Belly Bumps, Courses, Staying Healthy and Baby Shower

I hope to put my heart and soul into this sweet boy in the same way I did for Nieva.  Its of course a touch more difficult as I have more I am spread between these days.  I will include some weekly bump shots to catch up here.

I have been working with Sandra Maurer of Whole Beginnings (Name may be changing soon) to stay on Target with some different things.  We started working together on fertility education and now are working on pregnancy education.  Have been re-educating myself on a ton and newly educating myself as well as so much has changed the past 7 years.

We are still working on whether we would like to opt for c-section due to history or try for natural birth.  There is much that goes into that decision and is ours alone, but will keep the progress on that decision updated of course.  :)

As far as health, there has been some ebbing and flowing.  Nieva was sick off and on about 6 weeks here.  Two positive strep tests and then suspected influenza and then last week I had caught a horrid viral cold of some kind.  This week Nieva broke out in rash and low grade fever and a barky cough.  Long story short this has been interrupting my yoga teaching schedule and my groove.  Starting fresh this week.  We purchased a treadmill and today was my first day to start on that.
I know what people say about treadmills.  They turn into clothing racks lol.  But I am really hopeful to keep at this for the sake of our little peanut.  I also am doing a lot of squats and yoga as well as teaching kids and restorative yoga as it has worked with illness.  I have found I am VERY "vata" (see Ayurvedic constitutions) this winter.  Very anxious and overwhelmed thinking about everything to prepare for babe.  The dry cold weather is making ti worse.  Also, worrying about nutrients and what to eat or not eat and getting enough protein and thyroid healthy foods.  I have been vegetarian for over 5 years now so have been incorporating some (pregnancy-safe) sea food here and there and I can tell the iodine uptake is helping with thyroid function and mood.  Even though I am really not a big fan of fish I am working towards balancing.  Seeing many studies show eating seafood is linked to higher intelligence in children later so why not?  Have been inspired while reading "Your Fit Pregnancy" (Willick) and am hoping to incorporate some healthy changes from that.
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Today I am starting a personal challenge.  I made a 30 day challenge for the moms in one of the Cancer Mom groups I am in so we could have some accountability together.   I am modifying for me a touch for pregnancy.  Today was 25 minutes walking on the treadmill, 25 squats and some gentle floor yoga.  I walked 3-4 miles at the Omaha Zoo Tuesday and will be walking a lot I am sure on upcoming vacations so trying to stay in shape (Texas in 3 weeks, Cali in April, Spain and Italy in May, and Florida in June).  Also, making a commitment to cutting out cheese and sugar as well as possible.

In other news, we got Baby Shower scheduled for April 22.  Making a registry and guest list for that over the weekend between work edits.  :)
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Finding Out - November 15, 2016

"I think I see it!!!" I exclaimed excitedly.  

I was hovering over Jordon's side of the bed.  He was still curled deep under the covers.

"Huh" he said blindly grasping for his glasses  "I don't see it"

"No you need to look in the light" I said

He rolled towards his overhead bed lamp, flipped it on, and turned towards the test.

His eyebrows raised.  "I guess I do see it.  But its barely there?"

I had been waiting for any whisper of a line for quite some time.  His lack of enthusiasm wasn't going to calm though.  

"I'm not sure that is enough to go on.  Call the doctor" he patronized and rolled back under the covers.

I decided I'd take to the one place advice was plentiful and my query was welcomed.  Oh yes.... Google.  And but what did I find?  Sight after sight saying any semblance of a line absolutely means pregnant.  

I messaged my friend Kristin and "snap chatted" it to my friend Rachel.  Even drawing an arrow to the faint little line.  It was definitely there.  

I think they also weren't wanting to get my hopes up.  But I knew.  I'd felt strange this past week or so.  Tired and soreness in my chest.  I had felt a little dizzy here and there as well when helping Kristin move the week before.  So so tired!  I hadn't wanted to get too excited because last month I also had thought for sure it was "THE month" I'd see that line and sadly it was not.  

My mom, a free Lutheran pastor, 

had brought me to a healing conference.  Nervously, I took it all in.  Mostly envisioning the looks of crazy most people would give me if they knew what I was up to.  I believe in miracles, but was guarded of what went on around me.  A sweet woman who made conversation with me discovered we had been hoping for a baby and she asked to pray for me.  As she prayed I felt a pop in my low abdomen.  I was sure something very strange and miraculous had happened.  Later, a middle aged black woman prayed over me without knowing me or speaking to me at all.  She immediately put her hands to my low abdomen and slowly pushed me backwards... as if she knew this was the area in my hopes and heart.  I'd been left hopeful in the wake of it all.

I wrote the OB doctor I'd been working with and she had me go in to my primary for an HcG test that next afternoon.  A torturous wait (and another stronger lined test that am) confirmed I was not crazy.  We were officially expecting for the first time in nearly 7 years.

I immediately set to work gathering what I needed to break the exciting news to family and friends.  I purchased a shirt for me to tell my mom and sister, Lana.  I then bought our daughter Nieva a shirt for Thanksgiving which was just a little over a week away.

We recorded most everyone's reactions.  <3 a="" and="" began....="" bought="" deck="" div="" get="" i="" journal="" journey="" nbsp="" nd="" prenatal="" so="" started.="" the="" then="" to="" yoga="">

Baby #2 on the Way

Last April, we posted that we were excited to hopefully add to the family again soon.  I have so much to talk about from that journey.  I will try to condense it quickly here in case any of that information may be helpful.  I did a lot of research and added a lot of different methodology into life in hopes of rushing this process.  I think its fair to say I am not the most patient person alive and it was kind of fun researching and learning about all the different recommended methods (both scientific and new age) that were recommended to help.  Feel free to giggle.  Some of it is nuts and I don't care.  Ha!

Methods Incorporated:
Started practicing yoga more regularly (Teaching at the YMCA)
Attended a Yoga for Fertility retreat in Minneapolis (featuring cycle yoga and acupuncture)
Working with Sandra Maurer of Whole Beginnings
(She is a women's health coach specializing in fertility, pregnancy and early motherhood using herbs, natural methods, yoga, etc...)
Acupuncture for fertility
Healthier eating
Acupressure points
Magnesium lotion
Bath salts
Relaxation/meditation techniques
Fertility teas
Yoni steams
Added Brazil nuts for selenium increase
Started using Ovia charting app to keep track cycle
Ovulation strips to compliment charting
Vitamin panels/added prenatal vitamins
Ultrasound to check for endometriosis/issues
Prayed over at a healing convention
Surgery which found and fixed a blocked tube, endometriosis and a polyp (August)
Clomid medication (one cycle)
Pre-seed
Foods for fertility while vegetarian
Ayurvedic techniques
Stress relief
Men's pre-natal that specifically supports men with MTHFR mutation (which J has)

Books utilized on preparing for pregnancy (many from library plus the following)
 - Fertility Yoga by Kristen Leppert
 - The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis PhD
 - The Kind Mama by Alicia Silverstone (Vegetarian/Vegan fertility/pregnancy)
 -Healthy Child, Healthy World by Gavin, Christopher
 -What to Expect before you are Expecting by: Murkoff, Heidi

We found out we were expecting Mid-November and am currently 3 months along.  I will be posting a few catch up post to bring up to date in pregnancy thus far now that we have announced last week.

Yoga, Acupuncture, and lots of Healthy Living

In the whirl wind that has been the past 6 years of our lives we have learned so much.  We finally feel ready to delve into the world of adding a sibling.  After Nieva was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 2 it didn't seem worth it to add more stress as we fought for 3 more years.

Now here we are.  Nieva is 5.5 and we went to her kindergarten round up tonight.  She is going to be a kindergartner.  I cannot explain what a privilege and blessing this feels like when a mere year ago we were fighting so hard just to get her to breathe on her own.

The tears continued to brim.  Spanish Immersion.  Exactly what her daddy talked about when I carried her in my body so many years ago now.  He talked to her in Spanish almost the whole first year of her life.   She was ecstatic tonight and we couldn't be happier!!

In February, I decided to initiate the process of getting educated about my second pregnancy.  Its super important to me to do everything right.  To be super healthy etc....  I got my yoga teacher certification and start teaching soon (SO exciting!!).  I have also been trying to eat much healthier.

I visited with a midwife who suggested seeing her again to look into issues if conception took more than 6 months.  Being almost 31 now and my history of endometriosis makes this important.  She recommended acupuncture and that was well... very different for me, but still exciting to try.

So here we are..... another adventure may begin soon......  <3 p="">

It saddens me in a lot of ways... that I was unable to keep up with this blog cherishing and highlighting the life of my daughter after being so diligent with recording my pregnancy and delivery. Despite anything I said anywhere or to anyone...I loved being pregnant. I was so excited to be a mother and to have this happy family. Unfortunately, as Ava came into the world I was struggling to start my own business and find my place in a world post college that was expensive and scary. So the days crept by... with me spending too many days in front of the computer and the camera, and not enough days swinging my child in circles, reading bedtime stories, or going on outdoors adventures. Today, May 1, was a strange day indeed. The ground was covered in snow like some some mystical warning of things not quite right. I took Nieva to the Dr. at 9:45am. She had been having a swollen face off and on for several weeks and dark circles under her eyes. She looked pale and tired despite her smiles and always goofy and playful demeanor. Yesterday we went into a pediatric dentist and he confirmed that a tooth abscess was certainly not to blame. I suspected allergies. So after we did a quick blood test, Nieva and I went to pick up an antibiotic for the third week in a row and I drove her to her daycare provider. About 30 minutes after getting back to the house Jordon called frantic. "Are you home?" "Yes" "Good. Stay there" "what's Wrong?" "They think Nieva has Leukemia. We need to get her to the doctor now." From there the day is the blur. We arrived at the hospital. Nieva was in good spirits. Lana, Sarah, and my mom came up as well as Jordon's mom. The doctor took Jordon and I in a private room with Nieva and said a lot of things.... but the most haunting "I need to make it clear that it is 100% certain she has leukemia". "It is malignant." "We will need to start treatment right away." Nothing in a person's life can possibly prepare them for that moment.... where you realize there is a chance you will lose your daughter forever and you may have to watch her slip away with nothing you can do." I know I can be strong though. And that is what I hope to do. I want to hold her every last minute I am able until, I pray, she gets past this and we only have to have a memory of this terrible time. Please pray for Nieva. My greatest and most precious joy in this busy unpredictable and crazy world.

Grand Opening

This past year has been a whirlwind. Life is funny sometimes. How you work so hard for something all the time, but maybe aren't sure why.... This life seems like a game. A game in which you can only succeed at anything by missing out on what is really important- by hiding who you are- and by going against things golden and true. Sometimes I wish life was a fairy tale. You could run away into the country or the mountains and forget about the stress and expectations and buzzing of our electronic bureaucracy. I'd like to think sometime somewhere there was a society where people really put in their days work and then everyone spent the evening together interacting and being close with family and friends instead of watching a tv a computer monitor or having to stress about business or bills. I love what I do, but building a business is hard. Its hard to see my baby girl shipped off day after day without any choice and to still only be scraping by as I build everything up. Just had my Grand Opening. Thankful for the support of so many, but praying for strength as these next few years will be hard as I manage and build. A part of me still longs for grad school, but I don't want to leave all my family and friends. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement, support, and many hours of helping out on the studio or babysitting. I couldn't have done without you. So excited about being at this place in this journey, yet so much more excited for what is to come. Praying it will all be worth this hard work.

-Amanda



Dear Boo-Boo,

I love you so much. On hard days your smile lights my world. I am so excited for busy season to slow down so we can spend this winter doing play dates, visiting family, and having fun more often. Thank you for being so full of energy and happiness. Your constant joy is beyond my comprehension. I pray you never change.

Love, Mommy

February 2011 6 Months Old

Lots of firsts this month. Nieva started sitting up a few weeks ago. She got to start sitting in her high chair this month too which has been great. She entertains herself so much better now and I have been able to catch up on a lot of house work. Thanks to a few friends' organizational suggestions I have been able to get the energy in this house feeling so much better. Business has been good with photography too. I keep perfectly busy imo. Much more and I would feel a little overwhelmed, so that is good. Nieva has been loving her toy drum and bouncy set this month too. While Jordon and I were in Utah Nieva cut a tooth and then a few days later she cut one more. She can stand for periods of time with no help holding onto items and so far dr's appt have been good. She also started eating her first meals (organic one grain oatmeal). She enjoys spitting this month too and sadly thats what happens to most of her solid food thus far (it gets spit and sputtered across the room when she is sick of it lol. Her 6 month appt is tomorrow so will try to update with weight height stats.

-A <3