Tuesday, December 28, 2010

21 Weeks

Once again, I'm sorry this is a few days late, but I was busy relaxing with my family last week ;).  I'm now at 21.5 weeks and I'm getting more and more excited :).  I'm feeling Mr. Baby more and more... he's an active little guy!  I got a phonecall from my doctor while we were in Oregon and she said that I need to get another ultrasound so that they can get a better picture of his heart and the umbilical cord.  She said that doesn't mean anything is necessarily wrong, they just couldn't get a good picture last time because he was moving so much.  I don't have a problem with it at all... just means I can see my little guy again :). 

We flew up to Boise on Tuesday and that was a different experience.  We didn't have to go through the new xray machines, which was good (I wouldn't have anyway), but I had a head cold and it zapped every bit of energy that I had left.  We also had to deal with the time change on top of our trip taking about a total of 18 hours.  It was rough :P.  My family was great about letting us sleep in and relax while we were there, though.  I just hope we didn't take advantage too much ;).  Our trip back to GA was even longer (about 20 hours), but it's more of the same (sick, tired, etc.) so I won't go into it :).  Spending Christmas with my family was really awesome, though, and if necessary I would've driven the entire way just to be there :).

Besides having a head cold, I've been feeling pretty good.  The only problems I'm still having are hip and back pain.  I'm not sure if I can do anything about them, but I'll try just about anything (safe) at this point.

I had my first baby shower the day after Christmas and it was so much fun!  There were only about 8 or 9 people total, but that didn't matter... we had some good conversations and they more than blessed us with gifts!  We got lots of adorable baby clothes, blankets (made by my mom & sister), a monitor, gift sets, bibs, a diaper bag, etc. etc. etc.  Our kid is going to be the best looking boy in Georgia! :)  Now that I know we're having a boy, it's going to be really hard to resist the cute clothes whenever I go into Target.  Maybe I'll allow myself to buy 1 outfit per month or something ;).

Jason and I have been discussing name possibilities and I think we came up with a solid choice this afternoon.  I really want to tell people, but we're going to sleep on it and see what we think in the next day or two :).  As soon as I can, I'll let everyone know :).  I'm so excited to start using his name when I talk to him :).

Anyway, here are the growth/development details of the week:
  • Your baby continues to grow and develop inside of you. He now measures approximately 7 inches long and can weigh up to 10 ounces. In the coming weeks, your baby will continue to grow and mature at a fast rate.
  • The hair on his scalp is more visible and by week 21 he has probably developed eyelashes and eyebrows!
  • He is waking and sleeping in regular intervals, which you may be able to tell from his movements. He is also swallowing amniotic fluid to help his digestive system mature for life in the "outside world". His intestines also start slowly relaxing and contracting this week.
  • Notice any small, repetitive movements in your abdomen? It may be his first case of the hiccups! Usually, these movements occur for a few minutes at a time. As your baby grows larger, these movements will feel stronger. And remember, all babies are different, some hiccup multiple times a day, and others, only once in awhile.
I think that's about it for now.  Please be praying for our name choice and for the upcoming ultrasound.  Thanks for stopping by! :)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Ultrasound - It's a BOY!!!

What a great experience :).  While quite uncomfortable, the ultrasound was amazing!  It's hard to know where to start :).  The ultrasound technicians jumped in and started right away, which is much different than my regular checkups.  They started by taking measurements of the organs, bones, skull, brain, etc. and yes, they even counted to make sure he has 5 fingers on each hand ;).  The baby was being extremely difficult, though, because he kept moving the entire time!  Every time they would try to freeze the screen to take a measurement, he would move.  It was pretty funny.  They seemed to get a little frustrated a couple times, but we just laughed because we're the ones who get to raise him ;).  I always knew our kid would be stubborn!  It was so much fun to see the baby moving around, putting his hands in front of his face, kick, and everything else.  I had to laugh because I had told Jason quite a few times that it felt like the baby was doing log-rolls in my tummy... well, I was right!  He was sure having fun in there :).  Anyway, the technician said that all the organs and everything look like they're about 20 weeks along, so I guess my due date hasn't changed (I'm 20 weeks 3 days today).  We got quite a few clear looks at the sexual organs and it's definitely a boy.  Jason was very excited to find out his instinct was right ;). 

We would've been happy even if it was a girl, but just knowing is great because now we can focus on one gender and plan accordingly.  I can pick out cute little boy clothes for him to get dirty, toys, nursery decor, and best of all - a name!  We'll be working on picking it out while on the plane to Oregon tomorrow :).  Once we decide, I'm sure we'll share... but in the meantime, if you have any ideas, please let us know!  Just don't go too crazy ;).  Thanks to everyone who voted and I'll try to come up with another poll soon :).  Have a great Christmas!!!!

20 Weeks

I'm officially officially halfway there! :)  Since this entry is 3 days late (and I have to post info on my ultrasound), I'm going to make this brief-ish :).  This week was a pretty good one.  I'm feeling the baby more and more, which is awesome.  It's always comforting to feel it move around.  I keep telling Jason it feels like the baby is doing log-rolls in my tummy, ha :).  He has been trying to feel some movement by touching my bump, but it's still a bit too early for that.  I'm hoping he'll be able to feel something soon.

My biggest problem this week has been hip and knee pain at night.  I'm still using my Snoogle pillow, which really does help me to get comfortable, but I keep waking up with achy pains that won't go away no matter what position I'm sleeping in.  I'm sure that's pretty normal during pregnancy, so I'm just trying to deal with it as much as I can.

Ok, here's the development information for this week:
  • Your baby is now about the length of a banana (thebump.com says the size of a cantaloupe!). Can you believe it? He is now around 6 ½ inches long and weighs almost 10 1/2 ounces!
  • Your baby can also hear sounds. At 20 weeks, he can cover his ears with his hands if the sounds are too loud and he may even "jump" inside your womb if any sounds startle him.
  • He is also moving around a lot inside you. Remember, if this is your first pregnancy or if you have a larger frame, you may not yet feel these movements. If you haven’t felt anything yet, you should in the coming weeks. Many times, these first movements are described as a flutter, or may feel like bubbles or gas. If you can feel your baby moving and shifting inside of you this week, you may be becoming aware of his sleep cycles.
I'm still amazed by the miracle of life and I pray every single day for a strong and healthy baby :).  Next up:  THE ultrasound :).

Friday, December 10, 2010

19 Weeks

Wowwy, I'm halfway through the pregnancy!  Of course, 20 weeks is the official halfway point, but an email I got this week said so and I may not last the entire 40, so I'm claiming it anyway :).  I've been feeling pretty good this week with the exception of some morning nausea.  I don't know if it's because of anxiety (I've always had a nervous stomach) or if it's morning sickness, but it's worse when I brush my teeth and then when I make my breakfast (or even think about eating).  I haven't gotten sick since last week, though, so I think I can deal with it.  Oh, also my knees have been aching because of the cold weather... I know, I'm old... so sleeping has been kind-of tough again.  My back and hips have been ok, but I don't know what to do for my knees... gah!  Maybe I should just wrap my body in an ice pack :).

There are only 10 days left until the big ultrasound and I'm so excited! :)  Jason says we can come up with some solid baby names after the ultrasound.  I told him we need a backup just in case, but he said if the baby comes out the opposite of what we're told, we'll just name it "Surprise!".... yes, with an exclamation point :).  He came up with a girl name that he really likes, but we're still pretty undecided on both boy and girl names.  Hopefully we'll have one figured out by the time he/she gets here ;).

I got a few new items of clothes this week:  3 sweaters and 2 bras (thank God)(sorry if there are any guys reading this).  I just love maternity clothes.  I think I could wear them forever, but Jason probably wouldn't really like that.  Maybe I'll just hold onto them for future Thanksgivings ;).  Anyway, I don't have much else to write about so here are the development details for this week:
  • Your baby is now around the size of a mango or large tomato. He is approximately 6 inches long and weighs almost 8 1/2 ounces now!
  • This is a very important time in terms of sensory development. Inside your baby’s brain, certain areas are being specialized for smell, touch, taste, hearing and vision.
  • Another big development in the last week, hair may finally be sprouting from his scalp.
  • By 19 weeks, the uterus is developed in the female and the testes and penis are easily identifiable in males. It may also be time for your ultrasound, so if you don't wish to know the sex of your baby, be sure to make it clear to the ultrasound technician to avoid any unwanted information!
 I'm still not feeling baby movements every day, but I do feel them, which is good enough for me :).  It's always a nice surprise to feel him/her doing somersaults.  It's a bit inconvenient when I'm at work, because I stop what I'm doing so I can concentrate on the movements, but I really don't mind :).  I can't wait until Jason is able to feel the baby too.  Hopefully that will come soon!

I'll post my week 20 update next week and then hopefully I'll have time to write a special post after our ultrasound on Dec. 20th... I'll have lots of pictures and info to share! :)  Have a great week, everyone :).

Sunday, December 5, 2010

18 Weeks

 I can't believe how fast these weeks are flying by :).  It seems like I have to write a new entry as soon as I'm done with the previous one!  This (last) week was a pretty eventful one.  I'm pretty sure I've said in previous posts that morning sickness hasn't really been a big problem for me.  I was pretty nauseous for most of the 1st trimester, but other than that I was feeling pretty good.  Well, that changed on Monday.  I was about to leave for work and wasn't feeling very well.  I fed the dog and all I could smell after that was dog food.  Then Jason came down to leave for work and he pulled some barbecue chicken out of the fridge.  I took one look at it and it made my stomach turn... *gag*.  He left for work and I stood in the kitchen for a few minutes until I smelled dog food again, then I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom.  Ugh.  It was horrible.  Now that I've experienced real morning sickness, I appreciate even more that I haven't had to deal with it much.

Sleeping has been a little better this week.  My Snoogle pillow came on Tuesday (yay!) and I think it really has helped.  I have less hip and back pain at night and the main problem right now seems to be adjusting my position with the pillow when I want to turn over... which I really don't mind :).

Work has been going pretty good.  I'm learning a lot and it's becoming a lot less confusing.  Most of the work I'm doing is "busy work", but I really don't mind :).  I heard back about the Motherhood job and she said she needs someone who can work the week of Christmas, which I can't.  We'll be in Oregon and there's no way I'm canceling that trip ;).  If the position is still open after Christmas, she'll call me, but we'll see.  God is in control :).

I've felt the baby moving around a few times this week, but I haven't really felt anything the past few days.  I'm sure I'll start feeling it all the time soon enough, but I want it to happen now!  Jason says it's just a lazy baby... thanks, babe ;). 

Anyway, here are the development details for this week:
  • Your baby is now roughly the size of a bell pepper (or sweet potato). He is about 5 1/2 inches long and weighs almost 7 ounces now!
  • If you are having a boy, his genitals are now noticeable, if he isn’t curled up and hiding them during the ultrasound. If you are having a girl, her uterus is fully formed and in place, along with her fallopian tubes.
  • Your baby’s skeleton, which up until this point has been made up of flexible cartilage, is now hardening into bone. Myelin, a protective covering around his nerves, has begun to form. Myelin plays an important role in the communication between neurons and it will continue to develop through his first year of life.
  • At 18 weeks, your baby’s skin is still thin and transparent, so to help protect him, something called the vernix caseosa develops. This is a greasy, cheese-like substance that not only insulates his developing epidermis and dermis from the amniotic fluid; it also makes him nice and slippery for an easier delivery!
We've been talking more about names this week.  Jason has a girl name that he likes and it's starting to grow on me too :).  We're still pretty undecided on boy names, though.  I'm sure it will take us a lot longer to settle on a name, but at least we're coming up with ideas.

Oh, we also started registries at Target and Babies 'R Us this week.  We just chose basic/neutral items, but it was exciting to finally walk through all the aisles and look at the fun baby stuff :).  Once we find out if baby is a boy or girl, I'll have to go back and pick more stuff :D.  If you have any registry item recommendations, please let me know!  I hope everyone has a great week :).

Saturday, November 27, 2010

17 Weeks

This has been a pretty good week for me.  I started my new temp job and worked on Monday and Tuesday.  Thursday was Thanksgiving and my birthday (yay, #28!), which was great :).  I got to stuff myself with food and then come home and pass out :).  I finally got over my head cold, so I now have a little more energy but I'm still pretty tired most of the time.  I'm still having trouble sleeping, but Jason bought me a Snoogle body pillow for my birthday and I'm just waiting for it to be delivered... hopefully very soon!  I really hope it helps me to sleep through the night.  Sleeping on my sides has started to get uncomfortable, but I can't sleep on my back (it pinches a main blood vein) and I feel weird about sleeping on my stomach.

I had an interview with Motherhood (maternity clothing store) and it looks pretty promising.  I'm just hoping I can work there so I can get a 30% discount on the clothes ;).  They have some really cute stuff that I want :).  Other than that, things have been pretty much the same at home.  I'm only going to be working a few days each week, which is nice for the time being.

I have felt the baby a few times this week and it's so much fun :).  I can't wait until I can feel it more often.  Here are the development details for the week:
  • Your baby is now about the size of a turnip (or onion)! She is roughly 5 inches long and weighs 5 ounces now. That's even more than the placenta weighs.
  • Though no new structures have formed this week, she has developed fat deposits under her skin that will account for about 2-6% of her total body weight at her time of birth, just 23 weeks from now!
  • Her skeleton, which up until this point has been made up of flexible cartilage, is now hardening into bone. Another exciting event…her sense of hearing begins to develop this week!
I guess that's about it for now :).  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 19, 2010

16 Weeks

This week was seriously a great one :).  I didn't stress much at all, I got a lot done at home, and I really enjoyed being able to sit down and relax when I felt like it.  I'm 16 weeks today and I also got a new job today, woot! :)  It's just a temporary job for an engineering company in Atlanta but it will bring in some income, which will definitely help us get through the next few months.  I'm thankful!

My 16 week appointment was yesterday and I met with a midwife instead of the doctor, because she had to take a couple of emergency appointments.  I was fine with it, though, because I hadn't met her yet and she was really nice.  We chatted for about 15 minutes about new things that are happening and also about any concerns I might have.  I told her that I've been feeling pretty good and that I don't really feel pregnant right now.  She basically said that that's a good thing, but can also be stressful because even though I feel more energetic and less nauseous, I don't feel pregnant which can make me worry unnecessarily.  I wanted to jump up and say "yes!  That's exactly how I've been feeling!"  Hehe, I guess she hears the same things a lot in her line of work ;).  She was very reassuring, though, and made me feel at ease.

She used the doppler on my bump to listen to the heartbeat.  She found it after a few seconds of searching and we listened to it for about 10 seconds and then it disappeared.  She had to hunt for it again and when she found it, it was really loud!!!  I think the baby was leaning with its back against my uterus or something, because it was crazy loud :).  She said that the sounds we heard when she was searching for the heartbeat were of the baby moving around... so fun! :)  She said that I should start feeling the baby move more over the next 4 weeks or so.  I have felt it a few times today and I'm absolutely loving it :).  It makes everything feel a lot more "real", because I not only think about the baby but I can also feel it :).  I guess I always just assumed that I would feel the baby all the time once I got pregnant, but that's not the case at all.  It takes about 16-20 weeks before you feel anything :P.

Although I've been feeling better in general, I haven't been getting much sleep at night lately.  My hips have been hurting like crazy and I caught a head cold a couple days ago, so I've been having trouble breathing.  Other than those minor details, I've been ok ;).

I'm not sure if I've said anything about coming up with a name or not, but Jason and I have been arguing about it for the past 2 months.  I keep asking him for input, but he doesn't want to think about names at all until we know what we're having.  It's very frustrating, because I want to get some ideas from him.  A lot of the names I like, he doesn't, so it has been a struggle.  However, the other night he actually threw out a couple of ideas, so I bought a couple of baby name books for us to look at on our trip to Oregon (the day after THE ultrasound).  If you have any suggestions, feel free to post them in a comment ;).

Anyway, on to growth and development details... I'm so excited to see the bigger-than-bean baby next month! :)
  • Your baby continues to be busy growing and developing inside of you. He's now about the size of an avocado, measuring approximately 4 1/2 inches and weighing roughly 3 ounces. His heart is now pumping 25 quarts of blood every day and his bladder is emptying every 45 minutes.
  • His limbs are even more developed and their movements have become increasingly coordinated. He doesn't have any hair yet but the patterning of his scalp has begun.
  • What's in the future for your little one? A growth spurt is just around the corner! In the coming weeks he will double his weight and add inches to his frame.
He/she is growing so fast! :)  I've rambled quite a bit in this entry, so I'll wrap it up now.  I'll leave you with the first 'approved' picture of my bump (sorry, I'm picky and self-conscious) :).



I'll try to post another one before we head to Oregon! :)

Monday, November 15, 2010

15 Weeks!

I'm doing much better this week than I was when I wrote last week's entry.  I've been applying for jobs, but I'm enjoying my time at home and trying to use it to relax.  Sometimes Jason drives me crazy when he doesn't get stressed about anything, but it has been very refreshing with this situation.  He keeps telling me not to worry and that everything will be ok and we're trusting God to take care of us :).  Oh, and I'm strongly considering applying for a part-time job at Motherhood (maternity store), so please be praying that I'll make the right decision.

Anyway, this has been a pretty good week.  Like I said above, I've been relaxing a lot and sleeping in past 5:45 in the mornings has been great.  I've been getting up when Jason leaves at about 7:00 and I love it.  I haven't been having too many symptoms this week, but the 2 main ones that come to mind are a stuffy nose and hip pain.  My nose feels like it's stuffed up most of the time, but apparently that's due to hormones so there's not much I can do about it.  The hip pain is mainly at night or when I sit in one position for too long.  I've been having trouble sleeping because the pain wakes me up multiple times at night and changing my position doesn't seem to do much.  I'm still hoping I'll get a body pillow for my birthday (in 10 days, yay!).

My next appointment is this Thursday and I can't wait to hear the heartbeat again :).  I can't believe it's been a month since my last appointment.  I'll be 4 months along in just a few days!!!  Craziness.

Here are the growth & development updates.  My emails have described the baby both as a small apple and a naval orange.  Either way you look at it, the bean is growing fast! :)
  • Your little one is now roughly the size of an apple. She is about 4 inches long and weighs about 2 ½ ounces. Her legs are now longer than her arms and her bones are getting harder and stronger!
  • At 15 weeks, her skin is still thin and transparent, but she has developed a thin layer of hair to help protect her body. This layer of hair is called lanugo and it is present on every part of your baby's body, even her finger nails!
  • She is also moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract. This action helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. And even though her eyes will remain fused shut until approximately 26 weeks, she can actually sense light in your womb!
 I can't wait until our ultrasound!  Only a month and 4 days to go :).  I really want to see the baby looking like a baby instead of a cute little bean.  Well, that's all for now.  I'll post the next update this Friday.

Monday, November 8, 2010

14 Weeks

I'm now at 14 weeks (actually about 14.5 today) and am feeling pretty great.  I'm not very tired anymore and hardly care what I eat now.  Just about everything sounds good as long as it's food :).  I'm still looking forward to Thanksgiving and I'm surprised I haven't been dreaming about turkey and mashed potatoes.  I still get round ligament pains every once in a while or 'uterus aches', but they aren't nearly as evident as they were in previous months.

While I'm feeling more energetic and not as sick, I've been struggling with a couple of things.  First of all, I'm a natural worrier.  A few weeks ago at work, I bent over to pick something up and then stood up from that bent position and my jeans dug into my stomach.  I'm not sure if I said anything about this before or not, but it felt weird and kind-of hurt.  I know the baby is very protected and there's plenty of cushion down there, but I still couldn't help but think I hurt it.  Ever since then, I've been praying that I'll feel the baby move so that I know everything is ok, but if I do feel something, I'm not sure if it's the baby or if it's my pulse or something else.  I've felt movement a couple of times, but I really don't know what it's supposed to feel like, so I'm still worrying :(.  On top of that, I lost my job last Friday and have been a bit stressed about that.  I know that everything will work out, it's just hard to think about not having a job while we're preparing for the baby to come.  If you could please keep me/us in your prayers, I would really appreciate it. 

As you can probably see above, the baby is now the size of a lemon.  I don't know how a lemon is bigger than a peach, but oh well.  I guess it is ;).  Anyway, here are the growth details for this week:
  • By week 14, your baby is around the size of a lemon, measuring about 3 1/2 inches and weighing 1 1/2 ounces. His body also starts to even out this week, as his arms and head are finally proportionate to the rest of his body. His hands and feet now measure about a 1/2 inch long and are actively punching and kicking inside you. Don't be alarmed if you can't feel this movement, it's too small for you to feel.
  • Your baby is also busy making facial expressions by week 14. He can squint his eyes, and his lips can turn into a frown. His neck has grown longer and his chin starts to take shape. His kidneys can produce urine and his liver has begun to produce bile. His spleen has even begun to help in the production of red blood cells.
Even when times get tough, God is still with me and I'm praying for a happy and healthy baby :).  My next appointment is next Thursday, at 16 weeks.  Please pray that there will be a STRONG heartbeat and lots of movement. 

Saturday, October 30, 2010

13 Weeks!

Hello, 2nd trimester!!!  I'm so excited that I'm 13 weeks along now :).  I've been feeling better and "more normal" the past few days.  I still feel exhausted a lot of days, but other than that I'm feeling pretty good :). 

I went to the doctor on Monday for my glucose screening and it wasn't bad at all.  They let me choose between lemon-lime or orange flavors.  I chose the lemon-lime and it tasted like a melted popsicle.  After I drank it, I had to wait an hour before they could take my blood.  While I was waiting, a nurse came in with a doppler and said I might as well hear the heartbeat since there was a lot of time to waste.  I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that sound :).  She said it sounded great and she also said she could hear the baby kicking around... how cool! :)  I finally got my blood taken and the result was great - I got a 105 and the normal range is 60-134.  If I had gotten 135 or over, I'd have to go back for a 3 hour test.  Bleh.  I have to do the test again at 28 weeks, but it's out of the way for now.  I also solidified our ultrasound date, which just happens to be the day before we fly to Oregon - December 20th.  It sounds like a long way off, but I only have a little over 7 weeks to wait and I'm sure it will come quickly.

I have a bit of a baby bump and I'm actually excited to see my stomach getting bigger ;).  My hips and lower back have been pretty achy most of the time, especially when I sit for hours at work.  They have also been hurting when I sleep at night, but I'm using a pillow between my legs to help alleviate the pain.  Jason stole it from me last night and said, "wow, this IS comfortable!"... ha :).  I'm still hoping for a full body pillow for my birthday, though.

One of the most exciting things that happened this week is that I felt the baby move!  It was just a tiny little tickle, but I know for a fact that it wasn't gas ;).  It was so cool to finally feel it.  I'm supposed to start feeling it more between weeks 14-16, so I'm hoping it will happen soon.  It's very reassuring, especially when I can't hear the heartbeat constantly.  Anyway, on to the growth details:
  • Your baby is now about the size of a peach, measuring just under 3 inches and weighing approximately a full ounce!
  • The most remarkable thing about week 13 is that his little body is finally starting to catch up to his head in size, as his head now only accounts for 1/3 of his total size. If you are having a girl, she will have more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries by week 13.
  • Her teeth are in place under her gums, waiting to come out during teething, which can start as early as three months or as late as twelve months. (Note: Some babies can even have one or two teeth showing when they are born!)
  • Veins and organs are visible through your baby's skin, which is still paper thin and transparent. Her intestines are forming villi, which aid in peristaltic movement and digestion, and her pancreas has even begun to secrete insulin!
I really hope our kid doesn't come out with a full set of teeth showing ;).  That would be intimidating :).  Since the baby is the size of a peach now, my uterus is the size of a small melon... holy cow!   I don't even want to think about how big it'll be when the baby's a watermelon.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about food.  I'm SOOOO looking forward to Thanksgiving.  My mouth waters whenever I think about turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie... mmmMMMMM!!!  This year I'll have an excuse to really eat :D. 

Anyway, I think that's all for this week.  I'm having trouble separating this week from previous ones in my head... I'll have to start making notes or something :).

Thursday, October 21, 2010

12 Weeks

Apparently people read my blog now, so I'm a bit more motivated to post this week's entry ;).  I'm now at 12 weeks and almost into the 2nd trimester!  I had my second doctor appointment this afternoon and it went pretty good.  The doctor was 40 minutes late, but I got to hear the baby's heartbeat again and I have to say, that's one of the best sounds in the world :).  I started getting a little bit nervous earlier today because I am a member of a "pregnancy community" and a bunch of girls posted today that they had miscarriages.  That's not something you want to read about.... ever!!!  Especially after not hearing or seeing the baby in 4 weeks.  I did a lot of praying, so when I laid back and she used the doppler, I was at peace :).  It only took her about 5 seconds to find the heartbeat and she held it there for me for about a minute so that I could listen.  It is still so surreal to know that there's a baby growing inside of me.  Ahhhhh... it makes me very happy to think about :). 

Anyway, the worst thing about today is that my throat is hurting really really bad.  It started hurting last night after church and it keeps getting worse.  I just drank some herbal tea from Teavana with fruit, lemon, and honey and I need to start gargling with salt water.  I'm just praying that it goes away soon because I have to concentrate to swallow :(.  And I don't know if I can really take anything to soothe it.  The doctor gave me a prescription for penicillin for a possible bladder infection, so I'm hoping it will help my throat as well.  On the good side, though, I went to the gym after my appointment for a "customer appreciation" event and got a free 5 minute massage... ahhhh.  I'm putting "prenatal massage" on my birthday list :).

In other news, I've been feeling pretty good this week :).  I'm still pretty tired (and now dealing with this sore throat), but I haven't really been nauseous at all.  I need to make more time for going on walks (and getting pedicures?) and hopefully now I can keep the house better organized :).  Jason will be gone for work a lot in the next couple of months, so the timing is perfect for me to be feeling better.

I put a ticker at the top of the page so that you can keep track of the baby's size with me, but I'll still post the development milestones:
  • This week your baby is now almost the size of a plum, weighing almost an ounce and measuring almost 2.5 inches!
  • Her eyes are now positioned in the front of her face and her ears are in position on the sides of her head. Most notably, reflexes have begun! Your little one's mouth is making sucking movements, her eye muscles clench, her toes curl, fingers and hands open and close, and she may even begin to suck her thumb. Though she is still too little for you to feel, she can feel you. If you were to apply pressure to your abdomen, your baby would squirm in response!
  • Her brain has been developing rapidly too. Nerve cells are multiplying, and synapses, or the small junctions across which nerve impulses pass from one nerve cell to another, are forming at an impressive speed. A little lower, her intestines are developing and will soon be moving into her stomach cavity. It's incredible to think how far she has come in just a few short months!
I have to go back to the doctor on Monday to do the glucose screening and then I go back in at 16 weeks and then at 20 weeks for our big ultrasound.  It will probably be December 20th when we find out what we're having.  I really don't want to wait that long, but I have to :P.  Anyway, until next time... thanks for reading!  Don't forget to vote in the poll on the right side of the page :).

Thursday, October 14, 2010

11 Weeks

Where does the time go???  I can't believe I'm already at 11 weeks :).  It's very exciting to me, except the past few days I've been feeling more nauseous and tired than I was before.  I still haven't thrown up, but there have definitely been times I wish I had because I think I would've felt better.  Ugh.  I hate that feeling.  I took yesterday off and stayed home.  I spent 90% of the day on the couch and 90% of that time sleeping.  I don't know if I've ever slept that much in my life!  Sleeping at night has been difficult, though, because of hip and back pain.  I can't seem to get comfortable.  I'm hoping that I'll get a full body pillow for my birthday next month.  I'll beg for it if I have to!

Along with the basic 1st trimester symptoms, I've also contracted "pregnant brain" or also known as "placenta brain".  I can't seem to form complete sentences or thoughts, I get lost in the grocery store or I completely forget what I'm there to buy in the first place... and I'm basically just zoned out most of the time.  I still crave hamburgers and this week I've been craving eggs and other breakfast foods for every meal.  I also started craving tater tots, so I bought a big bag of them, even though I'll probably just eat a few and be done with them.  My stomach can't seem to make up its mind :P.  My next appointment is next Thursday afternoon and I'm excited to see how things are progressing.  I told Jason last night that I'm over 1/4 of the way through and we both agreed that it's pretty crazy how fast it has gone!  Only 203 days left! :)

I'm starting to get excited about buying baby furniture and picking baby names.  So far, the crib I like most is this one from Target.  It reminds me of a sleigh bed, which I have wanted FOREVER.   As for names, I'm completely lost, so if you have any recommendations, please leave it as a comment! :)

Here is the most recent update on MiniSnooks.  I'm taking facts from a few different newsletters, but hopefully there won't be much repetition:
  • Baby's now the size of a lime!  Your baby currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through it. But fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds, and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future. (theBump.com)
  • Your baby, about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists and some of her bones are beginning to harden. 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. (babycenter.com)
I keep thinking that I need to start buying the fruit for each week and take a picture of it in front of my belly as it grows :).  Not sure I'll be so excited when it gets to be a watermelon, but I'll tackle that one when the time comes ;).  Anyway, things are still going well and I'm looking forward to week 13 when I'll be in the 2nd trimester (and hopefully away from all the morning sickness/nausea).  Thanks for reading and don't forget to vote in the poll in the right sidebar! :)

Friday, October 8, 2010

10 Weeks

**EDIT** I wanted to include the fruits from the other emails I received so that you can get a better picture of the size.  The baby was described as being the size of a kumquat, a prune, and a kiwi... apparently a very small kiwi, but it sounded better than 'prune' and I'm not very familiar with kumquats.  Next week's fruit seems to be a bit smaller than a kiwi, so I just wanted to put it into perspective for you :).**

Holy Snapnsnap!  I'm in the double digits now!  It's so exciting (and honestly kind-of scary) that since we first found out that I'm pregnant, the time has doubled.  Craziness!  Anyway, it was bound to happen, but it's yet another reality check for me :).  Also, I'm just starting my 3rd month of pregnancy, which means I'm *that much* closer to being in my 2nd trimester.  So exciting!  You can probably tell that I'm a little bit stoked about this... just a little ;).

Ok, moving on :).  I'm feeling pretty good. Still tired and nauseous at times, but it seems to be slowly subsiding.  Sleeping at night is another story.  I really want to get a full-body boppy pillow because my hips have been hurting a lot at night.  I've been using a regular pillow in-between my legs, but I've heard that the boppy pillows really help.  My appetite continues to fluctuate like crazy and my taste preferences change every 30 minutes.  A couple weeks ago, all I wanted to eat was Chick-fil-a's milkshakes... yum!  But yesterday I thought about them and it seriously grossed me out, which is pretty much blasphemy.  I seem to be eating a lot of bland foods again and I'm hoping to eat more 'normal' foods again soon.  I've been doing pretty good about eating lots of fruits, but vegetables just aren't very appealing to me now.  I have a baby belly showing, so I might as well enjoy the food and just let it grow ;).  I haven't had any belly pictures taken yet because I'm a little self-conscious about that, but once I get one taken, I'll post it here :).

This week I've gotten emails that describe the baby's size as a kiwi, kumquat, and prune.  My favorite is the kiwi, so I'll post those details below:
  • Your baby continues to grow steadily, gaining around half an inch in the last week! Now, about the size of a kiwi fruit, your baby has reached an important developmental milestone. Week 10 is the beginning of the fetal period, in which your baby's organs rapidly mature.
  • This week, his kidneys, liver, heart and intestines are forming tissue. Toenails and hair begin to grow and add detail to your baby's body. Your baby's limbs are now able to flex. His wrists can bend and his hands can meet over his heart. His legs may be long enough for his feet to meet in front of his body. He will even start swallowing and kicking this week, but don't expect to feel anything yet, those movements are still too little.
  • Your baby is also less susceptible to certain birth defects and congenital malformations by the time he has reached the fetal period.
Yay, my baby is growing so fast already!  I can't wait until I can finally feel it :).  I have my next doctor appointment in 2 weeks (the 21st), so hopefully she can tell me when we will find out the gender.  Then maybe Jason will come up with better names than "Flapjack" and "Captain Kirk" :P.

I'll be back next week with more baby fun! :)

Monday, October 4, 2010

Week 9

I'm sorry this is a few days late, but things have been keeping me busy :).  Today I'm about 9.5 weeks along and I'm feeling pretty good :).  I've been taking more walks and less naps and I've had a little more energy.  Of course, after I told someone last week that I was feeling more energetic, I could hardly keep my eyes open the next day.  I'm trying to take everything day-by-day.  If I'm tired, I take a nap; if I'm hungry, I eat a snack; if I have energy, I try to clean things up at home.  It's hard to tell how I'm going to feel each day so I try to listen to my body.

I had my first appointment on Friday the 24th and it went really well.  I had to do a bunch of tests and give about a gallon of blood, but it was all worth it because they all came out normal and we got to have the first ultrasound!  It was such a blessing to see the baby, the fluttering heart, and hearing it beat!!!  I almost started crying, partly because I was relieved to see the baby thriving and partly because it's just a beautiful miracle and I still don't understand how God makes it happen :).  It's amazing :).  Almost everyone has already seen the picture, but I'll post it here anyway:

Yay, it's baby Snooks!  The heart was beating 160 times per minute, which is great :).  The doctor measured the baby and said the it's growing on track.  It measured at 8 weeks, which is exactly how far along I was.  The due date is still May 6, 2011, so I guess we'll see how that goes :).  Now I'll post the information about the baby's growth:

  • Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.
So far, I've been craving "American" food, such as cheeseburgers, fries, etc.  I guess the burgers aren't too bad (especially the homemade ones), but I need to be careful with the fries.  I haven't had any huge aversions, but I don't feel like eating a lot of stuff I used to.  I haven't been interested in sugary foods for the most part and I've been eating fruit instead (yay :)).

I guess that's all for now.  I could keep rambling, but I'll save some of it for my week 10 post :).  Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Week 8

I've been feeling pretty good this week.  I haven't been quite as tired in-general, but it really varies from day to day.  I haven't craved much this week, which is good, because if my chick-fil-a milkshake cravings continue, I'm going to be as big as a house!  I'm still nauseous off-and-on, but not too bad.  I feel very blessed because I read that 75% of pregnant women experience morning sickness.  While they include nausea in "morning sickness", mine has been very mild, which I'm very thankful for! 

Jason is coming to terms with the pregnancy a little more each week.  He asked if he can touch my belly to feel the baby (right now it's off limits!) which surprised me a little bit.  Of course he can feel my baby belly... when it's more than just chub :P.  We both still think it's a boy, but I'm 50/50 with using online gender predictors.  I guess we'll see in about 10 more weeks... I can't hardly wait!

My first "official" appointment is tomorrow morning at 8:50.  Jason is going with me and I'm nervous and excited.  They're supposed to do a bunch of testing and also an ultrasound, YAY!!!  That's what I'm most excited about :).  I'm just continuing to pray for a strong healthy baby that is growing like it should be.  I'm hoping to see a little heartbeat action in there too :).

This week's update is from planningfamily.com:

  • Though you might not feel it, your baby, now about the size of a kidney bean (8-11 mm), is moving inside of you! Your baby’s facial features become more obvious this week, as his lips, tongue, nostrils, and buds for teeth have developed. His arms and legs are growing, elbows and knees develop, and his fingers and toes, though still webbed, become visible while any traces of his “tail” are almost entirely gone.
  • This week, your baby’s bones also begin to harden through a process called ossification. Inside your baby’s brain, nerve cells are branching out creating his first neural pathways. And though it’s still too early to discern your baby’s sex, as any external genital organs have yet to develop, an ultrasound at week 8 could detect the beating of his little heart.
I will try to post again tomorrow, possibly with a picture of the ultrasound.  Please pray for a healthy baby in there! :)

Friday, September 17, 2010

Baby Baby Baby!

By now, just about everyone has heard our big news... I'm pregnant!  I'm very very excited and I created this blog so that you can follow along with me during and after the pregnancy :).  As soon as I found out I'm "with child" (or "knocked up" as Jason so lovingly puts it), I signed up for about 4 different baby website newsletters and "liked" a bunch of facebook groups that I now get emails from.  Needless to say, my inbox has been overflowing with baby information and I'm loving it :).  I doubt everyone is/will be as excited as I am to hear that the baby is the size of a blueberry and is growing hands and legs right now, but in case you are, I'll post updates here weekly, if not daily.

I am currently 7 weeks along and am experiencing many of the symptoms of the 1st trimester:  nausea, headaches, fatigue, hunger, heartburn, discomfort, and others that I won't go into ;).  It's hard to think that I have to wait another 7 months before meeting the little guy/girl, but I'm excited about the journey to get there :).  Jason is still adjusting.  I found out on our 4 year anniversary that we're expecting and when I told him that night, I think he was in shock.... for about 10 days.  But I think he's finally coming around :).  We both want a boy first, so I think it helps for him to talk about 'boy stuff'.

Anyway, on to the technical stuff.  Here's some information from an email I received yesterday (from www.babycenter.com) about baby's progress:
  • The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.
  • If you could see inside your womb, you'd spot eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of your baby's brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in your baby's growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.
So there you have it... that's what MiniSnooks looks like right now :).  These emails always catch me off-guard when they use "he" or "she" to describe the baby and its growth, but once we find out what it is, I'll start editing them so that nobody gets confused ;).

Thanks for visiting the new blog and I'm so excited about sharing the next 7+ months with you! :)