wordless wednesday: 27 week bump

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27 weeks

How far along: 27 weeks

Baby's size: An Eggplant

Ella's lungs are going through some major developments these days, which (combined with the opening of previously plugged nostrils) means she's now able to practice inhaling and exhaling. The lack of air in the womb means every "breath" is filled with amniotic fluid, but hey - it's progress. Ella's auditory development (hearing) is progressing as the network of nerves to the ears matures. And even though the sounds she hears are muffled, she may recognize both mine and hubby's voices. Her taste buds are very developed now too; she would be able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid if I ate something super spicy! (Though her meal time is about two hours after mine.) She may even respond to the spice by hiccuping. And although hiccups (which would feel like a belly spasm to me) may seem like they're disturbing to baby, she isn't stressed at all. It's just one more sensation that she needs to get used to.

Symptoms: Besides the pain in my ribs and back, the only really noticeable symptom is an increase in leg cramps. I mostly get them at night or first thing in the morning, if I point my toes and stretch too hard.

Sleep: Still sleeping well, but hard to get comfortable. I may need to add a few pillows to the bed soon!

Total Weight Gain: no weight gain this week, still at 19 total

Maternity clothes: Yup, I like them.

Best moment this week: I read on one of my iPhone apps that you may be able to hear the baby's heartbeat from outside. So the other night hubby put his ear up to my stomach, and sure enough he heard her heartbeat right away!

Movement: She's quite active! I absolutely LOVE feeling her move throughout the day. But her favorite time of day by far is around 11pm, right when I go to bed.

Food cravings: None.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs:

What I miss: Being independent. It's extremely hard for me to let others lift things for me!

What I'm looking forward to: Making plans for Ella's room.

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: 

Emotions: This pregnancy is flying by, and I still have so much to do!

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26 weeks

How far along: 26 weeks

Baby's size: An Eggplant

Ella's soaking up my antibodies, getting her immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and she'll soon be practicing the blink ... perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes at her daddy. (Her eyes have been closed the past few months so that the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop. She can now see what's going on around her, unfortunately the view in my uterus isn't all that exciting! The iris, the colored part of the eye, still doesn't have much pigmentation, so it's too early to start guessing her eye color. (Even the color she's born with might not be the permanent shade.) Ella's brain-wave activity is kicking in at this stage in fetal development as well, which means she can not only hear noises but can now also respond to them. She's growing and will soon be feeling a little cramped in my uterus. My little gymnast will soon have less room for those somersaults and cartwheels that I always feel!

Symptoms: Still feeling like my ribs are pulling apart, and getting back pain. Other than that, feeling pretty good. Noticing that I get short of breath quicker than normal.

Sleep: I'm actually sleeping pretty well. But it is very hard to get comfortable at night. Hubby is starting to complain that I never want to cuddle with him anymore.

Total Weight Gain: 19 total

Maternity clothes: I'm finding myself reverting to the same couple pairs of pants that I know are comfortable, rather than bothering with the bella band.

Best moment this week: Touring the hospital yesterday. It's starting to all feel so real!

Movement: Still feeling her move everyday. Hubby's mom was able to feel her for the first time last weekend!

Food cravings: None.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs:

What I miss: Being able to comfortably cuddle with hubby.

What I'm looking forward to: Making plans for Ella's room.

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: Taking our first prenatal class.

Emotions: This pregnancy is flying by, and I still have so much to do!

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25 weeks - 6 months

How far along: 25 weeks

Baby's size: An Eggplant

Ella's oh-so-handy sense of equilibrium is kicking in, and she's learning to distinguish right side up from upside down. Her skin is turning pinker; small blood vessels called capillaries are forming under the skin and filling with blood. Later this week, blood vessels will also develop in Ella's lungs, bringing them one step closer to full maturity - and one step closer to taking that first breath of fresh air. But her lungs are still very much works in progress. Though they are already beginning to develop surfactant, a substance that will help the lungs expand after she is born, the lungs are still too undeveloped to sufficiently send oxygen to the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide when she exhales. Ella's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open this week as well. This actually allows her to begin taking practice breaths - of course since there's no air in there, she is really only "breathing" amniotic fluid.

Symptoms: Still feeling like my ribs are pulling apart, and getting back pain. Other than that, feeling pretty good. Noticing that I get short of breath quicker than normal.

Sleep: I'm actually sleeping pretty well. But it is very hard to get comfortable at night. Because of the pain in my ribs, sleeping on my back is actually the most comfortable - but they advise against it. So I try to make sure I role over onto my side before I actually fall asleep.

Total Weight Gain: 18 total

Maternity clothes: Maternity clothes are my friend! But I've had a hard time finding maternity clothes that actually fit me and look flattering. I've had just as much luck finding regular styles that work as maternity.

Best moment this week: We went camping/canoeing with my extended family this past weekend. Many of them I have not seen since I first found out I was pregnant. So it was so fun to see them all and have them comment on my baby bump!

Movement: Still feeling her move everyday. Her movements are getting bigger and stronger. Last night I felt her moving for an hour and a half straight! This weekend my mom was able to feel her move, she's the only one who's felt her move besides hubby.

Food cravings: Still no major cravings! I do notice that I'm in the mood for sweets more often.

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs:

What I miss: Being able to sit normally, without needing extra lower back support.

What I'm looking forward to: Making plans for Ella's room.

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): I learned from my What to Expect app today that research has linked good dental health and oral hygiene with longer pregnancies! Who would have thought? Apparently gingivitis can progress to periodontitis - which has been linked to premature birth and even an increased risk of preeclampsia.

Milestones: 6 months!

Emotions: This pregnancy is flying by, and I still have so much to do!

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dr. h

I had my 24 week checkup on Tuesday. Dr. B is on vacation this week, so I got to meet Dr. H. Dr. H is a short squatty guy with a balding head, but very nice. And I didn't have to wait a half an hour to see him, so bonus!

As Dr. H said, the 24 week checkup is a rather boring one. I peed in a cup, he asked me how I was feeling, listened for the heartbeat with the doppler (137 bpm), measured me, and I was on my way.

Actually this is the first time I've actually been measured. Dr. B has told me in the past that I "measure small," but she never actually measured. Dr. H got out a little measuring tape and measured from my pubic bone to the top of my uterus, which he said was 22 cm. So slightly on the small side, but nothing to worry about. As a rule of thumb, the measurement should equal the number of weeks you are pregnant. But 2 cm in either direction is considered within normal size.

He also told me that the pain I've been experiencing in the center of my ribs is probably heartburn and indigestion. He also said the ache in my right side could be my gull - caused by the same thing. For both I'm suppose to stay away from fried and greasy food, eat smaller meals, and recline as much as possible. Not sure I buy it though, it feels more like a bruise than a sharp pain. I'm more inclined to think that it's from my uterus growing and putting pressure on my ribs. But what do I know?

My next appointment is August 30th when I get to do the sugar test to look for gestational diabetes. Yay!

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24 weeks

How far along: 24 weeks

Baby's size: A Papaya

Ella's skin is becoming more opaque as the fat starts to pack on. And, thanks to the formation of small capillaries, her newly thick skin is taking on a fresh pink glow. If we could get a glimpse inside, we'd almost be able to tell who she looks like now. Her face is almost fully formed. But she needs to gain a little more weight still. At this stage of growth she's gaining about six ounces each week - with much of that gain coming from fat, in addition to growing organs, bones, and muscle. Ella can now hear all kinds of sounds: from air exhaling from my lungs, gastric gurgles produced by my stomach and intestines, even loud sounds such as honking horns, barking dogs, or wailing fire trucks, and best of all hubby and my voices!

Symptoms: Still getting a daily side-ache on the right side ache, feeling like my ribs are pulling apart, and getting back pain. Other than that, feeling pretty good

Sleep: Sleeping is starting to get more challenging. It's tough sleeping on your side all night, especially with sore back and ribs.

Total Weight Gain: 18 total

Maternity clothes: I'm finding maternity clothes, especially pants, increasing appealing! I still have my eye on a couple pairs of maternity jeans ... but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

Best moment this week: Having complete strangers come up and tell me how cute I look and congratulate me. It's fun to be obviously pregnant, and not mistaken for just a little chubby. It's also fun to have everyone so excited with us!

Movement: I feel her move everyday, periodically throughout the whole day. She's the most active right around 11pm when I go to bed. I can really tell that she is growing too! The other night I felt her move on the right side of my belly AND below my belly button at the same time!

Food cravings: Still no major cravings!

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs:

What I miss: Not having back pain and rib pain everyday.

What I'm looking forward to: Starting our baby registry!

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: choosing a name!

Emotions: I am feeling like there is SO MUCH TO DO! Need to research and pick a car seat, stroller, crib ... need to lineup a daycare ... need to figure out my maternity leave ... need to start a baby registry ... and the list goes on and on!

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wordless wednesday: 23 week bump

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22 weeks

I've been traveling for work the past two days, so I'm a little late in getting this update out. But better late then never, right?

How far along: 22 weeks

Baby's size: A Papaya

Baby's settling into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It's not hard to figure out when! All I have to do is pay attention to when all her kicks and somersaults start and stop. This weeks she is starting to make more sense of the world as she develops the sense of touch. In fact, her grip is quite developed by now too - but the umbilical cord is probably the only thing she has to grab onto in utero. The sense of sight is also getting more developed. She can now perceive light and dark much better than before (even though her eyelids are still fused shut.) Her eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed now too, and even more hair is sprouting atop her cute little head - but at this point it has no pigment, so it's bright white!

Symptoms: By the end of the day my back and rib pain is pretty much driving me crazy. I constantly feel like there is not enough room inside of me for all my organs AND a baby! One positive is that it is forcing me to have better posture. It's extremely uncomfortable to slouch over; feels like my ribs are digging into my stomach. Problem is sitting up straight, or even leaned back, all the time is more work for my aching back! I pretty much daily get a side-ache on the right side of my ribs - I'm guessing it must have something to do with the way she is positioned in there - but that seems strange with how much she moves around!

Sleep: Mostly sleeping on my left sides these days because of the pain on my right side. Makes cuddling with hubby pretty tough ...

Total Weight Gain: I've hit the 15 pound mark!

Maternity clothes: Went shopping with my mom over the weekend and came home with a bunch of goodies - both maternity, and some that will just work as maternity. Found a dress to wear to the wedding hubby is in in two weeks!

Best moment this week: My baby bump is really starting to show! I was at a work conference this week and everyone was just oohing and awing over how cute I was! I'm loving this stage of pregnancy.

Movement: Still feeling her move off and on every day. They are still mostly pretty small movements, and come and go so quickly that it is hard to let others feel her. I tried to have my dad feel her last weekend, but as soon as I got him to come over she stopped moving. Hubby has been able to feel her several times though, just takes patience sometimes!

Food cravings: I have yet to experience the stop-everything-gotta-have-it food cravings!

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs:

What I miss: Buttoning - or even zipping - my pants. Sleeping on my stomach. Sitting with my legs scrunched up to my stomach. Slouching, or even just leaning forward in my chair without feeling like I'm going to suffocate. Bending over without at least a little discomfort. Lifting heavy things ...

What I'm looking forward to: Starting our baby registry!

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: 5 months! How crazy is that!?

Emotions: I am feeling like there is SO MUCH TO DO! Need to research and pick a car seat, stroller, crib ... need to lineup a daycare ... need to figure out my maternity leave ... need to start a baby registry ... and the list goes on and on!

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21 weeks

How far along: 21 weeks

Baby's size: A Banana

Baby swallows at least several ounces of amniotic fluid each day - the taste of which differs from day to day depending on what I've eaten. She has very developed taste buds already. In fact, researchers have noted that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero were more eager to eat foods with that same taste after birth. Better start eating my veggies! Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion, and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. Ahh, something to look forward to! And, since baby is a girl, her womb is now stocked up with her lifetime supply of six million eggs (the number will drop around one million by birth.)

Symptoms: Not feeling the round ligament pains anymore. But I think I'd prefer to have that back over the side aches and back pain! I think my abs are starting to separate to make more room for the baby. The ultrasound showed that she weighs 13 oz already, putting her in the 59th percentile.

Sleep: Primarily sleeping on my side these days. And just this past week I've been getting side aches on my right side almost every day, so I've been sleeping on my left side a lot. Sleeping on my back is still comfortable, but Dr. B said to keep that to a minimum if possible.

Total Weight Gain: 14 pounds

Maternity clothes: Found a great pair of black shorts on sale at Motherhood Maternity. They fall just above my knee, so they'll be great to wear at work all summer. Also found a great top at a boutique that isn't maternity, but has a band around the bottom and plenty of room for me to grow!

Best moment this week: Without questions, seeing our baby in the ultrasound and finding out she is a girl! But there have been so many little moments since then that hubby and I have had as the realization sinks in that we are going to have a baby girl soon! His excitement just melts my heart. Last night he told me that he couldn't wait until his little girl runs into daddy's arms.

Movement: She still has a great deal of room in the womb, and I've certainly been feeling the result of all the space she has for gymnastics practice!

Food cravings: No earth-stopping-gotta-have-it-know cravings. But definitely still craving sweets more ... I definitely had a lot of ice cream cones this past weekend!

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs:

What I miss: Buttoning my pants.

What I'm looking forward to: Now that we know we're having a girl, I can't wait to get start on our registry and nursery planning!

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: Ultrasound and finding out that we're having a girl!

Emotions: Overwhelmed at the idea of having a baby girl! Also overwhelmed at the fact that I'm over half way through this pregnancy, and I have SO MUCH planning and preparing left to do!

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ultrasound

Finally. Finally the day of our ultrasound came! It's hard for me to even find the words to explain. Such a strange and wonderful day.

Hubby and I were both coming from work, so we were in separate vehicles. I arrived first. Hubby was on his way, but had to stop at the mechanics shop because he was having car issues again. He said it would just take a minute and he'd be right there.

No big deal, I needed to get registered first anyway. I was headed to the lab first, and then up to see Dr. B afterward. I wasn't sure whether I should go to the lab right away, in case there was a long wait - or stall a little bit, in case there wasn't a wait at all! I waited in the lobby for five minutes, and then headed in. Hubby still wasn't there.

I sat another five minutes in the waiting room, then they called my name. Crap. I was hoping it would take a while once I got in the room. I always have to sit int he room and wait for Dr. B after talking to the nurse, so I was hoping it would be similar down in the lab. Not the case.

The ultrasound technician brought me right in the room and told me to hop up on the table, no fan fair of any sort. I let her know I was concerned my hubby wouldn't make it on time. I didn't have any idea what to expect; I'd never had ultrasound before! For all I knew it would only take five minutes and hubby would miss the whole thing! She was very sweet and said not to worry - that we'd be in there for a while.

Luckily, just as she got started I got a phone call from hubby that he was walking in. He got there just a few seconds after she started.

Let me just say, ultrasounds.are.amazing! I've seen plenty of ultrasound photos in the past, and I'll be honest, I never really understood what the big deal was. It's just a little blob that kinda looks like it could possibly be a baby, or sometimes even a tadpole!

But when it's your own it's completely different! I suppose it's quite different too since I'm 20 weeks and having my first ultrasound. So MY ultrasound photos actually look like a real little baby!

A real baby that's a GIRL!

That's right. We are going to have a little baby girl!

I was surprised. Hubby not so much, he had a feeling it was going to be a girl. We both secretly wanted a girl ... but both felt like we wanted a boy first. But I guess God had other plans!

Back to the ultrasound, we ended up being in there for 40 minutes! Our little baby girl is a little gymnast! She did not stop moving once the entire time! So the ultrasound tech had a difficult time getting all the photos she needed - the heart and the spine were the hardest. She kept having me roll onto my side, then to my back again, then to my other side - just to try to coerce the little girl to stay in the positions she needed her to.

She did finally get all the shots she needed. And I wasn't complaining one bit because it meant that I got to see my little girl for that much longer! I thought the most amazing thing yet was just feeling her move and kick inside of me. Well I was wrong. It is so much cooler to SEE and FEEL her kick at the same time!

It was such an amazing experience laying on that bed, holding hubby's hand the whole time, and watching our little baby girl kick and squirm around inside of me. Inside of me. Such a strange thing to think about a real live person living inside of me!

After the tech got all the shots she needed, we headed up to see Dr. B. She was running behind schedule, so we ended up waiting 45 minutes to see her! But it was a good appointment, she said everything on the ultrasound looked good! She listened for the heartbeat again with the doppler, 145 bpm. (The ultrasound said it was 158 bpm.) She answered a few questions for me, and then we were off!

Pictures are coming soon!

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quad marker screen

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from Dr. B's nurse. She said she had a favor to ask me. For a split second I got really nervous. My ultrasound and 20 week OB visit are scheduled for Friday afternoon. Was she going to ask me to postpone my ultrasound? I didn't think I could handle waiting any longer! But I worried for nothing. I was also scheduled to get the quad marker screen blood test on Friday.

The quad test is a voluntary test. It measures for four substances: alpha-fetoprotein, unconjugated estriol, human chorionic gonadotropin, and  inhibin-A. Basically, it's looking for the likelihood of certain birth defects and chromosomal abnormalities, like neural tube defects and Down syndrome. It does not tell you whether your baby has a defect or not, only tells you if there is a greater risk. And it only predicts about 75% of cases. There is also a great chance that the test would tell you there is a risk of a birth defect, and then have a perfectly healthy baby.

I originally didn't think it was necessary. The test isn't 100% accurate, and doesn't really give you any definitive results. If there is something different about our baby it won't change anything for us, since terminating the pregnancy is not an option we would consider. But after talking it over with Dr. B and hubby I changed my mind. She said that if they did find that there was a risk of a major birth defect, they may consider having me deliver at a larger hospital. And as hubby said, why wouldn't we want to find out everything there is to know about our baby? So we scheduled it for this appointment.

The quad test is supposed to be done between 16 and 20 weeks. According to their records, I was 20 weeks yesterday. The nurse said she knew it sounded crazy, that two days probably wouldn't make a difference, but she'd hate to send my blood sample in to Mayo only to have it rejected because it was two days late. So she was simply wondering if I could come in that afternoon to get the blood test done. No problem.

After I got off the phone with her, I called hubby just to let him know what was going on. He was ready to drop everything and meet me there! I assured him that wasn't necessary. I was just going in to give a blood sample and urine sample (they did that at the same time so I didn't have to bother with it on Friday when the lab would be busier.) He wasn't so sure. After telling him a few more times that, really, I was just going to run in there, have a test done and then leave, he finally said ok. Just told me that if I needed him, he'd be there in a heartbeat.

It really was as uneventful as I thought. I went up to see the nurse first. She weighed me, jotted a few things in my records, then sent me down to the lab. Then I left.

It took me a while to get a hold of hubby after I left, and he was going crazy! He wanted to make sure everything was ok. He told me I can't "keep him away from appointments anymore!" Really, how lucky am I to have a hubby that even wants to come with to get a blood sample taken!

It'll take about a week to get the results back. Tomorrow is the ultrasound!

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wordless wednesday: 20 week bump

I realize now that this shirt doesn't exactly show off the bump very well.

But when you lift up the shirt it's a totally different story! I feel like the bump has really popped recently. I look at my side profile in the mirror and it just seems strange, seeing this bulge sticking out! And look at how much my belly button has popped out! And yes, I finally decided to take out my piercing. Hubby thought it looked weird, since he's never seen me with out it - and it does! Especially with my belly button like it is!

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20 weeks ... half way!

How far along: 20 weeks - I can't hardly believe that I've made it to the half way mark already. It really seems like just a couple weeks ago that I was sitting in the bathroom looking at the 2 pink lines!

Baby's size: A Cantaloupe

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. So I need to start thinking about that when I'm packing my lunch in the morning! If baby is a girl, her uterus is fully formed already and her vaginal canal is starting its development. If baby is a boy, his testicles have begun their descent, though they're still located in the abdomen, waiting for the scrotum to finish growing so they'll have a place to drop into in a few weeks. Either way, we should be able to see the sex of they baby on Friday at our ultrasound!

Symptoms: Not feeling the round ligament pains as much this week, but feeling a different sort of pain up more by my ribs. Definitely getting more back pain too - especially after jet skiing yesterday!

Sleep: Not sleeping on my stomach much anymore, which has been my primary sleeping position my entire life (except for the two months I was in traction and then a cast from breaking my femur when I was 8.) I'm sleeping mostly on my back and side. Not sure if it's ok to sleep on my back, but so far it has been comfortable. Side sleeping is my primary position, which is very comfortable at home with my tempurpedic mattress pad - but anywhere else my arm tends to fall asleep after being in that position for too long!

Total Weight Gain: 13 pounds

Maternity clothes: Finally some success with maternity jeans! After trying on about 20 pairs at Motherhood Maternity, I finally found ONE pair of cropped jeans that not only fit, but look good too! I also got a cute tank that still has a lot of room for me to grown into. (Pictures to come later this week!) My lovely sister-in-law also gave me a couple pairs of regular jeans - that are a couple sizes larger than I normally wear - that she wore while trying to lose the baby weight from her 2 year old. It's nice to button my pants again!

Best moment this week: Hubby felt baby move on Thursday!

Movement: Since the first time last Sunday night, I've been feeling the baby move all week! It is by far the coolest part of pregnancy so far! Nothing compares to it. Nothing. Even better, hubby finally felt the baby move on Thursday evening too!

Food cravings: No specific cravings, but I've been finding myself wanting sweets more. This is strange because I've never had much of a sweet tooth! When I was a kid I used to give up dessert in order to have extra bread at dinner!

Gender: We find out (hopefully) on July 9th! Looks like you guys are with me thinking it's a boy. But team girl is gaining strength! Place YOUR vote in the sidebar! Only three more days until we find out!

Labor signs:

What I miss: Buttoning my pants.

What I'm looking forward to: Finding out if we're having a boy or a girl.

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: Hubby feeling the baby move and making it half way in the pregnancy.

Emotions: I'm loving the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. I feel great, people are starting to notice my growing baby bump, and every week seems to bring something new! There are still so many things to look forward to, but I'm just really enjoying everything as it comes.

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19 weeks

How far along: 19 weeks

Baby's size: A Mango

My little action figure is already choreographing his own Matrix-like moves this week. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. All these upgrades combine to give baby more control over limb movements. This totally explains all the kicking, stretching, and body surfing (or rather belly surfing)) I've been feeling! Something not so appealing (sounding) is happening this week too. Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil, and dead skin cells now coats baby's skin, shielding him from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense!)

Symptoms: I can definitely feel that my ligaments are starting to relax and joints are loosening - my lower back and shoulders haven't been feeling so great, and I can definitely notice that my abs are not as strong lately! Still feeling those round ligament pains every now and again.

Sleep: Crawling into bed at night has become one of my favorite parts of the day! I'm still sleeping pretty well, which I am very thankful for. Just this week I've started to notice that it is slightly less comfortable to sleep on my stomach. It's still ok in my comfy bed, but forget laying on the floor or outside on a beach towel! My little bump doesn't quite get out of the way like it used to! Side sleeping is becoming my new favorite position.

Total Weight Gain: I jumped 2 more pounds this week! 12 pounds

Maternity clothes: I got a whole laundry basket of maternity clothes from hubby's cousin and sister this week. Most are way to big (at this point anyway) but I'm thinking even those will come in handy late in my pregnancy. There were a few cute tops in there that I'm excited about though.

Best moment this week: Feeling the baby move Sunday night. That is by far the coolest thing yet!

Movement: Yes, finally! It feels like a little quarter flipping over in my stomach. I mostly feel him on the bottom right side, but sometimes in the middle too. Which is the same places Dr. B found his heartbeat!

Food cravings: I was really craving pancakes last weekend at the hotel, but room service wasn't serving breakfast at 2am. Go figure!?


Gender: We find out (hopefully) on July 9th! Place your vote in the sidebar!

Labor signs:

What I miss: Buttoning my pants.


What I'm looking forward to: Finding out if we're having a boy or a girl.

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: Feeling the baby move.

Emotions: I'm loving the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. I feel great, people are starting to notice my growing baby bump, and every week seems to bring something new! There are still so many things to look forward to, but I'm just really enjoying everything as it comes.

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we have movement!

The coolest, most amazing thing happened last night! Hubby and I spent the weekend in the city - Saturday hubby's sister had a big 30th birthday party and then hubby and I celebrated our three year anniversary by staying at an amazing hotel downtown.

We stayed much later than we had planned, and started our three hour drive home about 10:30pm. Hubby was my hero and drove all the way home - with the assistance of a couple energy drinks. I did my best to stay awake and keep him company.

We were talking, he was in the middle of telling me something (who knows what), and suddenly I felt this really strange feeling in my lower abdomen. My stomach wasn't growling, it wasn't gas, it wasn't a cramp or the round ligament pains I've become oh-so-familiar with lately. No. It was something completely different. I interrupted hubby (very uncharacteristic of me, of course) and told him, "I think I just felt the baby!"

I had no idea if it was actually the baby I had felt. I have been watching and waiting to feel him, but had no idea what it would feel like. The rest of the way home I kept feeling the same thing every so often. With each time I become more and more convinced that it was indeed the baby. Hubby of course was so excited and wanted to feel it. He kept his hand on my stomach for probably half an hour but was never able to feel it. They are suck quick little movements, that even I have to be paying attention or I sometimes miss them.

I've continued to feel him move throughout the day today. Once I even thought I felt him from the outside, but it is so hard to tell if the feeling is coming from the outside, when you are feeling it inside as well! Hopefully hubby will be able to feel him soon! I think it would be so cool for him to experience that.

Feeling him move is by far the best feeling yet. There is nothing that makes it feel more real than actually feeling the baby move inside of you! So cool, and so strange all at the same time! Love it.

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wordless wednesday: 18 week bump

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18 weeks

How far along: 18 weeks

Baby's size: A Sweet Potato

Baby's becoming amazingly mobile, passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. He is finally big enough that, hopefully, I'll soon be able to feel him move! Baby's nervous system is maturing rapidly too. Nerves, now covered with a substance called myelin (which speeds messages from nerve cell to nerve cell), are forming more complex connection. And those in the brain are further specializing into the ones that serve the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. His hearing is growing more acute, making him more conscious of sounds that come from inside my body.

Symptoms: Still feeling those round ligament pains every now and again - sometimes getting pretty strong. Also had more back pain this week. Thinking a chiropractor visit may be in order soon. Or at least a back massage from my mom.

Sleep: Sleeping fine. Still getting tired a little earlier at night than normal.

Total Weight Gain: 10 pounds

Maternity clothes: Still loving my hair tie solution for my pants. Some of my shorter shirts no longer feel appropriate. Maternity shirts aren't far off, but my longer shirts are great for now.

Best moment this week: I was in bed the other night pressing against my stomach to alleviate some round ligament pains I was experiencing when suddenly I discovered a round bump. I realized it must be my uterus that I was feeling for the first time! Of course I had to have hubby feel it too. He was so gentle about feeling it, it was so cute. Apparently it is now the size of a cantaloupe, something I despise - but it's exciting when it's my uterus we're talking about!

Movement: Hoping to feel them soon!

Food cravings: Still none, but I get lots of questions about them.

Gender: We find out (hopefully) on July 9th! Place your vote in the sidebar!

Labor signs:

What I miss:

What I'm looking forward to: Feeling the baby move and finding out if we're having a boy or a girl.

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: Feeling my uterus.

Emotions: 

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17 weeks

How far along: 17 weeks

Baby's size: An Onion

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. Body fat is also starting to accumulate, and will continue to through the end of pregnancy. By the time baby is born, body fat will make up about two-thirds of his weight. He is most certainly listening up by now. In fact, loud noises - a dog barking, the doorbell ringing - can actually startle him. His eyes (which have now finished their migration to the front of the head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed. His umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes now feature one-of-a-kind prints. Amazing!

Symptoms: Still feeling those round ligament pains every now and again - sometimes getting pretty strong.

Sleep: Sleeping fine. Still getting tired a little earlier at night than normal.

Total Weight Gain: 9 pounds

Maternity clothes: Still loving my hair tie solution for my pants. Some of my shorter shirts no longer feel appropriate. Maternity shirts aren't far off, but my longer shirts are great for now.

Best moment this week: 

Movement: None yet, but I'm definitely starting to watch for it.

Food cravings: Still none, but I get lots of questions about them.


Gender: We find out (hopefully) on July 9th! Place your vote in the sidebar!

Labor signs:

What I miss: After cold weather at the lake this past weekend, I'm really missing the hot tub! 


What I'm looking forward to: My first ultrasound, obviously.

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): 

Milestones: 4 months! 

Emotions: 

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16 weeks

How far along: 16 weeks

Baby's size: An Avocado

Tiny bones are forming on baby's ears, which means he can now pick up my voice! Baby's busily boning up in other ways too. For one, the backbone (along with the back muscles) is stronger now - strong enough, in fact, to enable baby to work on straightening his head and neck even more. A few other little changes this week: eyebrows, lashes, and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming.

Symptoms: Still feeling those round ligament pains every now and again - sometimes getting pretty strong.

Sleep: Sleeping fine. Still getting tired a little earlier at night than normal.

Total Weight Gain: 8 pounds

Maternity clothes: Still loving my hair tie solution for my pants.

Best moment this week: Hearing baby's heartbeat again, and finding out we get an ultrasound at our next appointment!

Movement: None yet, but I'm definitely starting to watch for it! 

Food cravings:  

Gender:   

Labor signs:

What I miss: Not feeling hungry all the time!  

What I'm looking forward to: Totally looking forward to the ultrasound and finding out the gender of our baby. Obviously I just want to know what we are having! But I also can't wait to start planning - nursery, clothes, etc. Oh so fun! 

Weekly Wisdom (aka what I learned this week): Go to doctors appointments prepared and full of questions. You are your own best advocate! 

Milestones: 4 months! 

Emotions: 

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another visit with Dr. B

We met with the OB - let's call her Dr. B - for the second time on Friday. It was a pretty uneventful appointment. She mostly just asked how I'd been feeling; any cramping, bleeding, etc. Then she brought out the doppler, and found the heartbeat right away again - which was still just as amazing to hear!

I must have misunderstood her at my 10 week appointment. I THOUGHT she said that I WOULD get an ultrasound at the next visit, but IF she could find a "medical excuse" she would do one at this visit.

Turns out, she has to have a "medical reason" to do an ultrasound. Period. Apparently some company did a study a few years back that looked at low risk pregnancies, and whether or not the 18-20 week ultrasound made a difference in the end. They found it didn't. So of course the insurance companies jumped all over that, and now don't cover ultrasounds unless there is a medical reason to perform one.

In other words, you could technically go through your entire pregnancy without ever getting an ultrasound!?! I don't know about you, but that just doesn't sit well with me. That means they basically just go on what you say. Well, that and finding a heartbeat I guess. But there is so much that the ultrasound shows that you can't get any other way!

Thankfully, Dr. B said I'm "measuring small" so I will be getting an ultrasound next time! Phew! (I don't know if I actually AM measuring small, but I'm thinking no since she didn't even measure me ...)

We're not in love, so to speak, with Dr. B - but today we like her because she's giving us an ultrasound next time! Don't get me wrong, she's a great doctor and I have full confidence in her abilities, she just doesn't offer up a lot of extra information. Being new at this, and not necessarily the most outgoing, I would really appreciate that. But if I ask, she is more than happy to answer. So I guess I just have to come better prepared, and be a little more forward with my questions in the future! I've never been very good in the doctors office. (Part of me wishes I could still have my mom come with me!)

My ultrasound/check-up are schedule for July 9th - when I'll be 20 weeks. Again I have to wait 5 weeks between appointments, instead of 4, because of the holiday weekend. But if baby cooperates, we should be able to find out if he's a boy or a girl next time! The heartbeat was right around 140 bpm this time ... so there's another clue!

What do you think we're having? Place your vote in the side bar! Voting will stay open until July 9th at 3:15, when hopefully we'll be finding out the sex! Vote now and vote often! haha, but only if you want to.

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