21 weeks 5 days. I'm still feeling great and not showing as much as most at this far along but yesterday while we were out on our evening walk with the puppy Matt said "Wow, you're finally starting to look a little pregnant!" Yay?! I am glad I will no longer look like I just ate a five pound burrito for breakfast but I'm feeling large and in charge and a bit...awkward already and I have a looong way to go. It's also become apparent that unless someone KNOWS I'm pregnant, it's not obvious, which means they all just think I'm getting poochy. Nothing better than feeling fat and not being able to do anything about it!
It's been gorgeous weather all winter but that means not cold at all which also means we're in for a scorcher of a summer. Hold me and my whaleness. I told Matt he'll have to come visit me in the pool when June hits because that's where I'll be living.
I've noticed that I'm much more tired in the second trimester than the first. This seems to unusual since most women report a burst of energy in the second trimester, but I acknowledge that outside factors such as a light sleeping dog and family in town (more about that below) are contributing factors to the exhaustion, so it may just be that and have nothing to do with the pregnancy.
My appetite is back and I feel like I'm back to normal food portions. I seem to have a new found love for Doritos, but I'm keeping it in check because I don't really want an orange cheese baby. My dad bought FIFTEEN boxes of Thin Mints which have been hard to avoid, but I think I've done pretty well. I think in total I've eaten one sleeve.
Baby boy is now very active and Matt has finally been able to feel a few kicks from the outside. When I'm super busy I still don't notice them as much as when I'm resting but he's definitely letting us know that he's in there. It's really nice to have something confirming his little life every day, rather than stressing out and waiting for the next appointment to hear his heartbeat. I still can't get over how weird it is that I have a little person in there, moving around and growing like a weed.
I'm still walking every day and some mornings there's definitely a strain on my ligaments from el womb. I keep wondering if I should get some sort of sling to help out from the outside. That would kind of look awesome, no?!
As for the rest of life...it's been a very eventful couple of weeks up around here. First and foremost, my little sister had her baby this week. Vivan Rachel is totally gorgeous and we're all in love. The not so great part is that my sister was in labor for almost 60 hours...28 of which were like, HARD labor, and she had to push for TWO AND A HALF HOURS. Vivan was posterior thus the delay. Interestingly enough those stats are almost exactly the same as my mother's when she had her first (me). If you're with me here all of this is pointing to a posterior baby and several hellish days of labor for me considering all of our pregnancies have been almost exactly the same and we all have different sizes of the exact same bone structure. Party in my uterus, right? I'm petrified.
Meagan having her baby also meant lots and lots of family in town. Dad showed up from China and Mom is in from Utah. Meagan's husband's Mom (got that?) is in from New Orleans. I have the more spacious living quarters so we've spent a lot of time here at my house. Overall it's been great and I love having everyone here...but I also realized how very quiet Matt's and my life is, and how routine we've made things. Having extra people here just jacks all that up. It's fun for a while but I think three or four days of company is about where we tucker out. Sadly/luckily, my Dad had to leave earlier than expected so, for the moment, no one is physically staying here, but we are still having some meals and gatherings here so it's quieter but not all the way back to normal.
The great news is my Mom is here and can help me start moving furniture around so we can get started on the nursery for the little man. I found a crib I'm madly in love with (I think I mentioned that before...) and if I can get Matt fully on board the colors are decided. Now I just need to hone in on a decor plan, fabrics and get moving!
Work has died down quite a bit which is good for me mentally, bad for the bank account. Hopefully I can still get some odd things going here and there so I can fund the nursery projects but we might have to be on a stricter budget than expected. It's fine, I'm sure everything will be perfect it's just a minor stress in the back of my head. There's some opportunities floating around and I can honestly say something has always plopped right in my lap when we need money so I'm not too worried about it. We'll see what happens coming up and trust that everything will work out like it always does.
So there's the update. I'll probably wait to post a belly shot until 24 weeks. I'm guessing by then there will be something significant to show. My next appointment is the first week of April and I think that's when I do the dreaded glucose test. Cannot wait. Must remember to stop eating Starburst Jelly Beans loooong before then. Which will be impossible because hi. Have you HAD those? Delicious.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Fifty Percent
Well, I'm at 20 weeks, the official halfway point in this pregnancy. It seemed like SUCH A BIG DEAL to get here...and now I'm thinking "wait a second I have TWENTY MORE WEEKS TO GO?"
I added it all up and I've been pregnant for 42 weeks in total. By the time I'm done it will be 62 with only one baby. That in and of itself is a little depressing and makes me feel like I will NEVER AGAIN NOT BE PREGNANT. Not that I can complain since it appears I will continue to have fairly easy pregnancies, it's just a long freaking time. I guess the bonus is that in the last 22 months I've only had my period like ten times. Silver lining, right?
I had my monthly appointment this morning and everything is great. He was moving all over and it took the doctor a while to get a good position to get the heartrate. It's in the 150s which is perfect, and my uterus is measuring a week ahead, so 21 weeks. It may not mean anything but it might also mean he'll come earlier in July which is fine by me! The less time I have to be pregnant in July heat, the better.
I went to Buy Buy Baby and attempted to register today. That store is awesome and overwhelming and it made me realize that Amazon may be my best choice because it has the exact colors I want in my swing and bouncer and such., and that way I'm not sending people too many options. I'll still keep the Buy Buy Baby registry for the coupons though. Can't go wrong with a guaranteed 10% off your registry item and the use of any Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons. The best thing that came out of it is that I found THE crib I want. It's very similar to the dream crib at Restoration Hardware but in a better color and half the price. I feel like the nursery can start coming together now. Suhweet.
Other than that, nothing too much to report. Appetite is good, I feel good, baby is good, life is good. Now just to buckle down and prepare myself for the next twenty weeks.
I added it all up and I've been pregnant for 42 weeks in total. By the time I'm done it will be 62 with only one baby. That in and of itself is a little depressing and makes me feel like I will NEVER AGAIN NOT BE PREGNANT. Not that I can complain since it appears I will continue to have fairly easy pregnancies, it's just a long freaking time. I guess the bonus is that in the last 22 months I've only had my period like ten times. Silver lining, right?
I had my monthly appointment this morning and everything is great. He was moving all over and it took the doctor a while to get a good position to get the heartrate. It's in the 150s which is perfect, and my uterus is measuring a week ahead, so 21 weeks. It may not mean anything but it might also mean he'll come earlier in July which is fine by me! The less time I have to be pregnant in July heat, the better.
I went to Buy Buy Baby and attempted to register today. That store is awesome and overwhelming and it made me realize that Amazon may be my best choice because it has the exact colors I want in my swing and bouncer and such., and that way I'm not sending people too many options. I'll still keep the Buy Buy Baby registry for the coupons though. Can't go wrong with a guaranteed 10% off your registry item and the use of any Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons. The best thing that came out of it is that I found THE crib I want. It's very similar to the dream crib at Restoration Hardware but in a better color and half the price. I feel like the nursery can start coming together now. Suhweet.
Other than that, nothing too much to report. Appetite is good, I feel good, baby is good, life is good. Now just to buckle down and prepare myself for the next twenty weeks.
Monday, February 27, 2012
19 Weeks!
We're at 19 weeks today! I feel like my belly popped a little bit, but it's nothing like I thought it would be. I keep telling people I just feel like I look as though I way over-ate at Thanksgiving or something. This was Saturday so it's 18 weeks 5 days. And again, hello to my giant arse. And a dirty mirror. My bad. So you see just above my pant line my little bump. It's probably easier to see sans-clothes but that just seemed too complicated. Kate = Lazy. Kate Pregnant = OMG LAZIEST HUMAN ALIVE.
I'm feeling baby flutters a lot more often and it's pretty fun/crazy/fun. It's still really hard to believe there's a PERSON inside my BELLY and it's MOVING and kicking me. In addition, it has a WIENER. I realize I've said all these things before but I'm baffled at all of it.
My appetite has gradually been coming back though I'm still getting full really easily. I refuse to weigh myself at home so we won't know if I've gained any weight until my next OB appointment on March 5th. I would guess I'll have gained 3-5 pounds, but Matt says my face is constantly looking skinnier and he thinks I'm still losing weight. Who knows and, as long as my doctor isn't worried about it, who really cares, right? I'll be a whale by the end no matter what happens!
I have amassed a little collection of very cute little boy clothes. There was a super sale on Zulilly.com and they had some really awesome outfits and onsies that fit my NO character clothes, NO cutesy animals rules. I got a lot onsies with stripes and dots in cute colors and patterns and one ADORABLE outfit with jeans and a plaid shirt under a polo-type thing. It's my favorite outfit so far, for sure.
I also found an awesome deal on an Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper on Craig's list. The family that had it lived just up the street from us and kept it in great condition. It should allow me to keep the baby close by without having to have him IN bed with us but I can still just reach over and slide him to me to nurse. I'm very excited about the co-sleeper and the price. Yay Craig's List.
We also started the process of cleaning out the junk room upstairs so we can move the guest room to the smaller room and start setting up the nursery in the bigger room. I figured since we don't have a loft or playroom we might as well utilize the bigger available bedroom to attempt to make it a play room as well. I think I'm closer to deciding on colors and a theme for the nursery. When I do I'll post my inspiration board here and you can all give me your opinions!
So there's the update! Feeling great, no complaints whatsoever. Still wish I was showing a bit more but I should really stop saying that because I know it will happen soon enough and then I'll be wishing it were all over. Ah the joys.
I'm feeling baby flutters a lot more often and it's pretty fun/crazy/fun. It's still really hard to believe there's a PERSON inside my BELLY and it's MOVING and kicking me. In addition, it has a WIENER. I realize I've said all these things before but I'm baffled at all of it.
My appetite has gradually been coming back though I'm still getting full really easily. I refuse to weigh myself at home so we won't know if I've gained any weight until my next OB appointment on March 5th. I would guess I'll have gained 3-5 pounds, but Matt says my face is constantly looking skinnier and he thinks I'm still losing weight. Who knows and, as long as my doctor isn't worried about it, who really cares, right? I'll be a whale by the end no matter what happens!
I have amassed a little collection of very cute little boy clothes. There was a super sale on Zulilly.com and they had some really awesome outfits and onsies that fit my NO character clothes, NO cutesy animals rules. I got a lot onsies with stripes and dots in cute colors and patterns and one ADORABLE outfit with jeans and a plaid shirt under a polo-type thing. It's my favorite outfit so far, for sure.
I also found an awesome deal on an Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper on Craig's list. The family that had it lived just up the street from us and kept it in great condition. It should allow me to keep the baby close by without having to have him IN bed with us but I can still just reach over and slide him to me to nurse. I'm very excited about the co-sleeper and the price. Yay Craig's List.
We also started the process of cleaning out the junk room upstairs so we can move the guest room to the smaller room and start setting up the nursery in the bigger room. I figured since we don't have a loft or playroom we might as well utilize the bigger available bedroom to attempt to make it a play room as well. I think I'm closer to deciding on colors and a theme for the nursery. When I do I'll post my inspiration board here and you can all give me your opinions!
So there's the update! Feeling great, no complaints whatsoever. Still wish I was showing a bit more but I should really stop saying that because I know it will happen soon enough and then I'll be wishing it were all over. Ah the joys.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The BIG Ultrasound
Well, it's officially OFFICIAL. It's a boy, there's no doubt about it. All the necessary parts are there in all their glory. I'm getting more excited but can I just say that it's SO WEIRD to be growing man parts? It seems like some sort of nature fake out. A girl can grow a boy? What?
The ultrasound this morning was awesome. The tech was FANTASTIC and took a lot of time explaining everything she was doing and she said she sees nothing amiss or out of place or concerning and that as far as she can tell, he's perfect. The doctor will take a look at the ultrasound pictures and do some more measurements to make sure she's right but I'm confident that we're in the clear and he's developing as expected. He wasn't as wiggly this morning as he has been in other ultrasounds but the tech said that was normal as they start to get bigger. He was, of course, all curled up with his legs crossed and knees up near his face making it difficult for us to see his man parts for a while, but we poked at him a bit and he finally gave in and showed us the goods. It was so fun to see his little feet and hands wiggling around and all his anatomy working together to grow and keep him alive. It really is amazing to be able to see all of that stuff. Technology is SO cool!
I'm still feeling great and finally have a small semblance of a bump. It really looks more like I ate a huge Thanksgiving dinner and it's easy to hide so I don't think anyone can tell still but maybe that's just my opinion. People have told me that I look like I'm losing weight but I'm eating more this week so I'm sure the gain will start soon. I have noticed that I'm more tired in the second trimester than I was in the first but my guess is that's due to the lack of sleep from puppy patrol and not to the pregnancy.
Yesterday I felt what I knew was movement for the first time. It was after lunch and I think he must like sweet potato fries because he was rocking out. It was CUHRAZY feeling. It's still hard to believe that there's a living being growing INSIDE of me and now I can feel it moving around and it will only get more intense. I doubt it's something I'll ever get used to.
So there's the update. I'm 18 weeks four days, same due date! I'll scan some ultrasound pictures when I get home and try to upload them and I'll also try to get a bump shot. The fun continues!
The ultrasound this morning was awesome. The tech was FANTASTIC and took a lot of time explaining everything she was doing and she said she sees nothing amiss or out of place or concerning and that as far as she can tell, he's perfect. The doctor will take a look at the ultrasound pictures and do some more measurements to make sure she's right but I'm confident that we're in the clear and he's developing as expected. He wasn't as wiggly this morning as he has been in other ultrasounds but the tech said that was normal as they start to get bigger. He was, of course, all curled up with his legs crossed and knees up near his face making it difficult for us to see his man parts for a while, but we poked at him a bit and he finally gave in and showed us the goods. It was so fun to see his little feet and hands wiggling around and all his anatomy working together to grow and keep him alive. It really is amazing to be able to see all of that stuff. Technology is SO cool!
I'm still feeling great and finally have a small semblance of a bump. It really looks more like I ate a huge Thanksgiving dinner and it's easy to hide so I don't think anyone can tell still but maybe that's just my opinion. People have told me that I look like I'm losing weight but I'm eating more this week so I'm sure the gain will start soon. I have noticed that I'm more tired in the second trimester than I was in the first but my guess is that's due to the lack of sleep from puppy patrol and not to the pregnancy.
Yesterday I felt what I knew was movement for the first time. It was after lunch and I think he must like sweet potato fries because he was rocking out. It was CUHRAZY feeling. It's still hard to believe that there's a living being growing INSIDE of me and now I can feel it moving around and it will only get more intense. I doubt it's something I'll ever get used to.
So there's the update. I'm 18 weeks four days, same due date! I'll scan some ultrasound pictures when I get home and try to upload them and I'll also try to get a bump shot. The fun continues!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Schmebenteen Weeks
Holy moses, we've made it to 17 weeks!!
There's not much new to report. I'm starting to feel some tightness in my abdomen and when I lay on my stomach it definitely feels like there's a foreign entity in there but baby still hasn't decided to make an appearance so still no belly shots. It's all the same, has been since the beginning. Maybe I'm carrying in my butt? There's plenty of room in there so I wouldn't be surprised. I've had a few twinges of what I assume is round ligament stretching pain and that's a bit uncomfortable but nothing horrific. I sometimes think I'm feeling little flutters but I have serious doubts about them being real. Maybe one out of every twenty
My appetite is still about the same. I don't eat as much, portion wise, and figuring out what sounds good is still a bit of a battle but as always, once it's in my mouth everything tastes great. I have been eating a ton of Mexican food lately but I think it's more out of ease than an actual craving. Everything tastes better in a tortilla, says me, and that's been a constant in my life. One of these days I'm going to make a ton of homemade tortillas if I can only figure out how to roll things into a circle...
Clothes, rings, shoes all still fit just fine. There are a few pairs of pants that are on the higher rise side that are a wee bit uncomfortable but honestly, I'm pretty sure that's due to the pre-baby weight gain and not baby itself since this little sucker has pulled almost eleven pounds off me so far and, as I mentioned, isn't sticking out at all.
Working out is still happening often. I love my new pregnancy workout DVD and have another one I'm planning to order. I haven't been as diligent because that sweet puppy of ours REFUSES TO SLEEP so I spend a lot of mornings trying to catch up on the sleep I didn't get the night before rather than working out. Hopefully soon that changes so I can get back to every day. I am walking at least forty minutes a day though, so that's good. I feel great despite the lack of sleep and really have no complaints there.
I went online to register last night. Boy is that yucky. And let's be honest, they just don't make cute boy or gender neutral stuff. I want a nice swing but do my options HAVE to be either cows or pink flowers? Can't we do something a little bright and colorful and somewhat fun? Even the boppy covers are hideous if you're not having a girl. Wah-wah. The stuff I end up really liking always ends up being the MOST expensive, like the Baby Bjorn bouncy seat which is apparently made of PURE PLATINUM because if not, they are ripping us all off, folks. I'm going to try to brave Target and Buy Buy Baby later on next week. Hopefully I have better luck. At this point all I'm really registered for is a ton of Aden & Anais swaddling blankets. Those are all I'll need, right?
I'm in Florida for a few days doing some personal assistant work as a side-job/favor for a friend of mine. It's BEAUTIFUL here and, extra bonus, I got to see my amazing friend Angie from high school. After almost seven years of infertility and a horrible adoption experience she just randomly got pregnant and has the CUTEST little girl named June. I was so excited to meet her and spend some time catching up. My timing was perfect because their little family is moving to San Francisco at the end of the month, so another couple of weeks and I would have missed them!
So that's that. We have our "big" ultrasound in a week and we'll see if this little guy is really a little guy and get a bunch of measurements. It's funny how I was so anxious to find out the gender as early as possible but haven't done much about it since I found out. Maybe I'm still hoping the ultrasound was playing a trick? Yeah, probably.
So there you have it. Week 17 in all it's boring glory. I'm sure next week will be really similar. Party on.
There's not much new to report. I'm starting to feel some tightness in my abdomen and when I lay on my stomach it definitely feels like there's a foreign entity in there but baby still hasn't decided to make an appearance so still no belly shots. It's all the same, has been since the beginning. Maybe I'm carrying in my butt? There's plenty of room in there so I wouldn't be surprised. I've had a few twinges of what I assume is round ligament stretching pain and that's a bit uncomfortable but nothing horrific. I sometimes think I'm feeling little flutters but I have serious doubts about them being real. Maybe one out of every twenty
My appetite is still about the same. I don't eat as much, portion wise, and figuring out what sounds good is still a bit of a battle but as always, once it's in my mouth everything tastes great. I have been eating a ton of Mexican food lately but I think it's more out of ease than an actual craving. Everything tastes better in a tortilla, says me, and that's been a constant in my life. One of these days I'm going to make a ton of homemade tortillas if I can only figure out how to roll things into a circle...
Clothes, rings, shoes all still fit just fine. There are a few pairs of pants that are on the higher rise side that are a wee bit uncomfortable but honestly, I'm pretty sure that's due to the pre-baby weight gain and not baby itself since this little sucker has pulled almost eleven pounds off me so far and, as I mentioned, isn't sticking out at all.
Working out is still happening often. I love my new pregnancy workout DVD and have another one I'm planning to order. I haven't been as diligent because that sweet puppy of ours REFUSES TO SLEEP so I spend a lot of mornings trying to catch up on the sleep I didn't get the night before rather than working out. Hopefully soon that changes so I can get back to every day. I am walking at least forty minutes a day though, so that's good. I feel great despite the lack of sleep and really have no complaints there.
I went online to register last night. Boy is that yucky. And let's be honest, they just don't make cute boy or gender neutral stuff. I want a nice swing but do my options HAVE to be either cows or pink flowers? Can't we do something a little bright and colorful and somewhat fun? Even the boppy covers are hideous if you're not having a girl. Wah-wah. The stuff I end up really liking always ends up being the MOST expensive, like the Baby Bjorn bouncy seat which is apparently made of PURE PLATINUM because if not, they are ripping us all off, folks. I'm going to try to brave Target and Buy Buy Baby later on next week. Hopefully I have better luck. At this point all I'm really registered for is a ton of Aden & Anais swaddling blankets. Those are all I'll need, right?
I'm in Florida for a few days doing some personal assistant work as a side-job/favor for a friend of mine. It's BEAUTIFUL here and, extra bonus, I got to see my amazing friend Angie from high school. After almost seven years of infertility and a horrible adoption experience she just randomly got pregnant and has the CUTEST little girl named June. I was so excited to meet her and spend some time catching up. My timing was perfect because their little family is moving to San Francisco at the end of the month, so another couple of weeks and I would have missed them!
So that's that. We have our "big" ultrasound in a week and we'll see if this little guy is really a little guy and get a bunch of measurements. It's funny how I was so anxious to find out the gender as early as possible but haven't done much about it since I found out. Maybe I'm still hoping the ultrasound was playing a trick? Yeah, probably.
So there you have it. Week 17 in all it's boring glory. I'm sure next week will be really similar. Party on.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Apple Tree Growing a Banana
Well, we had our 16 week ultrasound and everything looks perfect...and baby has a wiener. What?!?!?! Craziness I tell you. I have officially announced the pregnancy to the world and so I will now publish all my ramblings from the last three months.
It's all very exciting and scary and weird and awesome and...yeah. I think my mind was convinced I would never get to this point so processing the fact that we're actually going to be parents is a little odd, but I love it and I can't wait to meet our little guy.
Below you will find all the posts leading up to today. Some are a bit repetitive and some are kind of depressing...sorry about that!
It's all very exciting and scary and weird and awesome and...yeah. I think my mind was convinced I would never get to this point so processing the fact that we're actually going to be parents is a little odd, but I love it and I can't wait to meet our little guy.
Below you will find all the posts leading up to today. Some are a bit repetitive and some are kind of depressing...sorry about that!
I remember reading somewhere that our subconcious minds can sometimes have "anniversary reactions" to traumatic things in our past. People will sometimes have complete melt downs out of the blue and then realize it was ten years to the day since a loved one died or other such things. I think my brain does that.
This Saturday, January 28th, is the anniversary of our first due date. Honestly, it's not a date I think about much anymore, given all that's happened, but I do remember it if I think about it. I haven't thought about it much for the past month though.
As I've mentioned, my younger sister is pregnant and is due on March 13th. As many of you can imagine, the timing of her pregnancy has been difficult for me - and for her, quite honestly, so it's been a several month struggle for our whole family as we try to figure out how to be happy for one and sad for the other all at the same time. Anyway, some girls from church and I are throwing her a shower and it happens to be on the 28th. As I was sending out invites I kept trying to figure out why it felt like I was supposed to be doing something that day...but I couldn't think of anything. Then this morning, strangely enough as I was going to the bathroom, it all hit me.
Saturday should be my baby's first birthday.
Within moments I was crying as all of the emotions from all the miscarriages hit me like a ton of bricks. I was suddenly taken back to the first one and the pain of the cramping, the second one and the visit to the ER and the last one and having to walk in the doors of the abortion clinic. Even as time goes by and my thoughts are focused on other things, when I really think about what happened the pain is as real and as horrible as it was the day of each trauma.
I think somewhere inside of me I thought that if I were to get to the point in a pregnancy where I knew almost certainly that we'd carry to term, all these feelings would go away and now I realize they are something I will carry with me my entire life. I will always be missing three babies who I had for just a little while. Those due dates will probably always be hard. I guess in a way it's a good thing, to never forget the hard things we go through and learn and grow from them...but I just never really expected the pain to be so very...painful...as time went on.
This Saturday, January 28th, is the anniversary of our first due date. Honestly, it's not a date I think about much anymore, given all that's happened, but I do remember it if I think about it. I haven't thought about it much for the past month though.
As I've mentioned, my younger sister is pregnant and is due on March 13th. As many of you can imagine, the timing of her pregnancy has been difficult for me - and for her, quite honestly, so it's been a several month struggle for our whole family as we try to figure out how to be happy for one and sad for the other all at the same time. Anyway, some girls from church and I are throwing her a shower and it happens to be on the 28th. As I was sending out invites I kept trying to figure out why it felt like I was supposed to be doing something that day...but I couldn't think of anything. Then this morning, strangely enough as I was going to the bathroom, it all hit me.
Saturday should be my baby's first birthday.
Within moments I was crying as all of the emotions from all the miscarriages hit me like a ton of bricks. I was suddenly taken back to the first one and the pain of the cramping, the second one and the visit to the ER and the last one and having to walk in the doors of the abortion clinic. Even as time goes by and my thoughts are focused on other things, when I really think about what happened the pain is as real and as horrible as it was the day of each trauma.
I think somewhere inside of me I thought that if I were to get to the point in a pregnancy where I knew almost certainly that we'd carry to term, all these feelings would go away and now I realize they are something I will carry with me my entire life. I will always be missing three babies who I had for just a little while. Those due dates will probably always be hard. I guess in a way it's a good thing, to never forget the hard things we go through and learn and grow from them...but I just never really expected the pain to be so very...painful...as time went on.
2nd Trimester, Day 1
I made it to 14 weeks! I just need to get past this week and I can probably start getting excited. I just had my check-up with my OB and, despite waiting an hour every single time I go to that office, I LOVE HER.
There had been a mix up with my last name in her office (the first time I saw her years ago I still had my maiden name on all my insurance information) so they hadn't put my NT scan results in the right file, but once we got it sorted out she expressed frustration that the office where I had the scan hadn't called her directly to tell her about the bleed they found. She scheduled me for an extra ultrasound in two weeks so make sure it's healed itself and everything is going fine. I am so relieved that she's willing to do this for me AND it means we'll probably get a peek at the sex of the baby four weeks early! WOOT!
We had a good chat about me stopping my progesterone (thank goodness) and she recommended that I do the screening for cystic fibrosis in two weeks when I'm back at her office. She said that the blood test will let us know if there's an issue with the baby - which in this case, unlike the NT scan, there are things we can do to fix or prevent them - but it also tells us how my placenta is doing, something she said she'd really like to know with my history. So in two weeks I have a regular check-up, an ultrasound and a blood test. Two to three weeks after that is the BIG ultrasound where they for sure find out the sex of the baby and look at a bunch of other stuff. I'm getting more excited as I type this because it all means we're nearly out of the woods.
In other news, which I think is good but is probably indifferent, I've lost eight pounds in the first trimester. I can see why since my appetite is totally random and I get full really fast, so I'm eating a lot less and trying really hard to make sure what I do eat is at least halfway good for me...though the In-N-Out Double Double I downed on Saturday disagrees with that statement. Apparently baby likes a good cheeseburger.
There had been a mix up with my last name in her office (the first time I saw her years ago I still had my maiden name on all my insurance information) so they hadn't put my NT scan results in the right file, but once we got it sorted out she expressed frustration that the office where I had the scan hadn't called her directly to tell her about the bleed they found. She scheduled me for an extra ultrasound in two weeks so make sure it's healed itself and everything is going fine. I am so relieved that she's willing to do this for me AND it means we'll probably get a peek at the sex of the baby four weeks early! WOOT!
We had a good chat about me stopping my progesterone (thank goodness) and she recommended that I do the screening for cystic fibrosis in two weeks when I'm back at her office. She said that the blood test will let us know if there's an issue with the baby - which in this case, unlike the NT scan, there are things we can do to fix or prevent them - but it also tells us how my placenta is doing, something she said she'd really like to know with my history. So in two weeks I have a regular check-up, an ultrasound and a blood test. Two to three weeks after that is the BIG ultrasound where they for sure find out the sex of the baby and look at a bunch of other stuff. I'm getting more excited as I type this because it all means we're nearly out of the woods.
In other news, which I think is good but is probably indifferent, I've lost eight pounds in the first trimester. I can see why since my appetite is totally random and I get full really fast, so I'm eating a lot less and trying really hard to make sure what I do eat is at least halfway good for me...though the In-N-Out Double Double I downed on Saturday disagrees with that statement. Apparently baby likes a good cheeseburger.
Great Practice
Well, results are back from the NT Ultrasound...baby has less than a 1 in 10,000 chance of having Downs or Trisomy...something. The genetic counselor said those are the best odds they give so we can safely say baby doesn't have those things and we shouldn't need to do an amniocentesis, which carries an added risk of causing miscarriage so I was praying we wouldn't have to do one of those. Small miracles, my friends.
As for the blood pocket, all the report said was "There appears to be a pocket of fluid or old blood in the uterus to the right side of the amniotic sac." Uhhh, right. KNEW THAT. Lucky for me I have an appointment with my OB on Monday so we'll at the very least be able to hear a heart beat to make me feel better. I may beg for an ultrasound, just to make me feel better about it, as I'm (at least what I feel is understandably) stressed out about it. We'll see.
In other news, we got a French Bulldog puppy - Dr. Watson (Watson for short). He's nine weeks old and totally adorable, but I've decided we basically have a newborn without diapers. He wakes up every few hours, has to go outside every 20-30 minutes when he's awake as part of his potty training and I can't leave him alone for a second without making major preparations for accidents - both bathroom and chewing related. Despite the down sides, we are totally in love with him and I figure this is great training for baby. We'll get him crate and potty trained just in time for me to have this little sucker in my belly and start all over again. PARTY!
We are getting closer and closer to this being my longest pregnancy. I'll be 14 weeks on Monday, so if we make it to the end of next week I'll feel a little better. Unfortunately, not a lot, but at least a little.
As for a supply/preparation update, I didn't buy anything for the babies during the first two pregnancies, but after 12 weeks in #3 I went and bought a really great diaper bag on sale at the Kate Spade Outlet in Las Vegas. This time, I decided I would be a little optimistic and purchase a stroller I've been drooling over for the last year and a half. I found an AWESOME deal on Craigslist for a Bugaboo Cameleon with accessories out the wazoo and as a bonus it also came with a Maxi Cosi Mico carrier and two carseat bases. Retail for all of this stuff would have been somewhere in the ballpark of $1300 and I got it all for more than a thousand less than that. There are a few small flaws here and there and everything needed a bath but I've tried it all out and it works great and the family took great care of everything so I feel really lucky to have found it. The one "flaw" in my plan is if my husband's family genes take over and I birth a bohemoth child. The carrier only goes to 20 lbs so it may only last a few months if that happens. Worst case I'm hoping the car seat bases fit the larger Maxi Cosi carriers or something like that. We'll see. No matter what I've got two big-ish expenses out of the way. Now I just need to find $1200 under a rock so I can buy my dream crib...which isn't going to happen so I'm on the search for something similar that is more along the lines of $100. I have a friend who has great baby furniture connections (she got a $3500 lucite crib for something like $500) so I'm going to see what hook-ups she might have.
So there's the update. 13 weeks, 4 days. Yikes.
As for the blood pocket, all the report said was "There appears to be a pocket of fluid or old blood in the uterus to the right side of the amniotic sac." Uhhh, right. KNEW THAT. Lucky for me I have an appointment with my OB on Monday so we'll at the very least be able to hear a heart beat to make me feel better. I may beg for an ultrasound, just to make me feel better about it, as I'm (at least what I feel is understandably) stressed out about it. We'll see.
In other news, we got a French Bulldog puppy - Dr. Watson (Watson for short). He's nine weeks old and totally adorable, but I've decided we basically have a newborn without diapers. He wakes up every few hours, has to go outside every 20-30 minutes when he's awake as part of his potty training and I can't leave him alone for a second without making major preparations for accidents - both bathroom and chewing related. Despite the down sides, we are totally in love with him and I figure this is great training for baby. We'll get him crate and potty trained just in time for me to have this little sucker in my belly and start all over again. PARTY!
We are getting closer and closer to this being my longest pregnancy. I'll be 14 weeks on Monday, so if we make it to the end of next week I'll feel a little better. Unfortunately, not a lot, but at least a little.
As for a supply/preparation update, I didn't buy anything for the babies during the first two pregnancies, but after 12 weeks in #3 I went and bought a really great diaper bag on sale at the Kate Spade Outlet in Las Vegas. This time, I decided I would be a little optimistic and purchase a stroller I've been drooling over for the last year and a half. I found an AWESOME deal on Craigslist for a Bugaboo Cameleon with accessories out the wazoo and as a bonus it also came with a Maxi Cosi Mico carrier and two carseat bases. Retail for all of this stuff would have been somewhere in the ballpark of $1300 and I got it all for more than a thousand less than that. There are a few small flaws here and there and everything needed a bath but I've tried it all out and it works great and the family took great care of everything so I feel really lucky to have found it. The one "flaw" in my plan is if my husband's family genes take over and I birth a bohemoth child. The carrier only goes to 20 lbs so it may only last a few months if that happens. Worst case I'm hoping the car seat bases fit the larger Maxi Cosi carriers or something like that. We'll see. No matter what I've got two big-ish expenses out of the way. Now I just need to find $1200 under a rock so I can buy my dream crib...which isn't going to happen so I'm on the search for something similar that is more along the lines of $100. I have a friend who has great baby furniture connections (she got a $3500 lucite crib for something like $500) so I'm going to see what hook-ups she might have.
So there's the update. 13 weeks, 4 days. Yikes.
The Infamous NT Scan
So I had my ultrasound yesterday. The neonatal specialists office was...interesting. The TV in the lobby was turned up SO LOUD and everyone working there (including the doctor who was working the front desk?) was super casual and super nice. It was just very different than my usual doctor visits.
They took my blood and talked me through what they were looking for and all that jazz. Of course I was asked the magic question in every stage.
"How many pregnancies does this one make?"
"Four."
"And you have three babies at home?"
"No. I have no babies at home."
Pause.
"Oh. I'm sorry. This one is going to work out!"
EVERY TIME.
Finally, it was time for the ultrasound. Thankfully, no more magic wand ultrasounds. We're finally external around here. THANK GOODNESS. Also, they used the warmed up jelly which was a first. Nice and toasty warm.
So, the tech starts the ultrasound and the first words out of her mouth are "Hmm, you've got a decent sized bleed in there."
First (panicked) words out of my mouth were "IS THE BABY STILL ALIVE??!??!"
"Oh, yes! Just fine! Sorry about that. I don't think it's anything to worry about unless you've been spotting or bleeding"
I sort of wanted to kick her. This woman had JUST been told, by me, that I've had three miscarriages in the last 18 months. One would think that it would be something obvious that the first words out of her mouth would be something along the lines of "nice healthy baby!" or "everything looks great!" Nope. She went with YOU'VE GOT A DECENT SIZED BLEED IN THERE. Not frightening at all to a woman who hasn't made it past fifteen weeks, right? Sheesh. Talk about a heart attack.
After that she started measuring. Everything was looking fine and then the baby decided it was time to wake up and dance. It was kind of awesome. It was rocking out in there. The tech kept saying "please don't roll over, baby" and baby listened and instead got into an even better position for measurement so we were able to see a whole lot of stuff even better. She also measured the heartbeat which was right on track at 164bpm and the baby was measuring at exactly 12 weeks and two days, so we're looking good.
In the NT screen they check for the nasal bone (which was present) and then they measure the nucal translucency (eh?) which is the fluid between the baby's spinal cord and neck skin. The lab has to take a look at that measurement so we don't know if it was good or not but other than that, and the weird bleed which the doctor will check out - everything looks good. They'll share the results with my regular OB and maybe I'll be able to get an extra ultrasound due to the bleed. And hopefully I don't start spotting because that would freak me the hell out.
So, here are the latest ultrasound pictures. One is a facial profile (kind of hard to see but if you squint and shake your head it starts to make sense) and the other is obviously the whole body side shot.
So there you have it. Everything but the bleed are normal. Yahoo.
They took my blood and talked me through what they were looking for and all that jazz. Of course I was asked the magic question in every stage.
"How many pregnancies does this one make?"
"Four."
"And you have three babies at home?"
"No. I have no babies at home."
Pause.
"Oh. I'm sorry. This one is going to work out!"
EVERY TIME.
Finally, it was time for the ultrasound. Thankfully, no more magic wand ultrasounds. We're finally external around here. THANK GOODNESS. Also, they used the warmed up jelly which was a first. Nice and toasty warm.
So, the tech starts the ultrasound and the first words out of her mouth are "Hmm, you've got a decent sized bleed in there."
First (panicked) words out of my mouth were "IS THE BABY STILL ALIVE??!??!"
"Oh, yes! Just fine! Sorry about that. I don't think it's anything to worry about unless you've been spotting or bleeding"
I sort of wanted to kick her. This woman had JUST been told, by me, that I've had three miscarriages in the last 18 months. One would think that it would be something obvious that the first words out of her mouth would be something along the lines of "nice healthy baby!" or "everything looks great!" Nope. She went with YOU'VE GOT A DECENT SIZED BLEED IN THERE. Not frightening at all to a woman who hasn't made it past fifteen weeks, right? Sheesh. Talk about a heart attack.
After that she started measuring. Everything was looking fine and then the baby decided it was time to wake up and dance. It was kind of awesome. It was rocking out in there. The tech kept saying "please don't roll over, baby" and baby listened and instead got into an even better position for measurement so we were able to see a whole lot of stuff even better. She also measured the heartbeat which was right on track at 164bpm and the baby was measuring at exactly 12 weeks and two days, so we're looking good.
In the NT screen they check for the nasal bone (which was present) and then they measure the nucal translucency (eh?) which is the fluid between the baby's spinal cord and neck skin. The lab has to take a look at that measurement so we don't know if it was good or not but other than that, and the weird bleed which the doctor will check out - everything looks good. They'll share the results with my regular OB and maybe I'll be able to get an extra ultrasound due to the bleed. And hopefully I don't start spotting because that would freak me the hell out.
So, here are the latest ultrasound pictures. One is a facial profile (kind of hard to see but if you squint and shake your head it starts to make sense) and the other is obviously the whole body side shot.
 |
| Facial Profile, with a little nose and pouty mouth. |
 | ||
| Whole body profile. The line is them measuring from top of the head to the butt to determine size. You can see the white spots of baby's arm and leg up above the belly. |
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