22 weeks!! Updates... and a final due date!! (finally)

How's everyone doing? I sure do hope well, despite the freezing temperatures and craziness of the holidays! =) I sit here to give you some updates, back killing me, and in need of sleep(!!) but I love you all, so I decided it's time for an update!! That, and I know I won't have another free day until Sunday (possibly) so I need to take care of this now.

So, we left off last post with a messy apartment and a new job about to begin. The apartment is now in order, and the new job has begun! =) Haha Akeem and I worked all our first week here to get things in order before he went back to school. Just in time for him to leave back to school, we finished cleaning and organizing, with an extra day to spend with my family to top it all off. On Sunday the 6th, my parents and little siblings came down to the apartment and brought movies and pizza!! =) (I had left over pizza for a week!!) The 7th, I began training for my new job. I must say, it's been a lot of fun thus far. Learning some new things, and being able to refresh some old things has been more enjoyable and easier than I thought. The house I'm working at is wonderful. The staff are really supportive and funny and the house members are amazing. I finish up with the last few training's next week, the last being my driver certification!! (Two thumbs up!!) Once training is done, I will begin my regular weekly schedule. Wednesday through Saturday, with Sunday through Tuesday off. Nice. It feels amazing to be back to work and have some what of a routine once again. The paychecks don't hurt either =) I finally feel more secure with my finances and know I'm heading down the right path for my growing family.

Important dates to remember!! December 13th my niece(-in-law) was born!! =) The 14th was my little sister's 12th birthday!! The 15th, Mr. Avegno (the man who did the tattoo on my left rib cage), had his son, Julius!! Needless to say, I've had an amazing past week, with awesome news and lots of excitement about my growing boy!! With every birthday, I think I get more anxious for my son to be born already!! =) December 15th was also the very first time I was actually able to see my belly move on the outside when my son kicked me from the inside!! 3:28 pm, as I was sitting in training for work, I noticed my son kicking a bit harder than usual. I stopped paying attention in class and began paying attention to my belly. And sure enough, POP!! Out goes my belly, right on the left side (right side to you, if you were looking at me) of my belly button!! A HUGE smile flashed across my face. It was soooo amazing. Absolutely unexplainable. I used to wonder if it would feel creepy when my son would finally started to move. But now, all I want to do is feel him move. Every time he kicks, I always say to him, "Hi my son!" =) (or something along those lines... haha) Although I haven't began kick counts (it's still too early), I have been able to notice my son's "sleeping" and "waking" hours. He is usually most active around early afternoon, about 1:30p-3:30p, and again in late evening, about 7p-9p.

Some GOOD NEWS!! December 14th, I had my routine OB appointment with Mrs. Martha Harvey, my amazing midwife. Mommy came with me this time =) We were finally able to get the full and in-depth readings from my 3-D ultrasound in Albany two weeks ago. Martha was able to reassure me that everything, down to the last measurement, was perfectly normal with my son. He has no sign of any mental delay nor sign of any neural tube defects. My blood work came back saying that I will never have a child with cystic fibrosis, since I am not a carrier for the disease. All of my son's major bones are present, all fingers and toes counted for. All measurements of bones and other lengths are similar on each side, and his head is growing in great proportion to his body. At 22 weeks, my uterus is measuring 22 inches in size. She was also able to give me an updated & FINAL due date... I am now officially due APRIL 19th, 2010!! The only shocking thing, I've gained 10LBS. since my last appointment, just a month ago!! No WONDER my back's been killing me!! I am officially 150lbs!! Holy momma! =) No problemo to me... only, I need to get some back strengthening exercises in the mix, because I'm already up about 20lbs and my, oh, my that's been a lot to carry on my front side. My poor back's been crying out pain, keeping me up at night and forcing me to lay out on the floor on my left side just about every hour at work to stretch it out!! Thank goodness I've got an understanding supervisor and fellow staff members, and a wonderful job that allows me the opportunity to take a short break every hour to stretch my aching muscles!! This reminds me of another date to remember... December 10th... I woke up in the middle of the night with my very first pregnancy leg cramp!! Ouch! Although I didn't yell, like everyone asks, I woke with a jerk, and noticed that I was automatically straightening my right leg out, heel down, toe up!! (At least my body knew how to correct the cramp the right way, even while I was out of it!)

Today I got the opportunity to do some holiday shopping with my Mommy and my Auntie Linda, after work. It was an amazing afternoon!! We had some great laughs. And, I was able to get baby daddy some Christmas gifts!! ;) Lin also got to visit my new apartment and got to meet Muffin!! =) Once they left, of course I cried for a little bit... I am beyond emotional these days! It's been a little tough coming home to just my kitty every day. I love Muffin to death, but she doesn't talk back haha. I'm just trying to be a patient as possible for Akeem to get up here to make this apartment feel like home...

On that note, they say that the emotions are best controlled with a good night's rest under the belt, so this tired momma is off to dreamland. =) Training again tomorrow and then work all evening. I'm sure we will catch up again soon. Until next post, all my love!!

Finally, the BIG move =)

I did good this time! I made it back to you before three weeks passed. =) Not much new to update, but here's what I've got.

This past weekend, we finally moved into our new apartment! =) Being that I had to work most of the weekend, my family was nice enough to move me in without me being there with them. (Say I don't have the most amazing family in the history of all families!!) So, this week has been the week to get organized, cleaned up, and make it into "home." It's been a little emotional. I love being out on my own again, but I miss mommy =) And now has the stress over money hit me or what! But, I continue to take it one day at a time. By the end of this weekend, I plan to have everything done in the apartment, so that by the time I start work next week, I can just come home and relax and not worry about cleaning or arranging anything. Akeem has been up here this week as well to help with moving and cleaning. He's been the most amazing help, handling all of the chemical cleaning so that I wouldn't have to get down and too dirty =) He really is my Mr. Amazing!! (Iailwym.h) =) But Sunday, December 6th, he head's back to school to finish up his last two weeks. =( I can't wait already until he's done for good, and I can come home to him every day.

This past Monday, November 30th, I went for my 3-D sonogram. I mixed up the 3-D and 4-D and thought it was going to be different than what it really ended up being, but it was still nice. Mom and Akeem came with me. It took about 45 minutes. The tech and the doctor took their time getting an image from every important angle they could, and here comes the best part... EVERYTHING LOOKS JUST FINE!! =) This was the ultrasound to determine whether or not my son possibly has any neural tube defects. The doctor told me that although things look just fine, there is always a possibility still that the technology used didn't catch something. I understand that this is always a possibility, but it feels good to be reassured that all looks well thus far and my son is the right proportions, measurements, and weight. And leave it to Miss. Pregnant over here to lose the four pictures from the sonogram. (I am still on the search for them, so as soon as I find them, I will post them to my Facebook page!!) During the sonogram, my son was (again) on his tummy the whole time just about. He wasn't moving as much this time as he was last time though. We got to see his little legs crossed at the ankles and see his feet and hands. And we were reassured that yes, he is a boy! =)

After the sonogram, Mom, Akeem and I went shopping around and looked at some nursery things (i.e. crib, bedding, car seats... etc) You name it, we looked at it. Akeem was getting a bit. okay, a lot annoyed having to shop with two females al day long!! =) It was fun while he got to help decide big things, like crib choice and bedding/theme choice, but when it came to me trying on some maternity pants, he was ready to go home. =) I am thankful that he was with us though. We didn't get anything set up in a registry yet, but at least we were able to compare a few things at different places and we've got the ball rolling. And yes, I finally bought two pairs of maternity pants and a "Tummy Tube" thingy to go over my regular non-maternity pants to help hold them up. Yesterday, December 3rd, I finally, for the first time, wore maternity pants!! They are still just a bit big, but everyone tells me in a month they won't be!! =) Although the weight and body changes are really making my back ache sometimes, I am really excited to see my belly grow. As the days go on, I continue to get more emotional... it's been really difficult some days. But everyone has been really sweet at just trying their best to "deal with me." =)

Today, December 4th, 2009 I decided to put my hand on my belly where I could feel my son kicking and I WAS ABLE TO FEEL HIM THROUGH MY TUMMY!! It was super exciting to know that other people will soon be able to feel him when he moves too, not just Mommy =) Daddy was laying next to me in bed this morning and I tried to let him feel the movement, but go figure, as soon as he put his hand on my tummy, our son stopped moving.

Anyways, my mind is in a jumble right now and I can't think of much else to write... I'm headed over to my grandmother's house tonight with my mom and little sister to help decorate the christmas tree!! This should be nice, since I will get to see my aunts and cousins and none of them have seen me since I've become pregnant!! =) I will let you know how it goes!! I will also keep you updated about my new job starting the 7th!! Wish me luck!! Until next post, all my love =)