TTGP Grad Thread 11/30

nimmle

Thursday already!? Let's Chat

How far along are you?

How are you feeling?

Any recent/upcoming appointments?

Rants/Raves?

Questions? 

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above?

And846

How far along are you? 5w6d according to baby center and 5w4d Accor gets to TB. I inputted due date on both...

How are you feeling? TIRED! I thought I’d escaped all symptoms, and that worried me, then the sleepy train hit. 

Any recent/upcoming appointments? Dec 13th!

Rants/Raves? Rave: I’ve been off work for over 2 days and it’s been amazing! Plans to go to a Disney Christmas event in a couple weeks (can i ride rides???) and almost done holiday shopping. Rant: i wish every day was a day off! 

Questions? Can i still be putting protein powder in my fruit smoothies?? Also been going down the rabbit hole of nursery decor. Oops. Anyone else doing that?

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above?
Christmas Eve with my family is the best...we always go all out with food, music and exchanges. This year we will tell them in a cute way about babe since it would be a giant red flag if i didn’t have a healthy pour (or 4) of red. 

busymommy23

How far along are you? 6w 2d, the ultrasound yesterday measured thebsac at 5w 4d but because they couldnt see anything we will have to wait until the 11th. 

How are you feeling? Today I woke up with a severe sore throat and my throat is very swollen as well. I havent been sleeping much so I know I am wore down and mustve picked something up. Looks like a trip to the urgent care is on hand for lunch. 

Any recent/upcoming appointments? Next u/s is on the 11th. Cannot wait. 

Rants/Raves? Rant: I dont know who got me sick but it is extremely irritating. I was sick the beginning of November and have had a runny nose since then. I guess some women get that during pregnancy? I also wish i could get 1 good nights worth of sleep. Im up at least 4 times a night and dont fall right back asleep. Ive cut out caffeine, try stopping to drink close to bed but nothing is working. Rave: my nausea has seemed to disappear and I dont know if it is a good thing or bad thing? I cannot wait for chicken tacos and guac tonight for dinner. Yum yum

Questions? Nope!

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above
Baking cookies, going to see the lights at the zoo, having christmas breakfast with my parents. Picking out our christmas tree. I love Christmas!

And846

@busymommy23 i saw your post on the u/s thread and my FX for the time to pass quickly until your appt on the 11th. Chicken tacos and guacamole sounds amazing; i could eat guacamole daily if i could. 

Baking cookies forcthe  the season is so much fun! Maybe we can each share a cookie recipe with each other??

nimmle

How far along are you? 5w 4d

How are you feeling? Pretty good. Mostly tired at this point. Occasional nausea but no real MS at this point. FX it stays that way, but I'm not hopeful.

Any recent/upcoming appointments? First appointment yesterday where they basically took all of my blood. Followed by a Migraine so not a fun day at work.U/S scheduled the 16th.

Rants/Raves? Friday EVE!! So excited for the weekend. Also don't really have plans this weekend so even better.

Questions? Nope!

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above?

Annual screening of "It's a Wonderful Life", Holiday grab bag at work (need to figure out a good under $20 gift for this year), My in-law's Hanukkah/White Elephant party. I also just love NYC around this time of year. Everything is so beautifully decorated . 

busymommy23

Thanks @And846. I could eat guac everyday too. Ive been craving a lot of mexican food. 

I think sharing cookie recipes is a great idea! We have some great old family recipes!

And846

@busymommy23 and the million dollar question for guacamole eaters...cilantro or no cilantro?! Haha!

@nimmle FX you don’t get any real MS! And weekends with not much to do are the best! 

nimmle

@And846 How is it that you're 2 days different with the same due date on different apps? So strange. I counted it out on my calendar using the 7/29 due date and am satisfied that it's correct. Also I am 100% jealous about you going to the Disney christmas event. I would talk to your doctor about the rides. There's going to be a ton of people that say 100% absolutely not. Most rides at Disney are really tame so it's a judgement call and the ones that you should be concerned about have the warnings.

@busymommy23 Oh no, I'm sorry you're not feeling well. I'm started to get the sinus congestion but I think that is partly because we started using the heat in the house. Will have to look into getting a humidifier.

nimmle

@And846 @busymommy23 And of course now I want guacamole. Cilantro is a yes...but not too much

busymommy23

@And846 Ooh! What Disney Christmas event are you going to? I am a complete Disney nut since our trip last year! 

@nimmle I am super excited it is Friday eve too! I didnt realize you were in NYC. My little sis lives in Brooklyn and works at a dental office near Times Square.

busymommy23

@nimmle and @And846blech to cilantro. I love guac but only add the guac seasoning and a ton of tomatoes to it. I cant stand raw onions or the taste of cilantro. I am boring lol. Soory about forcinf my guac craving on all of you lmao. 

millpe

How far along are you? 8 weeks! Baby is now the size of a raspberry!

How are you feeling? I had been feeling really good (but really tired) except for occasional bouts of nausea, but yesterday and today so far it's been fairly constant...

Any recent/upcoming appointments? First appointment today!! Excited but nervous... not expecting much to happen though... early ultrasounds are not standard here (standard is only one at 20 weeks).

Rants/Raves? Stressful end of year work deadlines and being sick does not go well together...

Questions? Not right now

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above? My family is normally pretty relaxed or not traditional for Christmas. I often remember Chinese growing up since it was the only place open. We normally get together with extended family on Christmas eve and my mom never wanted to cook big holiday meals two days in a row.  This year we already did our gift exchange so we will be with the in-laws on Christmas eve and no plans (so far!) For Christmas day!

Sarafuss

How far along are you? 5w4d

How are you feeling? Still good!  Which is starting to freak me out...

Any recent/upcoming appointments?  First u/s next week on 12/6!  I'm getting nervous but can't wait!

Rants/Raves?  Rant: I'm bummed I can't take the day off work for my bday this year.  I typically do but I just got an email from HR saying they won't approve any more time-off requests for the week of Christmas since it's already a short week and we are short-staffed.  I'm kicking myself for not sending my request last month!  Total FWP lol.  Rave: I have almost all of the Christmas shopping done!  Just a few more things and we will be set.  I'm never this prepared!  

Questions? This is probably more appropriate for Fit Mom Friday but oh well...has anyone discussed exercise with their Dr.?  I haven't seen my MFM yet but I've continued running (but have slowed it down a bit).  Are you supposed to watch your heart rate?  I do monitor that through my apple watch.  But I don't feel like I'm working that hard and it will get up into the 180's for a short period.  I just don't want to hurt anything but I don't feel like I'm over-doing it.     

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above?  Pretty much all of our traditions are with our kids.  We always watch our favorite Christmas movies, and we try to do some fun activities like going to see the lights at our zoo, visit Santa, and this year my 4-year-old is dying to go ice skating (which I probably shouldn't do right?).  We bake cookies to put out for Santa and the kids get new Christmas pajamas to open on Christmas Eve.  I'm sure there is more but that's all that comes to mind.

And846

@MrsMiller8588 good luck at your appt today!!

@nimmle and @busymommy23 Disney Hollywood Studio has a big Christmas event in the evening with lights, shows, food and falling snow! First time going do I’m excited! I do Epcot Food and Wine every October and it’s so much fun when you do it with a big group and get custom Disney Shirts made. Planning on doing Magic Kingdom in January. Thank goodness for Florida Resident tickets.

Amd for my guacamole - load it up!! Onion, cilantro, lime juice, tomato, spices, peppers...basically a garbage disposal of all things yummy! 

ajsanders-2

How far along are you? 8 weeks!

How are you feeling? Slowly but surely starting to feel 'normal' still a touch tired, and the nausea comes and goes.

Any recent/upcoming appointments? 11-28-17 had appointment with prenatal coordinator, picked my provider, had labs, and attempted a bedside ultrasound. Next appointment is dating ultrasound on 12-06-17.

Rants/Raves? Rave: FRIDAY EVE!!! Woooot! Plus I am finally *knock, on wood* starting to get an appetite back! Haven't been hungry at all due to all day nausea, but today feeling pretty good! Rant(ish): totally jealous of all these ladies getting ultrasounds done and being able to see baby! I was hoping I would see little Groot on Tuesday, but not so much. Which is fine. Just curious on how everyone else got so lucky! But the NP did say that it was totally normal to not see baby yet it all depends on your uterus and where baby is actually positioned. Less than I week, and we should be able to see Groot! (FYI: I have named the fetus Groot, because who doesn't love Gardians of the Galaxy!?)

Questions? Anyone started or looked at starting a registry? I've been doing a  bit of research, but haven't done a whole lot.

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above? We just love getting together. That's the best tradition. Maybe we will start some next year. 

busymommy23

So since a few of us mentioned baking cookies for the holiday, what is your favorite cookie to bake or just eat during the holiday? 

nimmle

@busymommy23 I don't bake as often as I like. But I will say the Kitchen Sink cookie at Panera is amazing. Holiday wise I really like toffee cookies.

busymommy23

Oooh @nimmle what is a kitchen sink cookie? Im taking a stab in the dark that it has everything but the kitchen sink in it? Lol

nimmle

@busymommy23 it's amazing. It has semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel pieces, pretzels and flake salt. So dang good. Has to be shared though unless you're cool with eating a 800 calorie cookie 

busymommy23

@nimmle wow that sounds amazing but also very rich!

Sarafuss

@And846 I don't see why you couldn't use protein powder in your smoothies!
@busymommy23 I hope everything looks great at your next scan.  And chicken tacos sound amazing!
@nimmle I'm glad you're feeling good! And It's a Wonderful Life is my FAVORITE Christmas movie.
@MrsMiller8588 good luck at your appt today!  I hope you get a surprise u/s!
@ajsanders-2 I love the nickname!  I made a small (private) Amazon registry yesterday.  I just want to buy a few new things and get the completion discount (and the Welcome Box lol).  We don't need much at all since my last baby is only 15 months old and we have boy and girl clothes stored away.    

Sarafuss

I usually just make the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip recipe but I add a box of instant vanilla pudding mix to the dry ingredients.  It makes them rise and they taste so much better!  I also found this brown sugar cookie recipe on Pinterest recently and made them...OMG, so good!

busymommy23

@ajsanders-2 i would like to start a registry but im worried someone would find it and our secret would be out. We arent planning on telling anyone until we find out the sex so thats a little ways away. 

busymommy23

To answer my own question: I love making cookies from my grandmother's recipes. Both of them were amazing bakers. We have a delicious cutout cookie recipe that is so buttery and soft, it just melts in your mouth. We also make a hungarian cookie that has apricot or raspberry jelly and cream cheese in them that are fabulous as well. Yum. I love to bake but it takes a lot of time that I do not always have. But I always try to bake around the holidays.

millpe

Thanks for all the love everyone! First appointment was great!! I loved my PA. She came in and right away said she went through my chart and I was her favorite appointment today! (We had trouble getting pregnant and had started fertility testing - got bad news but ended up with a surprise!) I also got a surprise ultrasound to make sure everything was good! We got to see little baby and the heartbeat. My heart is so full! I have a friable (sp?) Cervix so that explains my little bit of spotting I've had. 

@ajsanders-2 the ultrasound tech tried abdominal first, but wasn't able to get a good look because of the position of my uterus so we switched to trans vaginal. 

nimmle

@MrsMiller8588 Yay! That is so exciting you got to see your little bean. So happy for you

busymommy23

Woo hoo for good news @MrsMiller8588! So glad you had a good appt and were able to see your little bean!

ajsanders-2

@MrsMiller8588 - I think if there would have been an opening they would have a TVUS that day, but it's all good. I cannot wait until next week. So exciting you got an US though!!!

And846

@MrsMiller8588 woohoo on seeing your bean today!! 

As for cookies...i love making homemade sugar cookies and using cookie cutters to get them into shape. Best part - making homemade buttercream frosting, separating out equally and dying each color, then decorating each cookie! 

busymommy23

@And846 i love making homeade buttercream but i usually make a type of royal icing so that it dries smooth and shiny. The kids like it because they get all messy!

And846

@busymommy23 how do you make the royal icing? Do you have a favorite go to recipe?

busymommy23

Ive only made the wilton recipe with meringue powder. It works well. If Im working with the kids, I will just take powdered sugar and add milk by tablespoon until it is thin but still think enough to leave a coat on the spoon. Then we color them and let the kids just dip the cookies in. Its a type of royal icing but not at the same time lol. I dont use measurements for that one though. 

mrsinterweb

How far along are you? 5w3d

How are you feeling? Still feeling pretty good so far. Major symptoms are zits, bloating and some indigestion. 

Any recent/upcoming appointments? First appointment will be on 12/19

Rants/Raves? Rave: Got up a bit early and did a prenatal yoga workout before work. It made me feel out of shape and inflexible (which is a sign that I really need to do more of it) but I felt good afterward and have had some extra energy today because of it. Rant: I have to travel tomorrow for a one day client meeting and have to get up super early and will get home late. Won't be able to see DS all day but at least it's on a Friday and we'll have the whole weekend together after. Also (mini-rant) I've given up sugar and all I can think about is the chocolate in the freezer that I can't eat.

Questions? 

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above? DH and I pick out a new ornament together every year. This year, we'll start having DS pick out his own ornament and then they'll be his for when he starts his own tree as an adult. Every christmas eve my family gets together and we always have fondue (my grandma used to make it and then passed the torch to me), we also open christmas crackers and wear the crowns and then kids get to open one present and we play board games. 

mrsinterweb

@MrsMiller8588 Yay for the surprise ultrasound! How amazing to be able to actually see and hear the heartbeat this early!

All this talk of cookies is giving me a sweet tooth! My favorite christmas cookies to make are Spritz ( https://http//www.caramelpotatoes.com/2013/12/06/cream-cheese-spritz-cookies/ ), Russian Tea Cakes (Joy of Cooking recipe), and Buckeyes ( https://https//smittenkitchen.com/2010/10/buckeyes/ ). I'm also thinking about trying this recipe for almond horns this year, but I've never made it before ( https://https//smittenkitchen.com/2017/04/almond-horn-cookies/ )

SmashJam

How far along are you? 6+1

How are you feeling? Ugh. I don't want to eat anything at all really. I have almost constant nausea but its worse right when I wake up. And the sides of my boobs just started to hurt. Like right now. So, I'm not feeling great, lol.

Any recent/upcoming appointments? Not til Dec 7 now. It was supposed to be Dec 4 (monday) but they called and left a message to say they switched it. 

Rants/Raves? Raves: DH is home tomorrow! But he's sick, and its a read eye, so while I am really looking forward to not soloing this whole thing come Saturday, the reality is that he will be home and sick and mostly worthless. Rant: My heating system has air in it and I have to bleed the line somehow. It seems like I have to turn off the furnace before I do it, so I am not looking forward to that really, but I think its supposed to be warm today so it might be a good day to do it. I woke up two days ago at midnight (so i guess yesterday, really) to the crazy sound of rushing water, it sounded like i was trapped in a sinking ship! 

Questions? 

GTKY: What are your favorite holiday traditions with friends, family, coworkers or all of the above? We do chinese food on xmas eve with DH's fam, but this year I think we are doing it on our own. We'll open christmas pj's and read the night before christmas. DH's fam didn't have great xmas traditions beyond that until kids came into the picture, so we are all just making it up as we go, lol.

SmashJam

@and846 i think protein powder is totally ok.

@busymommy23 the waiting game is so hard! And I am sorry you don't feel well!

@nimmle ugh to the migraine. I have a friend who takes meds to prevent them and during pregnancy she couldn't take them at all so at first they ramped up but then went away almost totally! I think she barely had them during pregnancy. 

@Sarafuss I was under the impression you weren't supposed to go above 140. But if I'm wrong, that would be amazing because Its actually hard to keep it under 140-I mean I can do it for most of the time but I am getting short of breath faster so it spikes pretty easily.

@ajsanders-2 I love the knickname! I started a registry for the freebies on amazon, lol (you get ebooks every so often). Mine is not private but @busymommy23 you can make it private so people won't find it. Also, I made the due date 2 months before it actually happens so I get my completion discount before the baby is born and can get last minute things in advance.

busymommy23

@SmashJam i didnt realize you could make a registry private lol and good tip about the due date! No one ever shops off of my registries anyways and since this is my 3rd I doubt we will have a party or anythung where one is needed. However, we may have a little sprinkle if its a girl since I have 2 boys now. 

nimmle

@Sarafuss I agree with @SmashJam I also thought it was about 140 or basically so you can still talk during your workout.

@SmashJam My migraines are so sporadic that I don't have any medication to manage them. I get them maybe once every year. Hopefully it's not more regular. I seemed to respond to Tylenol though.

Another rant for today: I could barely sleep last night thanks to awful post nasal drip. I can't take Sudafed, so this is real great.

millpe

@nimmle I'm supposed to be able to keep my heart rate where I can still easily talk?? I haven't been working out because I generally feel like crap... but I can't even hold a convo after walking up my stairs at work...

STMs - please tell me this winded thing eventually stops? 

millpe

@nimmle coke really helps my headaches.  I asked my PA about it and she said it's something to do with the syrup and carbonation. 

nimmle

@MrsMiller8588 I always thought it was the Caffeine in Coke that helped the headaches. Generally if I have my small coffee in the morning I can keep headaches away all day. However, having all my blood drawn at the OB didn't help. I also have a tendency to faint when I have blood taken if I'm not laying down so that might have something to do with it.