Arielle is here!

I'm so excited, wish I had more time to blog, just a quick update she's here!! Here's the pic of my mom happy with her grand-daughter!!

Next post: Birth Story....

Tanisa Samuel

Overdue and Stressed

This is what I get for posting previously about not being ready 6 weeks prior to EDD.

Now I'm a week past due date and no signs of imminent labour!! I'm going nuts here!!

I'd planned a natural unmedicated birth but of course my OB doesn't give a damn about that, she just wants to induce me. When I refused the induction for last night, she insisted I do bio-physical profile (BPP) and Non Stress Test (NST) to check that the baby is ok. Mind you, there was no reason or indication that the baby was anything other than healthy. So off we go to the hospital, do the ultrasound, baby looks perfect, face down, facing my back, moving as she should, she has more than enough amniotic fluid etc etc,, Oh by the way she has hair which I'm so excited about!! Can't wait to see her beautiful face!! But, I digress..... So then we go up to L&D for the NST. They check the baby's heart rate and my irregular contractions which are all fine - monitoring me for 2 hours (WHY I DONT KNOW), then they call the doc and say everything is fine, she insists on giving me a bag of IV fluids and monitoring me for another hour. I know that all she was doing was looking for any reason to keep me there and induce me!! But DF, me and my healthy baby eventually walked outta there AFTER 6 HOURS...... although she was not in my arms but still in my belly. She's just not done cooking and I am trying to be patient.

I've got almost no dilation and a thick cervix so an induction right now would more likely end up with a C-section since my body is not ready.

The other issue is that my mom, the eager first time grandma, who's here for two weeks to help me with the baby is waiting too, and the longer this goes on the less time she has here, by the time the baby comes she's gonna have to leave to go back to work - THIS is what's making me crazy. I really don't need her help now......... I'm capable of doing everything, ugh.... I need to just calm down, but my hormones are making me so emotional too.....

Eviction Notice Served

I never thought I'd be here but here I am in my 41st week of pregnancy! I have so many positive things I can say, like the fact that I'm lucky to have had such a perfect pregnancy, healthy baby, and no complications, blah blah blah, but all I wanna do is moan about how done I am with it all. I wanna have my body back, this watermelon in front of me gets in the way of so much, and really and truly I just want to meet this little Princess.

I tell myself that I must be grateful, that maybe she'll come and drive me crazy and I'll get no sleep, maybe she'll be colicky and I'll be begging to have her back in my belly........ But I know that's not true, as much as I know I will be tired and or stressed, I'm going to love every minute of it.

To make matters worse, the constant phone calls, e-mails, text messages, blackberry messages, facebooking........... asking the dreaded question:

Have you had the baby yet? Are you in Labor? and other variations......

UGH!!!!!! I guess I just feel like I'm somehow not doing my job of delivering this baby!! Yeh I know it's ridiculous and I know first time babies are usually late but I can't help feeling the disappointment from everyone when they call or text or whatever. To make matters worse everyone else around me that's due the same time has already had their kids, even the woman who lives in my building who's due a week AFTER me, and I feel like the last pregnant woman on the planet (I know I'm being dramatic here).

My mom's here waiting patiently on her first grandchild....... and her time here is limited so I know she'd prefer to spend the time with Arielle rather than babysitting me... LOL, ok not really but I'd prefer to have her here as long as possible AFTER I come home with the baby not before.

On top of my impatience, I have an over eager doc who's ready to induce me right away; she "strongly recommended" we schedule wednesday evening to have the baby on Thursday - sounds so nice doesn't it? Of course I've done the research and I KNOW it's not what's best for me and the baby but it is so tempting. I've declined the induction for another week, she's not too happy but hey, it's my body, my child and my decision. As long as she's healthy, which she is, we're fine to wait. My only worry is that she is not getting any smaller. So if she's not gonna get her cute lil butt outta there by Monday she'll be faced with an eviction, because I don't think I could be one of those women who go to 42 weeks.

So I'm on a mission now, back on the exercise train - walking like crazy! Morning walk with Mocha, midday walk on the treadmill - 40 minutes while reading or watching TV, then evening walk with mocha for at least 40 minutes. I have my exercise ball which I sit on while at home - it opens the pelvis and helps the baby descend. Evening Primrose oil to soften the cervix, romance with the hubby, yoga to ensure baby is in a good position for birth, any any other natural remedy - apart from the horrific and potentially dangerous castor oil.

Wish me luck!!

A few things I've learned...

Dear Daughter,

You are beautiful, of this you can be confident, but it's who you are on the inside that makes you stand out or blend in, memorable or forgettable.

Value your friendships; only time will tell if they're real, if they're not, bow out gracefully. If they are they will last a lifetime. Choose your friends carefully, your friends say much about you.

The truth is always best. Honesty shows integrity. Do what's right, act on principle and you will never have to worry.

Good manners and etiquette are never out of season; Smile and say good morning, good afternoon or good evening when you first walk into a room, even if it's filled with strangers.

Mommy and Daddy love you more than you can ever imagine, you can always talk to us about anything.

Always say thank-you with eye contact whenever you receive a compliment, a gift, or a favor.

People will love you and trust you with their hearts, don't take it for granted.

Humbly and sincerely apologise when you think you may be wrong, look the person in the eye and you can easily diffuse 99% of most drama and misunderstandings. Clarify and seek to understand others' point of view. Even if it was unintentional, if you hurt someone, apologise.

In general, people are good and mean well, but if you're in any doubt, trust your instincts, it's ok to be cautious.

Never do something to someone else that you would not want done to you. Think this through every time your actions involve others.

Never speak ill of one person to another, you will lose their trust. When you speak of others, pretend the person can hear you.

It takes at least 3 months to get to know someone so take your time and be careful.

Health and safety is paramount.

Never date a guy who's involved with someone else - even if he has all the excuses in the world.

Never stay with a guy who's not 100% sure he wants to be with you. If a guy's interested he will do ANYTHING to make sure you know it.

Never make promises lightly - keep your word, no matter whom you gave it to.

Learn from others' mistakes as well as your own.

Save 20% of your earnings and forget about it.

Never borrow money if you can avoid it. Pay cash for even large items like your car. For your home, minimum 20% down.

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Walk away and bide your time, you will see!

Don't get involved with get rich quick schemes. Nothing in life is free.

Take Care of your body, treat it well and it will serve you well.

Exercise and eat right.

Too much of anything is never a good thing.

Use sunscreen. Keep your face clean and moisturized.

Keep your goals in mind. Think of your future and ensure the things you do now make a positive contribution to your goals.

There's nothing more important than getting the best education possible - no-one can ever take that away from you and it will make you a better person and help you carve out the future you deserve.

Don't be a slave to today's fashion, great style is timeless. You can be stylish, sexy and intriguing on any budget.

Don't over do make up, you don't need it, you're blessed with beauty that is rare to find - most days, lip gloss, and earrings are all that's needed.

Love,

Mommy

Rocking it Hot at 39 weeks

Sometimes I feel like a traitor to women worldwide, many of whom at 39 weeks are generally uncomfortable, anxious and ready to get this baby out already!! But I don't feel this way. Yes I'm getting bigger every day, but at the same time, I've not been plagued by the discomforts that seem to dominate the last days of pregnancy - such as back ache, swelling of the face, hands and feet, pelvic pressure, constipation, urinary incontinence, insomnia and more. Some women even experience this throughout their entire pregnancy.

I have a fairly good idea why I've been so blessed; I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but to have had 39 weeks of relative ease has a lot to do with my level of fitness prior to the pregnancy. In the year prior to trying to conceive, I consciously and purposefully put myself in the best shape of my life. I'd always enjoyed great health generally, but knowing that I would eventually have a baby, I decided to push myself like never before. The key to fitness lies in many aspects of physical exertion and includes the development of the cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory system - enhanced by aerobic exercise such as running which in turn increases stamina. There's also the development of strength by anaerobic exercise such as functional and weight training. Development of strength in the core has been key in helping me carry the baby more efficiently as she grows heavier by the day. I learned that my strong abdominal muscles have helped distribute the work more evenly putting less pressure on my back for the overall weight. My back muscles were also strengthened and therefore more equipped to handle the weight.

The fact that I continued to work out throughout my pregnancy has also contributed to my energy levels, kept my weight gain in check, reduce stress and improve overall mood, made me feel good about getting bigger, and it's supposedly good for the baby and my body post birth, so we'll see! You might wonder what it is I'm doing at 39 weeks (nothing compared to before), I walk twice a day, half hour in the morning and half hour in the evening plus I do an hour of yoga 3 times per week (or more if I can).

I'm dedicating this post to Natasha Leybush, my friend and trainer for many many years. She owns Rock It Hot Fitness Studio on Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Natasha I miss you!! You changed my life for the better and taught me why taking care of my body is such an important thing; and the only way to do it is to make fitness a priority. No-one says it's easy, but it certainly is worth it!!

Have to make special mention of Evgenia Bondarenko, my #1 running partner and co-founder of the Provo Running Club!!

Tanisa Samuel

This day in History - Gulf Oil SPill

The weather is beautiful today, heading to Fort Lauderdale beach (while it's still clean)....

Today in History: The worst ever Oil spill in history still rages on. S0 far up to 50 million gallons of oil has poured into the US Gulf and continues to harm all the wildlife in a range that encompasses an area larger than Jamaica. The images of the damage literally brings me to tears.

President Obama is doing the best he can but the job of stopping the leak is left up to the company that's responsible for the spill in the first place. It's so frustrating, every day up to 60 thousand gallons continues to pour out......

Waiting patiently

My pregnancy has gone by pretty quickly, I can't believe it's only 20 days till Due date! While I'm happy for her to come when she's good ready and fully baked, I am also hoping we don't go past the due date. She's getting big in here! I'm hoping for a small baby (like I was) although she's probably past the weight I was when I was born; Mom tells me I came early at 5 pounds something - less than 6 pounds! I'm finally starting to feel uncomfortable. I can feel the weight in my belly and on my back. Standing for long periods are difficult and even walking, while good for me and yes I still take long walks with Mocha, is more difficult and uncomfortable thanks to those fake contractions which seems to increase as I walk - or maybe I just notice it more? My walk is now a full blown WADDLE!!! She's low and head down, that's good but so far no dilation or thinning of the cervix so no signs of any impending labour anytime soon!

Arielle's Closet

This child is a already a diva! She certainly has more clothes than I do at the moment (My pregnant self that is....)

All laundered and ironed and ready for the princess!!

She takes my breath away

Can't seem to catch my breath these days, I get winded just from talking! I was leaving a voicemail for someone I felt disgusted with all my heavy breathing down the phone LOL.

Ocean arrived just in time for Mother's day!!

Saturday morning, 2am with only 1.5 hours of sleep my sister Tricia calls me and says she's been admitted to L&D with consistent contractions with 4.5cm dilation. So we got up got ready and drove the 45mins to be by her side. She had already received her epidural when I arrived as evidenced by her smile and relaxed demeanor! Laughing and telling jokes etc as we waited for things to progress. The doc came in and checked things out - she was progressing well but in the spirit of medical management, prescribed pitocin to "speed things along so we could have a baby in the next half hour rather than the next hour... The doctors love control - none of us argued since we were all so excited to meet Baby Ocean!

With both sisters at her side helping to keep legs up, cousin and husband holding her hands (And Deryk safely outside), she soldiered through 20 minutes of pushing and out came the princess!! We were all in tears as a triumphant Mommy held her baby in her arms for the first time. Daddy is super proud and has been hogging her; which he can easily do since Tricia has chosen to bottle feed - he's one happy daddy!!

What a lovely Mother's day gift? Happy mother's day to Trish and all the mommies who go through so much for us!!

6 weeks to go!

People (including complete strangers) are always saying - "Ooh, I bet you can't wait to have the baby!!"

I usually answer calmly; "Oh yes I can"

I'm just not ready! Oh yes I have all the baby gear and baby clothes - I mean really? At this age she only needs diapers and onesies right?! Ok not really. Its so funnny how in the beginning, during the excitement of finding out that I'm actually WITH CHILD; 40 weeks seems so long, but actually I feel like it's flown by! As a first timer, I've never experienced the euphoria, the instant love connection and the bliss that comes with giving birth to this human being. All I can think about is the immense responsibility of raising my daughter as well as the more immediate issues such as lack of sleep (I love my sleep), incessant crying (I'm impatient), not knowing what to do (I dislike being unaware or out of control), worrying about SIDS, freaking out about whether she's ok, keeping her safe and alive....... It just all seems so stressful!!!

Of course I'm excited about our daughter. I know she's going to be beautiful but I guess a part of me is worried too and I keep hearing horror stories about the birth process and about babies not making it and I'm just trying my best to be cautious - or is it just me?

Baby Shower Bliss!!!

I can't thank my friends and family enough for the amazing Baby shower and gifts we (Arielle and I) received on May Day...... I have to make special mention to Nikki!!!! Who organized the whole thing with help from Peta-Gaye and Elesia. So sad that Elesia and many other people couldn't make it :(

I had the best day ever!!!! I can hardly believe I got so much stuff, according to her daddy, Arielle is a future DIVA and already has more clothes than her mom (well the stuff I have here anyway!).

We are blessed and grateful! Now to finish up the baby shopping (not much there!), wash Arielle's clothes, pack hospital bag....... I'm so not ready!! 45 days to go!!

Tanisa Samuel & Deryk Meany

Smooth Sailing

We're settling into our temporary home; it's so easy here - everything so convenient! I've met with my doc - and she's great, I get the impression she is caring, and is supportive of my natural birth plan. She was very patient and took time to answer all my questions. Time is flying, my appointments will be weekly from now on!

I also met with my Doula - Wylene, and she is wonderful. She's actually a board certified Midwife - How blessed are we to find her? She will be with me throughout the whole labor and delivery process. She will also give me pre-natal classes. I've signed up with the hospital for their classes as well.

In the meantime, I'm trying to stay fit and healthy!! I'm going to the gym downstairs 5 times a week - walking (and some light jogging) for 30 minutes on the treadmill plus stretching and some toning.

Deryk's trying out the local golf courses and sometimes I go along for the (somewhat bumpy) ride!! Here's a pic of me going to golf at 32 weeks :)

Can't wait to blog about my baby shower tomorrow!!! There'll be tons of pics!!

Tanisa Samuel & Deryk Meany

Good-Bye TCI

The past couple of weeks have been hectic, with moving, packing, shipping, traveling, unpacking - whew! I'm really going to miss Turks and Caicos - more for the people who became like family to us. Caridad and my Dominican family, Natasha my fitness guru and loyal friend to the end to name a few. As for Elesia (& Jade) she is more like a sister (& niece) and I can't see them being in Turks for much longer - even though I was sad to leave them there!!! :( The pic is with Jonathan & Lucy who took us out to Coyaba for a good bye dinner.... And that's big brother Mikey!! He'll no longer be the baby of the family! Oh by the way - some moron asked me if I was having twins that night!! LOL - that was at 30 weeks, I blame the dress.

So we're here, in Fort Lauderdale - living in a lovely 2 Bedroom apartment less than 5 minutes away from Holy Cross Hospital where lil Miss Arielle will be born. I'm so relieved that I'm here so just in case she decides to come early or I develop any complications - which are more common in the last trimester at least I'm here and within reach of a decent hospital - Thank Goodness. I have so much to be thankful for, especially the wonderful people in my life. Nikki & Sammy who helped us with an amazing apartment, and so much more, the list is too long!!

I'm really looking forward to being with my sis Tricia as she gives birth to Arielle's cousin Ocean!! She is due May 8th but we're all expecting an earlier arrival so I'm glad I made it in time. I'm hoping the girls will be great friends - especially since they're the same age; How amazing is that?

Madame Zaritska predicts my birth experience

This is just a little fun thing I did - Interesting that she knew the sex of the baby although I highly doubt the fluffy blonde hair and light violet eyes?? Hope she's right about the weight. LOL.

Madame Zaritska, using her mystical powers, has the following prediction:

Tanisa Samuel; The day you deliver, outside will be light. Your baby will arrive in the late afternoon. After a labor lasting approximately 17 hours, your child, a girl, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and will be 17-1/2 inches long. This child will have light violet eyes and fluffy blonde hair.

From:

http://pregnancyandbaby.sheknows.com/pregnancy/baby/Madame-Zaritska-predicts-your-birth-experience-1.php

LOLsssss

Baby has a name!!!

So much going on I can't believe how fast time is flying! Third trimester is here - baby is growing and moving constantly - I especially love the hiccups - they're so cute.

OK so big news!!! We've finally AGREED on a name for this little princess!! We've been around the world and back and I've decided to go with Daddy's original choice but with a prettier spelling:

Arielle....

Her nickname will be Elle; I'm very excited to be able to refer to my baby by her name! So, now for the middle name, as I said before I want to honor my Amazing Grandmother, Hyacinth May Lee (known simply as May), who passed away at Christmas last year - she was the rock of our family. She taught me about Jesus and made church, the bible and Christianity fun as well as meaningful. So I decided on Christamay / Christa-May (TBC). Not sure if I want to go with the hyphen, but I'm sure I want it to be one name not two.

Arielle ChristaMay Meany
Estimated Due Date June 19th, 2010

Daughter of Tanisa Samuel & Deryk Meany

Orgasmic Birth, Hypnobirthing; Reality or Gimmick?

I came across this website from baby center about "Orgasmic birth". So the ladies started a thread about it, and many women on there said they couldn't imagine it - these are women who's experienced labour. There was also a labor nurse who said she'd never ever seen a woman enjoy birth, so WTH? I watched their little trailer and as far as I'm concerned it's a crock of shit. I mean really? I know I'm a cynic, but do they really think I"m gonna fork over $20 to hear about how I should envision a penis or some other inappropriate sexual fantasy while trying to push a 8 pound baby out of my hoohaa?? COME ON PEOPLE!! (Not sure If I can post links, you can just google it).

I've already decided to go all natural, but that's because I truly believe this is best for both mom and baby; but no way am I going to fool myself into believing that I can just waltz into there and think good thoughts to an easy labour.

Then there's the Hypnobirthing / hynobabies phenomenon. Some women do swear by it, and I'm sure they made it through a lot easier thanks to the coping techniques learned through self hypnosis. I'm not saying that I can't be hypnotized; I just know I can't hypnotize myself. I've never been one of those free-spirited, one-with-nature, yoga-lovin' people who can sit and meditate.

So I guess I'll do some lamaze classes or maybe bradley, hire a doula and ensure I'm fully educated on what to expect.

I have to accept it's gonna hurt, A LOT. Once I have realisitic expectations as well as good people around to support me during a tough time that will be worth it in the end!!

Tanisa Samuel

Saying Goodbye......

So today I had the final appointment with my OB on Monday. I didn't realise I would actually be sad and get all teary eyed over it! Must be those pesky preggo hormones. I do wish she could deliver this baby - she's so cool and appreciates the natural way to do things, and I do trust her. She did a very thorough checkup, and baby girl was perfect in every way :) I will be heading to Fort Lauderdale to give birth and my new OB will be chosen by my insurance company. I chose Holy Cross Hospital - so I just have to hope the new OB is decent.

Although the baby wouldn't pose for any cute ultrasound pics, (unlike her Mother and grandmother LOL), from what I could see - she's really cute and she has my chubby cheeks!!

Pics: Deryk and I went to Sunday dinner at Chris and Pam's. Thanks guys!!

Sleep, becoming a luxury...

The Third Trimester is a few days away and I'm certainly feeling it. The energy and excitement brought on by the 2nd trimester is slowly being replaced by sleepless nights and zombie like days. I'm sitting here right now in a fog......

Meanwhile, Baby girl is kickboxing her way throughout the days and nights. At night, when I switch positions - so does she. She likes to roll around in there! She better get into birth position within the next couple of weeks, I fear the breech, which would mean the dreaded C-section. Although I think she's already assumed the position - I went on this website which helps you figure out where baby is - and as far as I can tell she's comfy being head down.

So we're packing and moving and it is stress!! That's all I'm gonna say on that front.

27 weeks :) today. I'm really grateful my lil bun is still baking comfortably in the oven - I'll take the discomforts if it means she can have a better chance at going to full term. There are a few women in my birth club, due in June already giving birth to tiny preemie babies and my heart breaks for them.

From PrimaDonna to SuperMama?

Many women extol the virtues of bringing new life into the world and marvel at God's amazing creation, (which is undoubtedly awe inspiring), but lets not forget that we're also the ones who have to actually navigate the side effects such as morning sickness, pregnancy weight gain, mood swings, and of course the agony of childbirth only to be followed by sleepless nights, dirty diapers, incessant crying BUT with the occasional coo and smile which erases all the above and makes everything worthwhile.

I just read a blog by a pregnant lady in which she writes just how much pregnancy SUCKS and that she has no idea why she does it (memory lapse?) - she would prefer labor over those 40 weeks of suckiness blah blah blah. Well, I am happy to report that this is not the case for me. Am I one of the lucky few? Well if I am - I am grateful. I too have fallen prey to the amnesia which seems to strike all mothers with my quick dismissal of the early days of morning sickness, (that terrible misnomer), that had me hugging the toilet bowl in an unladylike (not to mention unsanitary) fashion morning, noon and night. The 2nd trimester though, has been glorious; glowing skin, happy days, thick beautiful hair, sexy boobs, plenty of energy and a cute round bump that announces to all that I am indeed with child and not just victim of too much cake and ice-cream.

I'm only in the beginning stages here. What's gonna happen when those sleepless nights hit? Am I going to become another victim of that post-natal disaster that seems to befall so many new moms? Disheveled bleary eyed, unwashed hair, un-manicured nails, tired and wired, having no problems with popping that boob out in public to feed hungry baby, with an attitude of: "there's more to life than being well groomed" and the "don't you dare disapprove, my baby needs nourishment and is the most important thing on the planet" look.

NEVER!!

I'm assuming not - people have kids everyday and it doesn't essentially change who they are, right? But people also say how having a baby changes everything.... Life has a way of surprising us all and YES God has a sense of humor (enough with the cliches I know - I never claimed to be a writer) - so watch this space and see how this self professed glamour girl takes on mommy-hood!!

Mom can party too!!

Just wanted to share a few pics from Kimmara's going away party.

Everyone was surprised that I wore low heels rather than my usual sky highs!!! But hey - I can't risk falling and hurting my baby girl. Now that I have a prominent bump, my sense of gravity has changed and I have to be more careful. Everyone says I have the pregnancy waddle going on... Oh well!! There goes my sexy sashay - I was famous for that walk!

Mocha loves the Baby

I just had to share this cute pic.

Mocha and I were chilling on the couch today and he was snuggling up to my belly and listening to the heartbeat! Then he went to sleep - he didn't seem to mind the kicks.

At only 24 weeks this little baby packs a serious punch! Now for some reason she decided to reposition herself to the breech position - that is, head up legs down by my BLADDER and she rides it for fun! So now, I'm running to pee every half hour, and every 2 hrs at night. I hope she turns back soon because I remember how jolting it was when she decided to go on her little inspection of my uterus (**interesting factoid: my uterus is currently the size of a soccer ball). I literally jumped out of my sleep when she crawled, swam, turned I don't know how to describe it. ALIEN takeover! It's not altogether unpleasant or painful - most women LOVE the feeling - one of my BFFs told me she still misses it... Hmmm.. Ok then! My doc says she needs to be back in head down position by 32 weeks but I hope she doesn't wait that long - she'll be more than double in size!!

Baby Registry Info

Even though I haven't purchased anything yet, I do have a "wish list"! We've registered at Babies R Us, they seem to have everything in one location so it was fun and easy.

If you're interested you can go online and search for me using my full name Tanisa Samuel and or use the registry number: 44965982. We appreciate hints, tips or feedback - especially if you're an experienced parent!

I can see the baby moving!

This little baby girl knows how to exercise! She's growing in leaps and bounds, and in fact, last night I watched in amazement as my stomach moved at the point of those kicks!! She seems to be head down most of the time so the kicks are all above my belly button. Every now and then I get elbowed in my lower abdomen too. It's amazing. Seems as if she either moves a lot in her sleep or she's just awake more than asleep! Night times are crazy, all night she's moving and if I get her to settle down, the minute I move, she moves. It's hard for me to get comfortable because of the belly and she makes me feel as if I am inconveniencing HER!! LOL. Night times are rough - sleeping less and less what with going to pee 3 times, plus being uncomfortable, plus bad dreams! Last night I had a terrible dream (first one about baby) where I am totally unprepared for her and it was a disaster! In the dream I had not sanitized the bottles yet, had no idea what or when to feed her, breastfeeding was a nightmare that hurt and just didn't work, then in the end I dropped the baby!! While telling Deryk about it today I started crying. LOLs - darn hormones!

My tummy is growing so fast - I am grateful that the stretch marks are not happening - THANK YOU mom for great genes! I thought I'd get away with the belly button staying in but maybe not - we'll see - if she can stop kicking it maybe?

At this point everyone's buying cute baby things and decorating nursery etc, and I don't even know where we'll be living after the baby is born. I have not bought one single thing for the baby yet! I feel so stressed out and unprepared; I wish we could plan things. I'm giving myself 2 months in Florida before the due date so hopefully I will have enough time to get everything then. I'm adamant that this baby be born in the USA because it will give her more opportunities later in life but now I am seeing what a huge sacrifice that is going to be.

21 weeks and time is flying!

I got some good advice the other day form my lovely step mom: Enjoy the pregnancy! I can honestly say that I truly am. Ever since those first kick at 17 weeks, I've been subject to Baby's kickboxing activities day and night since then!! It's so nice and reassuring, just hoping she sleeps a bit more as she get's older or this could become painful! LOL. I drink lots of water, so she's got plenty of amniotic fluid to move around in. I was told that the bigger they get the less space they have and it restricts movement a bit, also they're growing and sleeping more. We'll see!

At 19 weeks we decided to do a 3D/4D ultrasound to confirm the gender!! This baby is 100% girl, she was not shy at all about showing us the girl goods the whole time I was at the 3D Ultrasound place!!! She was so active, rubbing eyes, kicking, flexing those legs and arms, we got 83 pictures of her! Saw all fingers, toes, cute butt and of course the Vajajay!

I'm so happy!! All we have to do now is find a name! Oh and what a dilemma this naming thing is. Especially for a girl - because we all know what a special little princess this one will be!

We already have one princess, my dear step daughter Rachael, although it's hard to believe she's almost grown (17 years old when this princess makes her debut) and will make a great big sis for this little one.

Yoga Baby!

So today (Jan 12, 2010 - 17 weeks 3 days) I went to my usual body sculpting class then I decided to stay for Yoga. I took it easy and at the end of the class during the final relaxation I put my hand on my tummy and the other on my heart like they tell you in the pregnancy yoga DVD, and yep, I felt those little kicks!! AMAZING!! This is the first official time (apart from the flutters I felt in week 13 - fluke!).

I was super excited, I lay there giggling and enjoying it. The kicks were strong enough that I could feel them on my hand on top of my belly!! How cool is that! I guess laying quietly really helps, since I'm quite a busybody usually! Oh and I'm sure the stretching and focused breathing gave the baby lots more oxygen too!!

Update - I kept on feeling movement throughout the night as well :) so I'm thinking this will become more and more consistent.

Pregnancy Weight Gain (UGH!!!)

OK so I went on the scale a couple of days ago and almost had a heart attack! 12 pounds at 17 weeks is more than recommended at my starting weight. I'd started my exercise regimen but no running initially because of M/S but recently because I'm lazy and don't want to wake up! Although I have to say sleeping at night is much less restful now with all the bathroom trips!!

I found myself being constantly hungry and eating like a damn truck driver whenever I felt like it because well: "It's for the baby!!"

Also I had switched my prenatals to the Walgreens brand and it increased my appetite like crazy - so I switched back to the old one and now its much better.

Let's face the uncomfortable truth here!! Pregnancy should not be a time when we let ourselves go! When we make excuses and when we just indulge! Exercise is good for you and the baby and we can make an effort to look cute when we leave the house.

I've always worked VERY hard to maintain myself: A minimum of 2 kickboxing classes a week, 2 bodysculpting classes AND running 40 minutes every morning mon - friday!

I had to sit back and think for a moment. I have 5 months left and then what? At this rate I will agin something crazy like 50+ pounds!! EEkkk. After the baby I will no longer have the pregnancy excuse what then? I already know it's not easy.

I've been back to the classes now for a couple of weeks (taking it easier of course!!) and today I jogged for 40 minutes for the first time in over a month. I ran with Natasha and we ran very slow, kept my HR under 140 and it felt so AMAZING!

Update: 17 weeks 4 days - down to 10 pounds over the pre-preg weight. I'm not trying to LOSE weight just going back to eating healthy and working out!

Birth Plan

I was very nervous about the labour and delivery - I'm really scared of pain!! I felt even worse when Deryk said he didn't want to be in the room during delivery, but I understand - I don't wanna be there either!! LOL

I've been doing a lot of reading and research, and I must say I feel a whole lot better. There is overwhelming scientific evidence to support the fact that natural childbirth is best for mother and baby, and so I've made the decision to try my best to go all natural.

I'd like the ability and the freedom to choose a natural active birth process, the same way many women choose elective Cesareans or choose epidurals or choose to be induced. In today's world, many women are NOT given the choice of natural birth and many hospitals especially in the United States are even hostile towards this option which they compare to having a tooth pulled without lidocaine. This is why most women who have educated themselves and choose natural childbirth either do so at home or at a freestanding birth center with midwives and other supportive persons. However, thanks to my terrible insurance company - I do not have this luxury. They have given me a few hospitals to choose from - all in very inconvenient locations too.

So on top of having to deal with the stress and drama of the labor process, I will be fighting off the nurses and hospital staff who are trained to administer DRUGS - how will I be able to withstand their offers when I'm uncomfortable and the pain at times seems unbearable?

With the help of professional labour support - I plan to hire a Doula.

Will I be able to find a hospital - in my restricted choice, that allows me the freedom to move around, NOT give birth on my back, NOT be forced to be uncomfortably strapped into my bed? They're trained to medically manage a natural process! They yearn for control when none is needed. They are impatient and administer drugs to get labor started, drugs to keep it going - those same drugs make the contractions worse, so then they administer the epidural to block the pain, which slows down labor, and restricts the use of your legs, then they admit your for emergency c-section when you fail to progress within THEIR arbitrary timeline.

Updated 16/02/10 my birth plan...

• TANISA SAMUEL

  BIRTH PLAN

  Hello to the wonderful nurses and support team of Holy Cross Hospital, I want to thank-you very much for helping me through my first labor and delivery experience. I have had a healthy low risk pregnancy so I am hoping for a natural childbirth experience and I appreciate your support and expertise. While this is my wish, I am also realistic and flexible; I feel confident that I can make informed decisions when needed.

  LABOUR & DELIVERY

  • Freedom to return home during the early stages of labor

  • Stay home until active labor begins

  • Ability to move freely

  • I would prefer intermittent external fetal monitoring

  • Freedom to eat and drink as needed

  • Prefer not to be connected to IV fluids - I will replenish fluids through drinking water

  • I would prefer not to manually rupture membranes

  • Limit vaginal examination, especially after membranes are ruptured

  • Allow 24 hours for labor to progress AFTER membranes ruptured

  • Please No Pitocin

  • Please do not offer an EPIDURAL or other narcotics such as demerol

  • Freedom to surrender to the experience, allowing my body to tell me what is needed and follow instincts for movement, positions and when to push

  • I’d like to stay active and upright during labor

  • Use alternative pain relief methods such as showers, baths, massage etc.

  • Prefer NOT to lay flat on back while pushing

  • If progress is slow, baby may be in wrong position - use alternative methods of turning baby - such as getting on all fours and allowing gravity to help baby turn his back to my belly.

  • If instruments required – I prefer vacuum over forceps

  • Please please NO episiotomy, I prefer to tear.

  • If possible, I’d like measures taken to reduce possibility of tearing perineum; such as warm compresses and controlled pushing.

  • No injections to perineum please, unless I tear and require stitches postpartum.

  Third Stage and First hours after birth

  · I’d like my spouse to cut the umbilical cord (2^nd option: My Mom)

  · The clamping and cutting of the cord can be done immediately

  · I would like to donate my cord blood cells

  · Whether or not I have had stitches to the perineum, I would appreciate an ice pack to reduce swelling and discomfort

  · I would like the baby placed directly in my arms

  · After observation, APGAR, weighing & first bath, the baby can be wrapped in a warm blanket and placed in my arms or father’s arms

  · Please administer Vitamin K and eye care

  Healthy Baby Care

  · I would like to begin breastfeeding within the first hour or whenever she is hungry

  · Please do not offer my baby a bottle or formula

  · I will feed the baby on her cue

  · Newborn exam can be performed by hospital pediatrician

  · If we have a boy, I’d like to circumcise him within two days with local anesthesia

  · I’d like my baby immunized

End of First Trimester! Yay!!

It's been so long since I posted, but I had a pretty rough time of it, so I didn't really have too many nice things to say. LOL. Those pregnancy hormones!!

I was so sick and tired, I didn't know I was capable of not keeping food down - oh yeh, even my stomach muscles got a workout from hurling!

Good news is, most of that has eased off, so it's getting much better.

Here's a picture of the little one!! Very cute if i do say say so myself!!

So I've had my 12 week scan - so far everything looks pretty good! I go back in January at 16 weeks - hopefully she can tell the sex, but it may still be a bit early. 20 weeks is usually the best time to tell.

So far, word seems to have traveled all over Provo!! But we still have to tell the kids - I am sure they will see me with my big belly at Easter! But hopefully they will know before. We just didn't wanna do it over the phone......

I've been quite lazy and haven't exercised much over the last couple weeks. I did aqua aerobics on Sunday and it was fab! I just need to make myself do somethign everyday - even if it's just walking. It'll be better for me and the baby but more importatnly - for the birth process!! Eeek. Very scared of that!!

T

This feeling is fabulous!

OK So I found out that I am allowed to have a little caffeine each day - which is more than I need. I only need two sips in the morning! Wow, amazing how something so small makes a huge difference! I've also been reading up on exercise during pregnancy and it seems I can continue whatever I was doing prior to P-day, so I'm going to kickboxing later.

Woke up with a spring in my step. Ran 40 minutes with my lovely running club (who don't yet know I'm preggers!) and felt so fabulous all morning. I invited everyone for lunch, Kimmara, Allison, Jane, Art & Deryk so I'm really looking forward to that.

It's amazing how positive my mood is; even after mocha PUKED all his breakfast and I found out that I can't get a job at stupid Beaches, I'm still feeling ok. A bit bummed about the job, but I must be able to find something else!

Mommy

Can hardly believe it's really happening!

I feel great! No symptoms apart from slightly tender boobs. I felt a little extra tired on Sunday and Monday - but maybe that was becuase it was a holiday weekend?

My dilemma is: exercise - I really want to continue but I have to0 be careful. So here's the plan:

Continue running and quit kickboxing - but what about Tuesday's bodysculpting? It's rubber bands and while it's not easy I can't see it presenting any problem to my uterus. Also, all the websites say I can do classes & abs for as long as I can do them (as long as the belly don't get in the way LOL).

My running is still easy of course and I'm not going super fast - just taking it an easy light pace.

I'm freaking out a little - the doc is busy - she has not responded to my e-mails and her schedule is full!! I've got a weird fear that I'm actually not pregnant or something. LOL. But I'm waking lots at night to pee and I'm dreaming every night about the pregnancy! I've even had a dream that I have twins in here! Woah!! God help me if that's the case - growing with Zack & Dylan - was stressful enough and I was only a big sis. If it's twins God please give me girls or at least one girl :)

Mommy to be....... :)

xoxoxox

2 Positive pregnancy tests!! :)

October 11, 2009

I made the decision last year that I'd like to be a Mom. Prior to this, I wavered on the idea. My fiance has three children from a previous marriage, whom I love dearly. I mothered them and I felt satisfied with that. But then... Mother nature prevailed! Those natural urges kicked in - at age 3o, and I felt that I deserved a shot at a kid of my own. I know I'll be a good Mother, so we decided we would do it - after the wedding.

Well...... 2009 rolled around - recession hit, and we just couldn't bring ourselves to spend all that money on a big wedding - and Deryk is not one to do anything small, so we're still affianced with no wedding date set - and my clock is ticking!

I stopped birth control in the summer of '09, and just let nature take it's course.

On Friday October 9, my period was due, and I just knew it wasn't coming. I bought a pregnancy test and voila!! I was right!

So for now I'm only 4 weeks along, very early days. I haven't told many people, my BFF, my running partner (who has to know becuase even though I'm going to continue to run, the pace will be a little slower) and my step-sister who is also pregnant right now. Deryk is so excited he told his best Friend Chris - who he's already chosen as the God father. Chris almost cried when he found out - he's so honoured, but I think he'll make a great uncle and hopefully - we'll inspire him to settle down and have some kids of his own!! (Yes that's my evil plan).

I want to shout it from the rooftops!! I'm so excited - but I know it's way too early - anything can happen, but, I just KNOW everything's gonna be OK. I prayed today and thanked God for giving me this little miracle.

So far, no major symptoms yet apart from bigger boobs (yay!). I feel great, even without coffee and tea! How amazing is that? I feel sexy too Hehehhehe

I plan to blog weekly and maybe even daily if I have interesting news!!

I plan to continue running, and maintain my health and fitness regimen, but I'll probably stop the kickboxing and bodysculpting classes - they're really tough and the first trimester is the most delicate so I don't want to jeopardize my Baby!! I'm gonna try really hard not to gain too much weight, I'm comfortable running everyday so I will continue.

These will be published after the first trimester.......