and ate some PIZZA derek made us from whole foods! and then all of a sudden the sun came out, it was truly magical.....and then derek's phone was ringing and it was a 940 number which I knew it was his grandma. So they talked for 40min and Derek had a smile on his face the whole time. She was the sweetest lady, Derek says "She was a nice independent grandma who really wanted to get to know me." Then came the part to call his father. He got the number from his grandma and was dialing away. Derek called and right away Joe picked up, they talked for 27minutes. And again Derek says "a sound of country, excitement, and a willingness to talk and get to know me." Derek was truly on cloud nine today, derek says "This is what i have been waiting for, for a while." We will see where the road leads this new found relationship. I was telling Derek that it is like one of those shows that the father and child reunite after 30years, I know ya'll remember those shows. Anyways, we plan on coming to Texas the last week in June and Derek has already made tenative plans with Joe & Laverne. Derek also found out he is the only child (like me too) and has 2 aunts and 2 uncles. We found out birthdays, addresses, professions, and it was a good POSITIVE communication for Derek tonight. If i could have taken a picture i would have because he was so ecstatic and overcome with joy and excitement. It does not matter what happened in the past, it only matters that we will make our future.

Goodnight & Peace to all

What weekend off?

So much for my weekend off(thanks Christina for working for me)....i have this theory that on major growth spurt days, which happen to be the weekend my hormone levels go crazy, and that is why i have had the all day sickness all weekend? Its been ginger ale and saltines almost all weekend. Yesterday I had acupuncture&chiropractic with my sweet 92y/o Dr Brown, and he was like you just need to eat something called Ramen. If there is anyone I owe for my lupus being in remission it would be him. Ive been going there since October and have never felt better. He has already guaranteed to me that once the delivery comes the baby will come out in 5seconds, and I wont feel a thing? We'll see about that...anyways back to EATING. Derek was like if your going to throw up anyways, why dont you eat what you want. Sounded like a good idea at the time but after eating breakfast for dinner at cracker barrell I walked to the car and you can imagine what happened next. After that all i wanted was frozen yogurt, but i guess Louisville does not believe in frozen yogurt so I settled for a vanilla cone from Mickie D's. My sickness went all the way into the wee hours of 3am on sunday. This morning Derek went to the grocery store to get me the Ramen. FYI he also has been doing all the grocery shopping with the lists i give him....such a sweetheart;) Did I mention I have lost 6lbs from the all day sickness?!?! All these damn pregnancy books are like eat healthy leafy green veggies, well i tried and it is not working out for my belly. Dr. Weeks did give me phenegran, but im trying my best not to take it all the time, but last night i did! My energy is kaput, i was working out, but now my workout time has turned into nap time, especially this last week. my belly isn't even full, its just bloated with gas all the TIME. I will be 9wks on Tuesday.....hopefully only 3more weeks of the all day sickness. One upside to all this is that Pepper my 6lb chorkie who is 6y/o and has not cuddled with me in years, is always trying to get close to my warm body/belly and cuddle!! He's so sweet, i wonder if he knows someone else is going to invade his space!!??

High Risk OB

Today we had the high risk OB appt at UofL with Dr. WEeks. We got another sonogram which was so much clearer than the one yesterday. If you look at the pics he (yes i think its a boy) moves backwards. Look at the picture like he is upside down, feet are on the right side. We even heard the heartbeat at 188bpm! Our minds were put at ease today when we were told that for now we should have no worries. Until about 24wks i will have regular OB appts, 1X every month and then will increase due to increased possibility of complications in the third trimester. With the fact that my lupus has been under control for the past 9months, he does not forsee any problems. The main issues we discussed were the possibility of premature birth, IUGR, and preeclampsia in the 3rd trimester, and me carrying the Lupus antiobodies anti-ro, anti-la, and antiphospholipid. The reassuring part was that if for some reason my antibodies cross over into the placenta then there is only a 2% chance the baby will end up having a heart defect. The Doc explained that it is very hard for antibodies to cross over into the placenta. If for some reason at 20wks when we do the first baby echo, and they see that the heart is not "closing" then they will put me on steroids to help the baby's heart develop. The doc also started me on baby aspirin 81mg at night, as that is what studies show to do with the lupus antibodies. Dr. Weeks said as he comes across interesting articles pertaining to my case he will email them to me. It was really cool how explanatory he was with us, went over all of my medical history, and took a total of 2hrs to answer all of our questions. You could definitely tell he is meant to be a "Teacher" to up and coming docs. We actually did have a med student in with us today, and Derek was like "Oh yeah bring him in we don't care." I look at it as, let the student learn because one day he might see a lupus pregnancy again. I mean after all we are being seen at University of Louisville. Derek wants me to write that the student should apply for the Biggest Loser next season?!? Our next appointment is May 6th. I was so nervous today, i couldnt sit still....but the appt definitely went well and im really happy that we (baby and I) are going to get the care we need and deserve. Oh and the due date today was Nov 10th 2009, which is the Marine Corp Bday! Im really hoping for November 9th which was the due date they gave us yesterday, because it is my Grandfather(dad's dad) Adrian Ray Doss' bday. Its been 20 years since he passed, and even though i only have few memories of him I know how happy he would be...tear. Oh and im really emotional, i can cry at the drop of a pin. It is most difficult being away from my mom and dad through this special time, I really wish we were closer so that I could share every little moment with them about their first grandchild. So mom & dad this is for you :) I love ya'll and miss ya'll so much. thanks for the prenatal yoga videos...im going to start doing them after i get that heartrate monitor so my heartrate doesnt go over 140 (the doc recommended). I really hope everyone enjoys this, especially all of you family and friends scattered across the country!

Love you all,

Derek, Cindy, and baby

This is our baby's heartbeat, we had to transfer the sound from his phone to mine when we got home!!! Sorry we didnt edit it! we were just excited we could share this!!