51 Work Days

On the bus this morning, I realized that including today I only have 51 work days until my maternity leave starts! And that's assuming that he doesn't come more than two weeks early AND that I don't end up on bed rest AND that I don't just call it quits earlier than March 13. 51 days isn't that many, especially since this one is half over already.

On July 17 when we got the positive home pregnancy test, it seemed like eons had to pass to get to 2009, let alone get to the end of March. But here we are, two days away from 2009, and it's finally feeling like time is passing. I was telling Dan this morning that I shouldn't be wishing for time to pass...but it's so so hard. I am really looking forward to some time off from work, and most importantly to meet our little jumping bean. Our life is about to change so amazingly and I can't wait!

27 Weeks

Only 13 weeks to go!! 27 weeks today, and our little peanut is super active. Here's what babycenter.com has to say for this week:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

I'm pretty sure he's bigger than 2 pounds, but since I don't know for sure how heavy he is, we'll stick with the average estimates. I've read more about how his little eyes are opening this week and how he can start to see light that filters in through my stomach. Crazy! Not only that, but he's probably sucking his thumb to get his cheeks and jaws strong enough for feeding in three months. This week is also the last of the second trimester. Time is still dragging and speeding by at the same time, so I'm not sure how I feel about this year coming to a close! I can't wait to meet this little man, but there's still so much to do to get ready (and so much growing he needs to do before *he's* ready!).

His movements are getting stronger, and there are times we can see my stomach jump from him doing his exercises. I know I've said it before but I love it when Dan can feel him. I feel kind of selfish experiencing pregnancy so it's nice to share. Sometimes I wish that Dan could carry him for a day or two to give me a little break (my back is killing me and I'd pay good money to sleep on my back or stomach), but since that can't happen it's nice to be able to share his acrobatics.

Merry Christmas

The snow is falling again and we are warm in our house with the kitties. The ice on the roads has forced us to postpone our family Christmas celebrations, but we're thinking of all of our family and friends today and tomorrow.

We had our fourth Centering Pregnancy class last night and amazingly our whole group made it in. It was scary getting there and back but we made it. For two hours, I forgot about the weather and road conditions and my cabin fever. It was really nice to be around other people, especially since we're all looking pregnant these days. One of the couples brought cookies and fudge and toffee too, so that helped. We all had our glucose level screenings yesterday. It was nice to have some extra sugar after our blood draws, since we were supposed to lay off the sugar for a day before the test.

I think today we're going to work on cleaning our house and then we're going to make sugar cookies!

Merry Christmas! :)

Snow Adventures

So we finally busted out of this place! Dan and I went on a pretty good walk around our neighborhood. There are a good 8 inches of snow on the sidewalks and roads, and no layer of ice underneath (so it's not too slippery). It was a pretty good workout and a really nice break from the couch. Here's a picture of me, 26 weeks and 1 day pregnant:

And if angels could get pregnant, this is what they'd look like in the snow? I know, I know...it's a stretch. Not only that but it's not exactly a flattering picture. But you know what? Who cares! I haven't made a snow angel in probably 20 years, and there was no stopping me today! :)

We saw our neighbors out a block or two from our house. They were cross-country skiing, and offered to take our picture together. Again, not the most flattering shot I've seen of myself, but you get the picture!


But now we're back home...and Dan's out clearing our porch and stairs of snow. We had a good 3-4 inches on our porch too - our *covered* porch! So now I'm back inside with the cats who don't know what to do with themselves. I think Sprinkles has the right idea though...


Happy Winter Solstice! I think our baby wants some hot chocolate...

26 Weeks and Trapped

We have hit 26 weeks today! That means only one more week until the third trimester starts. Here is what babycenter.com has to say about what's going on this week:

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

We're pretty sure he weighs more than a pound and two-thirds by now, but I buy that he's getting long. It's very interesting to feel him move more often with more subtle movements, not kicks or punches. It feels like he's stretching out and trying to find the boundaries of his little world. Dan has started to feel the stretching movements too which is fun for both of us!

I'm going to add more info on how Baby Boy is growing from 3dpregnancy.com:

Deep breath! Air sacks are developing in your baby's lungs, which means it just might be possible for your baby to take a breath at the end of this week. The air sacks (technically called alveoli) will continue to grow for the next nine years. The membrane that keeps the alveoli separate from the blood vessels is now thin enough to allow for that oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange we call breathing. Other highlights this week:

The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see you with. Well not you, per se, because his eyes are still sealed shut and it's really dark in there, but your baby's eyes are now fully developed.

Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby's noggin this week. That means baby's brain is registering things like sound and light. He can't understand what any of it means yet, but he's on track to comprehend an entire episode of Blue's Clues in no time!

As hearing continues to develop, your baby will start to recognize your voice. One hint that your karaoke rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not the best would be when the baby starts banging on your gut. Your bambino will also start to recognize your partner's voice. He may feel silly talking to your stomach, but assure him that somebody other than you is definitely listening. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that your baby has been paying attention all along.

So now about the "Trapped" part of today's post title. We're stuck in our house because of snow! We bought a new car right after Thanksgiving (a Hyundai Santa Fe) for just this situation. It snowed and roads are icy, and in case we need to go somewhere, the Santa Fe is a better option than my rear-wheel drive car. Right? Apparently not. When Dan went out yesterday morning to start the car, it wouldn't. Not only would it not turn over, but it didn't even try. The power door locks didn't work or anything. We called Roadside Assistance and they sent someone out to jump the battery. But it wasn't the battery. So then we called back to get a tow to the dealership but of course with the weather, there weren't any tow companies that could come help us. We kept our names on their list, and at 9:30 this morning, a tow truck showed up! Granted, his tools were iced shut and the first set of trailer wheels had a flat, but Dan and the driver just left to take our car in. The most frustrating part of this whole thing is that we bought the car specifically to use right now, and this is when the car fails us! The dealership is lending us a car to use until they can figure out what's wrong with ours, so maybe we won't be stranded for much longer. I know Dan's been suffering from cabin fever and there are only so many games of Scrabble he can school me on before we both go a little batty. The good news is that I've been able to rest a lot and keep my legs elevated. That seems to be helping with my swelling. We haven't been out of the house since Wednesday evening, so even though there wasn't room for me in the truck, I'm glad Dan's getting the chance to get out and about. Hopefully we'll have a chance to get to the store today before part two of this storm rolls in this afternoon. I'm okay with another few inches of snow, as long as we don't lose power.

Man, and I used to love the snow...

100 Days

The countdown to Baby Boy Mudgett is about to hit double digits! We have 100 days to go until the due date and that's pretty amazing. We started the countdown at 280 days, so it feels like we're finally getting somewhere!

Last night, the little man waited until I was trying to sleep to start his dance party. Dan wanted to see if he could help calm him down by rubbing my stomach, but it didn't seem to help. The plus side of that was that Dan got to feel A LOT of movement. It felt like entire arms or legs were being flung against the walls. Dan thinks he was practicing his breakdancing. I think that's probably right! He is such a strong baby and I'm grateful everyday that I can feel him so I know he's okay. One of our friends from our Centering class still doesn't feel much so I feel really lucky.

100 more days (give or take) and we can all meet this jumping bean!

Snow!

I love snow. I love how peaceful it is and how nice everything looks covered in it.

This winter is a little different though. I'm scared of the snow! It's not like I want to fall down normally, but I'm terrified of falling and hurting the baby this year. Dan and I literally didn't leave the house the whole weekend, even though the streets and sidewalks are clear. We are lucky that there wasn't any rain to freeze over under the snow so it's not as slick out there as it has been in past years. We left for the bus stop extra early this morning so that we weren't rushing and taking unnecessary chances. If it does get super icy, I'll be working from home for a while. It's not worth the risk!

So while we were holed up, we had a good time watching movies and playing Scrabble. Of course, Dan is the master, but I managed to eke out two wins yesterday. The first two of the day! But then Dan woke up and showed me no mercy. The rematch is on next weekend!

Just Under 25 Weeks

Tomorrow we cross over 25 weeks in this pregnancy. There are 15 weeks left until my due date, and at most 17 weeks until we meet the little kickboxer that I've been growing for the past 5 and a half months!

I'll go back to 3dpregnancy.com for this week's baby update:

Get ready for pat-a-cake! Baby's hands are now fully developed and he spends most of his awake time groping around in the darkness of your uterus. Brain and nerve endings are developed enough now so that your baby can feel the sensation of touch. That doesn't mean he can feel it when his father pokes your stomach, however, so tell him to knock it off. Other highlights include:

Your baby's arms and legs have grown to almost the proportions they will be at birth, which is still sort of short. So don't be alarmed when your newborn's arms barely clear his waist. Baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, clear out (like he's taken a super-dose of Sudafed) and he can practice breathing through the nose. The structures of your baby's spine are now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings and some 1,000 ligaments. Can you believe you're growing something that complicated inside of you?

The capillaries, the teeniest blood vessels, are now forming in your baby's body, giving his formerly translucent skin a pink glow. The blood vessels in the lungs also develop this week. You'll see how well that worked out when your baby gives those lungs a workout while you're on line at the bank in a few months.

Your baby weighs about a pound and a half and is about 13½ inches long—roughly the length of one of those recorders you played in elementary school music class. Who's up for a round of "Hot Cross Buns?"

Crazy, huh? Oh, and I've also read that my uterus is now the size of a soccer ball. Woah! He's getting so big now, and his movements are so routine. I still get startled occasionally after a small period of non-movement when his first jab to the bladder comes, but other than that I'm getting pretty used to it. Now I can't imagine what it will be like when he's born and I don't feel him all the time! It's amazing how perspective changes.

Relaxation

In our last Centering class, we talked about ways to find relaxation and relieve stress. I have found that massage works well for me. I am planning on getting one per week from now until I can't waddle that far to get one! Insurance is covering it, so it's very affordable.

Speaking of waddling, I do. I've hit the point where I'm really feeling the extra 20 pounds I'm carrying around with me. I have to roll myself up off the couch and out of bed. It's kind of funny, really. I imagined this would come, but I figured I'd have another 10 weeks or so. I can only imagine the places I'll get stuck between now and our baby's birthday. :) Luckily I've got Dan around almost all the time to help me out. He's been so amazing.

Also, it's Grandpa Marc's birthday today. Happy Birthday, Big Daddy!

14 Mondays to Go

I'm exhausted and not exactly excited to be starting a new work week. I'm trying to cut back on my hours and workload because I need to reduce my job stress, but I still have to be here. :P

I'll admit that I'm completely obsessed with being pregnant, so it's hard to concentrate on anything else. I'm tired a lot, and when I'm not tired I'm hungry. If the floor in my office wasn't basically concrete I would seriously consider curling up under my desk for an hour or two.

I bet when March 13 comes and I start maternity leave that it'll seem like time flew by, but it's not feeling very fast right now. I hate to wish away time, but I can't seem to help it right now. I'm so excited to meet our little boy, and so unexcited to have to wait and work for almost 4 more months.

I only have 14 work weeks left until leave, and they can't pass quickly enough.

24 Weeks and Still Going Strong

Today we're at 24 weeks and one day pregnant. To mix things up a little, we're going to rely on 3dpregnancy.com for this week's update:

Your baby isn't just sitting around (on your bladder) doing nothing, he's working hard preparing for life outside the womb—perfecting his lungs and packing on the pounds. He'll gain ½ pound this week alone. Other highlights this week:

Things are starting to get a little crowded inside the old womb as baby grows bigger and bigger. Your ribs are probably pining away for the good old days when they didn't have a foot permanently lodged between them. Hate to break it to you, but it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Your baby's ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. He's getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of your stomach because your partner promised he'd be right back with that double cheeseburger and he's taking forever! He'll even be able to hear your voice when your partner finally arrives and you ask him where the bleep he's been! So talk nice!

Baby's got a fully developed inner ear now. This means his sense of balance is working and he can tell whether he's hanging upside down or right side up. He can also feel you moving, so go ahead, pop in your favorite tunes and boogie.

Your little Wiener schnitzel is about the length of a foot-long Chicago hot dog and weighs about 1 1/3 pounds.

He has indeed been spending most of his time on my bladder. It must be the best punching bag he can find. Lately though, he has been focusing his attention further up around my belly button. Those kicks and punches are much more comfortable, not to mention that Dan can feel those better. He does seem to be sensitive to sounds and when Sprinkles wakes Dan and me up in the morning, the baby wakes up too.

For the most part, now that morning sickness is a distant memory, being pregnant isn't that bad. There are a few annoying symptoms (think constant heartburn and having to pee every 20 minutes), but it's not too bad. Yet. I am getting more uncomfortable as my midsection expands. My back hurts a lot and the extra weight is hard to lug around. I know that it will get worse as the next 16 weeks pass, but I can see it starting already. Luckily, my midwife wrote me a prescription for massages for the back pain! I found a massage center very close to our house that accepts my insurance and I have my first appointment tomorrow. I think I can handle a $10 copay in exchange for relief, no matter how temporary it is.

Grandpa Louie came for a visit this week. We don't see Dan's dad very often so it was good to spend time with him. It will be even better when he moves up this Spring.

Baby's Exercise

Every morning when the alarm goes off, our baby boy starts moving. I'm not sure if he moves like that all night and I sleep through it, or if the sound of the alarm or my accelerated heart beat wakes him up, but he goes crazy. Thanks to a certain girl cat of ours who shall remain nameless, we were gently roused from our slumber -- okay, she was really frickin' annoying! -- at 5:45, so our little guy started his morning routine a little early.

Most of the time when I feel the movement start, Dan is in a deep sleep. But this morning he was up and got to feel our little boy on what Dan called "his morning jog". My favorite part of his morning routine is that his kicks are up high and stay away from my bladder. I don't feel them internally as strongly as his bladder kicks, but you can definitely feel them on the outside. Very cool!

December Already

Time is really flying! And it's also dragging... Here we are on the second day of December, 16 and a half weeks until our baby boy is due and that amount of time seems like too much and not enough at the same time. I am dying to know what he looks like and what his personality will be. I want to know if he has his daddy's blue eyes or my crooked little toes. Will he be as active when he's born as he is now? How big will he be and what will he like to eat?

Sixteen weeks isn't that long. After all, we've known he was coming for 19+ weeks already and that time hasn't passed too slowly. We've known for over three weeks that he's a boy, and I can still picture him squirming on the ultrasound screen. It's just such a weird experience to have him in me and feel him so much, but not know anything about him.

Not that I'm wishing time away, but I can't wait for March to get here to meet this little being that I'm so obsessed with!

Week 23

We hit 23 weeks yesterday. Babycenter went a little backwards in the fruit section, likening this week to a mango. They did this to represent the likely baby weight (1 pound), but since our little guy was over 13 ounces three weeks ago, we're pretty sure he's heavier than that. So we'll skip the picture this week and list other things that are going on:

Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when he hears them outside the womb.

In terms of how I'm feeling, I'm getting bigger and having more and more trouble sleeping. The extra weight on my hips and shoulders means extra tossing and turning to try to counteract the charlie horses. I've also been snoring more, and I woke myself up twice last night alone with a long snort. Poor Dan!

I feel our little man more and more each day, and there are days that I'm not sure he sleeps at all. Dan has been feeling him more lately too, so it's fun to share what I'm going through with the guy who got me here! Last night we were watching TV and he actually kicked my arm off of my stomach. Apparently he doesn't like that his space is getting more cramped and I clearly wasn't helping.

Another big change is my appetite. I can eat much more these days and I'm hungry a lot. I ate two full Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday (thanks Mom!) and I probably could have eaten a third a few hours later. I'm glad that I have an appetite back especially if it's going to our little boy to help him get bigger and stronger and ready to meet us in four months.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm looking forward to a lot of eating today. So is our little boy!

Growing!

Now that I've started popping out a bit, it seems like I'm getting noticeably bigger almost daily. Dan asked this morning if I was really 20 months pregnant!

Speaking of growing, we finished planting our flower beds on Saturday. We planted over 500 tulip and daffodil bulbs in our front planters, so hopefully they'll bloom right around the time we're bringing our baby home!

We also found a bookshelf this weekend and it's almost full already. Our nursery rug came but it's a little smaller than we had pictured. Oh well. It's not like he'll be running around his room for a while and it brings some color and warmth to the room for now. We also did some arts and crafts this weekend to decorate the nursery walls. We bought a tropical fish calendar and framed the big pictures with ocean-related words. They turned out really well (especially for a couple of math people!) and all that's left to do is hang them. Things are really coming together, which is good because the holidays coming up will make the next month fly. At least I hope so. March still seems like too far away!

I Swallowed a Squash

Here is a picture from this morning, at 22 weeks, 1 day pregnant. I'm posing in the nursery in front of the crib (duh!) and Dan is the photographer extraordinaire.

I think I've been in denial about gaining weight in places other than my stomach, but whatever. I will have plenty of time to get in shape next Spring and Summer after our son gets here!

In other news, Dan and I went to Costco yesterday for dishwasher detergent and paper towels, but took a small detour through the book section. We usually meander through to see what's out, but we hit the mother lode yesterday!! Costco is selling all kinds of Baby Einstein and Dr. Seuss books so we stocked up. We've been looking for a book shelf for the baby's room and haven't had much luck, but now we're extra determined. The first things Dan bought for our baby were books so we had a nice little collection started, but we definitely added to our stash yesterday. We are planning to start story time soon since our little guy can hear us. Even though he can't understand the words or see the pictures, it will help him get used to our voices. And if he's as active outside as he is inside, it will be good to start a bedtime routine as soon as possible!

Week 22

It's funny how the weekly countdown has become less and less of a necessity for me since we had our ultrasound and know that we have a son coming. I still like counting the weeks and reading about our progress, but every day isn't so long and painful anymore. :)

Tomorrow is 22 weeks. According to babycenter.com:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

In case you're not sure what a spaghetti squash looks like, here's a picture (also from babycenter.com):

Holy meatballs, Batman! That's a big squash! And I definitely think there's one of those (or bigger) in me right now. I've been feeling myself stretch out to make more room for our little guy, and Dan commented this morning that I grew overnight. I also seem to have gained 5 pounds in the last 2 days!!

We took some pictures of my growing body last night, so I'll post them this weekend so you can see what a person looks like with a spaghetti squash in her. I can't believe there are still 4 months to go. I'm not sure how it's possible to get any bigger, but I'm getting ready to find out.

Dan and I went to two Huskies basketball games this week and have confirmed that our son can hear. His favorite part of the game is when the band plays, especially with lots of drums. He goes crazy when we walk by the percussion section to leave. And his favorite song could definitely be "Celebration" by the time he gets here!

A Different Benchmark

Today is Dan's and my first anniversary. We were on Kauai a year ago (still sleeping at this time) getting ready for our sunset wedding on the beach. That was a great day and a great trip.

This morning, we're in freezing Seattle and at work. Not exactly the most romantic of ways to celebrate, but we've had a great year and we're looking forward to many more. Our growing son will factor into our future happiness, but for now I'm happy to be married to my best friend and the best husband ever.

21 Weeks

Yesterday we hit 21 weeks. Our baby boy is about as long as a carrot (10.5 inches) and must weigh around 14 or 15 ounces. His brain is developing quickly, and he's accumulating fat under his skin. Dan was reading that the baby tests out his new taste buds around now, by drinking amniotic fluid and grimacing if he doesn't like what he tastes!

He's definitely an active little boy. He was kicking so much tonight that not only did Dan feel him repeatedly, but we both watched my stomach jump! It's definitely weird to not only feel him but see his kicks from the outside.

One of the ladies in our pregnancy class and I went consignment shopping yesterday. Shopping is very fun when you know who you're shopping for!

Another bonus: only 17 more weeks until I get to start maternity leave!

Ultrasound #2

Our ultrasound yesterday went really well. He was sleeping with his arm up and hand over his face. We got to watch him breathe, and he was practicing swallowing a lot. It was so great to see his little mouth open and close. We also got a really good shot of him elbowing me, so now I know what he's doing when I feel him there! The tech got good nose shots of him, so at least he cooperated this time.

Dan has been able to feel him kick twice in the past couple of nights, so that's been fun. He's such a strong little fella, and he's only going to get stronger in the next 19 weeks.

Our Squirmy Little Guy

We got a call last night from the radiology department. Everything looks really good, but they didn't quite get the right nose or profile shot on Monday because our little guy was moving so much. So shucks! We *have* to go back today to look at him again. :D

More Ultrasound Details

We were so excited to share our pictures yesterday, that I didn't post any other details about the ultrasound. Here goes!

We checked in at the radiology desk yesterday around 8:40. Our appointment was for 9:00 AM, but it was around 9:15 before we were called back. It was a crazy wait. It was like right before you open your Christmas presents, and you're so excited but not quite ready for the anticipation to be over. But we were so excited!

The first shot we got when the tech put the probe down was of his 4-chambered heart pumping away. You can see the individual chambers and the muscles working to pump his blood. Then we spent some time on his head, measuring the size of his skull and the brain formation. His head is measuring about a week ahead in terms of size, so hopefully that means he takes after his parents with his big brain!

After about 20 minutes of head measurements, we got the toilet shot! I have been researching them online and seeing other women post on my birth boards, but I had no idea that's what we were looking at until she pointed out the outstretched legs...and there was a penis between them! I was floored and so excited. We're having a son! His femurs were measuring right on schedule, and it was so incredible to see the little bones formed so perfectly.

The tech measured everything, from heart activity, to renal size, to diaphragm movement...it was the coolest 2 hours ever! We got some good profile shots, and he was active the entire time. He never stopped wiggling or kicking or punching. At one point he threw his whole arm back behind his head, and was just chillin' there like the cool little dude he is.

Dan's favorite part of the whole experience was watching his heart beating so perfectly. Mine was probably seeing how active he is, and when he kicked back at the probe that was trying to see his little feet. It seemed like almost every picture the tech had lined up would be ruined at the last second by our shy baby boy. By the end of the session, he had his bent legs pulled up against his chest, so it's good we got the toilet shot early, or we may not have found out. Before that though, he was folded in half for a while, and you could see his hands and feet all in the same shot.

We took a small video at the end of our appointment, but it's too big to email or post here. We're going to work on editing it down to be small enough to share, but in the mean time, we'll just have to come door to door and show you all our amazing little man!

The results of our ultrasound are that he is measuring a day or two ahead of schedule in terms of his body parts, and weighs 13 ounces. He didn't stop moving all day yesterday, and it doesn't seem like today is going to be any different.

We're having a boy!!!

It's a...

Here are photos from today's ultrasound!!

Here are two profile shots. The first has a little hand by the face.






























Here are pictures of a little foot, and the baby's face:






























And now the shot you've been waiting for!!

















IT'S A BOY!!

Can't Wait Until Tomorrow!

Tomorrow's the big ultrasound day, and I can't wait! I've never wanted a Monday to come so much. :) We ran errands yesterday, went grocery shopping this morning, and cleaned the house this afternoon. I even mopped! We're a little restless waiting to see our little peanut tomorrow, but it will come soon enough.

Halfway There!

Tomorrow we hit the 20 week mark, meaning we're halfway to our due date! Babycenter.com says:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

3dpregnancy.com says:

Your baby has established sleep patterns akin to a newborn now. Many babies even have a favorite sleep position already. Some snooze with their chins resting on their chests, while others nap with their head flung back. Many babies at this age fall into noticeable cycles of sleep and activity, so you may know before she arrives whether you have a night owl or an early bird.

I like to read about the sleep patterns, because I've noticed Baby definitely has one. I haven't noticed any movement at night while I sleep, but that may only be because it's not big enough to wake me up yet. It is amazing that there is a half-formed person in me!

Our ultrasound is at 9:00 on Monday morning, and we can't wait! We're hoping to get lots of pictures and maybe some video, so we'll post all that here when we get it.

Nothing New

Hello. I know I haven't been posting much lately, but that's only because things aren't really changing much. Our baby still seems to be strong and healthy, kicking and punching and hiccuping a lot every day. It must be growing a lot too, because I'm still exhausted all the time!

Baby is going to its first Huskies Basketball game tonight, so I'm excited to see if all the noise starts the dance party in my tummy again!

Reminder: if you haven't entered the baby pool, do so soon! We have our ultrasound Monday morning so we'll be locking down the pool Sunday night. Unless you all don't want to know the gender? :)

Hiccups!

Our baby had hiccups multiple times last night. Once for probably 30 minutes right around dinner time, and again for a while just as I was falling asleep. It took me a while to realize that it was hiccups instead of light kicks, but then I noticed it was only one at a time and at pretty constant intervals. Rubbing my stomach and walking around didn't seem to help. I know that I don't like to get hiccups, but I hope the baby doesn't mind too much!

Belly Button Update: It's almost gone. It doesn't show signs of popping out but it's super shallow. 20 and a half weeks to see what it's going to do...

Numero 19

Woohoo! We've hit 19 - one week away from the halfway point. The baby is around 6 inches long, from head to bottom, and weighs around 8 ounces. Babycenter says it's around the size of an heirloom tomato (photo courtesy of babycenter.com); another site likens the size to a six-inch sandwich from Subway. The feet are around an inch long each. No wonder I can feel the kicks more and more!

Speaking of tomatoes, I've started wanting fruit and vegetables more and more as time goes on. But I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm craving them. Food in general still doesn't excite me though. Dan's heading to the grocery store tonight without me, because I would "just get in the way." I can't come up with ideas of what would sound good, and I don't really want anything in particular. I kind of have to settle on what to eat with every meal, and that's no fun at all. Oh well. I'm sure I'll get my full appetite back some day!

Happy Halloween!

It's the end of October today, and the baby is dressed like a jack-o-lantern. Isn't the baby so cute?!?! Okay, so I know it's not the best costume ever, but Dan came dressed as Casual Friday (jeans and a t-shirt), so it could be worse. ;) I actually think that's a brilliant costume, and only my brilliant husband would come up with something like that.

I've been super tired lately - more so than normal. I've been in bed by 8:00 at least the last two night and I sleep all the way until the alarm gets me up at 6:30. And I could keep sleeping! I think the dance party in my stomach is zapping all of my energy, but at least it's going toward a good cause. Too bad I still have a full day of work to put in. I could really use a nap. Zzzzzzzz...

Centering Pregnancy - Session 2

Last night we had our second pregnancy class. The baby's heart rate is still around 145-150, and the top of my uterus is at my belly button. The other night I thought I felt a foot pushing my belly button, and it turns out it really could have been that!

In class, we talked about common discomforts of pregnancy and ways to cope. Unfortunately, a lot of the common discomforts can't really be helped (like peeing every 10 minutes and bad dreams). It is nice to talk to other women going through the exact same thing though. It makes everything we've been experiencing seem normal.

I also got a flu shot last night. It's recommended for pregnant women, so I sucked it up. And it's not as bad as I remember them being, so I feel even better about doing it!

Oh, and I've only gained 6 pounds in the last 10 weeks, so even though I'm getting bigger, I'm not getting too heavy. I actually asked the midwife if I should be worried about not gaining enough, but she seemed happy with how it's been going. It's nice to be trying to *gain* weight for a change!

Dancing Baby

From my weekly reading, I know that Baby's ears are finishing their development right about now, but I had no way of knowing if it had happened with us yet.

Yesterday I was in the car and started signing along with the radio. Baby started punching and kicking like crazy! I don't know if it was grooving to the music or begging me to stop, but now I wish I could sing all day long! Choir starts Saturday, so I'm interested to see how Baby likes classical music.

Almost at 18

Tomorrow is 18 weeks. Here's the babycenter.com scoop on how our little one is doing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Our crib was delivered yesterday, and Dan has started building it. I'm really excited to start decorating the nursery, so this is fun (especially since I don't have to do any of the heavy lifting!). My back has been bothering me the last few days though. I'm not sure if I'm sleeping weird or if it's just the beginning of the pain associated with a growing front side. Either way, I hope it feels better soon.

I also feel the baby all the time now. I feel it roll over, change positions, and kick and punch. I felt another kick from the outside when I was waking up yesterday. We definitely have an active baby coming. Hopefully it'll sleep as hard as it plays!

It Seemed So Real

One of the odd side effects of being pregnant is extra vivid dreaming. From what I've read, it seems that pregnant women actually spend less time in REM sleep (due to multiple bathroom breaks, cramping limbs, etc), but it's the regular sleep interruptions that help us remember how wacky our little fantasies are.

Two nights ago, I dreamed it was time for our ultrasound. Dan and I went to the doctor, and she asked where Sprinkles was. Sprinkles is our 8 year old tortoise-shell cat. You see, Sprinkles was the one carrying our baby, so we should have brought her with us. The doctor sent us home with a hand-held ultrasound-ish thing, and we were supposed to take pictures to send to the doctor to analyze, including the all-important "toilet shot" to determine gender (more on that in a minute). Well, that stupid cat wouldn't stay still long enough for us to get a good shot, so we couldn't know if we were expecting a boy or a girl!

The craziest part of this dream was that at no point did it seem crazy. It was totally normal for Sprinkles to be carrying the baby, and of course she was too squirmy to see the gender. Nutso!

Now, back to the toilet shot...


Here is a girl toilet shot. It's like she's sitting on the toilet and you're looking up at her parts. The little white lines (and lack of a penis) show you her gender.








Here is a boy toilet shot. There is very clearly a little man there, and the 3 white lines that indicate a girl aren't there.





Yes. This *is* what I spend my time obsessing over. I hope that we get a good toilet shot to share with you in 3 weeks. And here's to another 5 months of truly bizarre dreams!

Sleeping Like A Baby

We bought a crib yesterday! We went to Babies R Us and were kind of disappointed. The cribs we really liked had stationary sides, and we were advised that having a side that lowers or folds is a good thing when the baby gets heavier. So we settled on one, but it wasn't in stock. Then when we got home and googled that one, it was part of a recall this past summer. Needless to say, it's a good thing we didn't buy it!

Then we found the perfect crib! It's a crib, dresser and changing table all in one.

The first thing we bought for the baby was a crib bedding set, and as soon as the crib comes we can put it all together in the baby's room. It's a fun sea life theme, and has colors that can go either way. Blue and green are supposed to be calming, and we think it's really cute. We saw it on our first trip to Babies R Us, and then went back the next day to buy it because we couldn't wait!

The baby is currently kicking its approval, and that's all the endorsement we need!

Imagine, If You Will

Lucky number 17 today. 17 weeks of pregnancy. That means only 23-ish weeks to go. Every week, we progress through the produce section. This week, Baby is the size of a turnip. Go ahead, picture a turnip. I know when I read that we're to the turnip stage, I immediately knew how big Baby is now. Yeah right! Who knows what a turnip looks like?!?

Luckily, other sites likened Baby's size to a large baked potato, or the size of a hand with the fingers extended. Baby has doubled in weight in the past two weeks and is now around 3.5 ounces. Even though Baby is still mostly water, the bones are hardening and fat is developing under the skin. Baby is exhaling amniotic fluid and is moving quite a bit.

People are starting to notice that I'm pregnant and not just hitting the fries too hard. My stomach is rounding out a little bit more, and my belly button is getting shallower. It's a very interesting change to want people to notice my stomach instead of trying to hide it. We'll see how I feel when random people try to touch...

I *Knew* It Wasn't Gas

As I've posted before, I've been feeling Baby move for a few weeks now. The movement has been more frequent lately, and there have been definite kicking fits. Everything I read says that first-time moms can't differentiate between kicking and gas until 20-24 weeks. Well I'll let you all in on a little secret - I know what gas feels like! And this isn't it.

Last night Dan and I were sitting on the couch, flipping between the Dodgers' game and the presidential debate, and I felt a kick. I put my hand on my stomach where I had felt it, and it kicked again, hard enough to push my hand!!!! I got Dan's hand on my stomach as soon as he could get close enough, and of course Baby didn't cooperate. I need to figure out a way to get Baby to kick on command.

Oh, and I thought feeling it from the inside was creepy...it's much weirder to have it push your stomach out!

Ode to Heartburn

O, Heartburn
How thou dost torment me!
No food is tame enough
to extinguish thy fury.

Ah, heartburn. One of the many joys of pregnancy.
Courtesy of babycenter.com: During pregnancy, the placenta produces the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the smooth muscles of the uterus. This hormone also relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach, allowing gastric acids to seep back up, which causes that unpleasant burning sensation.

Progesterone also slows down the wavelike contractions of your esophagus and intestines, making digestion sluggish. Later in pregnancy, your growing baby crowds your abdominal cavity, pushing the stomach acids back up into the esophagus.

Fun, huh? At least I'm not sick too. I'll take heartburn over that any day! But I do miss spicy foods. Babycenter goes on to recommend avoiding caffeine and alcohol since they can trigger it...um, really? Just for heartburn? I'm friggin' pregnant here!

Day 100!

The 40 weeks of pregnancy start with the first day of your last period. That means by the time the baby is actually conceived, you're considered 2 weeks pregnant. In "gestational age," the baby is 100 days old today. That's a lot of days!

I'm feeling the baby more frequently now. I went to watch a soccer game yesterday and ate some candy while I was there. Our baby got a sugar rush and kicked me the whole way home. Cool! It was pretty active on the bus into work this morning too. It's still very cool to feel, and still very weird!

Another Milestone

This time, the milestone is for me! Yesterday, Dan and I went grocery shopping. We were trying to come up with lunch and dinner ideas for the weekend before I get so hungry that I settle on chips, ice cream and whatever else we have lying around the house. We bought food, and we actually cooked it and ate it last night. I've been at the mercy of my cravings and instant gratification foods for the past couple of months. If something sounds good, I have to have it then or the feeling passes. By the time it would take to make whatever I wanted, the craving would pass and that food would make me sick. It's really crappy to not know what you can eat ever, and it makes grocery shopping useless. But we were successful last night, and we'll try again today.

Long Weekend

Dan and I are taking today off of work. He's taking the time off to study, and I'm taking the time off to do a whole lot of nothing. I am happy to confirm that I'm over the morning sickness. It lasted from 7 and a half weeks until exactly 15. That's a long time! I'm so so so happy that it's over. But I think it's a load of you-know-what that you get a sudden burst of energy once the sickness is over. I feel more worn out than I have the whole time. We left work at 3:30 yesterday and I napped from 4:30 - 8:30. I watched some tv until 10:30 and then went to bed, but I just woke up at 8:00 (and it's feeling like nap time already)!

Our baby apple graduates to an avocado tomorrow at the 16 week mark - "4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop. (babycenter.com)" The baby also yawns and makes faces, and is apparently peeing in me. Ew!

In the next week or two, the baby will apparently start hearing noises from the outside world. We'll have to pick out some baby books to start reading to it, so that it gets to know our voices. I'm sure that I talk enough for the baby to get familiar with my voice, but it'll be great for it to know Dan's voice too.

My Pooch

It seems that Dan and I are the only ones that really think I'm starting to look pregnant. I'm obsessed with my growing tummy. I admit that to people that don't know, I probably look like I had a dozen too many donuts recently, but I also know that in a few more weeks or months it will be obvious what's really going on, even to perfect strangers.

Last night I was sticking out my stomach and telling Dan that it's so weird that my stomach's getting bigger. He was like, "Um, you *have* seen pregnant women before, right?" Yes, Dan, but I've never *been* a pregnant woman!

I ordered a Halloween shirt with a jack-o-lantern face on the stomach (http://t-shirts.cafepress.com/item/halloween-jack-o-lantern-maternity-dark-tshirt/172025296). I hope I'm big enough in 3 weeks to fill it out a little bit better.

There are so many things to look forward to and I can't wait!

Clouds Parting?

I'm worried about even posting this because I'll likely jinx it, but since I don't know what else to blabber about today, here goes:

I think I'm over morning sickness! I had a terrible night on Saturday, and threw up for the first time in almost two weeks. It was an all-around rough day (sickwise) Saturday, so it didn't really surprise me that my gagging had substance. But I haven't felt sick at all since then. Food sounds better, and I'm able to eat more. I'm not going to push it and jump straight to spaghetti sauce or mac and cheese, but even the thought of those doesn't send me to the bathroom! Yay!

I've been more tired in the last few days though. I went to bed at 7-something the past two nights, and I would have no trouble sleeping past my 6:15 alarm. I've also had heartburn after eating. But I'll take tired with heartburn over feeling like puking any day!

TIRED

I am TIRED today! We had a fun-filled busy weekend, and now it's Monday again. Going to bed by 8:00 makes it a tiny bit easier to get up in the dark, but not completely.

I had a crazy dream last night that I gave birth to a full-grown man, and he got really offended when I told him I had read about people dreaming of giving birth to adults. He didn't like that I was implying that he was just a weird dream, but guess what? He was. I've always been a dreamer, but I've never had such frequent vivid dreams as I have in the past few months. I don't know if it's the extra blood or hormones, but it is definitely interesting.

Thanks to Dad, Cindy, Mark, Elham, Roshann, Neeku and Yasmine for a great weekend!

15 Weeks Tomorrow

Wow, we're all the way to 15 weeks tomorrow. We found out we were pregnant two days before the 4-week mark, so we've come 11 weeks since then already!! I'm still not good at this waiting game, but if the next 11 weeks go by as fast as these have (at least, looking back on them), and then the next 11, I'll be in labor before we know it!

Based on our online calendars and countdowns, we had been flipping our week counts on Thursday. But our midwife said to accurately count the weeks, find what day your due date falls and count backwards. Duh, right? Well we hadn't done that. March 28 is a Saturday, so now we're changing weeks on Saturdays.

However, since a Saturday birth would be pretty convenient, I'm almost 100% sure now that I won't be giving birth on my due date. Whatever...the baby's coming out at some point, and it's probably better if we don't know exactly when. Maybe.

I'm feeling the baby move a lot more frequently now. It's about the size of an apple now - a little over 4 inches and about 2 1/2 ounces. Most of the movement feels like twitching, but there was one afternoon where it was longer than that -- almost like the baby was stretching its leg out and holding it. Super weird! Twice in the last few days I've felt like it has rolled over too. It was kind of like losing your stomach on a roller coaster, but not quite as strong or long as that. It seemed to be moving a lot when I was going to bed last night, which is a very comforting way to end the day.

Cheers to another weekend!

Ultrasound Scheduled

I called to schedule our 20-week ultrasound today. Since I won't be 20 weeks until November 8, we scheduled for November 10 at 9:00 AM. I can tell you now that it's going to *kill* me to wait that long!!

We have put our name in the Siemens database, for their ultrasound training facility in Issaquah. They develop software and train technicians, so they do all kinds of ultrasounds on the general public for free! They have 3D/4D ultrasounds which are super expensive if you go to a specialist, so we're excited to maybe have the chance to see our baby in 3D for free. Unfortunately, we can't exactly schedule with them - they'll call us when they need a volunteer. But the lady I talked to seemed to think we'd get a chance to come in multiple times over the next 25 weeks, so that is very exciting.

I belong to two online pregnancy groups, and it seems like there are very few of us who only get the one ultrasound. Many women get them with every doctor's appointment, but that isn't covered by our insurance. I'm happy that I'm not having complications that require more routine testing, but I would also like to see the little jumping bean in my stomach.

39 days...

Centering Pregnancy - Session 1

Dan and I went to our first Centering Pregnancy class last night. It is a group of 6 pregnant women and our husbands, and it's meant to be a resource for the whole pregnancy. Later on in the class, we'll get into more of the how-to-give-birth classes, but for now it's more to check in on our nutrition, exercise, stress management, etc. We each get one-on-one time with the midwife, and then there is discussion for the rest of the class. We got really lucky with our class, and everyone seems really nice and funny. There was a lot of laughing, but also really good ideas for dealing with morning sickness and getting enough exercise.

The midwife faxed in an ultrasound form for our 20 week check-up. I haven't called to make the appointment yet, but we still have 5 weeks until they'll schedule us anyway. Dan and I are still undecided about finding out the gender, and we may make our decision in the heat of the moment.

Not much else to report right now. I'm still getting thicker and by bedtime I definitely look pregnant. It's like my stomach muscles give up as the day goes on and I stick out farther and farther. It doesn't seem possible that I'm going to actually get as big as I'm going to get, but I'm sure in 10-20 weeks I'll be wishing for these "fat" days back again.

Maternity Clothes, or, Why I Love a Good Muu-Muu

I posted last week sometime about loving my new maternity pants. Old Navy has a great selection of comfy pants that look normal except for the waistband. Shirts, however, have proven to be really hard to come by.

I stopped into the GAP on Saturday to check out their maternity options. The section was really small, and there weren't a lot of options. I picked up a few sweaters but that was it. Yesterday, I went to Northgate Mall to check out JCPenney's maternity sale, but it took me the longest time to find their tiny department. I think it was so hard to spot because it was with the other clothes designed for 80 year olds. No, I've never actually seen an 80 year old pregnant woman, but now I know where they shop. I did find minor success at Motherhood Maternity, but only for, ahem, mammoral support. Luckily their bras are pretty cheap. Then I tried Target. Their maternity clothes are in a tiny corner between plus size and juniors, and nothing looked good at all.

I had big hopes to not spend thousands of dollars on tents for this pregnancy, but it looks like I'm going to have to try nicer places. Ann Taylor loft has cute maternity shirts, but they're all $70-ish and that seems a little excessive. I guess for now I'm going to keep wearing my non-maternity clothes until they have stretched beyond recognition. And I'll rotate my few maternity items sparingly.

We have our second appointment with the midwives tomorrow, and it's also the start of our pregnancy class. Hopefully we'll get to schedule our ultrasound too.

Sunday Observations

1) I can't suck it in any more. My tiny baby bump is permanent, but it just makes me look fat. It'll be nice when I actually look pregnant.

2) I'm losing my belly button. The hole is getting bigger, but shallower. I'm wondering how long it'll be until it pops into an outtie.

3) I have a faint linea negra (literally "black line") running from my belly button down to my pubic bone. It's not negra yet - it's more of a faint tan, but it's definitely there. I hope it doesn't get much darker, but only because it creeps me out.

4) Time practically stands still when you're pregnant because you're counting down the weeks until you have your baby. But that doesn't stop weekends from zipping by. It just makes week days that much longer.

5) Apparently my parents are the only people reading this blog, since they're the only ones who have entered the free baby pool. Take a guess! You literally have nothing to lose.

Baby Pool

Up at the top of this site is a link to an online baby pool. There's no money involved, but there will be bragging rights! Click on the banner, and take a guess!

Go, Placenta, Go!

Welcome to week 14, the official start of my second trimester! Here's what babycenter.com has to say about week 14:

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.

In other news: 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.) 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.

So, I have actually started feeling less sick, which means the placenta has taken over the protection of the baby. The placenta, unlike the yolk sack that's been on guard for the past however many weeks, doesn't emit hormones to protect the baby. It's those pesky HCG hormones that make you sick in the first place. Humans are one of the few species whose bodies try to reject the growing baby, which is why the baby needs protection at all.

I also got my first maternity clothes yesterday. I bought 3 pairs of pants from Old Navy's maternity store. They are so comfy! I wish all pants had elastic waistbands. Buttons and zippers are way over-rated. We'll probably hit up the Macy's sale and Target this weekend to find some better fitting tops, but at least I don't have to walk around with my pants unbuttoned anymore!

Withdrawals

I'm at work today (like most week days), but Dan took today off to study. We work on different sides of our floor and only see each other at lunch and little pop-ins to say hi during the day. But now that he's not here, I'm lost. It's hard to not have him to take a break with and to IM all day.

He's doing a great job studying for his exam, and I'm really proud of him. But I'll be really happy when he's back at work tomorrow and when his exam is over. I know this is only the beginning of the withdrawals, but I don't like it. I can't wait for today to be over so I can go home and see him. Maybe it's my crazies kicking in again?

Anyway, we checked in on the baby last night and the heartbeat is still going strong. It's getting really easy to find it now since it's getting so big. In a few weeks when it starts really moving (and I can feel it consistently), we won't have to check in with the doppler. But for now, it's our only way of making sure things are still going well. It seems unreal still in a lot of ways but hearing its heart beating makes it much more real for both of us.

How Sweet It Is

Apparently, the baby's taste buds have started working, and it can taste everything that I eat and drink. According to my books and online reading, this is when it's very important to eat a variety of healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables and lean meats. I'm also supposed to be avoiding junk food, or the baby may develop a taste for it. I guess this would be a good time to stop my diet of Pringles, Sour Patch Kids, donuts and milkshakes. I've been craving foods I haven't eaten in years, and since I haven't been hungry for much, I've been indulging. Luckily even when I want these foods, I can't eat much of them.

To be honest, I've been trying really hard to eat enough and eat well. But when I can't stomach much, I think it's more important to eat anything than to not eat at all. My appetite does seem to be returning a little bit, so I'm optimistic that it will be a good fall and winter of giving the baby a taste of what's to come when the teeth come in. Hopefully that won't just be Cheetos and Oreos...

Monday, Monday

Mondays are the worst, aren't they? You're as far away from the weekend as possible, and you have a whole week's worth of responsibility ahead of you before you can sleep in and wear comfortable clothes. I have 24 more Mondays between now and when I start my maternity leave. 24! That's almost tolerable.

I'm so bad at waiting.

:)

Second Trimester, Here We Come!

I am 13 weeks and 3 days pregnant today. Thursday will start the second trimester, which I hear is the best trimester. Energy returns, nausea subsides, baby movement is felt...

I actually think I feel the baby already. Not often, and not consistently, but I feel little taps from the inside, around where we're finding the heartbeat. I mostly feel it when I'm sitting and putting pressure down there, or when I lie down and stay very still. When I feel it kick (or somersault or head butt or whatever it's doing), I first get really excited. But then I get a little freaked out. There's an alien in there! But then I get excited again. This is what we wanted, after all.

I can't say that I'm noticing a boost in energy yet, but I have felt less sick the last few nights. I can eat after 6:00, and I'm not quite as picky about what. I still have a weird aversion to spaghetti sauce, but other things don't seem so bad.

13 down, 27 to go

We've made it 13 weeks into the pregnancy now! The baby is around 3 inches long, weighs around an ounce, and has fingerprints! We listened to the heartbeat last night, and it has slowed down a little bit to 155 bpm. This is normal, and still very amazing to listen to.

I've popped out a little bit already, which according to everything I've read is too early (by like a month). But I definitely have a bump that I can't suck in anymore, and I've given up trying! Since it is a little early by book standards, I've decided it's twins. It totally isn't, but that's what I'm using as an excuse. I even went looking for a second heartbeat last night, but the twin must have been hiding because we couldn't find it! :)

Okay, so we're having one healthy baby, and that is plenty for us! This is the last week of the first trimester, and by this point the miscarriage chances are practically 0%. This is also around the time that I'm supposed to start feeling less sick and get more energy. I really hope that's true! This has been a long 6 weeks of feeling gross, and I'd like to feel more human again.

Have a good weekend!

Emotional Overload

I have (and have read) several pregnancy books written by doctors and nurses, and even one written by Jenny McCarthy. Every one of them talks about the emotional changes that go hand in hand with being pregnant. Nonsense, right?

We've had some trouble lately with fruit flies. Dan read about a home remedy where you put fruit in the bottom of a jar or glass, cover the top with saran wrap, and poke the end of a pencil into the wrap to make holes big enough for the flied to get in. They crawl in, can't figure out how to get out, and problem solved! We tried this experiment and were very successful Last night, we decided to clean up our fly trap, but most of them were still alive. So we filled up the glass with water to drown the little buggers. They're just flies, right? And then came the waterworks. I felt so bad killing those flies. What did they ever do to us? And was drowning really the most humane way of dealing with them?

As I sat on the couch crying about them last night, I realized how ridiculous that was. Dan didn't know whether to comfort me or laugh at me, so he settled on staring at me like I was crazy. Even I had to laugh at myself.

Back about a month ago, I was reading one of my books that wisely advised against asking your husband if you seem crazy. Because you are. But I asked Dan anyway, and he was like a deer in the headlights. How do you answer a loaded question from a crazy lady?

I'm working at home today since the Orkin people are coming out to spray for spiders. I doubt I will shed a tear for my 8-legged nemeses, but I apparently no longer have control of my feelings. We'll see!

Still Blech

When I read about "morning" sickness and how it will probably last until the 13th or 14th week (and sometimes longer!), I felt pretty lucky that mine didn't kick in until the 8th week. That meant only 5 or 6 weeks of feeling bad. Well here I am, about to finish my 13th week, and I feel terrible.

I feel best first thing in the morning, right when I wake up from 10 or 11 hours of sleep (yes, I go to bed that early!). The good feelings last about 30 minutes -- long enough to shower and get dressed. Then I have to eat, and it all goes down hill from there. Eating is a chore, though breakfast is my easiest meal. Cinnamon rolls or Cheerios seem to always be an option. The other night we had French toast for dinner because only breakfast foods seemed okay.

Then comes the bus ride. The ride is usually okay until we hit lower Queen Anne. This morning we were stuck in traffic next to two lanes of freshly lain asphalt. Barf! Then we get into Belltown and downtown, and there's a smoker every foot or two. Cigarette smoke has always bothered me, but that's my number one gag inducer now.

So by the time we actually make it to our building for work, I'm practically crying and ready to go home. I think if I didn't have to walk back through the smells to wait for the bus, I would have been right back on my way to Ballard many mornings!

Lunch is never an easy decision either. Dan and I were already tired of our choices, but now none of them seem like options. I don't want teriyaki or Thai, the salad bar is alright, pizza is no longer my favorite food...so we've done a lot of settling on Mexican-ish food, even though it's not that great. I can see myself gaining 50 or 60 pounds easily this pregnancy if I get my appetite back! I'm going to eat and eat and eat as soon as food sounds good.

I'm lucky if I have a craving when we get home. Then I can sneak in dinner before 6:00 when I get sickest. If I can't/don't eat by then, I'm pretty much out of luck. I've been forcing Instant Breakfasts on these nights, so that I have enough in my stomach for my vitamins (which I'm still gagging down).

So that leads back to the early bed times. If I can't eat even though I'm starving, what's the point of staying up? I don't feel better staying up, but I do feel better when I'm unconscious. Go figure!

Now here I am, after work, trying to figure out dinner. I better hurry or it's another night of liquid nutrition for me!

But after all the whining, I would (and will) do it all over again. I love this little lime so much already, and making me sick is just its way of letting me know it's okay.

The Cat's Out...

We told the owners of our company today that we're going to be parents. I was more nervous to do that than I was to interview in the first place! But it all went fine. We're going to keep the secret from the rest of our staff for a few more weeks, just to make sure, but the hard part is seemingly over.

Have a good weekend!

Heartbeat Recording

If you look at the top left of this site, you'll see a box to play the heartbeat sounds (if they didn't automatically start when you got here). We recorded that last night before bed. The quality isn't great, but I thought it would be better to share this now, and hope to get a better recording later on.

The beat gets louder as the recording goes on. It was registering around 160 bpm last night. I can't believe how hard that little heart is working!

Enjoy! It is our new favorite sound.

Tomorrow Makes 12!

Tomorrow is the twelve-week mark. It's still another week and a half until we're in the second trimester, but I can't believe we've made it this far already! Here is some twelfth week info, according to babycenter.com:

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. 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.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. 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. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

So, the baby is more like a baby now than a large shrimp, which is kind of what it's been resembling up to this point.

Food is sounding a *little* bit better to me these days, which makes me slightly less ill at night (since I can eat a little bit after work). Instant Breakfasts are still my night-time friend, but I think we're finally headed up! I hear that the second trimester is the fun one: more energy, renewed appetite, you can feel the baby move... I can't wait!

Monday Blues (or Greens?)

It is another green morning for me, here in Pregnancy Land. The weekend was so nice, which makes it even harder to be at work again. My dad and I had a great time at the Huskies game Saturday (despite the ending), and it felt good to be out in the sun (after we got sunscreen and a hat!). Sunday was more relaxed, but I had a session with my personal trainer. It's getting harder and harder to get motivated to exercise, but at least there's an hour a week that I'm working hard and doing something good for me.

Dan found the cross-stitch Christmas stocking that I bought a while back, so I started that last night. I'm glad I have over a year until baby's first Christmas, because this one's going to take a while! It will be a nice hobby to have as I get less and less mobile over the next 6+ months.

Happy Monday!

11 Weeks and Counting

Our peanut is about an inch and a half long now, and still making me sick. I love the reassurance that things are going well, though!

My Dad is taking 'us' to the Huskies/BYU game tomorrow as a baby's first football game. I guess the requirement for singing the fight song has been relaxed for this one. It will be nice to get the fresh air and to spend time with the old man. I can call him that because he's going to be a grandpa! :)

Not much else to report. Our next appointment is on September 30th when we start our Centering Pregnancy class. The first half of the class is spent doing checkups with the midwife, and the second half is talking about what we're all going through. It'll be nice to meet some other local couples sharing the same incredible ride.

165!!

We have a heartbeat!! We bought a doppler so we could listen at home, and we found one! We listened to the little peanut for about 30 minutes, and you could tell it is swimming around in there. The beat would get louder and then go away and then come back again. It stayed around 165 the whole time, and it was the coolest thing I've ever heard!

There is an old wives' tale that a heart rate over 140 means a girl, but I just did some research online and the studies I read say that there is no statistical difference in heart rates between boys and girls. I guess 30 weeks is soon enough to find out!

Week 10 - 25% of the way!

Today is our 10 week mark! We've made it 25% of the way to our due date, and things are going fine. I've stopped feeling sick all day long, but I've thrown up every day for the past three days. Before, I was feeling sick all the time without vomiting, and I think I like this new way better. I'm not a big fan of tossing my cookies, but at least it's quick and over with and I can move on with my day!

Our baby right now is about an inch long (the size of a kumquat), but still weighs less than a quarter of an ounce. It has lost its pesky tail, so we've moved out of the embryonic phase and into the fetal period. My weight hasn't changed so far, but I'm definitely noticing my waist thickening. I guess since it's eventually going to look like a watermelon, a little extra chub right now is okay!

We have ordered a doppler to try to listen in on the heartbeat. It is scheduled to come on Tuesday, but it may still be too early to hear. We have an appointment with our midwives on September 8 to listen for it if we can't find it on our own.

Here's to a healthy 30 (or 32) more weeks!
Lisa

Week 8 - Careful what you wish for!

Today marks 8 weeks (of 40) - 20% done! We found out during the 8th week in May that our first pregnancy had stopped. Up until that point, I had been feeling great. I was tired for a few weeks early on, but I had regained some energy and was feeling pretty normal. I guess that was an indication that things weren't going well. I had always assumed that I'd get really bad morning sickness. I get sick from just about anything - cars, planes, boats, high elevations...everything! I just thought I was one of the few lucky ones that never prayed to the porcelain gods during the first trimester.

Boy, was I wrong! I've felt a little queasy for the past week or two this time around. But last night, it hit with a vengeance. (Un)fortunately, I hadn't been able to eat much all day, so I didn't have much more than dry heaves. Imagine that you're super hungover -- you can't even think of moving or you'll toss your cookies. Then imagine in this state, you're forced to go on one of those big rocking boats they have at amusement parks until you didn't know you could feel any sicker. That's where I am. And there are still a good 5 or 6 weeks until this passes. So this is just the beginning.

I have just called into work sick, planning on working from home as much as possible, but knowing full well that the most I can hope for is to keep my breakfast down.

The most disturbing part is that this is what I was secretly hoping for. Not gagging at the *thought* of smells and tastes and vitamins necessarily, but early confirmation that this pregnancy seems to be on track. Our first appointment is Monday, and we're too early to hear a heartbeat on doppler. For now, my horrible sickness is what we're holding onto (and morbidly celebrating), because it means we've made it past where we did last time. And what's not to celebrate about that?!?

Hurry up and...

...wait! Yes, I wrote yesterday and no one even knows about this site yet, but it feels like weeks have past since my last post. But that's what finding out you're pregnant means - now you get to wait.

We're waiting for our first doctor's appointment (August 18). I was kind of hoping to go in sooner since we had bad luck last time, but since they can't really tell anything until 8 - 10 weeks, we wait.

We're waiting for me to start puking. I know that there are women who never feel sick in their pregnancies. I can't imagine I'm one of the few. I have hope but I'm also a realist!

We're waiting for me to start showing, for the baby to start moving, for hiccups all night. We're waiting.

In fact, we're even waiting to share this site.

Tick tock. :)

Welcome!

Hello! Welcome to our Mudgett Babies Blog. If you are here, then you know our amazing secret. Our first bun is in the oven, and we're expecting to meet him/her in late March or early April 2009. Our estimated due date is March 28, but since we're planners we'll most likely be waiting longer than that!

So here I am, 6 weeks and 3 days pregnant, and feeling pretty good. I'm tired a lot, but I don't feel sick. In fact, I am starving all the time! I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the morning sickness kicks in, so I'm enjoying my appetite while I still have it.

Dan and I are excited to go on this incredible journey together, and we're happy you're coming along for the ride.