The Sound of Joy

This week has been full of activity.

• We went to an ultrasound on Tuesday to check viability.  Within minutes, we saw the embryo and a beating heart.  I cried.  The ultrasound determined that I am 6 weeks along, and that the embryo is growing right on schedule. The official due date is August 20, 3 days after Emily's birthday.

• Second, I went to the doctor's today and had another ultrasound done, just because.  There, again, was the yolk sac with a beating heart (or fluttering, as the doctor called it).  This heartbeat means more than just viability, it means that I really am growing a baby. I will have another ultrasound at 8 weeks, just to be safe, and if things are still going well, the appointments will start at the standard once a month.  I am just thrilled at, well, the optimistic outlook for this pregnancy.

• I am still feeling really ill.  I haven't thrown up, yet, just dry heaved.  Smells kill me. Moving kills me.  Sleeping kills me.  Pretty much everything kills me.  I lay on the couch much of the day, sipping on Diet Dr. Pepper and eating saltines.  I don't know how things will end up, whether I will get as sick as I did with Emily and Andrew (although I have been much sicker earlier than I was with them), and I don't care to guess.  I am taking this experience one day at a time, laughing at my mood swings and horrible nausea.  I subsist on chips and the random cravings for instant mashed potatoes.  Everything else makes my stomach turn, and, well, I could care less what goes down as long as it doesn't come back up.  

• I have had two weeks off of work and will be returning on Tuesday.  This both excites and scares me.  Since I am in an office, I will be sitting in a chair for 8 hours a day--not conducive to my new lounging desires.  However, I am excited because I love my job.  I have some heavy tasks to complete--home visits, file reviews, and so many other things--but getting out of the house will be a nice change of scenery.  I think.

• Finally, I am putting the finishing touches on my master's application.  This is my most exciting news.  I will find out in the end of January whether I was accepted or not; hopefully the answer will be yes.

• Andrew has turned into the biggest goof ball.  I'm not sure where he gets his silliness from, but he makes me laugh every day.  He has this grin and this run and this laugh that, in combination, has me laughing so hard I start to dry heave.

• Emily is super excited about the baby.  (She likes to remind me that I have a baby on my tummy, which I gently correct to "in" the tummy.)  She is also very conscientious of my needs.  She brings me my puke bowl,  snacks, the remote, and drinks while I lay on the couch in an attempt to get comfortable.  When I came home from the ultrasound, I started bawling.  Since then, she has been worried by every sound (like when I moan out of pain or sickness) out of my mouth.  Sheesh, this girl understands so many things.   

• Ben is busy.  However, he finds the time to cater to my every need.  Seriously.  Not only do I treat him like dirt (at times, in my bad moments) but I demand food and other things from him.  I am so glad he loves me and understands that this is a short-lived thing.  Also, he cooks breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all of us; cleans the house; and puts the kids to bed.  I am incredibly lucky to have him.

And now for some pictures.  Enjoy.

The kids wearing my mascara.  Take one guess at who's idea that was. 

Andrew wearing his outside shoes.

Emily being adorable.  And showing off her art. 

Andrew and his "ganky," with peanut butter all over his face.

Emily doing dishes. She made an offer I couldn't refuse.