Hello Third Trimester!

I am 28 weeks pregnant now, marking my arrival into the 3rd trimester! Generally I am still feeling good, although I have had a few issues. For instance, last week I woke up at 4am with ridiculously painful leg cramps. It was mostly in my right calf and seemed to last forever! Cameron (who has had his fair share of painful charlie horses) ran to get me some water and offered to rub my legs. I had trouble bearing weight on my right leg for the next 4 days. It was like my right calf muscle ran a marathon in 5 minutes. Yowsa. Heart burn is still occasionally a problem, but it's not nearly as bad as it was. I have been pretty good about preparing ahead and taking Zantac when I know a bothersome meal is in my future, I also have bottles of Tums placed in handy locations. Another issue is my growing belly. Maybe it's not so much an issue as it is an inevitability. I am learning that I am smaller hip-to-hip than I am belly button to back, and fitting through doorways and maneuvering around equipment at work has been a learning experience. I feel huge.
Back to 28 weeks. Baby Dahm is weighing in at about 2 pounds and measuring about 14 inches long. I am feeling a lot of movement now, mostly in my right upper abdomen near my ribs.

We had a delightful Christmas in our new home! The original Ryan 5 along with all immediate significant others gathered the weekend before Christmas to open presents. We had our very first Resale Shop Christmas which ended up being super fun and hilarious!
After dinner, we headed out to the Roy Wilkins Auditorium to watch some MN Roller Girl action with our very own "Fannie Tanner!"

And the next weekend, on the warmest Christmas I can remember, my parents flew in and we all went for a walk.

Cameron made braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and oven roasted carrots for Christmas Eve. The Gronaus came over on Christmas Day and Cam made us all delicious pizzas. All that cooking really tuckered him out!

Anaphylaxis!

I had a quick doctor's visit this morning, just some vitals and a tummy check. BP 108/74, HR 74, weight 158#. Baby's HR is 135-140. Next month is the 1-hour glucose test. I have been feeling great, for which I am very thankful. There are 3 other gals at work who are pregnant, and each one is sicker then the next. I almost feel guilty. It's hard to believe that I'm over 6 months (25 weeks) pregnant already!
Now that the excitement of moving is over, I am able to find some time to work out again. Cam and I joined a gym nearby, and we also participated in the Reindeer Run 5K last Saturday. I almost always have to walk a bit during my workouts, but at least I'm moving!
Here are 2 photos from the Reindeer Run:




I am also beginning to get more acquainted with the inside of my bellybutton. I thought it wouldn't become an "outie" until I was bigger, but I was wrong. I am discovering parts of my bellybutton I never knew existed before. I never used to clean out that area, but you can bet I do now!
Our setter/retriever Sunny had some wild allergic reaction last night. We think it's from the mussels Cameron made for himself, but we've not sure. Poor Sunny got really puffy around his eyes, lips and tongue. We were able to get the swelling down with some Benadryl, but he puked all night long. He seems to be better today. Here are some pictures...

And now I'm off to do some laundry.
Wait! I forgot! I think I felt her move! I went to a production of Amahl and the Night Visitors on Sunday. After the show, the orchestra and choir performed Christmas carols. The audience was encouraged to join in, and during "O Come, All Ye Faithful" there was a flop! I guess I'm not 100% sure it was the baby, but it's the closest thing I've come to thus far so I'm going with it!
And NOW I'm off to do laundry.

It's a....girl?

We're not 100% sure, but we think we're having a little girl! We had our 21 week ultrasound on Tuesday, and the tech worked on Baby Dahm for about an hour trying to get it's legs to uncross. She made me drink cold water, jump up and down, and she poked my belly- hard. No dice. She said that means that we're probably having a girl. That and there were no obvious signs of a penis.


Here is a picture of the face and a profile shot. Pretty creepy, but way more human-like than the gummy bear she looked like on the first ultrasound!
Everything seemed to check out just fine at this appointment. My weight is up to 152#, BP 102/62, pulse 60. The baby is in the 55th percentile for growth, which is good and average. All the organs appear to be in their correct positions, and they estimate her weight to be about 1 pound. I'm still not feeling any movement yet- my placenta is anterior (in the front), acting like a cushion, so I might not feel anything for awhile.
I have been feeling pretty good lately, jogging a few times a week with volleyball on Thursdays. The heartburn is better, I just have to be careful about eating too fast (especially at work). My face totally broke out the past couple of weeks, but I attribute that to the junk food binge I went on. Now that I've moved on from the sweets (okay not completely), my face seems to be clearing up a bit. I have no time for pimples.
Cameron and I close on our new house on Tuesday! We are thrilled to be moving, but the process is a headache. Especially since we're still trying to sell the townhouse at the same time. Much of our stuff is packed in boxes and bags, but then we have to organize the chaos for showings. Here are some pictures of 125 Maple Street. There will definitely be more photos once we close the deal! Here is our backyard and a shot of the kitchen. I just noticed the green flowered wallpaper/paint border in the kitchen- that's going to have to go.



I have been going to Improv 101 classes on Tuesday evenings, and they have been awesome! They are unlike anything I have ever done before, and it has been an eye-opening and refreshing experience so far. There is no pressure to be funny or witty. They actually encourage us (more like demand us) to shut off our brains for the 2 hours we are there. That may sound easy, but it is truly difficult. It is such a wonderful departure from the stresses of work and life.

Halfway There!

Hi there! Today I am 18 weeks (4.5 months) along! Cam and I went to the doctor this morning for a "Tummy Check." My weight is up to 149#, blood pressure 108/56, heart rate 78. Dr. Huberty listened for fetal heart tones again and they were about 150- all good stuff. We go back in 3 weeks for an ultrasound! I'll be 21 weeks at that time, and hopefully then we will be able to find out the sex! I thought I felt the baby move last Thursday, but I haven't felt anything since, so maybe it was just gas. I'm told that any day now that I'll feel all the flipping and flopping!
Here are photos of me at 10 weeks, 15 weeks, and 18 weeks.



I am definitely showing now, although sometimes it's not terribly obvious. I've only had 1 person I didn't know ask if I was pregnant, and I suspect she heard me talking about it with coworkers. As the weather gets cooler, it is becoming more and more difficult to find comfy clothes to wear. It was so easy to just wear skirts! I suppose I will have to get creative as winter approaches and my waistline expands. It's not that I'm opposed to buying maternity clothes, but I really dislike shopping. Especially shopping for clothes that I'll only wear for a couple of months.

October has been a busy month so far, and it's only half done! I went to LaCrosse, WI with Rhi, Rachel, and Carolyn 2 weeks ago and had a lovely time! We played tennis (I lost), ate some lunch (at the Flip-Flop? I can't remember the name), then drove to Winona. We walked around the WSU campus (which is beautiful, by the way), saw tons of new additions and renovations, as well as our old softball field by the lake. The field now has dugouts and a press box! Super fancy. We ate dinner at Bub's, then went back to our hotel to play cards (I lost again) and get caught up on life. I am so lucky to have such awesome, strong women in my life! And getting a few words of advice on pregnancy and raising kids doesn't hurt either!

This past weekend Cam and I drove up to Brainerd, MN to visit his brother. The 2 of them went mountain biking in some old iron mine pits while I napped on the couch (my old couch!). Christian seems to be doing well, enjoying school, etc. Hopefully he continues on this path!
From Brainerd we headed to Two Harbors, MN for Kary and Aaron Briner's wedding. We stayed in a cabin on Lake Superior and went hiking in Gooseberry Falls before the wedding on the lake. So beautiful!


Cam and I have both been fighting colds the past week, and it stinks to just be taking Tylenol for the sore throats/headaches/etc. I think (hope) we both have turned the corner. One thing that is getting worse is my heartburn and reflux. I've never really had this problem before, so you can imagine my surprise when all of a sudden, BAM! I've been popping Tums, which helps for now, but my doctor said that it probably won't get better. She recommended Zantac which I bought today. I stopped exercising last week when I was sick, but am now back into working out with some regularity. I almost always feel better after going for a swim or a jog (I do not consider it running anymore), and I hope to continue for as long as possible!

Cam and I are just about 1 month away from closing on our new home! We have run into a snafu or 2 along the way with the mortgage/loan process, but we haven't heard anything for a few days, so we're hoping that's good news. I am so excited to get into the house and get settled for the winter! I am not too excited to move everything, but I suppose that's part of the process. :)

One Trimester Down, Two to Go!!!

I had another appointment this morning at 0900. I am about 13 weeks now, and my first trimester is but a fond memory. I adore my doctor (Dr. Patricia Huberty), and never mind waiting a bit for my appointments. Today she was only running a few minutes behind, which was nice. I still can't quite figure out how they can ask me to arrive 15 minutes early (which of course I do), only to tell me how long I'll have to wait once I'm there.
Anyway, she told me my weight is perfect (139#, which is up from the 136# and 134# I was at my prior appointments), and my blood pressure and heart rate are perfect (118/62 and 68). She got out the doppler, plopped the goo on my tummy, and BAM! Instantly got a heart beat! It sounded strong and fast and I didn't ask the rate, but I'm guessing it was about 160. I will see her again next month for a "tummy check", then in November for my 20 week Ultrasound.
Baby Bump is the size of a peach now, almost 3 inches long. Teeth and vocal cords are forming, and it already has fingerprints! I am maybe starting to show a bit, although it's quite possible that I am just too lazy to suck in my belly anymore.
I went for a run after my appointment- it's cool today, in the low 50s- perfect for exercising! I had to walk a little bit towards the end, but otherwise felt great (despite forgetting my ipod and watch). I swam a mile yesterday at the gym and got a bit fatigued at the end also. I am definitely seeing a trend...
I have been getting occasional headaches which are just awful. So far, they have all gone away after some Tylenol and a big glass of water. Thank goodness!
Ok, that's it for me!

Life in the ER

I have really enjoyed working in the ER the past few years, but I haven't totally been able to take advantage of it- until now. I have ultrasound and doppler machines available whenever I want to see our baby or listen to the heart beat! This past Saturday evening in the ER was not terribly busy, so some of my coworkers gathered me into a room and ultrasounded me up. The baby was a flippin' and a floppin' and floating all around! You could see it's little heart beating away and the arms and legs moving around! It was just the coolest thing ever! (We actually tried the doppler first, but so far I have not been able to hear the heartbeat. Maybe because it was moving around so much?)
It's fun that my coworkers are so happy for us and were so excited to see the baby moving around. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have so much support!
Tomorrow will start my 12th week, and then my first trimester is over! I have been feeling just great, and I am so grateful for that. Still not showing, though.

On a different note, Cameron and I have been looking at some houses with our realtor Judy Shields. We have 2 that we are potentially interested in, but both are relatively new to the market, so we're going to sit on our hands for the time being. It is pretty fun going into these houses and trying to picture our things in them. (Mostly my piano!)

Ok, that's it from me for now! Happy Labor Day to everyone!

Food, Glorious Food!

And the battle begins. It's this love-hate relationship that I can't quite figure out. It all started a few years ago when I was training for my first marathon. I sometimes would get an icky tummy during a long run, sometimes after. I finally thought I had everything under control- drink Gatorade (or any electrolyte beverage) instead of water during and after runs. Eat foods high in salt and protein after a long workout. Eat healthy the rest of the time- fruits, veggies, no fried foods or pop! It was all great! And then I got pregnant.
At my last OB appointment, by doctor told me to gain 3-4 pounds and I rejoiced! Fast food at 9pm? You betcha. Ice cream after every meal? Don't mind if I do! But there is a downside to eating carte blanche: overeating. Cameron has been working day shifts lately, so he has been cooking dinners for us routinely. But if you know my husband (and I think you do), his meals aren't simple. They are extravagant! And delicious! And sometimes 3-4 courses! With lots of salt and butter and herbs and spices! And my poor belly just doesn't know what hit it. That along with a touch of constipation, and I'm miserable for hours. Oh, and did I mention that my doctor told me to gain that weight over the next month? I think I took care of it in 2 days. At least I think I have identified the problem, I just need to work on my self control. What's that you say? The MN State Fair opened yesterday? Geez, I'm in trouble.

I'm Pregnant.

It’s true! Cameron and I are going to have a baby! And I am going to get back to blogging. So stay tuned for updates and to learn more than you ever wanted to know about the Dahm Family!

We found out that I am with child on Monday night, July 19th. We just returned from a wonderful trip to California for Caryn Harman and Mike Neumann’s wedding. We drank a LOT of wine, but even that didn’t seen to explain why I was getting exhausted on less-than-challenging hikes. (I had also missed a period, but that alone wasn’t so strange.) So when we got home around midnight, I took a pregnancy test. As soon as I saw the pink line appear, I hollered to Cameron to come upstairs. I must have sounded funny because as he told me later, he thought the dogs ate my piano.

We told immediate family first. This will be grandchild #2 for the Dahms and #3 for the Ryans.

I am due on approximately March 20, 10 days later than originally predicted. I went to the doctor this past Friday to hear the heart beat, but my doctor was unable to find it, so she whisked me over for a quick ultrasound. That’s when it became real for me- to actually see the little heart beating and the little stumpy arms and legs moving around! So as of right now, I about about 10 weeks pregnant, and the baby is about the size of a prune.

I had one week of pretty icky nausea around my 5th/6th week. No vomiting, thank goodness, but I was definitely looking pretty green. (That’s how people at work figured it out- you can’t wolf down a sleeve of saltines without people suspecting something.)

I decided not to participate in the triathlon I had been training for. It took place Sunday morning at Lake Phalen in St. Paul. I am mostly at peace with my decision, especially because in lieu of racing, I got to cheer on Ellen, Joel, and my mom! All were amazing, Ellen and mom both finished FIRST in their respective divisions!!! I will try to post pictures, but I’m a little rusty with the blogging business, so a little patience, please.