A rolling stone gathers..

Lots of pain! We got quite a surprise this week, granted not the good kind of surprise one would hope for! Tuesday morning Justin went to work early to play basketball and left his phone at home (he never does that!). I was working till 6pm that day so I was going to go in a little later than usual. I started getting ready for work when my lower abdominal area became very sore and uncomfortable. I thought I was having some type of cramps so I called over to my doctor's office when they opened (8:30am). I described the type of pain I was having, to which the front desk lady said "I'll have a nurse call you back and we can maybe get you in to see the doctor tomorrow." There was no way I was waiting! I told her with the type of pain I was in I couldn't wait another minute so they had me come in to see the doctor. The nurse thought I was having a bladder infection, which didn't seem far-fetched to me. After having a urine culture done, (and sorry for the graphic nature of this post).. they found blood in my urine.

By the time they put me in one of the patient rooms at the doctor's office I was in so much pain! It now had spread to my lower back and my upper right back. The doctor came in and explained what they thought it might be...kidney stones! So he sent me to the hospital (AF hospital) which is thankfully just next door. I had to wait for the nurse to get an ultrasound scheduled at the hospital so I sat in another nurse's chair behind the front desk, sobbing my eyes out! Side note: Definitely not my proudest moment looking back on it, but at the time I had zero self-awareness or any awareness for that matter. I called Justin at work and told him the situation and that he could meet me at the AF hospital. In the meantime, the sweetest nurse was helping me try and walk over to the hospital. We didn't get very far before my breathing had taken a turn for the worse so she drove us, in our highlander, over to the hospital. My sweetheart was waiting for me there, it was so wonderful to see him finally!

I'll skip over some of the more embarrassing details ... basically they did an ultrasound and found hydro (?)/inflammation on my right kidney. So the ultrasound tech said to go back to the doc's office. After driving back there and waiting for 15 minutes to see the doc, he said to go right back to AF hospital to Labor & Delivery. We got settled in a room on the labor & delivery floor (after waiting for what seemed like forever), the nurses came in with liquid relief. Another side note: I have always dreaded IVs, I hate the idea of a needle being in my hand and staying there. After the nurse tried putting the IV in my hand she announced that my veins were too small. I offered her my trustworthy-blood-drawing spot, the inside of my left elbow. (Again, I hate having blood drawn but with events in the past couple years I've gotten used to it-I just squinch my eyes and look away). That area worked and I was pumped with IV fluids and Morphin within no time. That took most of the edge off the pain but my right upper back was still hurting quite a bit. They gave me another drug (Tordal) which dilates the tubes within the urinary tract system and once that hit I was feeling pretty much back to normal. The latter drug was to help the stone pass more easily through the small confines it is in. After about 4 hours of resting in the hospital the doctor came in and said that I could go home. They were going to give me 4 different medications to help with infection and pain.

Kidney stones, really? I never had an inkling of what type of pain they create. I've heard that it is the closest thing to labor a person can feel but I don't think that ever hit home. Apparently the stones really hurt the most when they are on the move, but once they enter the bladder the worst pain is behind you. I am not sure if the stone has passed yet but thankfully the pain has. (Knock on wood!!). The nurses said that kidney stones can be super tiny, smaller than a grain (then why do they hurt so much?!) so sometimes it passed but you just can't see it. I sure hope that is what has happened, I definitely don't want a repeat of this week-especially when I'm pregnant!

The great things I learned from this experience:
-First of all, I have no desire now to try and have a natural birth! Bring on the epidural. I learned that I'm in enough pain it doesn't matter what needles go where, as long as they bring relief, I can stand the momentary discomfort.
-The AF Labor & Delivery floor is very nice! Our room was spacious and the nurses were super sweet and helpful.
-We got to hear our baby's heartbeat as they monitored him for about 30 minutes when I was on the initial doses of drugs. Little boy sounded so great they said, his heartbeat was wonderful! It was so comforting as I was lying there in pain that I could hear his sweet heartbeat in the background...wished they would have left that monitor on longer. He was pretty funny though, once they put the monitor on my belly he started kicking and punching right at it it seemed like. So amidst the constant heartbeat you would hear a loud thud from his karate kick. I like to think he was trying to cheer his mom up, and it sure did work!
-I really am grateful for modern day medicine. I can't stand being on medications constantly but through this experience they have been such a blessing!
-I have so many friends and family that are so loving and concerned! From the calls to texts about how I was doing, I was so grateful to have their support and love through it all. Their prayers too, as I'm sure that is why I'm feeling so great now!

Sorry for all the antics and drama of this post! You would think I was in a much worse situation by how I have been going on and on about it lol.

For a happier note!

Justin felt Baby Blackham kick last Sunday night for the first time. I grabbed Justin's hand (as I have countless times in the past) once I felt a strong kick. Every time in the past Justin had waited patiently but our baby was done with his exercising. But not last Sunday! Justin had looked away for a moment, but when he felt the kick his head jerked back at me and his eyes were big with surprise! It was so cute! Since then Baby (Carter?) has been kicking and punching and squirming around nonstop. They say you are supposed to feel 6-10 movements per hour... so sometimes randomly when I get a quiet moment I will feel for those movements. Within about 5 minutes I have felt probably twice that amount of movement. He makes it so I don't have to worry about him too much thank goodness! :-) I am so excited to meet this little guy!

20 week ultrasound

We had Baby Blackham's 20 week picture-palooza today! Well not really, it was more like a super quick scan of every part of his body to make sure he was growing as healthy and normal as can be. Good news! He looks cute as a button from head to toe. During the visit his long legs went from curled up to stretched out and we got to see how long his legs are! I think even the shape of them looks like Justin's legs. We also got a cute picture of his feet pressed up against my side. Those feet I felt kick (from the outside) a couple of weeks ago. Since then its mostly just been him squirming around and little soft kicks that I feel.


Here is a pic of me yesterday...notice the stretchy shirt and sweatpants, I would wear this all the time if I didn't have to go to work:
It's hard to believe we are halfway there! Justin and I were talking the other day about how we wish there were more time (and we had more energy) each day. We get home from work (and we even get off earlier than most, at 4pm), come home, have dinner and by then he is either headed up to class or starting on homework... then there is me ... once I hit the couch I have a hard time doing anything but sitting there! I have been meaning to blog forever now but can't muster up the energy (or desire) to sit at upright and type on a computer for any time at length (besides, I do that 8 hours of my day at work!). I want to read things to get ready for the baby or clean up the nursery a little bit better in preparation for us buying things for the nursery.. but the couch still tempts me more than any of these other things. I've heard the 2nd trimester is the golden time where I'm supposed to feel great enough to do things... I can't imagine how I'm going to be in the 3rd trimester!

I did manage to buy some baby bedding (online, via laptop, on the couch :-)). I got it from Target.com, after MUCH hesitation and uncertainty. I am not really into themes, i.e. sports, transportation, animals etc. But I wanted something that had all the colors that the themed bedding offers. It arrived last Friday and after checking it out I think it might be a keeper! Here is a link to it.
And if you have a magnifying glass you might be able to see the picture of it above, sorry I couldn't find a way to make it any bigger! It has green, orange, blue, yellow, & brown so now I have some colors to start decorating the rest of the room. That is unless I find some bedding I like better... I literally poured over every internet baby bedding site though so I feel like I made an informed decision haha.

That's all for now..hopefully I'll get another post or two in before we have our little one!

Well, well, well...

So much for gut instinct! We had an ultrasound done today (17 weeks) and it looks like (actually there is no denying it)....we're having a ....

BOY!!

We weren't sure if the baby would be willing to share this personal information with us today but there was no playing bashful with this ultrasound! I am totally in shock but completely thrilled at the same time. Our babe seemed so cramped in its tiny living quarters and vvverrry active! (Which I think I'm starting to recognize those feelings in my stomach now as being the babe) Justin is going to make such a great dad to this little man....he's a lucky son that's for sure! Now we just need to come up with some boy names we both love! (Easier said than done!!)



Here I am tonight, 17 weeks:

First comes love then comes marriage then comes...

(picture compliments of our nephew Jacob, he posted
this Thanksgiving day after finding out)

That's right folks... we're having a baby! We are due June 17th, I am 13 1/2 weeks along! The first trimester flew by it seemed like, without any trace of morning sickness thank goodness! At first all I wanted to eat were hamburgers and anything unhealthy but my aversion to salads is finally gone and I'm back to eating any (and every) genre of food! We've seen our babe twice and heard the heartbeat just at our last appointment. Our next appt is January 3rd! We live for these appointments! I'm staring to get a belly on me.. though I don't think its the baby just yet..maybe just my insides reorganizing themselves? Here's a pic of me from this last Sunday:






Yay!!!

Chicago 2010

Yes, we went to Chicago in August. And yes, I feel like I will never be up-to-date on blogging! But nonetheless I wanted to make a post for our trip (memories and all :-)!)

We spent a few days (too short of a trip!) in Chicago visiting with the Blackhams. This was my first time going to Chicago in the summer and it was a blast! (It's great in the winter too, but its nice to see things at different times of the year). We got to watch Kristen practice her marching band skills, visit downtown Chicago (Navy Pier fireworks show), downtown Naperville (the rowboats), and go to a Cubs game! We can't wait to go back again!




Funny story about the above and below picture. I am intent on watching the game and it is getting near the end of the last inning. I see the kids sitting below us wearing their hats in ways I've never seen so I turn to my left to ask Justin, "Hey why are these kids wearing their hats that way?" and below is the image I see, much to my surprise! Apparently in baseball, or at least at the Cubs games, there is something called a 'rally hat' that you do when you want your team to rally with runs. Now I'm in the know but at the time I was wondering who is this man I married...

Mr. and Mrs. Blackham go to Washington

We just got back from a week-long trip back east! Justin and I spent 5 days in D.C. then 2 days in Virginia Beach visiting my parents. The east is so gorgeous this time of year! When I think back to this trip I know I will remember the feel of the crisp Autumn air with the smell of dried leaves (and the sound of them crunching underfoot). We loved the up-close view of our nation's history and learning more about our government. I think Justin's highlight of the trip was the personal tour of the Capital building by a staff member from Utah's congressman's office. My highlight was the beautiful scenery and the incredible US Botanical Gardens, they had every imaginable type of orchid! Oh and the yummy cupcakes we got to try! Yes we tried the famous Georgetown cupcake but for as long as the lines were the cupcakes weren't all that impressive. We say go to Baked and Wired.. now those were yummy cupcakes!! We also had a wonderful stay (though too short!) with my parents. We visited the Jamestown settlement and the beach while there (and had some great seafood!). Here are just a few pictures from our getaway:

What's that on your nose?

Last Sunday we have the Whitmer's down for family pictures. (The last time we had pictures taken of us was... 2.5 years ago...at our wedding). We'll maybe get some of those pictures on here in a little bit but in the meantime this picture was too cute to pass up. My nephew, Matt, found a chestnut. When Justin asked him to hold it up, mind you, this was past Matt's naptime and he was getting very sleepy, this was the resulting shot: