Kevin, Shannah, Liam, Lorelei & Delaney

We wanted to wish all of our blog readers a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving!  We're a little early, but will be leaving town tomorrow to join the family in the valley, so no internet for a while.  Mommy to be felt much better today, so I am hoping it sticks around long enough to get my fill of turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, rolls, pie/desserts.  I very much so love Thanksgiving and will be devastated if I spend it sick.  So, here's to a healthy and yummy Thanksgiving! This Thanksgiving, we're so very, very thankful for our little miracle and the support group we have behind us!  Thank you again for all of the prayers and positive wishes you keep sending our way.  We are so very blessed and will be remembering you this Thanksgiving. Also, we ask that you say a prayer for our troops this holiday season.  Having been there, we know how difficult the holidays can be.  Please keep our troops and their families in your prayers and say a "thank y...

So, Mommy-to-Be is back to being sick again.  I woke up this morning and started my usual routine (going to the bathroom to empty my bladder immediately).  Upon arriving at the sink, I realized I was dizzy, sweaty and overall just "not myself".  Thinking I had just got up too fast, I went to sit down.  After a few minutes, I was still dizzy and not feeling so great.  So, Daddy-to-Be went and got Mommy-to-Be a carnation instant breakfast, which was VERY hard for her to get down this morning, which is very unusual.  Mommy-to-Be also spent some quality time with the toilet today.  I also did not feel so good yesterday (although that was no where near as terrible as today was). I really do not understand these "come and go" symptoms I get.  I am wondering if these flu shots have anything to do with it?  Last time I got the seasonal flu shot, I was sick for over a week, causing me to miss out on some family events and suffer through a trip to/fr...

So, the perinatalogist's office called yesterday afternoon.  We go in first thing in the morning on Dec. 17th.  Then, walk across the path to my doctor's office for our monthly appointment with him.  The test has two parts: a blood test and an ultrasound.  The blood sample is sent out and screened for levels of PAPP-A (pregnancy associated plasma protein A) and HCG (pregnancy hormone).  With down syndrome, levels of PAPP-A tend to be decreased, while HCG is increased.  The ultrasound will measure the thickness at the back of the baby's neck.  Increased thickness is associated with down syndrome and other abnormalities/birth defects.  The lab calculates a woman’s risk of chromosomal birth defects using the combined results of her blood test and ultrasound. First-trimester screening can detect about 82% - 87% of pregnancies affected by Down syndrome and about 90% of those affected by trisomy 18 (mental retardation).  In other words, we need...

Baby Fagundes had his/her first photo today... We had an ultrasound to date the pregnancy.  I am 8 weeks, just as we suspected (I told that nurse she was a couple of days off!).  Baby Fagundes' heart was just beating away, which was a huge relief for Mommy & Daddy.  Daddy found the heart beat right away so he must have been secretly worried about this (mommy was trying to see through her tears and calm herself from excitement). Today was also the first time we met our doctor.  Kevin and I both really like him.  Very personable, knowledgeable and spent lots of time with us, making me feel like I was the only patient he had in the office!  Once again, the staff was wonderful and our wait time was less than a couple of minutes!  Overall, we are very pleased with our choice of doctor's office. Doctor said all looks well, with the exception of what he says is just a little bit of blood showing in the ultrasound, outside of the uterus.  He say...

It has come to my attention that the comments section (at the bottom of each post) is not working?  Is this true for everyone?  I am trying to figure it out, as it is not a problem on my end.  Leave a comment (if you can) by clicking on the comment link right below this post.  This will help me to see it's a problem for everyone!  I will try to figure it out from there.  Thanks so much!

** Update 11/15/09:  I got the H1N1 shot at my doctor's office on Friday.  In 2 weeks it should take effect.  So I will likely be back to work shortly after Thanksgiving.  I am so relieved!  Thanks to everyone who helped me in researching the effects of the shot and trying to find me a place to receive one! **  So, my doctor's office called a few days ago and said they had 500 preservative-free vaccine shots that they are giving out this afternoon.  These 500 vaccines are for the entire complex (several doctors work in the building, meaning I have many patients to compete with today!).  So, I am planning on lining up early, in hopes of getting vaccinated today.  Wish me Luck! This will decide if I am able to go back to work in 2 weeks (it takes about that long for the vaccine to establish itself within the body).  I am really hoping I am able to get one, that would be one less worry for me, as going out to the movies or a local store...

My wonderful sister in law emailed me today and told me where I can go to get an H1N1 vaccination.  I called my doctor to see when they were expecting the vaccination to arrive and they said they had been taken off the list, as there are no more vaccinations, so it could be quite a while. So, I called the location my sister in law told me about and they set me up with an appointment for this afternoon!  FINALLY!  Two weeks from now I will be back at work (if the morning sickness and lack of energy allows me to).  Poor students!  A moody, hormonal pregnant woman running their classroom.  Good Luck to them!  I am so excited, in two weeks I can LEAVE the house! I am also grateful to be up, moving around, not sick or queasy and full of energy this morning.  I don't know why this is, the only thing I changed in my schedule was taking a walk yesterday, so I may try that again.  I am so thankful to be among the living again (even if it only last...

Halloween was fun.  We went to Hanford and saw both of our nephews (briefly, but still worth it).  Spent the day and evening hanging out with family.  Overall, we had tons of fun! Here's Barney (AKA-our nephew Ryan) trick or treating at Grandma and Grandpa's house: I just LOVED the tail!   Barney playing with his toys:       Barney playing with Uncle Kevin's wig: Here's our boys (glow in the dark skeletons) getting their Halloween Treats: And Simba with his Halloween Treat: A monkey (AKA-our nephew Braxten) trick or treating at Grandma and Grandpa's: His expression when he saw his Uncle "Joe Dirt":     A pose with only the Monkey: The monkey opening his gift bag from Aunt Shannah and Uncle Kevin:   The monkey opening his treats from Grandma and Grandpa (of course Porky has to be in the middle of everything): We trick or treated two houses and he was done for the night (he had already gone around many houses with his parents earlier): Fin...

Sleepy!  So, I haven't posted in a while, mostly due to the fact that I am only up for a few hours a day.  I am so incredibly sleepy, it's almost frightening how bad it is.  I am wondering if something could be wrong.  I do the smallest task (folding the laundry, dishes, preparing a meal) and I feel like I need a nap.  I spend much of my morning sleeping, then take a nap in the afternoon and am ready for bed at hubby's eleven o' clock bed time.  I am very frustrated with myself, not a whole lot getting done around here these days and it makes me feel like I am the most pathetic pregnant woman to ever exist.  Everyone knows what a busy body I am, so this feeling is literally killing me. Sick!  This symptom is not as bad as it could be, so I am going to try to keep my complaints to a minimum!  I am usually the worst in the morning, when I first wake up or after long naps.  I read somewhere that your stomach empties and it's actually your...