Attention Secret Agents

If you have received a link to this message, it is because you have been deemed a secret agent that is needed for an upcoming mission.  

The Mission:

Provide baby Keeter with the love, support and Christian example he/she needs to become all God has designed them to be.

Because you are loved by us, we invite you to join with us in this journey to encourage baby Keeter in their life's path.  We are so thankful God has put you in our lives.  You are irreplaceable, and we are so glad our children also have the opportunity of getting to have you in their lives.

We challenge you, over Wesley's and Baby Keeter's lives, to be engaged.  Let them get to know you.  Encourage and support them in the Lord in only the way that you can.

Please accept this mission.

And now, for the special, top secret, classified information released just today....

Baby Keeter

Is a healthy baby....

With 10 fingers and 10 toes...

and....

It's a BOY!

Week 27

Today marks week 27... the end of my second trimester and the beginning of the third.  As I write, I have headphones straddled around my belly tuned in to Pandora classical music.  Baby boy Keeter seems to really like this, as in the last week the most recent development is full belly movements.  Matt and I both get to laughing when, what we can only imagine, is this little guy doing sommersaults to some stringed melody.

Also a recent addition, I think the baby stretches and all the sudden I feel him pushing in a certain spot.  I find this to be sometimes the most uncomfortable feeling... like being poked from the inside, and he seems to find real tender spots to do that. (As I'm typing he's doing this to my right side at the headphone... ouch!)

He hasn't officially found my ribs yet as his new toy, but I think sometimes his head comes right up to the base of my ribs and that's not exactly comfortable either.  I find in several of these circumstances I am playing defense, trying to ward of the next sneak attack by rubbing my sides or pushing down on an area he's pushing out on.

Last Thursday, I was having more Braxton Hicks than usual, and the doctor wanted me to come into the office right away.  As it turns out, I was a bit dehydrated, but I've been more aware of these contractions.  Today, I felt like my abs were really tight, and I began rubbing my lower abs.  Then my belly poked me back.  I stopped and just laughed... I think it was the baby saying- that's no contraction, that's my back- I'm a low rider and leave me alone.  He's a funny baby.

We're 3 months and 1 day away from d-day. I'm feeling a little claustrophobic in my own body, and have a hard time believing there are still 3 months to this journey. I haven't slept through an entire night in at least 3 months, but every night I haven't given up hope that maybe tonight's the night.

We're closer to narrowing in on a name, but I'm having commitment fears.  We've narrowed first name options down to 7, but no idea when that list will be truncated even further.  We still have 3 months, but I am looking forward to calling him something other than baby, Ghoukas or Poogie.  Praying God will give me peace about what to brand this child with for ALLL HIS LIFE... no pressure.

Well that's it for now- I'm crashing.. and who knows maybe tonight's the night I'll sleep all the way through...

24 Weeks

School is done, and we're still waiting for life to slow down.  Weekend before last we had a whirl wind trip to Arkansas for Matt's 10 year high school reunion.  It was hard to believe it was my first trip up there since Christmas, but so good to spend some time with family, however brief it was.  This past weekend we took a trip to Dallas and went to Naz Nite at Six Flags and then spent the night with our friends, the Young's.  I didn't have many options for rides, so I did sneak onto Yosemite Sam's Gold Mine float ride and the swings, but otherwise got in some good walking and enjoyed the great company of great friends.

This week the baby is supposedly a little over a pound and the lungs are warming up for breathing.  Otherwise, its all about growing... brain is still developing, white blood cells are kicking into action, and I do believe he has the hiccups on occasion.  I can't really tell, but ever so often his movements get rhythmic for 4 or 5 times... perhaps he just has more rhythm than his mom.

It's really hard to believe we're 24 weeks along, and the newest development this week is Braxton Hick's contractions. I've now had 3 or 4. I always wanted rock hard abs... It is the weirdest feeling- the first time I was just sitting on the couch and resting. The second time was last night... Matt and I came up pretty quickly on the toll road on an accident emergency crews were just responding to. I think that one might have been stress related, and then I had one or two more last night, and think they were just set off my that previous one. I do have a doctor's appointment coming up this week, so I'll make sure it's nothing more than what I'm supposed to be experiencing, but according to everything my apps are saying and what I'm reading online- we're in the clear.


Yesterday was also quite the milestone- Matt and I had our 6th wedding anniversary.  We're so blessed to have each other.  Last night I just looked across the table and reminisced about all we had done together... getting each other through school, moving 4 times, and now- having a baby.  The rough times, the good times, and thinking this is my life.  My world is right here with him.  I'm so lucky to have this man in my life, and to be loved like he loves me.  I've never loved something or someone so much.  Just knowing we're finite and someday there will be a goodbye (100 years from now) will always bring me to tears. (That's even before all these hormones set in). I love him.

Matt's doing well at work.  I'm so proud of him.  We both get up for work together and have breakfast in the morning together.  It's a new welcomed addition to my routine.

I'm still working and trying to keep up with my former pace.  I do have the luxury of a comfortable recliner in my office which has been awesome for my swollen tailbone and ankles that swell on occasion.  My co-workers are all so very sweet to me and pop by on occasion to offer to grab things for me or help in any way.  I'm pretty independent, but I do recognize the blessing it is to have such sweet people that care about you.

To close out my update, I'll share the latest food craving- white cream gravy- goes best on french fries from Braum's and milk shakes.  Milk shakes seem to help the burning lava that is heart burn, and they just taste good!  I still really can't do chicken in any type of large quanity.  Oh how I hate chicken right now... yuck!

The Keeter Express- a quick catch up on what's been going on.

I apologize that I haven't given a good update in a little while- it has been a little busy, and thus, there's a lot to catch everyone up on.  We'll start with the most recent news-

I'm twenty weeks this week!  That officially marks the half way point.  In some sense it feels unreal that this experience is half way over, and in others, I think back to when we first found out, and it feels so long ago.  According to various apps the baby is now the size of a banana, and is developing a sense of taste.  Thus my food choices become a little more important to make sure this baby likes veggies, fruits and tex mex.

Also- we can openly use pronouns!  He's a he!  I'm so thrilled to know I'll be the momma of a little boy.  Ever since I found out we were pregnant, I just knew it was a boy.  But I wanted to be careful, just in case it was a little girl, so no one would think I was disappointed or anything.  When I had my little scare at the ER, the ER doc and sonographer strongly hinted that it was a boy, but I wanted to wait until I had Matt with me to officially hear those words "Its a boy"!

We had our sonogram on Friday after we got back from our Babymoon.  The sonographer and we got to laughing a couple times with how much this baby is on the move.  He's a wiggler for sure.  That was until the sonographer got a picture of everything except the profile of our baby's face.  That's when he burrowed his face into the crook of his arm, facing my spine and wouldn't budge.  The sonographer took a break and gave me 10 minutes to march, dance, do jumping jacks, and would retry.  We retried, and there he was, same position!  She had me roll to both sides twice and then finally she seemed to gasp and took a ton of pictures.

That's him sucking his thumb.  We also found another picture where he might have been making an obscene gesture at the sonographer, so we'll have to talk about that when he get's here...

We also had a terrific time on our Babymoon!  We went to Secrets Capri in the Riviera Maya after flying in to Cancun.  We were there for 7 nights, and it was just wonderful getting to spend that kind of quality time with Matt, since these last two years have been quite busy with school.  Matt and I got in, spent the next day at the resort, and then the next day took the Tulum Extreme Tour.  We got to start off by visiting some Mayan ruins at Tulum, and then we headed into the jungle, where Matt zip lined, we both rappelled, and then got to snorkel in a cenote.  Its like a cave with cold clear water.  It was awesome!  We then went back to the hotel. 

We spent Saturday and Sunday lounging and in the pool, and Monday we went on a snorkeling excursion.  It was soooo fun!  We started off on a white sandy beach, flippers and all.  Our guide took us out over the grass beds and towards the reef.  This is an awesome place because sea turtles come in to feed.  Matt and I saw 4 or so on our way out, and boy are they cute!  We also saw a parrot fish, and lots of other friendly fish that can swim right up to look you straight in the eye.  About half way through I started to feel the rock of each wave.  The tour guide said not to worry if I threw up, it would be a great fish attraction.  I didn't want to be the attraction, so me and the secondary guide began to head back.  I told Matt to continue with the group, so he didn't miss anything on my account.  On our way back, Moses showed me the biggest sea turtle I had seen yet, and I swam right over him.  Then we saw a sting ray... it was like my own private showing!!  I got back to the beach, but being out of the water didn't stop the rocking I felt.  It took a while for my stomach to settle.  We then loaded back into the van and headed to three more cenotes to snorkel.  The water was beautiful, clear and COLD!  It wasn't comfortable going in, but after I got out my whole body felt refreshed.

I will say it was in Mexico that I saw for the first time my skin move with the baby's kicks.  It's been so fun.  And Matt got to feel it for the first time too down there.  Such a fun and special time!

I'll try to post some babymoon pictures later!

Oh and last, but not least, I graduated!  After two years going every Tuesday night, with only 1-2 week breaks between semesters it's almost all over.  I have one more presentation next Tuesday, and then I will officially be Amanda Keeter, MBA, MTB(Mom to Be).

Feeling Good

We're now wrapping up 16 weeks, and all are doing well and healthy. I did have an excellent run of not being sick, and only threw up once this last week.  I'm branching back into the world of the carnivores, and while meat as a solo main dish still isn't settling, I have worked up to meatball subs... so long as I split the meat balls in half.

This weekend I've been making sure to take it easy, and spent even most of Saturday in my PJ's watching TV and movies.  A little bit of a different story from the weekend before.

Matt was visiting Mom and Dad Keeter for the past week, enjoying the 4th of July festivities with our large extended family.  I do struggle with nightmares while he is away, but I was doing really well.  I was kind waiting for the shoe to drop, as generally its when he goes for a trip that I usually have some sort of notable event... my worst week of morning sickness while he was in Pensacola, and before that, two years ago I had severe neurological side effects from a medication.  But as of Saturday, I was feeling good and... unbelievably motivated.

I got up, and being freshly out from sickness, I thought I would start getting back into a work out routine, so I picked out my pilates video and did 10 minutes of abs and 10 minutes of flexibility.  I then proceeded to clean the house for a couple of hours, took a little nap, and then headed off to the grocery store.  I got home, and settled in for the night.  Unfortunately - the other shoe began to drop, and I noticed something that concerned me.  I called the nurse line, and they patched me in with Labor and Delivery, who recommended I head in to the ER.  I called Matt to let him know what was going on, and then called my best friend, who drove over.  I also called my other best friend, who is now an MD, and she also recommended I head in, just to get things checked out.

Ashley and I headed to the Scott & White ER.  It was a bit of a traumatic experience, and I had to get fitted with an IV (which has left a bruise that is still visible).  The ER doc had a couple of concerns so they called in a sonographer, who was on call.  She got there 55 minutes later.  She did a great job looking at everything, and by the end of the night I got to see the baby sucking its thumb, and moving around.  It was special, since the last time I saw it, it was 1.5 cm.  Both the ER doc and sonographer made references to the sex of the baby, so that was also fun to learn, sad as I was that Matt wasn't there with me.

At the end of it, I left with a diagnosis of "threatened miscarriage", and saw my doctor two days later who told me to continue to take it easy, but considered it more of a flukey one time thing.

Matt got home midnight Sunday night, and brought home the crib and changing table.  All three were a light for me, especially Matt.  I really missed him, and needless to say, we've both discussed that he's not going on any more solo trips without me.

We're so glad God is watching over me and the baby... can't believe it will just be 23 more weeks (plus or minus) until we get to meet this little one.

Love to all-

Mandy

Dreams of Pregnancy

There are fair warnings that you'll have crazy dreams when you are pregnant, and whenever my husband is away, they seem to take on a whole new level of ridiculous.  For example- in a recent dream apparently the baby had escaped and was traveling internally down my leg.  I could feel it moving while it wiggled down my leg- creepy!  Somehow it then got out, and I looked down and it was the size of one of the baby's in a King Cake at Mardi Gras.  I remember thinking... this is not good.

I think that stemmed from the practice that as I'm laying down on my left side, I think I feel the baby "thumping" me ever so lightly.  So as I go to sleep and as I wake up I'm feeling for this.  The literature all says about by week 16 you may feel the baby... I know that's all of next Tuesday but it would be nice to have something make this feel more like pregnancy rather than months of the flu and my body aching/ ballooning.

It has been funny how on many occasions that I get up from a nap, and after seeing myself in a mirror, my immediate thought is-"you've really let yourself go."  Then I have that light bulb moment that reminds me there's a reason my belly isn't what it was.  But it is comical to me how many times I do forget it, and it is a little bit of a shocker when I catch my reflection.

The baby is supposedly 4 inches long from crown to rump, and the size of a naval orange.  I'm sensing the lack of real estate in my abdomen.  After eating I have to do those side stretches from the 80's music vidoes to feel like everything fits.

I hope to get a picture soon posted.  I keep thinking about it after I'm in pj's and I always swore I'd never be one of those gals who took a picture of myself in the bathroom mirror... (don't know why that matters, but I guess we all pick the things we'll be wierd about).

Saltines... the snack of champions

Two steps forward and one step back...

I took last week's meat eating success as a green light, and tried to quickly return to my former pace of life.  Not so quickly!  This week has certainly been better for Morning, Afternoon and Evening sickness... its more now like immediate sporadic sickness, and the gag reflex is a little less quick on the draw, but doesn't let me forget it's still there.  Thankfully Lucky Charms get me through the morning, oranges, saltines and water get me through the work day, and my sweet husband has dinner for me at night.

The big change this week is how my body must be shifting, cause I just hurt.   I've been walking for two days with a limp because my hip got torqued funny when I was sleeping.  The two days of limping plus sitting in my desk added up to a pretty painful backache.  It hurt so bad I almost got sick as I drove home from work yesterday.  At 9:30 at night I just had to talk with my best friend Ashley to see if she could use her amazing massage skills to see if this was a muscular issue or a kidney.  She is the BEST, and saw me late that night, and it did turn out that my whole left side and some parts of my right side of my back was just in complete knots.  I'm so lucky to have such a sweet husband that would drive me over, and such a sweet friend who would do what she could to help.  It did help immesurably, and I hope to go back to see her soon for a full on massage so I can feel good in what is "supposed to be" the "good trimester".

PS- if anyone needs an amazing massage, Ashley has her own studio!