In the 3rd Tri!

Lots is happening. Johnny can blink and hear and is over 2 pounds! He is starting to fill out, and stretch the heck out of me.
I'm very excited and nervous about his arrival. I've had another u/s to monitor my fibroids and seeing him makes me want him here. I know he needs to cook longer, but I am anxious for his arrival.

I know I've been a slacker, but we've had a rough couple of weeks. Chris' dad lost his battle with prostate cancer a couple weeks ago. It's been devastating and I haven't been a good blogger since it happened.

26 weeks

I had to C&P this, I was amazed:

At long last, your little swimmer can see the womb! Your miracle’s little eyelids have finally separated (they were fused closed previously) and they’re probably having their first moments of sight as you read this (or maybe it already happened while you were brushing your teeth or watching Oprah or something). In addition to seeing their little studio in your belly, they’ve recently acquired the ability to say “yes” and “no” in rudimentary sign language as they can now move their head back and forth. This is also the time where your little super star’s head hair is starting to grow! A cute little cowlick or two may be springing into position right now, getting ready for years of cute-but-stubborn bed-head. Also, their toenails have grown in and you little raisin continues to slowly pile up fat beneath their still-loose skin. Most importantly, brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace, increasing their (genius-level?) brain activity and will continue to function at accelerated levels for the first seven to eight years of childhood!

24 & 25

Yes, I'm a slacker, but here it goes!

Johnny can now hear loud noises and is beginning to respond to my voice and body noises. I swear he can hear Chris too. Chris has been able to feel some of the movements, as long as they're strong.

I had my first L&D dream, the only problem is I didn't deliver! It was like I was destined to be pregnant forever, lol.

Friday we go for another u/s. The OB wants to get an accurate reading of Johnny's size and to check up on those fibroids of mine. Hopefully I'll get a new picture to take home :O)

Week 23

The hunger is here. I eat and then it's like I never ate. I've still not gained any extra weight, but I have a feeling that's going to change from this point on.

I read that John can hear loud noises now. It's funny, I swear he moves more when the phone rings, lol.

I go back to the OB Thursday. I will discuss the flu shots and see what she says. If I can get the Thimersol free seasonal I may do that one. I'm still unsure about the h1n1.

22 weeks and a growth spurt

So 22 weeks arrived and I noticed that the belly is much bigger than even last week. It must be, since even Chris noticed! It's not surprising though, since John is now about a pound and almost a foot long.

He's been very active, some days I swear if I put my hand on my belly I can feel it. Unfortunately it's sporadic, so Chris hasn't gotten to experience it yet.

Our next OB appointment is next week. We'll discuss the glucose test date (joy) and I will go for another u/s at some point to check on my fibroids. Hopefully they won't grow anymore.

I'm all belly

Over the last week or so, the belly has really started to protrude. I haven't gained any extra weight, so the ball I carry in the front has gotten quite noticeable.

Unfortunately that means sleeping is much more difficult. Most nights I wake up at least 9 times to readjust.

Johnny is also moving more. He doesn't care if it's day or night, if he has something to do he does it LOL.

I go back for another u/s in a few weeks to monitor the fibroids so hopefully I'll get newer pictures.

Here's Johnny!!

It's a boy!

We're having what seems to be a very healthy, very active boy. He will be named John Christopher and we're both super excited. We didn't care about the gender but are glad to know what is coming.

Pics to come soon!!

18 weeks!!

I can't believe 18 weeks is here. One more week until we hopefully find out if we're having a boy or girl.
This last week has been good. I'm feeling the stretching of baby getting bigger but my energy and appetite is much better.

My "getting bigger-n-better by the minute baby" is already up to 7 ounces and 6 inches! There are now two distinct layers of skin—the epidermis (or the surface skin) and dermis.

Stay tuned to week 20 and a possible gender announcement.

17 weeks!

Two more weeks exactly until the big u/s. Let's hope baby cooperates :O)\
This week I have been riding the biggest emotional roller coaster! I actually teared up over an action movie; go figure!

This week, baby is EVEN bigger than it was last week, not to mention getting cuter, and smarter every day! My fantastic little bean stalk has added yet another half inch to his/her overall height-- making him/her nearly half a foot long!

Rocking 16 weeks

I've made it past the OMG I'm tired hump to frequent but mild fatigue. I'm excited for the big u/s in 3 weeks. I hope we find out boy or girl!

Over the past three weeks baby has managed to stretch yet another 2 full inches (totaling about 4.5 inches) and weighs around 3.5 ounces.
His/her head to body ratio is finally starting to even out a bit as the rest of the body is actually growing faster than the head at this point.

The adorable little limbs have lengthened, almost reaching his/her normal proportions which he/she will have at birth.

The big 1-5

We've made it to 15 weeks and had another great appointment. Baby's heartbeat is good and he/she is moving around. I'm tired still and hope that it'll lessen soon. It's time to schedule the big sonogram for mid-September and hope he/she cooperates!

Now at 15 weeks, my little wonder is the size of a navel orange. Maybe that is why I'm loving oranges right now.

Babies at this age practice breathing, sucking, and swallowing so that when they leave your comfy womb and move into your comfy house, they'll have the skills necessary to survive.

Tada, 14 weeks!

Growing by leaps and bounds, by week 14 of pregnancy, baby is leaping and bounding. He or she is on the move almost constantly — and those movements are a far cry from those jerky twitches of last trimester (though you won't feel any of them for weeks to come). They are now ballet-like, smooth and fluid.

Can I just say I can't wait to feel the movements? I am so excited to have made it this far and look forward to the rest of the 2nd tri!

13 weeks ya'll!

I'm starting to show and need to wear maternity tops. I'm sticking out a bit in my normal tops and they're getting tight.
Still tired but making it into work, which is a nice thing. Gots to pay off those bills before baby comes!

This week, fingerprints have formed on baby's tiny fingertips, his/her veins and organs are clearly visible through his/her still-thin skin, and his/her body is starting to catch up with his/her head which makes up just a third of his/her body size now. Baby is almost 3 inches long!

12 weeks!

Meanwhile I feel worse than I did last week. I'm having more trouble with my stomach and am have trouble sleeping.

On a lighter note, here is my 12 week lesson:

My little fetus weighs as much as half an ounce now, and the crown-to-rump length is about two and a half inches (the size of a large plum — busily working his or her way through the whole produce department).

The pituitary gland at the base of the brain has started producing hormones. And the bone marrow is making white blood cells, which will one day help baby fight infection.

Doppler, Doppler

We heard the heartbeat on a Doppler! It took some time but there it be! Baby is beating at 178 right now. He/she is such a good baby!
My HCG's when I got them done at 9 weeks were 74k, not too shabby if I say so myself.

Now on to my 11 week education:

Baby is approximately 1¾ - 2½ inches (4.4-6 cm) in length and weighs about 0.3 oz (8gm). Baby is about the size of a large lime.

On the crown of baby's head hair follicles are forming. Fingernail and toenail beds also begin to develop and soon the nails themselves will start to grow.

10 weeks!

Still tired pretty much all the time. I'm feeling thicker around the middle and can only wear a few things to work.

What I learned about what happens at 10 weeks:

This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

Baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord.

Also, my uterus has grown to the size of a grapefruit. Awesome!

9 weeks!!!

The tiredness and nausea have increased these last few days and is a major reason why I haven't blogged in days. My July 4th was totally uneventful but it didn't need to be, I had a great reason to be home chilling.

What I've learned about 9 weeks:

Baby is now about one inch long, the size of a medium green olive. The head has straightened out, the ears are much more prominent, and some new organs (the liver, spleen, and gallbladder) are forming.

We will try to see the heartbeat on a Doppler during my 11 week appointment. The OB says I have a 50/50 chance.

8 weeks!

Holy hell, 8 weeks. Who would've thunk it?

These days my spidey smell is pretty active. Chris can't believe what I notice. I also find that I'm more thirsty. Some days I could drink a gallon of water!

I learned that this week, baby has graduated from blueberry-sized to raspberry-sized.

A close-up view of my little embryo (say cheese!) would reveal a more baby-like appearance (and thankfully, a less reptilian one). I'd see an upper lip forming, the protruding tip of that cute button nose, and tiny (and very thin) eyelids. And check out those hands and feet! My baby's webbed fingers and toes are differentiating now.

Amazing!

My newest worry

Fibroids. I have a few, and of course neither my mom nor my sister does.
Although the doc at the imaging place didn't think it was a problem and although my nurse mother doesn't think it's a problem, I had to google and scare the hell out of myself. I've read that it can increase m/c and cause a breach baby or a tough labor. Does anyone have any insight? I'm open to what you have to say (unless it's bad, lol).

Viability

We have viability, ladies and gentlemen (although I'm sure no boys read this). We saw a happy heartbeat of 143bpm and I am 7w3d. The doc at the imaging place says I'm due 2/10/10, but my cycles weren't 28 days, so I'm still going with 2/12/10.

I couldn't be happier and keep staring at my pictures. I've been trying to upload, but blogger isn't cooperating. I will hopefully get it to work soon!

7 weeks and u/s fears

We have made it to 7 weeks! Now I am on pins and needles until Friday morning when I get the viability ultrasound. Needless to say I won't rest until I see some heartbeat!

What I learned about 7 weeks stuff:
During pregnancy week 7 your baby will grow tremendously, up to 13 mm in length! Your baby is much closer to the size of a large blueberry or small grape by 7 weeks pregnant than a pea.

If you were to look directly at your baby you would still be able to see slight webbing in the fingers and toes during pregnancy 7 weeks. Teeth are also starting to form on the inside of your baby's mouth, and thin veins start to peer out from beneath your baby's skin. Your baby's intestines and appendix should be formed by now. By this time your baby's liver is working diligently to start producing red blood cells. Your baby should be bouncing right along in his comfy and warm home!

It's the latest thing

I really haven't gotten very sick during the day, as long as I keep up with eating, but at night is a different story. I have a tendency to wake up at random AM hours hot and sick. Luckily I started keeping saltines by my bed. I munch on one or two of those and after about 5-10 minutes I start to feel more human. Unfortunately, by that time, I'm wide awake. I then take anywhere from 30-90 minutes to get back to sleep. If only I didn't have to work, it would be no big deal.

My 1st appointment

Remind me to never be an end of the day appointment again. The staff at my OB's office are tired and crabby by then! I had to wait while the check-in nurse chatted up the patient checking out before I could check in. Then the lady who gave me my pee cup was a bit unfriendly (although she warmed up later).
So I get in the room and begin the wait while I sit all sexy in my paper dress. The exam was tougher than usual, everything was tighter or sore. The good news is that everything felt and looked pregnant!
I got my script for a viability ultrasound, which is scheduled for next Friday. Then doc gives me this list of blood work to do. I take a look at it later and decide I'm nixing a couple things. I believe I would know if I had syphilis! Besides, I talked to other moms and they said a couple of the tests she wanted me to take were optional. So, I am down from having 9 vials to 5 or 6. Considering I don't want to give them any, and I'm doing the big ones, this should suffice. If I have to do the other 3, fine, I'll go another day. I am not sitting through 9 at once!

WE MADE IT!

6 weeks is here and everything is still going swimmingly.

What I learned about being 6 weeks pregnant:

My growing baby this week is now the size of a pea. (I love peas)

This week your baby-to-be's brain begins to take shape. Her head becomes more distinct with tiny spots appearing that mark the places where her eyes will form. Spots for her ears also become visible. Buds that will later become arms and legs begin. And for the first time your baby's heart beats. Within her growing midsection, what will become her lungs, liver, and other organs are forming.

Fun Fact:
This week marks a milestone—your baby-to-be's heart takes its first beats. Your baby also hit a growth spurt—she tripled in size!

6 weeks tomorrow!

So far so good. I've made it to today. In two days I'll know more about the status of what is going on up in there. Chris & I are anxious to get to the u/s and to know everything is okay.

So far, I've been monster tired, but not sleepy. I haven't had terrible m/s, but have woken up not feeling great. I've had a few cravings, but nothing odd. No pickles and ice cream here!
My boobs seem to take turns being sore. Once in a while I get a reprieve from major soreness, but they're pretty tender all the time.

I'm not complaining, believe me. The whole thing is a wonder. I just want to know all is well.

Nerves

I'm almost 6 weeks, which is when I had the last miscarriage. Needless to say, I'm a bit freaked. Things have been going much better this time around, but I still worry. I wish Thursday would hurry up and get here so I can get to the doc and hear that everything is fine.

Do I dare say it?

I don't feel too bad. I'm tired and have been having the sore boobs, but otherwise nothing too terribly awful (yet). I get alot of strange looks at work and when out with friends, since I pee pretty much every 15 minutes or so.

I'm anxious for my appointment on Thursday. I really hope everything is going well. My mom is confident, but she's also very optimistic. Me, on the other hand, I'm a nervous wreck, lol.

Boobs, bloat and brain fog

If ever I thought a man invented bras, I double that now. Although not 24/7, my boobs are sore beyond belief. It doesn't matter what type of bra I wear, I long for the moment I can rip it off!

I'm officially also bloated. My pants still fit but I am afraid I'll pop if I sit down too fast. Might have to invest in a bella band (I think that's what it's called).

Finally, the brain fog. I am forgetting to do things at work. Nothing major, just to make a copy of something or put a file away. Top that off with being sleepy I'm just about worthless at getting my work done as quickly as before.

Somebody pinch me!

Ok, not that hard! I got a bfp! I'm excited and smiley and nervous. I changed my doctor's appointment to an OB one and hope that things go smoothly and continue to go smoothly. I've convinced myself it's meant to be, and everything will be fine. I just hope my body agrees.

Yoga does a body good

I have been trying really hard to get my yoga in at least 3-4 times a week. I was up really early today so I did the AM version. Man does it help!

I've lost 3 lbs since I started. I'm nowhere near what I want to be, but it's a great start. My next goal is to do something about those damn fries that call to me...

Bosses just don't understand

So my new boss has been a bit picky on when he pays. He talks about how paydays normally are and all that jazz. That makes sense, however, when I was working as a temp, I made more per hour so I didn't need the money as soon. How do I tell this guy who goes out for extravagant dinners with his wife that he doesn't pay me enough to be solvent for a week lag time?

We are the Griswalds

Chris' car died. It probably needs a new alternator and battery. It's good that it's fixable, but it'll take all the money we were using for our weekend trip. Every time we have something planned, something breaks.

So now, I'm trying to find an alternative "fun" idea for this weekend. What would Clark do?

My husband earned Brownie points

Some days, Chris is a real PITA. Then he does things like totally neaten up the house and I remember what a gem he is.
Our house had gotten cluttered. Years of just putting stuff anywhere caught up to us. Chris decided it was time to change that and took charge of putting things in the attic and making everything look nice and neat.
We want to "upgrade" within a year or two. I've been working on decorating and now we have a spic n span house. Too bad we can't sell now!

One Happy Aunt

My goddaughter/niece is my buddy. We play and talk on the phone and have a grand old time.

Last Saturday, I was coming over to visit her. I guess she was all excited, since she told her Nana (my mom) that she was going to "see Missa". Then when I got there, the squeals and happy dances were a plenty.

Brooke calls all cars "choo choos". It's too cute.
Well when my mom visited, she and my sister and Brooke went to run errands. In their travels, they saw plenty of cars that look like mine. Every time, Brooke would point and ask "Missa choo choo?". Mom would explain that it wasn't me, but Brooke would insist it was. She would then ask Nana where Missa was. Talk about feeling the love!

I'm feelin' good

A fresh start is nice. I've started this new blog to focus on the positive. Too many days I spent looking at negative factors and it was hurting me. There are so many things to be thankful for, I just needed a reminder.

Chris and I have found a common ground on all things baby again and that is refreshing. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

I'm in a good job. It's been stressful changing and re-learning things, but it'll be worth it, I'm sure.

I see the light at the end of the tunnel. It has so many wonderful things. I'm on my way there and it's great.

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life..and I'm feelin' good.