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Chevie's Diary Entries Diary Navigation: Choose A Diary Entry -------------------- Latest Entry: 10/25/00 -------------------- 10/10/00 8/31/00 8/13/00 8/9/00 7/31/00 7/19/00 7/12/00 7/6/00 6/27/00 6/22/00 6/14/00 6/5/00 5/31/00 5/22/00 5/15/00 5/9/00 5/1/00 4/24/00 4/18/00 4/10/00 4/3/00 3/25/00 3/17/00 -------------------- Chevie's Introduction

May 1, 2000

23 weeks, 17 to go!!!

Once again I had a wonderful week, I feel great, I look great, with the exception of the stretch marks that are traveling down my thighs and buttocks, but overall I am proudly showing and "glowing."

Last week Jayden gave me a little scare with his movements, or should I say lack of movements. On Wednesday I hadn't felt him move all day and last week I was feeling him about five times during the day but no more than that. So I called the doctor's nurse to ask what the normal fetal activity at this point in my pregnancy was and the first thing out of her mouth after I told her that I had only felt him about two times that day was for me to go ahead and come in. My heart dropped. The only image that I could see in my head was Jayden wrapped up in his cord and not being able to move. I immediately left work and went in and after waiting for an hour, the nurse finally came and got me. The first thing that they did was weigh me in; I had gained yet another 5 pounds, but I had also had a big lunch with DH at the Black Eyed Pea, so they weren't to worried. I gave them a urine sample and headed to a room and waited for the nurse to come back with the Doppler. The whole time I was waiting I was asking myself what I was going to do or what could I do if they didn't detect his heartbeat. Time stood still for about 10 minutes, and finally the nurse came in. She placed the Doppler wand on my belly and immediately the sound of his little heartbeat filled the room and I was so relieved and overjoyed. His heartbeat was at 135 which is lower than normal for him because he is usually at 142-153. The nurse then pushed on my belly for a minute because she thought his heart rate was lower because he was sleeping and sure enough a few seconds later it was back up to 145. She left the Doppler on for a few minutes to monitor his activity and during that time he kicked at the wand and you could hear it through the Doppler monitor. After we finished up, the doctor came in and told me not to worry about a thing, that most likely the reason I wasn't feeling much movement during the day was because he was sleeping. So basically my baby is a night owl just like his daddy. The next night after that I woke up about 2 a.m. and he was pounding away at my stomach and I finally got to actually see him move my belly!! Jason hasn't seen him move but he has felt him a couple of times during the night after I'm already asleep. Now every day I look forward to feeling and seeing him move and sometimes drink a Coke to provoke activity out of him. Aren't I cruel??

I have been going to my MIL's house on Tuesdays and Thursdays since Jason and I share a car and he goes to kickboxing classes till about 9:30, so I go hang out with her until he's done. She tapes the Baby Story everyday for me faithfully so we watch those when I go over there. I had been debating to watch Brynden's (my stepson's) birth because I thought I might get jealous or something, seeing my DH with another woman and comforting her and caressing her; I know it sounds silly but I'm just like that. Anyway, I finally got the courage to watch the video. Surprisingly enough, I didn't once get jealous or wish I hadn't of watched it. The way he was back then with her is completely different to the way he is with me. He was only 18 back then so he is definitely scared and pretty much stands back the whole time and doesn't say a word until he is being pushed out and only then he says, "Push," just a couple of times. At first I got worried that he would not be helping me through contractions and standing off in the distance, but the more I thought about it I know in my heart that he is more mature now and more willing to be involved, especially since I am his wife. Ever since watching the video I have been extremely anxious about having Jayden -- more anxious than I have ever been so far during my pregnancy. I have begun to wonder how I am going to react to his arrival, am I going to cry, am I going to be too tired to even hold my head and look and him? I always cry when I watch the delivery part on the Baby Story so I will probably cry when he comes out, but I also thought I would cry at my wedding and I only shed one tear, so there is no telling of what my reaction will be.

Well, let's get back to what happened last week, enough of the mushy, wishy-washy stuff. On Friday Jason surprised me and took me to this popular restaurant here in Dallas called P.F. Changs. It is a well known "Chinese Bistro" that a local radio personality brags about all the time on the air. Surprisingly, we got seated right away, and ordered an appetizer of lettuce wraps. They bring you a plate full of lettuce pulled perfectly from the head and a combination of a meat, sauce and vegetables, you spread the meat mixture on your lettuce, add your choice of sauce, then eat. It was a very interesting dish, and it was also very delicious. I ordered the Mongolian beef and my DH had orange peel shrimp. Another thing I like about this restaurant was they got our order out in about five minutes!! Jason had a Chinese beer after dinner and then we left to go meet his mom and sister. His sister frequently visits a video slots game room called Joe Bucks and basically it is a arcade room filled with "cherry machines" and other slots that can be played by people 18 and older and you get awarded with gift certificates instead of money when you win. So after eating we went up there and I sat at the same machine for about a hour and my DH sat at his for about a hour and finally won $100. I won nothing at all. Then he got up walked over to a progressive machine played three hands and won another $100!! So today after work we are going to Wal-Mart to buy some groceries, stretch mark cream and maybe an outfit for Jayden with our gift certificates.

Well, I have a doctor appointment at 4 today, and I have not accomplished anything at work so I must get going. I asked my doctor if he still wanted me to come in today since I just saw him last week, and he told me to keep my appointment, so at least I get to hear the Little One's heart beat. I hope that you all have a wonderful week. Also I would like to send my thoughts and prayers out to fellow writer StaceyLeigh and her husband who are grieving the loss of their baby. I also hope that Beth has her baby real soon!! Good luck to you all and best wishes!

Till next time,

Chevie and Jayden

EDD 8/27/00