Life after ch-ch-ch-changes...

Here's where we're at: 33 weeks pregnant, 3 weeks since the change of address, and a month since changing jobs.

I believe that in my last post I said that I was ready to leave my old work. Boy was I wrong about that one. I hate that my old daycare is closing. I so wish it wasn't - mainly because it really was a nice place and doesn't deserve to be closed down, but also because it would have been so much easier for me at this particular pregnant time in my life. But I really need to stop myself from thinking about how nice things would be if it wasn't closing.
I don't want to go into too much detail about the new place, but one of the main things I need to say is that I was blessed with an amazing co-teacher at my old work. We worked so well together and everything went rather smoothly....we alternated weeks for lesson planning, and we each fully prepared for our lessons etc etc. We really helped each other to make things work. When leaving, I told her that I would probably not find anyone like her, but I didn't expect to be so right.
I also have to tell myself that I'm doing this for the baby. I decided to transfer to this work to keep my insurance, to be entitled to maternity leave (have to be somewhere for at least 12 months), to ensure a full time position and make things less complicated while on the work visa....etc etc. I will say that work is getting a little better and the kids are finally starting to listen to me, but it has been so hard and I've really not been having any fun. And I also have to keep telling myself that I really don't have much longer before I get to have a baby and be a stay-at-home mum for a couple of months at least. Oh and don't even get me started on being told I can only have 6 weeks off work for baby....when the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) tells me I can have up to 12 weeks. Chris has read the entire Act and is confident that I can take 12 weeks if I want to. When I sat down with the HR person at my work and was told that I could have 6 weeks off and could come back earlier if I wanted, or if I needed more than 6 weeks I had to have a note from my doctor, I wanted to cry. 6-week-old babies are not very big....this makes me very sad. If there are any more problems, I think I'll have my work talk directly to Chris!! :) See! I told you not to get me started!!!

Now for something I like talking about! My pregnancy is still going really well. With that said, I'm actually a lot more achey than I was before, and sleep really is getting harder....but I'm still enjoying it. Sleeping on my side is actually painful at times!! I now have 3 pillows around me, and 4 sleeping bags under me for extra padding!! :) I get up at least 3 times during the night. I feel sorry for Chris as I'm constantly moving around to get comfortable or getting up, and have taken up way more than 1/2 of the bed!!
I love summer and it is definitely my favourite season....however, summer officially started on the 21st of June and the temperatures have since been in the 100s F/40s C. Now, working with kids from 8:30-5:30 everyday and only sitting about 2 of those hours, I'm definitely feeling the heat and am absolutely exhausted and sore at the end of each day. I have noticed some swelling in my ankles, but some days aren't so bad and it comes and goes. I try to drink as much water as I can and hope for the best! I always hear stories about women needing to remove their rings due to their hands swelling, but for some reason I didn't really believe that I would ever have to remove mine! However, I decided (maybe a little too late, since removal was slightly painful) to remove my wedding rings about 2 days ago! It is a strange feeling not wearing them, but definitely more comfortable during the day!
Even though we still need to set up the baby room, I can say that I have washed and sorted all things baby - clothes, blankets, etc. It's a great feeling having all that done, but I get the strangest feeling that this is only the beginning of something very big...and the next time I wash those clothes they won't be so nice before washing!! :)

We had the baby shower on Saturday, the 2oth of June, and it was absolutely beautiful! The ladies in my family (on this side of the world) did an amazing job. Everything was beach-themed and adorable! And I have some pretty great friends!! Thanks to all for the beautiful gifts!
Here are a few pics:

The blue punch

Chocolates made by Chris's grandmother. So delicious.

One of my diaper/nappy cakes!

My beautiful sisters-in-law

There doesn't seem to be too much rest in sight until the baby gets here (and after, of course!!). On top of working everyday and going to doctor's appointments, here's what's happening the next couple of weeks:

Saturday, 27th June: Michelle goes to a childcare training seminar from 8-3 to get required training hours for work.

Saturday, 4th July: Kay comes to help set up the baby room. I'm excited about this because it's been driving me a little crazy not having it set up!!! :) I'd like to feel a little more ready for baby!

Saturday, 11th July: Michelle enrolled her husband and herself in a birthing class! I actually think it goes from 9-5!!! Don't tell Chris. Only tell him that I was thinking of him when I chose the one day class, instead of the 4 week class.

Tuesday, 14th July: Michelle also enrolled her husband and herself in a baby feeding class! I think this is only 2 hours...hehe.

I also know that sometime in July I have to renew my CPR/first aid stuff with work (which is going to be interesting with a huge pregnant belly), and I have so many crafty, knitty, sewy projects I really want to do before the baby comes!!

As usual, a belly shot to end with:

Me on the 17th of June - 32 weeks pregnant

27th June 2009 - almost 34 weeks

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

I'm not sure if updating this blog once a month is going to be good enough....but it will have to do for now!

I left off last time at 25 weeks, and am now 29 weeks along with my baby boy. He is so much stronger than before, it's amazing. I am constantly wondering if this boy ever gets any rest! I can now simply sit and watch my belly move all over the place. And of course, Chris gets to feel the movements much more frequently now.

Since my last post, I've had 2 doctor's appointments. At the most recent appointment (20th May) I had my 28 week blood sugar test. I've not heard back from the doctor yet, so I'm hoping everything went well with that. I got to hear the heartbeat again, like all the other appointments, but this time it was so loud and strong! It really is amazing.

On the 14th May, the director at my work very kindly held a baby shower for me! Teachers and parents were invited to my classroom at 4pm for cake and punch. I was overwhelmed by the gifts that I received from both parents and other teachers. I have been extremely spoiled!










As most of you know, my work is closing on the 2nd of July. This means that 1oo-something kids have had to find other schools/daycares etc, and I don't know how many teachers have had to find other jobs. I pretty much had to decide what to do as soon as we found out the daycare was closing because I already knew I was pregnant and I needed insurance and to keep a full-time position to keep my work visa. I couldn't simply work up until we closed because then I'd have a baby but no job etc etc. So a couple of months ago I decided it best to simply transfer to the daycare down in Oklahoma City which is also run by the YMCA. Other than having a little extra travel, this seemed like the best option as nothing would have to change on my work visa, and I would be able to keep my insurance. They were also fine with the fact that by the time I would transfer down there, I'd only work a couple of months before having a baby.

When I met with the director downtown, she said that I would probably transfer sometime in June. She was great because she didn't want to take me away from my current job until my director was ready for me to leave, and she was willing to take me any time my director needed to let me go!

My last day at OPUBCO Child Development Centre was Friday, 22nd May, 2009. I had been there since April 2007 and I am happy and sad to be leaving. I'm OK with leaving now because we've had a couple of months to think about it and because things have been a little more difficult since we found out the daycare was closing (teachers needing to take their time off - which they'd lose if they don't take them before we close, not enough teachers when someone calls in sick, longer hours because our part-time afternoon teachers have left, combining classes and having 2s, 3s, and 4s in the one room, etc etc). I'm sad to go, but I'm ready. I start downtown this coming Tuesday, 26th May. It's nice because I get the long weekend in between the two jobs.

In other news, Chris and I will be moving from our house to an apartment. The owner of the house wasn't willing to negotiate a shorter lease (only offering 1 year lease), even though we've been here for a year and would like another 7 months or so. I'm not unhappy with the move because the apartments are very nice and we'll still have enough space for a little family. Most importantly, the apartments still have a pool! and they also have washer and dryer hook-ups inside, so we won't be sharing a laundry room with anybody else!! :) We'll be moving on the 6th of June.

It seems like a lot of big changes. Start new job on Tuesday, move the weekend after next, and get ready to have a baby. I really want the move to happen now so that I can start setting up the baby room! Oh and my doctor's appointment are now every 2 weeks, which means it's getting closer.

And, here are a couple of belly shots to end with!

13th May 2009 - 27 weeks

24th May 2009 - almost 29 weeks

Let's Start From The Very Beginning

When setting up this new blog, I was going to make the first post about the good news I got in December (and it will still mostly be about that), but then I remembered xanga and when and what I last posted. I graduated from OC a year ago (the 25th April 2008) and it has obviously been a whole year since I blogged anything! So here's to a new beginning because now I really do have an excuse to keep my family and friends updated on the wonderful things that are happening in my life right now.

A quick look back:

In May 2008, we moved out of the horrid old OC apartments into a 3-bedroom rental house (we are still here and it is still amazing). I started working full time at my child development centre with the 2 and 3 year olds. I basically spent the entire summer working and swimming in the pool, and I decided again that I definitely prefer to work full-time than be a student. Definitely.

Chris started a Masters program in September - in Organisational Development. The program is amazing and I am so glad that he had this chance to be a part of it. He has had to travel every couple of months for it, but that has worked out really well.

THEN I got to go home to see my family for the entire month of December! We decided that I really needed to go by myself for various reasons: money, work, and Chris needing a visa just to visit. A quick-ish side note: a couple of weeks before my trip I got strep throat (a bacterial infection in the throat and the tonsils)- which I blamed the kids at my work for! I went to the doctor and got antibiotics. After I finished the medication, the strep came right back. I repeated the above step with the doctor and antibiotics but the strep came back a third time. It was getting really annoying because I could not get rid of the infection even with medication and the third time it came back was right before my trip. I joked about having to leave the country and my husband to get better - since either someone at work (kids or teachers) or Chris were carriers of the infection. Sure enough, once in Australia and once finished with the 3rd dose of antibiotics, the strep had gone! I never did find out who the carrier was, but was so thankful to be rid of the stupid strep.

I spent December 2008 with my family in Australia. I met more nieces and nephews and had an amazing time! When I went back to Oz in August 2006 my first nephew and niece were 9 months and 2 months respectively - this time they were 3 and 2&1/2! And they each had a new sibling for me to meet. They were all a lot of fun - and I hope that they still remember me!

While spending a week with my sister, I found out that I was pregnant!!!! I also found out that my sister was pregnant too (she already has 2 children). It was a fun way to find out! As soon as I could, I hopped on skype with the web-cam set up and called Chris to tell him our news! :) It was strange having to tell him from so far away, but it was nice that we had the web-cam and I could see his reaction!! He said, "Are you sure?" and I said, "Yes, because I'm with Cath, and she knows!" I thought it was pretty funny.

I loved that I was with my family when I found out - because I could actually tell them in person. It was very special. I waited until I was back in the U.S. so that I could also tell Chris's family in person.

I don't want to spend much time on my weight, but I will say that I was fully prepared to pack on the pounds while in Australia (eating all the things that I miss) - and so finding out that I was pregnant definitely didn't help things!!! So the weight gain began straight away and obviously hasn't stopped yet!!! :)

Fortunately, I really didn't experience much morning sickness. Unfortunately, back in the U.S., I pretty much went straight back to working 8 hours a day and felt extremely tired for weeks! Other than that, my pregnancy really has been smooth so far.

So, on the 7th of December, 2008 I went with my sister and bought a home pregnancy test that showed up as positive! For some reason, I just took the one test - maybe I was very happy with the result and needed no further convincing. Speaking with a couple of friends recently, I found out that some people take numerous tests (some as many as 8) to make sure the results are consistent or correct!!

The following week (still in Australia) I scheduled a doctors appointment and had a blood test to find out that everything seemed "normal." I also found out my blood type for the first time in my life.

I had my first U.S. doctors appointment on the 15th January, 2009. Chris came with me and we got to see the tiny baby and it's little heart beating on the screen. The doctor dated the pregnancy at 10 weeks and 3 days. The baby was about 3.5 cms long.

At my next appointment on the 5th February, I got to hear the little heart beating! At such an early stage of pregnancy, it really seems like forever between appointments since it was way too early to feel the baby or know for sure that things were still OK.

At another regular check-up on the 5th of March, Chris got to hear the heartbeat.

Finally, on the 10th of March, we got to find out what we were having! I was so excited to find out, and I really felt relieved once I knew! The doctor said, "It looks like a BOY!" I still really hope she is right!!! :)
I really didn't mind what we were having - I just really love knowing and not having to think/worry about it any more.

I had my next appointment on the 2nd of April and that brings me up-to-date. I'm not quite sure when I start having check-ups every 2 weeks, but at the moment they are still once a month.

Oh, I did note that I had become aware of feeling movement around the 16th of March - when I was around 19 weeks along. Feeling a baby move inside you is very strange and very cool. Now at 25 weeks, I feel him all the time! Mostly when I'm sitting. Chris has felt him too, which was very special. It's strange that I get to feel him move all the time, and not miss a single movement, but Chris has to wait patiently with his hand on my belly, sometimes not feeling anything. Then as soon as he takes his hand away, the baby moves, of course! :) I realise that as the baby gets bigger and bigger, it will be easier for Chris to see and feel him move.

So, here I am just about to enter my 25th week of pregnancy. People can definitely tell that I'm preggas now without me having to say anything. It is kind of strange being so obvious - but nice that I don't have to explain myself! :)

After getting past some annoying seasonal allergies (with constant congestion) and some achey back muscles, I'm really feeling great right now.

We have a name picked out but some people (not mentioning any names, Mum) would like that to be a surprise!! So, if you don't know and would like to, ask me next time we talk/email/facebook, etc.

I could go on and talk about my work situation, but I think I've said enough for now! I've had to do a lot of thinking and it's been really quite stressful trying to figure out what to do. I'll explain later. In the meantime, please pray that we get green cards! :)

Please don't expect each post to be this size!! I had a lot to catch up on. Finally, here are some photos of the pregnancy so far!

10th March 2009, 18 weeks

21st March 2009, almost 20 weeks

18th April 2009, 24 weeks!