Happy 23 weeks!

Eeeeekk.... sorry it has been so long since I/we posted anything! The last week has been pretty stinking busy. Where to begin? Hmmm. I guess we will start with Friday night when we picked up Tim's dad from the airport. Every year for the last 3 years Tim has put together a hockey game at the Ice House to raise money for the families of officers in Winston-Salem who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. It is a ridiculous amount of work and Tim diligently and selflessly does it---everything from setting up ice time, to designing and ordering t-shirts, visiting restaurant after restaurant to receive donations for us to raffle off, to organizing the teams and more. It is a pretty big deal. Anyways, we were lucky to have Tim's dad stay with us for a few days to come and see the hockey game. We would have loved for his mom to be here, too, but unfortunately she is battling breast cancer (and winning I think!) and with her doctor's appointments couldn't make it. We will see you there next year!

So, Saturday was the game. It was a great time (What was the score you ask? Ah... uhmm.... well... I think Winston won haha) and a lot of money was raised for scholarships and other things. We were blessed enough that Cafe Pasta rented out the entire place for free for the players and families afterwards and we were treated to some delicious food and a two person band. It was a nice way to relax and unwind after the busy events leading up to the game.

Sunday we took Tim's dad to the Asheboro zoo since he had never been. It was a pretty warm day, but pretty much the perfect day to munch on Dippin Dots while we looked at animals. Lemme tell you.... the zoo is huge. Anyone around here knows that much. But if felt even bigger lugging around a baby in my tummy while walking. Did you know that at the zoo the land is like a triangle?..... no matter which side you come from, you are walking up hill for half of it. Phew. Tim was a sweetheart as always and made sure to give me ample breaks and make sure we were doing well.

Monday we went to Celebration Station after going out to breakfast to play putt-putt against Tim's dad. Also, very hot. My feet officially have flip-flop tan from the morning. Then we visited my mom who had rotator-cuff surgery earlier in the week and rushed home to get his dad's luggage and then take him all the way back to the airport (we live nowhere near the airport).

These were just the big moments from the week. . . not even including all the normal day-to-day stuff like laundry and walking the dog and cleaning and eating..... oh, not to mention we went to the doctor on Wednesday!  What a mess that appointment was. The whole point of us going to the doctor that day was to get another ultrasound since they couldn't see Lierre's (Lee-air.... Lee-air.... keep practicing, it gets easier) heart well and so that we could start rotating doctors and meet everyone. We were all the way through with a rushed visit with my first "new" doctor and he was out the door before Tim called out "Aren't we supposed to get an ultrasound today?" The doctor assured us no, no we were not. I had to explain they couldn't see Lierre's aorta last time and blah blah blah and oh, what do you know, it was written right there on our file and they had just forgotten to schedule us that day. I mean, I understand that everyone makes mistakes. It's just the fact that that was the sole reason for us to go. The only reason we had to go back. And then they didn't even read our file to know anything about us. And then told us we were wrong. All in all it made me much more uneasy about staying at this practice. I really like my own personal doctor, but the though of being shuffled around for the next 4 months meeting people who know nothing about us and may not be as supportive as my own doctor during delivery for my laboring wishes really makes me pause and my skin crawl a little bit. Ehhh.... I was in a bad mood the rest of the afternoon. Not because they made a mistake, but because I felt like nothing more than a chart that day.

Anyways, after waiting another hour there was (thankfully) a cancellation in the ultrasound part of the practice and we got to see our little lady. The ultrasound tech was MUCH nicer this go 'round which made me feel better. Lierre is weighing in at 1 pound 3 ounces and her heart rate fluctuated between 142-149 beats a minute---she is right on track.

Why yes, that is her toe touching her nose.

She is so special to us already. It is amazing how much she is on my mind and I have not even met her yet. I don't think I can go 5 minutes without my mind wandering to her.

My own stats at the doctor: I have gained almost 10 pounds since my first doctor's visit. This is pretty normal I suppose. What my thinking is..... if she only weighs a pound and it has taken 22 weeks (now 23) for her to get there.... and I am so awkward and uncomfortable at times already.... where are her next 5, 6, 7, 8 pounds going to go over the next 18?! It is mind boggling.

Also because I still get so so so dizzy (hence me writing this instead of being in the shower right now) and the heartbeat sound in my ears has gotten so loud I can't hear people talking sometimes.... they checked my iron levels. Mild anemia is from about 11-13 .... my count was at 9.5. So anyways, I'm not having to take extra iron pills every day. I really, really, really hope it helps. It's getting to the point where it is hard for me to do just about anything active sometimes (E.g. yesterday at Edward Mckay's used books, I ended up just sitting in the floor for about 15 minutes).

Also, Lierre is kicking up a storm.... it is getting a little stronger every day. It has mostly felt like pokes and jabs, but this morning Tim and I both got to feel her move across a portion of my stomach. Maybe a foot or an elbow?? It was very exciting and kind of tickled.

Anyways, off to begin the super long process that is showering/drying hair/trying not to pass out.  Enjoy her sweet pictures.... I know we have been!