Dance party {in my uterus}!!

What a pleasant surprise today!  I had called my Dr. on Monday because I had been cramping all weekend.  I know cramping CAN be normal... but it can also NOT be normal.  They did a urine test (fun) to see if I had a UTI (not fun).  Luckily that came back clean, but they called me again today to see how I was feeling and the cramping has been pretty consistent.  So they decided to play it safe and have me come in.  Much to my surprise, my Dr. decided to cut to the chase and do an ultrasound!  This is what we found.

A baby!!  The baby was wiggling around like crazy.  It was so surreal, because I can't feel it at all, but it is an active little bugger!!  I can't wait until I can feel it's little kicks.

 

 

Another baby arm shot.  The Dr. said the baby has great brains, which you can see here.

Here is the baby's torso and arms.  The four black dots you see are the chambers of the heart.  CRAZY.

The baby had a nice strong heart rate of 151!  Not sure what the old wives tales would say about that one.  But we will find out soon enough if the babe is a "he" or "she".  I didn't ask the Dr. to take a peek this time because Jordan wasn't with me.  Although I have heard of people finding out this early!  Not sure how reliable those ultrasounds are though. :-)

So, the cause of the cramping?  In my doctors words, my uterus is just bitching and moaning (yes, his words) because it is doing something it has never done before.  My body seems to like to complain about change.  But - at least I can know that it is nothing to worry about... just growing pains, and I can expect that this is only the beginning of my physical discomfort!  Oh the joys of motherhood.

In other news, I am super excited because yesterday I bought tickets for Jordan and I to go see the Broadway musical "Wicked" in Chicago in December 2!!!  We are planning a mini "baby-moon" get-away to Chicago that weekend.  I am sooo excited.  I haven't seen many Broadway shows, and I have heard this is one to see for sure!!  Plus - this will be probably one of our last "alone" vacations for awhile.  It isn't anything crazy, but it will be fun to get away and do something different.

14 weeks.

This week has been interesting.  I thought I was over the nausea (I mean, I am in 2nd trimester right?), so I stopped taking my vitamin B-6 and Unisom that I had been taking to manage the nausea.  Bad choice.  On Monday night I got sick, and then Tuesday I ended up staying home from work, because I was so nauseous I had to lay down or else I was on the verge of puking. :-(  At least I know how much misery the B-6 and Unisom saved me from!  I am feeling better now... at least I am not nauseous.  However, I did pick up a head cold sometime this past week.  I am having difficulty breathing through my nose and my head feels like it is in the clouds.  So, I am using the saline nasal rinse, vaporizer, and breathe right strips to help me get through since I can't take any meds.  Yuck!!!

I am super excited, because next weekend we are going to IKEA with my parents to pick out some stuff for the nursery!!  Yippee!!  After reading a lot of reviews, I decided to get a large dresser for the room in place of a changing table, and get our rocking chair from there.  It is WAY cheaper, and people who use their rocking chairs (called Poang chairs) seem to really like them.  Plus - it could easily be used in a different room after baby (although, I anticipate needing it for a nursery for quite a few years).

Anyway... we made it through another week successfully. :-)  I keep waiting for the belly to grow, but I don't feel a ton different from 13 weeks.  I figure in the next 2-3 weeks I'll be doing some growing for sure though.

Today's date: September 26, 2010

How far along: 14 weeks

Total weight gain: Mmmm... it fluctuates throughout the week.  I was up about 1.5 lbs today, but it could have been the chocolate peanut butter pie I ate. :-)

Size and growth of the baby: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.)

Sex: Gender ultrasound is scheduled for November 10!

Maternity clothes: Wearing maternity jeans (soo comfy), but still wearing regular everything else.

Sleep: Sleeping good.

Best moment(s) of the week: Hmm... maybe not puking and feeling more normal on Wednesday? :-)

Movement: I felt a little *tap tap tap* yesterday... and I don't think it was gas?... haha.  Not sure what it was, but I like to think it was a little nudge from the baby.  I haven't felt anything since though.

Food cravings/aversions: No aversions!!  (yay!)... but I've been eating toast with home made strawberry jam like crazy.

Morning sickness: Feeling good with the exception of Monday and Tuesday.

Symptoms: Fatigue, headaches, expanding belly.

Labor signs: Way too soon.

Belly button in or out: In.

What I miss: Nothing right now.

What I'm looking forward to: Looking pregnant and gender ultrasound on November 10!

What's going on this week:

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.  He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

13 weeks.

I am officially in 2nd trimester!!  Woo hoo!!  I feel SO relieved to be here.  I feel like I am able to relax and enjoy this stage of pregnancy.  I can't wait to look pregnant.  I feel my waist line growing, but I still don't look pregnant.  Soon enough.  :-)

One thing that has been heavy on my heart is what to do about work when the baby comes.  I always saw myself as a stay at home mom.  However, I am now in a job that I love at an organization that I seriously believe is the best ever.  Sometimes I can't imagine giving this up.  They are willing to be flexible with me schedule-wise, but I constantly go back and forth with what I should do.  Jordan has always wanted me to stay home.  Financially - we'd have to make some real lifestyle changes, but we could live off his income.  But in some ways, I feel if I stayed home, I'd be mourning the end of a career that barely started.  But I can't help but wonder if I'd regret not giving my full attention to my kids, as my mom did.  It is a hard decision... and I need prayer for it.  So, if you think of it - lift me up. :-)  Jordan and I were talking about this the other night over chinese food (I was CRAVING it... and had a coupon for buy one get one free buffet... win win situation there).  And this was my fortune.

Haha.  Whether I work, work at home, or stay home... I think it is clear that my line of work is soon going to be changing in some capacity. :-)  I have some time to make my final decision about work, but I would like to give my work an answer so they can adjust accordingly with plenty of time (even if I stay working, I would not be able to work in the office 4 days a week).

Anyway... 13 week update!!

Today's date: September 19, 2010

How far along: 13 weeks (2nd TRIMESTER!!)

Total weight gain: Still nothing.  Not complaining though.

Size and growth of the baby: The size of a peach, about 2.9" and about .81oz.  Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body.

Sex: Gender ultrasound is scheduled for November 10!!!  I'll be just over 20 weeks. :-)  I still feel like I would be shocked if it was a girl.

Maternity clothes: I gave in and put on the maternity jeans today.  I can still button my regular jeans but they are tight and getting more uncomfortable.  I am not a real fan of the bella band, but I will continue to use it for my work pants.  That one pair of jeans is still the only one I can button.  Maternity jeans are soooo comfy.  I don't know why all pants are just elastic anyway.

Sleep: Sleeping good... some crazy dreams happening lately.  Getting up to pee more often.

Best moment(s) of the week: Hearing the heartbeat again on Thursday!  The doctor picked it up with the doppler right away and said we are 99% in the clear.  I am now considered completely normal and don't have another appointment until 16 weeks.

Movement: Too soon to feel, though it's happening. :)  I hope I can feel it in about a month or so.

Food cravings/aversions: MUCH MUCH better.  I feel like I am having more cravings than aversions in this stage.  So far this week, I have craved fast food, chinese food, and spaghetti.

Morning sickness: Feeling pretty good these days!

Symptoms: Fatigue, headaches, expanding belly.

Labor signs: Way too soon.

Belly button in or out: In.

What I miss: Nothing right now.

What I'm looking forward to: Feeling the baby move... looking pregnant.

What's going on this week:

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries.  Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords...savor this, their nonfunctional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with his head now only one third the size of his body. And intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy -- much more convenient.

Normal.

I am officially "normal"... and have never been happier to BE NORMAL.  

I had a Dr.'s appt today and he came in and checked the heartbeat, and asked if I had an uneventful two weeks (which is good).  He found the heartbeat immediately and said my uterus is growing as it should.  It is exciting, because now I can feel it higher up in my abdomen, so I knew it was growing!  The heartbeat is in the 160's... and not sure what to think of that.  The old wives tale says I am having a girl (if the heartbeat is over 140) but I know PLENTY of people who had boys and their heartbeats were in the 160's and 170's.  I am still feeling more boy vibes than girl.  I think this is partially wishful thinking, because at this point I am solid on my boy name (which is kept secret for now) and I cannot for the life of me find a girl name I am in love with.  All of this probably means that I am having a girl.  But - I scheduled the appointment and we will know FOR SURE on November 10!!  8 whole weeks away.  I'm praying that it goes fast.

On another note - I just have to say that I have the most amazing husband.  For a majority of the past 3 months, I have been pretty worthless around the house.  I come home, nap from 4-6 (or 7), eat (kind of - what I can manage), and am usually feeling too crappy to do much in the evenings.  Right now, the nausea is gone (except for the fact that I sporadically vomited last night - don't know what that was about), but I have HEADACHES like crazy.  My Dr. said take 2 extra strength tylenol and drink some coffee or anything with caffeine.  He said one cup is fine and should take the edge off my headaches.  I am looking forward to trying it, because it has been miserable.  Anyway - all to say that I have NOT done the dishes, laundry, cleaning, etc. for quite some time.  My husband has managed to keep the house looking picked up and served me hand and foot until I get over this.  I can't tell you how many times he's run to Taco Bell or Wendy's because that is the ONLY thing I want to eat.  He's the best. :-)

2nd trimester is only 3 days away.  I can't WAIT!!  Not that I think it is going to be a switch and I am going to amazingly feel completely better, but I know I am on the upswing of the nausea part.  This also means I will start looking pregnant instead of chunky.  I have a whole bunch of maternity clothes I can't wait to wear.  And I just got an email that Gap is having a 50% off sale so my maternity wardrobe just might grow again this week.

Moving over.

For the past 9 months, I have GREATLY neglected this blog.  That is because I have been maintaining another blog... a blog about our personal struggles with getting pregnant, having a miscarriage, then having a risky pregnancy immediately after.  Now that we have told the world (or at least, facebook) that we are pregnant, I'm not going to try to maintain two blogs.  Instead... I have moved it ALL over here.  I imported my old blog here and will keep it updated.  If you are interested in just searching my old blog, you can find it at www.thosewhotrust.blogspot.com.

This past year has been one of the most difficult of our lives, but we have been so blessed.  I know when I was in the middle of my struggles, I found great comfort in finding stories of people who had been through it before.  That is why I have decided to share all of it here, and not hold back.  There is something so freeing about being transparent, and that is what I am trying to be.

ANYWAY.

I did my 12 week update yesterday, but didn't have this picture ready yet. :-)

There is the bump.  It doesn't look very bumpish in this picture.  I wish I had taken one at 8 weeks... because I'm curious how different I look.  I FEEL a whole lot different.  Between 8 weeks and 12 weeks my pants suddenly stopped fitting and I am completely in the Bella Band.  I figure I'll do updates every 4 weeks or so to see the difference.  It is crazy how much I know I am going to grow in the next 28 weeks!  Oh, and if I look tired, it is because I am... that and my latest and greatest pregnancy symptom is constant headaches. :-(

Macy is very excited to be a big sister.  The shirt says it all. :-)

12 weeks!

Well - I THOUGHT that I was over the nausea, but this morning I woke up not feeling so hot again.  I do think I am on the up-swing, and am VERY grateful to have my appetite back.  On another note - I am stopping progesterone today.  I have been on 200-400mg of progesterone since 6 weeks pregnant.  It should be fine to stop now, as the placenta has fully taken over.  It does make me slightly nervous, as I know it is needed to sustain a pregnancy, but I trust my Dr. and he says taking it at this point would make absolutely no difference since the placenta is producing it.  Also - he said taking it too long can make little boys look like little girls (YIKES!!).  So... I am stopping. :-)  Okay - updates!!

Today's date: September 13, 2010

How far along: 12 weeks 1 day


Total weight gain: Still ZERO.  Couldn't tell it by looking at me though. 


Size and growth of the baby: From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a plumb) and weighs half an ounce.   His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. 


Sex: Too soon.


Maternity clothes: Bella Band is a must, except for 1 pair of jeans.  The girls at work can see a noticeable difference in the past week.  To the rest of the world, I just look chunky.


Sleep: I am getting up at least once a night to go to the bathroom...sometimes twice. Sleep is still good, beside that.


Best moment(s) of the week: My appetite has returned!!  It is amazing to eat like a normal person!!


Movement: Too soon to feel, though it's happening. :)


Food cravings/aversions: None today!!  Yippee!!


Morning sickness: Back a little bit this morning, but overall seems to be going away.


Symptoms: Fatigue, headaches, bloated belly.


Labor signs: Way too soon.


Belly button in or out: In.


What I miss: I feel like now that I have an appetite, I need to be more health conscious.  When I was sick and had no appetite, I literally ate ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that sounded remotely good.  I had to or else I would starve.  Now, I feel like I gotta cut back on the ice cream and fast food.  


What I'm looking forward to: Getting out of 1st trimester (3 days to go)!!  And my next Dr. appt on Thursday!!  YAY!

What's going on this week:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

200.

200!!!  That is how many days are left until this little bean is due!  It seems like a long time when you think of it that way.  But I am OVER one quarter of the way through with this pregnancy deal.  When I think of it in that perspective, holy cow, time is flying!!

I have been a SLACKER when it comes to this blog.  For sure.  And I am sorry.  BUT - I am here to update!

Things are going great.  I am now 11.5 weeks and feeling better every day.  The nausea comes in spurts but is not all day every day by any means.  I am also officially wearing the Bella-Band with some pants.  I can still button them, but they are outrageously uncomfortable!  I don't feel pregnant... I just feel like I have totally let myself go and am chunking up.  Hopefully it will look more "bump-ish" soon instead of chunk-ish. :-)  

I ordered some itty-bitty cloth diapers that were super on sale.  I plan on cloth-diapering this babe and decided why not start my stash?  ALSO - it is baby week at Target and my favorite crib is on sale... so I did it.  I bought the crib.  Isn't it beautiful??  Although I am not getting this bedding. (I will be making my own.)  I felt a little weird ordering it sooo early... but hey, I need a crib.  And why not pay $50 less?  And I love it.

Today's date: September 8, 2010

How far along: 11 weeks 3 days 


Total weight gain: ZERO.  I have fluctuated a bit between -4 and where I am at now.  I lost a bit in the past few weeks, but my appetite is back now, so I don't think I'll have a problem putting it on.


Size and growth of the baby: Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig (or a lime!), is now almost fully formed. Baby's hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under the gums, and some of the bones are beginning to harden.


Sex: Too soon... but feeling boy vibes. 


Maternity clothes: Officially in the Bella-Band with some work clothes.  I can still fit in my normal jeans just fine, but they feel tighter than usual. 


Sleep: I am getting up at least once a night to go to the bathroom...sometimes twice. Sleep is still good, beside that. 


Best moment(s) of the week: About a week ago we heard the heartbeat with the doppler. :-)  Sooo beautiful.  Otherwise - I am enjoying feeling good!! 


Movement: Too soon to feel, though it's happening. :) 


Food cravings/aversions: None today!!  Yippee!! 


Morning sickness: Seems to be going away. 


Symptoms: Fatigue, headaches, bloated belly... and my finger nails are AWESOME.  Seriously, my nails have never been so strong.


Labor signs: Way too soon.


Belly button in or out: In... not even close to really showing yet.


What I miss: My waistline... slowly disappearing.


What I'm looking forward to: Getting out of 1st trimester (10 days to go)!!  And my next Dr. appt on Thursday!!  YAY!

What's going on this week:

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.