H1N1 - I was sent home for others being sick

I got sent home from work today due to others in the office being sick.

There has been a lot of concern regarding the H1N1 flu this season worldwide. Recently here in Colorado we've had many reported cases of H1N1 and hospitalizations lately. Andy and I have been following it really closely, especially information on the vaccine, because I am in the top risk class because I am pregnant. I heard today that 6% of the deaths from Swine Flu have been otherwise healthy pregnant women; typically only 1% of the population is pregnant at any one time which makes the statistics about H1N1 startling. We've talked to our doctor about it and she recommended that I get both the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1. So I've had the seasonal flu shot already and will get the H1N1 when it is available, which should be a little over a week from now at my next appointment. Until then my doctor said to avoid prolonged contact with anyone who has it and to let her know if I start to have any symptoms.

I work in a very small office (about 10 people) we've had people sick on and off for the last few weeks and it seems like this week people were dropping like flies. One of the owners now thinks that he has H1N1 as well now and hopefully has gone home. I was pretty sick earlier in the week with food poisoning but have finally recovered from that now. So I was back at work today and actually feeling pretty good. This afternoon the owner called a meeting to discuss how to handle H1N1 all the sickness that seems to be going around the office. His wife is a nurse and had been on the phone with him telling him to do something; get the sick people out and to keep me away from it. In an effort to ensure I don't catch whatever it is the others have my boss sent me home for the rest of the week, and I'm supposed to check in on Monday before I go in. They have also decided to disinfect the office this afternoon to try to get rid of any germs that may be lingering. How crazy is this situation. My boss told me he's not willing to take a risk at me getting sick, I thanked him and told him neither am I.

I am thankful that they are being so thoughtful and looking out for me and our babies best interest, and that so far I've managed to avoid it. I am also thankful for their wives who where very firm that they needed to make sure I wasn't stuck around whatever has been going around the office because I'm pregnant and more susceptible to it.

The owner and another principal of the company both have wives who are nurses and have heard of all the work cases that are around. One of them, who works at a Denver hospital, said that they had a woman in the other day who was 26 weeks along and had H1N1. She ended up loosing her baby due to the flu. It pretty scary what is going on right now. I just pray that God will watch over us and keep the baby and I healthy and safe, and get us through this flu season.

Our baby boy!!!

We went for our 20week or 5month apt last Monday and found out that we’re having a little boy!! How fabulous is that! We were so excited to find out; we’ve been waiting anxiously and could hardly believe it when the time was finally here. We had the ultrasound tech print out a picture for us, label it and put it in and envelope so we could open it over dinner just us. The tech was really funny because she made sure that we couldn’t peak through the envelope, she even sealed it shut and marked it with and x so I’d know if Andy peaked. It was so great to get to open it just us and get to really enjoy the moment, celebrate and be close as a family, instead of being in the doctors’ office and having to go finish our appointment. It was so amazing to get to see our little boy!

We could hardly believe it, our excitement was right up there with when we found out that I’m pregnant. It’s so special to get to find out more about our little guy, (that he is a he) and getting to see him on the ultrasound! I feel even more connected to him now, getting to know a bit more about him, talk to him, and thinking of all the things he’ll do and who he’ll be. Oh and I’ve been feeling him move now as well which has been incredible! I love all the little reminders that he is in there growing. It's like little pokes from him to say hi.

From his pic we think it looks like he’ll have my chin and Andy’s nose. We even got to count fingers already, one less thing to do at the hospital. Yup all 10 are there! It’s amazing what you can se in the 20 week ultrasound. We could see his spine and all his vertebra, his brain, heart, kidney’s, and it the top one you can see his fingers and thumb, and his knee and leg, and all. I love that we got to see his expression on his face. The tech measured everything, the heart and checked all the chambers, kidneys, and his brain; she said it all looked perfect! He kept on reaching up to play with his ear as well, kinda like ‘what is this thing’. How cute!

Andy already can’t wait to get his little boy on a pair of skis! We’ve been starting to look more at things for the nursery a bit now and it’s been a lot of fun. We found this cool play rug at Ikea that has a picture of a town on it with roads etc for driving cars around. Andy was saying that was one of his favorites as a kid. I’m guessing there are many hot wheels in our future. There were also some cool wooden train sets that we may have to get later on down the road for our little guy to play with. I know that Andy is going to love to get to show his son all about cars and trains and skiing and all sorts.

Lil' Mango

We’re 19 weeks today and our little one is now the size of a mango. I read on the Baby Center today that his/her “brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.” How anazing is that, she can hear us now! Andy already sings all the time so I’m sure the baby will recognize her dad’s singing pretty quickly and love it like I do! We have a bunch of kid books from when I was little that we’re going to start to read to our little one at night as well.

Andy and I have both noticed in the last few weeks that my belly seems to be growing quite quickly now, my skin is so tight. I felt flutters of movement a few weeks ago but the flutters have mostly stopped now. I have felt some pressure is certain areas randomly as if he/or she is pressing their head or something against me. I'm looking forward to getting to feel more! Andy and I will lay there holding my belly trying to feel for him to kick, but no kicks yet, maybe soon.

One week till we find out if we’re having a boy or girl and we can’t wait!! At first we were pretty sure we knew what we are having. Now Andy has switched and is set that it will be the other because of the way the heart beat sounded, and I’m not sure, I go back and forth.

Baby Pultorak's new room

We got our crib and dresser (thanks for your help dad)! We actually got it a few weeks ago but I'm just posting the pics. We've been looking around for a while and found this great set that we both really liked. When we found the crib and dresser my dad came by with his new truck to help us bring it home. What a way to for him to break in his new truck; picking up his first grandson or daughters crib. Andy was great about getting it all set up for us when we got it home! He moved all of our furniture out of the nursery into our new bedroom and got the crib all put together for us.

Things are coming along quite well! We have a nursery now, and even though it’s still pretty empty it’s really nice to have a space in our house that we've created for our little one. I love the way the nursery is starting out and I can’t wait to have it all together and ready for when we get to bring our little one home with us!

Proud Dad!!

Cookie Monster

I’ve had a lot of people ask me what kinds of foods I’ve been craving so far and for a while I couldn’t think of very much; but thinking about it there are definitely been some specific things. Like chicken tortilla soup, which I’ve always really liked but there have been a few times I just had to have it. I went through weeks where I was set on a certain food. One week it was peanut butter on everything I could think of, and then it was cheap Lipton chicken noodle soup for lunch everyday and other foods full of sodium. Also oatmeal for breakfast everyday for about two weeks, not the instant stuff though real oatmeal made with milk. There have been other random things as well but the one that seems to have stuck is sweets, specifically cookies!

I’ve never been one to keep cookies and cake around the house, but that has changed in the past few months. I have turned into cookie monster. Double chocolate chocolate chip, chocolate chip, peanut butter, white chocolate macadamia nut, shortbread, oreo’s; all have been a must have at some point. This week we’ve been eating wesson oil chocolate cake my dad made and brought over sunday with ice cream (Thanks Dad!).

If cookies are what the baby want who am I to deprive him/her of that?!

I've popped

I’ve popped. We’re at 4 months now (16 weeks) and my belly is definitely growing. It seemed like all of the sudden the other week I just popped out and now instead of just feeling chubby I am getting the round prego belly. It’s pretty exciting now to actually start to see the changes and be able to look down and know our little one is growing in there. At first it took a day or so to get over not being able to fit into half of my pants anymore. But now I'm enjoying it and just wearing my looser pants. Andy told me this morning that I’m going to be huge, especially after another 5 months.
I think he’s right.

We had our 4month doctor apt Tuesday and everything looks good! We got the results back from my blood work and they said that we are actually at a lower risk than is expected for our age group for birth defects and disabilities. What great news to get. The heart beat was at 160; nice and strong. Every time we hear the heart beat it is just amazing. Our doctor did say I need to start putting more weight on,she said I’m supposed to eat eat and then eat some more! I’m supposed to put on at least 1 ½ lbs a week this month to try catch up to where I should be weight wise. Bring on the milkshakes!

Pre-Baby Trip to D.C.

We had a wonderful pre-baby trip to DC this the other week! It was so nice to get away for a bit and get to enjoy spending some time together just relaxing! It was also good to get to see family and hang out. There is so much to see and do in D.C. it is just packed full of History. We stayed in Arlington right on the Potomac River, and only about a block from the Metro station.

There seemed to be quite a bit of great food around the area as well. The first night we were there we ate at a sushi place, that's right sushi, and it was really good. Well the veggie rolls were really good; Andy will have to vouch for the real sushi, but seeing as there was a second round ordered and he talked about it for the rest of the trip I’m guessing it was pretty amazing! You can’t get much fresher sushi than on the coast. We did also have fresh crab out in Annapolis with Ag and Holly which I did get to have and it was delicious along with the mussels.

We got to see quite a bit while we were there, all the highlights! We started off with the Air & Space Museum which was really cool! Andy knows so much about that stuff it was like getting to have my own personal tour guide. Every corner we turned there was another aircraft from a great moment in history. The museums out there are just incredible, they are so well done and the buildings themselves are pieces of art in their own right. We got to see quite a few of the other Museums along the mall, Art Museum, American History, Holocaust and all of the Monuments and Memorials. It was pretty incredible to get to see so much while we were out there. There was a sculpture garden on the Mall that we walked through on the mall that was really nice. There was a tree there called the wishing tree which had a ton of little notes on it of peoples wishes and prayers. I thought it was really touching. I just kept thinking of all the things that we pray for for our little one as she is still growing, and for her life as she grows up.

We got to go on a tour of the East Wing of the White House (Thanks Holly!!!!) which was pretty amazing. We went through a lot of the rooms that they still use for entertaining. A lot of them we’ve seen on tv during famous visits from foreign heads of state etc. It was kinda sureal to stad on the front steps of the White House. The Botanical Gardens were really interesting as well; they had a huge indoor area which worked out great because it poured, I mean buckets of rain, one afternoon. All in all it was pretty good weather, too humid for me but good none the less. Our last day we went to Arlington and then to the Zoo, both are definitely must see places while in D.C. Even though a lot of the animals weren’t very active at the zoo because of the heat (which I don't blame them for) it was still an impressive zoo. We did get to see the famous giant panda’s and the red panda’s along with other animals and bamboo forests. My favorite part I think of our last day was that we bought our first baby item! A cute little top from the zoo for our baby. It’s size for 6mo so it won’t fit for a little while, but come next Aug it’ll be perfect for her.

All in all a great pre-baby trip and time away together.