13 Weeks

I’m done with my first trimester and entering the 2nd!! So exciting. I can’t believe I'm already done with all the yucky morning sickness and all the adjustments that come with being pregnant. I am so thankful and luckily that I really didn't have it that bad and never threw up. I can honestly say that I'm adjusting to the energy level and each day feel I'm getting more and more back. I've heard the 2nd trimester is the best so I highly look forward to that. I’m so happy to be back at work, it’s going to make time fly. I really haven’t done much this week except work and come home and go to bed.

A funny story that B wants me to share is that Friday night our beauty sleep was interrupted at 3 am. Apparently, I was having a very vivid dream and I shot straight up in bed and screamed I can’t breathe! I mean I screamed it. B of course was sound asleep, it woke him up and he was mumbling UH, WHAT, WHO…once we BOTH figured out what was going on we sat in bed for about 10 minutes laughing and saying what the heck!! I remember the dream very clearly. We were at a birthday party (whose I don’t know) and my dad was chasing me around with silly string and spraying my face…I seriously woke up hyperventilating and screaming. I’ve never done that! B and I got a great kick out of it and chalked it up to a pregnancy thing.

Here’s what’s going on with the baby this week: Your baby is growing rapidly; its growth is particularly noticeable from now through about 24 weeks. The baby has doubled in length since the 7th week, measuring at 2½ to 3 inches long and weighing at about ½ and ¾ oz (13-20g) roughly the size of a peach. Changes in the fetal weight have also been tremendous during the last 8-10 weeks of pregnancy. One interesting change is the slowdown in growth of baby's head compared to the rest of the body. By week 21 the head is about one third of the baby's body and at birth baby's head is only ¼ the size of its body. Baby's body accelerates in growth as the fetal head slows down in growth. Baby's face is more human like now; eyes that started out at the sides are now closer together on the face. External genitalia have developed enough so a male can be distinguished from a female baby. Your baby's vocal cords have begun to form. Your baby's hand is structurally complete and consists of 27 bones held together by a complex network of ligaments. Similarly baby's foot is also completely formed with the toes, heel and bones all in place.

We go to the high risk OB on Friday afternoon to discuss Factor V and Lovenox (the blood thinner). The problem with Factor V is that it was just found 10 years ago and is a real gray area for the doctors. So there’s no typical protocol on what to do and research/stats are limited. I will update when I know more.
Here’s this week’s belly pic:
13 weeks

7 weeks for comparison:


Also have to say Happy Birthday to my DAD! We celebrated his birthday today by going out and getting him a nice new flat screen HD tv. Love ya dad and hope you had a great day!
Have a great week!
LeAnn

School Days…School Days…Reading and Writing and Arithmetic

Every morning on the first day of school my dad would come into my room singing this to wake me up and sure enough I got the phone call at 6 am on Tuesday morning with him singing this! I love that man!
Well, I’m back in the saddle and must say I feel exhausted and like I ran a marathon all day! The first day with students (Tuesday) was CRAZY!! This year we have 5 lunches, passing periods with all students in the halls and a million to many students per teacher!! I felt like I was spinning all day long BUT I did get to know all the names in two of my classes (remind you I have 150 students) and got all procedures laid down for my class so I felt somewhat productive. I LOVE seeing my kids from last year and even love that they come to me for some help, whether it’s to open their locker or direct them to their new classrooms. And of course it wouldn’t be middle school without a first day fight…yup that’s right there was a fight right next door to my classroom during one of the passing periods. Of course yours truly didn’t do a thing about it…I’m pregnant remember! And I knew the other 3 teachers had it covered!
I love my students! And my schedule. I teach 2 classes then have a break, teach two classes then lunch and come back for 2 more and have last period off. It’s awesome because two class periods is all my bladder can handle at this point. I’m on the 8th grade hall this year and have the biggest classroom on campus. It’s greatness, as a Science teacher I need all the space and electrical outlets I can get and I was in the dungeon last year so I love every second of my new room.
I think this is going to be a great year with a great group of kiddos.

I forgot to mention last post that I got my Factor II and MTHFR back and they were negative and in proper range that this is great news! Means all the testing is done on me and only thing I have to worry about it the Factor V. I go to the specialist on Sept. 5th, I will know more then.
Love,
LeAnn

Doc Update

Well we went to the doc today and all is well. She didn't do an u/s so we didn't get to see the baby but we got to hear the heartbeat. It was a beautiful sound! HB was in the 160's. We talked in great length regarding the Factor V and she said it was pretty much up to me if I go on the low-dose low molecule blood thinner. She is sending me to a high risk OB to see what he says just to get a second opinion and then we will decide after that. I will know tomorrow when I go to the high risk ob.

Til next time,
LeAnn

12 Weeks - Belly Shot

Here's today's belly pic, I'll put up 6 weeks to compare...definitely growing!
6 weeks:

12 weeks:

12 Weeks - Wowza

I original started this blog on Saturday:
Just got up from a 2 hour nap and feel very refreshed!!

This is the last week of the 1st trimester!

This week has been very busy, long and full of changes!! I am now officially back at work and 6 am is not a good time for me to wake up, 9 am suits me much better :) So that has been an adjustment. I got all my school stuff into my new room and by Monday at 2:00 I’ll be ready for the new year! Monday B came up and helped me in my room and we got a lot done that I wouldn’t be able to do without him. I literally come home from work around 5 and get into bed. I’m usually asleep by 9. B has been great; cooking me dinner and cleaning the house. Laundry is super backed up right now so I’ll be working on getting that in better shape. (As of Sunday morning I only have 3 more loads to do, yippppeee)

My belly is growing right along with the baby and I’ve experienced ligament stretching this week, ouch! I’ve also been starving all week long…I mean eat your hand starving! It’s usually around dinner time and if food isn’t available asap I could just about cry...it’s a very strange feeling being this hungry but I can definitely relate to the screaming baby when s/he see their bottle! My energy level is tapped once again. I’m always tired and find myself yawning at 10 am. I know the baby is going through a growth spurt this week so I’m not complaining about being tired, I just tell myself it’s a good sign that all is well.
I have a doctor’s appointment on Monday and I’m hoping we get to hear the heartbeat along with seeing our little one! Today(Sunday) I woke up anxious about my doctor’s appointment. It’s going to be the first time I can talk to my doc in depth about the Factor V and how we should handle it during the rest of the pregnancy. I’m also hoping to get the test results from Factor II and MTHFR, not sure if they will be in but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I hope I can find peace and not being anxious every time I have a doc’s appointment. I just feel like every time I go there they find something wrong or take more blood to test for more things that can be wrong. I guess it could always be worse.

Here’s what’s going on development wise:
Your baby's crown-to-rump length is almost 2.5 inches and she now weighs between 8 and 14 grams! In just three weeks, your baby's size has more than doubled and begins to look a lot more human. Even though you won't be able to feel your baby moving at this time, you can stimulate him and he will squint, open his mouth and move his fingers or toes.
Because most of the structures are already formed at this point, few will be formed after this time. The structures will continue to grow and develop throughout the remainder of your pregnancy. Your baby's skeletal system now has centers if bone formation in most of the bones. The digestive system is capable of making contractions that push food through the bowels and it is also able to absorb sugar. You will probably be able to hear your baby's heartbeat with a Doppler at this time! Your baby develops reflexes and the skin is very sensitive.
The brain is fully formed, and the child can feel pain. the baby may even suck his thumb. The eyelids now cover the eyes, and will remain shut until the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve fibers.

I broke our bedroom this morning…I went to plug in the computer charger and wham…lost all power to our bedroom. So I went and reset the breakers and nothing happened! Very strange!
I’ll update tomorrow on the doc’s appointment. Here’s this weeks pics: I will post another belly pic later today (have to wait for my photographer to get home)

My super clean house thanks to B:



My classroom is definitely a work in progress but I'm getting there:



I'm using this space for students with missing work! They've been monkey'n'around

11 Weeks

This week has been great for the McCollough’s. B has a much needed break from school and also got 4 A’s and 1 B over the summer. It’s amazing how smart he is. He stressed all last week because he thought he bombed his final and was going to fail his class. He got an A!!! He truly is the smartest person I know and I’m so proud of him. I sure hope this baby gets his brain. I started back to school on Thursday and I’m so pumped! Our 7th grade science team rocks and we have so much fun together. We had about 2 hours to plan on Friday and we got the first and second week of school planned and we have a bunch of great ideas for this year. B and I are going up to school tomorrow to work on my classroom. Technically, I’m off but I have to get in my new classroom and get organized. Hopefully, I will have pictures to post this week of it.

Last night I was extremely bloated or something because my belly was huge!! I didn’t even eat much at all yesterday because I wasn’t feeling the food but boy B and I were looking at my stomach and it was just plain enormous! It was actually the first time since all these test results that I was excited about this pregnancy and felt the baby actually making it’s appearance for us to see. Then I wake up this morning and it’s back to normal size…so it must have been some bloat. I’m extremely anxious for my next doc appointment, Monday Aug. 25th (one more week!) Hopefully by then they will have my Factor II and MTHFR results. And we get to see the baby…I bet he/she has grown so much since the last time we saw him/her(at 8 weeks)

Here’s what’s going on this week: Your baby continues to grow and is now approximately the size of a large lime! The crown-to-rump length of your developing child is 1.75 to 2.4 inches. The weight of the fetus is approximately 8 grams at this point. The growth of your baby is phenomenal now and your baby's length will double in the next three weeks. The head is grossly out of proportion and is almost half of the baby's length.

This is the last week of the embryonic period. From now on, your baby will be called a fetus. Your baby's fingernails appear this week! The placenta's blood vessels increase to provide your baby with the nutrients and oxygen he needs for continued growth. Your baby's ears are gradually moving from the neck towards the sides of his head. Inside of your baby's abdomen, the intestines are developing. Because the intestines are so large, some of them project into the umbilical cord and they will return to the abdomen within the next week or two.
What's more, your little scientist is already starting to explore their body, focusing most intently on touching their head, and especially their face and mouth. Their mouth in particular will provide them with hours of entertainment. This happens not only because your baby is gaining coordination, and is therefore able to move a hand on command, but also because their palms have gained sensation and can actually “feel” what it touches. They're also developing their swallow reflex this week. And lastly, your baby's smelling and other olfactory senses will begin developing this week, which when combined with the maturing taste buds, will provide your baby with their first experiences of taste and smell.

Til next time,
LeAnn

So what does it mean?

I thought I would give some more background on Factor V and what exactly these means to me:

A person with Factor V is at a greater risk of developing a blood clot in their lower leg which can travel to the lungs. It doesn't necessarily mean I will get a blood clot just that I'm at a 5 times greater risk of getting one than a person with Factor V.

Being pregnant complicates the disorder even more because you are developing a baby with all new veins, blood, etc. and the placenta and umbilicord is full of veins. So as far as the pregnancy, Factor V puts me at an increased risk for miscarriage/stillbirth, placental abruption, and pre-elampsia. Also a c-section would further complicate matters. My main two fears right now are stillbirth and a c-section. If you haven't noticed B and I have large heads...for our large brains so if our kid follows us then he/she will have a large head as well. I'm also worried about stillbirth. This can happen anytime after 30 weeks(I think) where a blood clot would form around the umbilicord cord and cut off supply to the baby. Pleacental abruption can also kill the baby because blood clots around the placenta weakening it and then the placenta pulls away and loses it's function. These are all risk...doesn't mean it will happen but at the same time could happen. Factor V was only discovered 10 years ago so there's not a whole lot of info and hard core stats on everything. They say that many, many women go without complications and have perfectly healthy children. They are also treated with heparin or lovenex which is a blood thinner to prevent blood clots. My doctor doesn't want to put me on this just yet. She wants to test me for the other two things and then go from there. I'm going to talk with her more on why exactly she doesn't want to put me on the blood thinner.

How I'm doing: At first I was ok. There's absolutely nothing I can do about this. It's completely out of my control and I can't change anything or do anything different to rid myself of Factor V. So I'm ok with that...I'm suppose to give this to God...put it in his hands...

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own
Matthew 6:34

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;do not depend on your own understanding.Seek his will in all you do,and he will show you which path to take. - Proverbs 3:5-6

But saying this, reading this, and talking with God about this and then to not worry is a lot harder than it looks. I want to give this to God, I tell myself he knows the way that is best and that I shall not worry about it for he knows what I need. But that fear, for our unborn child, the fear of the unknown is just sometimes overwhelming. You want to protect your children, to give them the world and then to find out the house in which they need to live in order to survive is risky makes you feel like a failure. You aren't suppose to be risky, you're his/her mother! I had this picture...it was picture perfect of course, of what my pregnancy would be like. I would grow this perfect little bump and have a joyous pregnancy and B and I would be that obnoxiously lovey dovey couple. It would be complication free...isn't most? Now I feel like this pregnancy has just been casted a dark cloud of worry and fear over it. Am I a walking time bomb for loosing this baby? My doctor said that the upside is that I will see the baby more often via ultrasound. Yes, but will I be holding my breath everytime until I see that beating heart? Will I be anxious every night before the appointment in fear that there will be a blood clot on the placenta or umbilicord? So that's where I'm at now...I know I'll get in a better place mentally and emotionally, but for tonight...I'm here.

LeAnn

Good News and Bad News

Well the doctor called this morning with my test results and I have some good news and bad news.

Good News: I don't have Protein C deficiency. Also we get to see the baby every 4 weeks

Bad News: I do have Factor 5 Leiden

We are pretty bummed about the news but we know that this is in God's hands. I really do think this doctor was sent to me by him and she is taking good care of me. We have many things in common and she has even had a blood clot before so she is going to let me know what to look for.

As of right now I'm not going on heprin. There are a few more gene mutations she has to test me for and then we will go from there. I'm considered a high risk pregnancy so we will get to see the baby every 4 weeks while they check for blood clots on the placenta, umbilicord and the baby. It's funny because I was thinking I only had 2 more weeks to reach the 12 week mark and I could breath a little easier regarding miscarrying but is seems that will last for another 30 weeks or so.

Please pray for mommy and baby that we don't have blood clots during this pregnancy and that we can have a normal delivery and not a c-section. That's a whole new post in itself so we will cross that bridge when it's time.

I go in tomorrow to get more testing done and then my next appointment is the 25th.

Til next time,
LeAnn

10 Weeks

This week has been really good and super busy. I’ve had a lot of energy this week and have hardly felt nauseas. I’m still having tummy aches after I eat but I think it has something to do with milk products. I began the week by helping my dad rock my parent’s fireplace. Wow, what an experience. It wasn’t as hard as I thought but it was very tedious of a job. My dad and I both wanted to throw our hands up at the project but we stuck to it and the end product looks beautiful. Here is a few pics we sent to my mom at work to get her approval of the progress.


Starting Wednesday night we’ve had Andy and Ben while Marcy and Kevin went on vacation. They return tomorrow and it sure is going to be different around here after they leave. They are a bundle full of energy and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, except for the 7:30 am alarm clock. Thursday we went over to my dad’s and went to the mall and the Disney store to get some much needed toys. Then we stopped at the food court and ate a Chick-fil-a. They were having a promotion and had a huge cow walking around. Right away Andy ran up to him, gave him a hi-five and told him he was on his way to eat some CHICKEN!! The cow was very excited…too funny. Friday Cathy and Jerry came over to have a water gun fight with the boys and then we went to McD’s and Wal-Mart to get some much needed toys, again. Andy got a cool Spiderman transformer that is tons of fun transforming and Ben got a Bat Power Ranger. Then they went over to spend the night at Poppy and Nana’s house where they again went to Toys R Us to get much needed toys. Andy got an awesome Megazoid that is absolutely my favorite, no lie. It has a very cool penguin on it and is just overall cool looking. Ben got a Leonardo Ninja Turtle costume. Saturday we went to the Dallas Aquarium to see the SPIRIT OF THE JAGUAR, manatees, sharks, birds, monkeys, penguins and my favorite a turtle that had a pig’s nose. After we met up with my parents and ate at my favorite restaurant, Babe’s Chicken…greatness! Sunday we went to church and then came home and slept for over 2 hours…we were all worn out.
Some of the funniest things they’ve said this week:
Andy was put into the Think-About-It chair for throwing something at Ben and being ugly towards his brother. After about 4 minutes(one minute per age says Super Nanny) I went in and asked him why he was in there. He explained that he was being ugly to his brother and that should make better decisions. I said that’s right you can get up and go play. He said “Aunt Lee, I need to stay in here because I have some more thinking to do”
Ben will say “Knock it Over” instead of “Knock it off”
In the car Ben was talking to Andy but Andy wouldn’t acknowledge Andy, this is how it went”
Ben: Andy you aren’t listening to me
Andy: No I’m just not talking to you!
When we went to McD’s I asked Andy if he wanted some of my french fries and then I asked Ben if he wanted some…Andy whispered in my ear “He only does what I do” Gotcha!
At bed time Ben will literally talk himself to sleep. I tell him 3 or 4 times to stop talking…he finally gives me a big sigh and says “I’m not talking, I’m whispering”
TOO FUNNY
Things I’ve learned from my two nephews: Having two boys will keep you on your toes(I’m sure having any kid will keep you on your toes but these two are very busy) Andy is all about fair, he wants it equal between him and his brother even down to the last drop of chocolate that goes into the milk. You better go to bed early because the kiddos are going to get up early. If you tell them to work it out amongst themselves or you will just take up the toys 99% of the time they will work it out themselves! Andy is a great negotiator. All Ben has to do is smile and my heart melts and he can get whatever he wants! They are great hair stylist and can make Aunt Lee look pretty. At nap time or bed time sometimes you have to tell them…just shut your eyes and you will go to sleep “but I can’t shut my eyes” –Andy and last but not least…I could never be a single parent!


Brandon went over to his parent’s house today to help his dad and then got ran off the road…LITERALLY. He was on his way home and a car 2 lanes over hit the car next to B and then that car swerved into Brandon’s lane. He was either going to hit her and be rammed into the beginning of a guard rail or go down a steep embankment. He went down the embankment. He was literally inches from that guardrail and if he would have hit that there’s no doubt he would have been in the hospital right now or worse. His car got all messed up but he’s ok. He didn’t call me right away b/c I was at home with the boys and he was afraid I would freak out but did text me to say he got ran off the road…I had the boys and thought it was a case of road rage or something so replied back, ok…little did I know it was more serious than that. Here are some pictures of the hill he went down and how close he was to going into the guard rail. B really is lucky and I’m so thankful that everyone was ok, the boys weren’t with him and the damage to the Envoy isn’t as bad as it could have been. It’s only by God’s grace that he didn’t hit the guardrail or flip the Envoy going down that embankment going 60 MPH. We are missing his (my) Ipod and garage door opener. We think the force threw it up into the dash somewhere and we can’t see it. Oh and by the way the car that created the wreck didn’t have insurance…NICE.


My tummy has definitely grown this week but I don’t think it’s extremely noticeable to most. Here’s today’s belly picture.

10 Weeks
Here’s what’s going on this week with baby’s development: At this point of your pregnancy, the crown-to-rump length of your developing baby is 1.25 to 1.68 inches. It is now easier to tell how much the baby weighs since he is beginning to put on some weight. Your baby weighs approximately 5 grams and is the size of a small plum! This week is somewhat of a landmark for your developing baby. By now, the complete body plan is laid down for your growing baby. Your baby will continue to develop and grow for the remainder of the pregnancy. The fingers and toes have separated and the tail has disappeared now. Your baby has taste and tooth buds at this point, which will continue to develop. The brain will continue to grow at an amazing rate and nearly a quarter of a million new neurons are produced every minute! The embryonic heart is completely developed.

I have alot more pics of this week but I'm getting very tired and blogger is moving slow so I will post them in the next couple of days.

PS: we are watching the Olympics and the US Men’s 4 x 100 relay just kicked some major French butt. It was a very close race and our boys pulled it out at the last millisecond to win the GOLD.
Have a great week
LeAnn

USA!...USA!....USA!

The Olympics are here and I can't be more excited, 2 weeks of the greatest athletes in the world putting a lifetime worth of work in for just 1 shot at Gold. As you can see I have a non-USA slant to basketball, if the US doesn't take home the gold in basketball I hope Dirk does. I didn't realize over the last 3 months how much I missed him, but he is so Dirk and doesn't even know it. Also, Tyson Gay is so awesome, I mean a 9.68 with wind or not is ridiculous in the 100m,and Taylor Teagarden for USA baseball will rip it up, what a great fortnight we have ahead of us, enjoy. Monday night I was at the Ranger game and saw something I hadn't seen since I played in high school, a walk off grand slam...Freakin' Awesome...Also, summer school ended today, I never want to adress the topic of Exercise Physiology again, I love exercise and all the energy systems that go into it, but I am tired of ATP-PCr, and Embden Meyerhof Pathway, and Glycolysis, and Maximal Accumulated Oxygen Deficit, and the like....Sorry to disappoint, it was just me about me, no baby stuff....See you down the road...Go Rangers, Go USA, Go Dirk, Go Josh, Go Mean Green, and Gig Em Ags...

Brandon

We have names!!!

If it's a boy it's going to be Adam Eric

If it's a girl it's going to be Emma Michelle

The first names we picked by us both liking them. Middle name, Eric, is after B's good friend that passed away and Michelle after B's sister Marcy.

We have 11 more weeks until we find out if it's an Adam or an Emma so stay tuned!!

Love ya,
LeAnn

9 Weeks

This week has been pretty laid back. I’ve had a few great days and I think I’m finally adjusting to the morning sickness and exhaustion. Apparently, not only am I tired b/c I’m pregnant but the thyroid being out of whack also plays a role in my fatigue. The past two days I’ve also turned into a 14 year old and I’m having some minor pimple issues, which I hate! I’m not one to get a lot of pimples but this child had other plans for my face. I blame this on B :) Oh well, I’ll just have to get some pimple cream and hopefully that will fix it. At least I don’t have braces as well or I might blend in too well with the students when I return to work. I’ve read that this is usually in the first trimester because your hormones are all out of whack and should clear up later on in pregnancy.

I was actually productive this week and got a few things done for school. I go back in two weeks (Yikes!) and I think I’m ready. Marcy and I went shopping for school décor and also laminated all of our stuff so that we won’t have to wait forever when we return to school. I got all my stuff cut out (haha Marcy :)and I’m ready to get my room situated. I’m moving into a new classroom this year but luckily I packed everything up at the end of last year so all I will have to do is get my new room up and running. My good friend from school, Heather, said she would help me when we get back and B is off the week I go back so he can always come up and help as well. We might even go up to school next week before I have to go back and get some stuff done or at least get it in my classroom, right now it’s all stuffed in my office at home. Here are a few pics of some items I got for my new classroom.


While Marcy and I were shopping B graciously watched the boys (I volunteered his services) and we caught some pictures of that as well. Let’s just say that when I walked in the house the PS3 was on so that’s not a good sign. They boys have buckets of toys at our house, two of which they play with every time they come over because it’s toys they are still in to. There’s two other buckets that are full of toys but they don’t ever play with these because they are “baby” toys that they have outgrown and I’m saving for our child. I never let the boys get these out because there’s no point; they usually just dump the bucket out, realize it’s not for them and move on. Well, B decided to go ahead and let the boys have a free for all with the toys…it was quite funny when I got home and they were ALL over the place. Here’s the dumping in action:


Here’s what’s going on this week with our little olive: At week's end, your fetus measures approximately 0.9 inches. In both shape and size, it resembles a peapod and weighs less than a tenth of an ounce. The eyelids are fused and won't open until week 27. The wrists are more developed, ankles have formed, and the fingers and toes are clearly visible. Arms are growing longer and bend at the elbows. By week's end, the inner workings of the ears are complete. Though you can't yet identify the sex of the fetus by ultrasound, its genitals have begun to form. By now the placenta has developed enough to support most of the critical job of producing hormones. This week in particular, the irises of their little eyes can function, but (frustratingly for them?) their eyelids remain fused shut for a while yet. Their external ears are formed and their inner ears are now filled with fluid—so your little one is already developing their sense of balance. Your baby's little swimmer legs are still relatively, although other bodily developments are going forward at a nice pace: their kidney is actually functioning now, which means they’ve started urinating. It amazes me that something so small can do so much!


So far to date I've gained 1/2 a pound but the inches are diffently growing. My pants are tighter and some of my shorts are very uncomfortable to wear. Here are 8 and 9 week belly shots, can you tell I'm growing?
8 Weeks

9 Weeks












We are watching the boys at the end of this week while Marcy and Kevin go to Vegas (DOGS!). I’m super excited about watching the boys because they are so much fun and I love having them spend the night. There’s nothing better than seeing their smiling faces in the morning and then trying to persuade them that it’s still night-night time and to go back to bed…only to be told by Andy that the sun is up Aunt Lee. Darn! We found these for them at the grocery store and they are gonna be pumped b/c it’s their new favorite thing!

Have a great week!
LeAnn

Hypo hopefully not hippo

Well, I talked to the nurse today and I have hypothyroidism. Normal levels of TSH(thyroid hormone) is between 0-1, mine was a 7.5. If it's a positive you are hypo, a negative hyper. So hopefully this hypothyroid won't turn me into a hippo! Here's some info I got:
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn't produce enough of certain important hormones. Women, especially those older than 50, are more likely to have hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism upsets the normal balance of chemical reactions in your body. It seldom causes symptoms in the early stages, but over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a number of health problems, such as obesity, joint pain, infertility and heart disease. Early signs of hypothyroidism may include:
Fatigue
Sluggishness
Increased sensitivity to cold
Constipation
Pale, dry skin
A puffy face
Hoarse voice
An elevated blood cholesterol level
Unexplained weight gain
Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
Muscle weakness
Heavier than normal menstrual periods
Brittle fingernails and hair
Depression
There have been studies that suggest that babies born to women who have hypothyroidism can have lower brain development and motor skills but I talked with my doc about this and she said that she thinks my thyroid is low because the baby is taking all of it so I need a little help, she doesn't think the baby has been deprived of this horomone therefore this hasn't hurt the baby(thank goodness) I didn't have any symptoms prior to pregnancy of hypothyroidism so therefore this has probably been caused by my pregnancy and will hopefully clear up after birth. But if not all I have to do is take a little pill in the mornings to regulate my levels. She will monitor my blood levels very closely to ensure my levels go back to normal and adjust meds accordingly. We still haven't heard on the F5 or Protein C test results so hopefully I will get those back in the next week. Please pray that those are negative and that this hasn't affected our baby's development in anyway.

Until next time
LeAnn