Feed Me, Seymore!

Little Shop of Horrors it was at my last dr's appointment when I stepped on the scale and had gained three pounds in seven days!!! (Yes, according to the SAME scale at approximately the SAME time of day - no shoes the second time.) Yikes!! I've read everywhere that the going rate is one pound per week...HA! I feel like that bad "little" plant Audrey.....hungry, hungry, hungry all the time. Somebody stop me!!



So far this morning, I've had a bowl of cereal with blueberries, a large apple, pack of reduced-fat peanut butter crackers....and I'm STILL hungry. It's another hour until lunch :( This is how it is every day here lately, especially in the mornings. And snacking on grapes, apples, almonds and all that healthy stuff isn't cutting it - I want those "stick with you" foods like biscuits and donuts. (I just don't want them to stick to my butt!) Maybe the baby's having a growth spurt. I sure hope somebody is besides me and my thighs!!

Anyway, I got through the yucky GTT ~ Glucose Tolerance Test for gestational diabetes ~ fine, but won't find out my results for a few more days. So the next exciting thing: our 30-week 3D/4D ultrasound!! We are going on May 6 to see our little boy in utereo, and taking Mason and Chandler to "meet" him, too. I really hope he's kicking around a lot that day....usually afternoons are when he does start to get active. I can't wait!

Earning My Stripes

Well, really just "stripe" hopefully....one Linea Nigra is more than enough!! I just noticed this new arrival on my growing belly last week. It's super light, so really not too bad....but of course I Googled the heck out of it :) Several theories emerged as to what this is and WHY?

1. It's a symptom of hormones, just like the other skin pigmentation changes that commonly take place in pregnancy. Why it forms in such an orderly fashion is still a mystery.

2. It's where your abdomen muscles meet, or more accurately, at this point in pregnancy (second trimester usually)....where they fail to meet anymore. When your stomach muscles start being stretched that far, a line forms in the gap.

DARN. There goes my six-pack. ;)

3. It could indicate a folic acid deficiency or insulin issues. Hopefully this isn't the case! I'm taking folic acid with my prenatal every day, plus lots of extra from food. As for the insulin, I'll find out next week when I go for the dreaded Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT). Ick.

Really, unless it means something negative (which I really can't find much proof of) I'm excited about each new development like this! It means we're getting closer and closer to July 14 ~ I can't wait!!

Happy Baby!

Just a quick post...I've tried on all the computers to which I have access to convert the DVD we got at the ultrasound to a form I could post, but haven't had any luck (YET!) In the meantime, I did find a way to capture images from the DVD and just had to post our little man shooting us a smile!! It's only for a split second, but it was so funny I wanted to share:

Before:
After:

Oh, Happy Days!

It's a Boy!!!

And all boy he is, apparently. It took the ultrasound tech all of 2 seconds to determine the sex of the baby ~ he was ready to show it off! Thank goodness, everything looked great on our 20 Week ultrasound as far as scanning for birth defects, etc...Praise God! She checked him out from head to toe, and everything measured on target. He weighs 11 oz at this point ~ not even a pound yet! I, on the other hand, have gained 10 pounds in the past 20 weeks. Not too bad, but at the expected rate of 1 lb per week, that means I'll gain another 15 or 20 before the baby's born. That's quite a bit on short little me, especially since the baby only accounts for a small part of that!!

So here are the goods...hahahaha. There's an arrow pointing to the "turtle", and apparently, turtle = BOY!!! The thing that the arrow is on top of is the umbilical cord, according to the U/S tech.

In case you can't find the turtle, here's another view. (I hope he can forgive me one day for posting his parts for all to see!!!) Mommy's just so excited!!
Here's his little face in 2D:
And in 3D:

Kinda spooky!! :) The tech said it's a little early for the 3D/4D because they're not quite all filled out yet. In another 8-10 weeks, we'll go back and have one and you can really see how baby's features look! But, this was kinda neat for now.

Given how much he was moving around during the ultrasound, he was probably awake. His eyelids will stay closed for another 2 months or so, though.

They also gave us a video of the whole thing, and you can see the 3D part a bit more clearly, but whether or not I can get it in a format that will post on this blog...we'll see. Stay tuned!!

The Baby Bump

Well, I really didn't think I would be showing that much by now, and really depending on what I wear, you can't tell sometimes. But, I've grown out of all my pants except a select few pair that have been in the back of the closet because they were way too big (until now, of course)! So here's the progression since we first found out....

Coming up on Week 19, the baby is not growing so much in length these days, but instead putting on a little fat. It's also covered in fine hair called lanugo and that lovely vernix stuff. Only 8 more days until we find out if we're having a son or daughter!! Please pray for us that the baby will be in good health at this all-important ultrasound :)

A "Real" KICK!!

Today I finally felt this little baby kick!! The doctor said between 18-22 weeks is when you can begin to feel movement, and sure enough....right on time :) I've been feeling little twitches and thumps for about a week now, but just can't tell the difference between them and the usual tummy rumblings. Today, though, I felt this "poke" of pressure similar to something I felt Tuesday. Then, when I put my hand on my belly to feel, *THUMP*....there was another I could actually feel with my hand! Then a bit of what felt like rolling around in there, and baby must have gotten tired and settled down ~ how exciting!!

During Week 18, the baby is about 5 1/2 inches long. Or, the size of a soup can - ha!

Also, he/she is starting to develop the ability to hear and may be startled by loud noises outside the womb. Mark and I have to chatting with this little one...I read somewhere they will recognize familiar voices from inside the womb after being born!!

Only 11 more days until we find out 1) most importantly - if the baby looks healthy and has 10 fingers and 10 toes, etc. and 2) most anticipated: BOY OR GIRL!!!

(or as Chandler put it...."When do we find out if it's a boy or not?" Ya think he wants a brother?????)

This reminds me....why have only 4 people voted for Boy or Girl? Don't worry...your vote will not actually change the sex of the baby ~ it's just for fun! ;)

16 Weeks Today!

January 27
We got to hear baby's heartbeat at the doctor again today! We saw Nurse Melissa and she was super-nice....ususally as soon as they find the heartbeat and measure it, it's over. But, she let us listen for a really long time ~ I love that sound! I'd like to strap that Doppler to my belly and hook up a set of headphones and have continuous baby-feed into my ears :)

We also "heard" it kick, too, but I couldn't feel a thing. So, now I don't feel so bad - it is happening, but it's just too early to tell.

Today the heartbeat was 160 bpm, which is stil in the "girl" range if you put any stock into that wive's tale....we'll see in just a few weeks when we go for THE BIG ONE!!!! (20 week ultrasound where we find out the sex!)

Out of the "Baby Closet"!

January 13
Today we finally told our coworkers about the baby....whew! That was hard work slipping out to all those doctor appointments and wearing lots of swing coats and huge sweaters the past few weeks. To tell his folks, Mark printed off a picture of the 4 of us that we gave his family over the weekend. On the picture, it said:


Picture Frame: $7.99
Gift Bag & Tissue: $3.49
Photo Print: $1.29


Realizing there are 5 people in this picture.........PRICELESS!!



Mike "got it" right away and was even saying, "That's great, man!" etc....but all the rest were just puzzled, or saying what a nice picture it was! So, he got a good laugh out of that.

To tell my coworkers, Mark went to the Great American Cookie Co. and got a cookie that said "Someone in EA is Having a Baby!" and delivered it to the receptionist for my building. So, she called our secretary Sharon to pick it up, and I just laughed as I listed to the chatter over the cubicles as all the girls (and Keith!) mulled over who it could possibly be!!! They kept going over Sharon's only clue: the receptionist said some handsome man in a suit dropped it off....

(I'll have to agree with that!!)

Of course, they figured it out, being there aren't that many obvious answers to that question, in my department at least! So, 5 or 6 ladies come buzzing over wanting to know if I've got something to tell!!! YES, I DO!!!

Finally! It IS a "Real Baby"!!

January 6 ~ Today I'm 13 weeks and we got a test done called an NT Scan. It checks for Downs Syndrome and a few other conditions that result from chromosomal abnormalities. All these tests sure are nervewracking!! Thank goodness, things seem to be fine according to this one, though.

I hope today's not an indication of Little One's temperament...if it is, he/she is going to be one stubborn baby! We were there 2 HOURS for what should have been a 20 minute ultrasound!! the baby just wouldn't turn its head the right way, was flinging its arm up so they couldn't get a good view of the neck skin (that's what they have to measure). Three different people came in to try to get the measurements, in between which I walked, did side bends, used the bathroom, laid on my side, did squats....everything but cartwheels - ha!! Finally they got a good picture of it, but in the meantime while we waited for baby to change positions, they got loads of other great shots. These actually look like a little human's in there!

and our favorite...the "thumb's up"!

Time for the "real" stuff!!

December 19 - Our first visit to the OB for actual pregnancy stuff instead of just ultrasounds to see if the baby's OK. How exciting!! For me, at least....just the regular things like weight, blood pressure, all those questions they ask you about your history, etc. They did a second "dating" ultrasound to check the due date and it came back the same ~ July 14 (I CAN'T WAIT!!!)

At 10 weeks, the baby's supposed to be about the size of a kumquat (a what??)

The ultrasound machine was MUCH better this time, but I still think the baby looked more like a chicken or alien than human - ha! (But still VERY cute, of course :)

December 3: Graduation Day

Nine weeks today!! Congratulations, Baby! You are now officially a fetus instead of an embyro.


We had another appointment today and this was the first ultrasound that actually resembled a baby! Or, maybe more like a teddy bear, as the doctor called it. Here's the picture...you can see a great big body, and two blobs for arms and two blobs for legs. Of course, I was relieved again to see that little heartbeat.

At nine weeks, the baby is the size of a grape, or about 1 inch long and weighs as much as a paper clip.

So, we made it past scary week #8, but don't want to spill the beans yet. I mean, of course, we do! But, we've decided to tell everyone around 16 weeks...whew, that seems so far away!!

Fortune Telling

I was craving Chinese a few nights ago, and there's a great little place down the street from us. So, here I am worrying my head off between every doctor visit about the well-being of the baby...i.e. "Will there still be a baby next time we go?!" and here's my fortune I got to go along with my Sweet-n-Sour Chicken:




Of course, I immediately thought of the baby, but didn't say it because...how silly. It's just a fortune cookie, right? But then when Mark saw it, he grinned and said, "The Baby!!" Yay!! Yes, how silly, but at the same time, how FUN! :)

November 28, 2008

Nervous Ninny Mommy again! Our next appointment was supposed to be December 3, but they had us back a little early because of a little scare that, fortunately, ended up being nothing. I think Daddy was a little nervous, too, because when that little heartbeat showed up again on the screen, he JUMPED up to get a closer look, saying "There it is!!"

7 weeks, 2 days

My Little "Blueberry"-sized Baby!

I knew I was apprehensive about this visit, but I guess more so than I thought because when the doctor left the ultrasound room I just started Boo Hooing sobs of relief!! Whew! This pregnancy/baby business is hard work already...but so worth it :)

PS...Ok, I know these pictures aren't the greatest - they probably all look the same to you! I promise, the good stuff's coming!

November 21, 2008

I have been very much looking forward to this day, but also dreading it at the same time. I knew at our ultrasound appointment today, we should be able to see a heartbeat by now. PROOF of a baby, not just a blob in there! It's still hard for me to believe this is really happening sometimes.

What sweet relief when after a few seconds on the screen, we saw a little flicker....how amazing!

6 weeks, 2 days old...baby is the size of a lentil (I'm assuming that's some sort of small-ish bean?!!)

Since I haven't had a bit of morning sickness (Thank You, Lord!) and very minor fatigue, it's so nice to have a bit of confirmation that this baby's real. So far, aside from my nerves, it's been a walk in the park - we'll see if my luck continues!

Strange Blog Names

You're probably wondering what's up with the weird blog name, huh? Well, here's the conversation between us when Mark and I told Mom the news on the phone....

Mom: ...some random talk about getting a flu shot....

Julia: "Yeah, I went ahead and got one this year, like I always do."

Mom: "Oh, that's right. Didn't you say it made you a little sick?"

Julia: "Well, I thought it was the flu shot, but you know what it really was?"

Mom: "No, what?"

Julia: "I'm having a baby!!"

Mom: "What?!" (getting a little teary) "A baby? A REAL BABY?!!"

Julia: (crying) "Yes!"

Mark: (grinning ear-to-ear, wipes a tear away :))

So, now you know ~ we're talking about a REAL BABY here! Praise the Lord!

48 hours later...

...back to the doctor for a hormone level recheck and our first ultrasound! How exciting and totally nervewracking at the same time...until I realized there would be precious little to see (so, maybe not so much pressure ~ whew!) The HCG I had tested last time is supposed to double every 48-72 hours, and based on my first result, the doctor said anything over 5,000 would be good.

So, mooooooore nerves on my part. This is "the" test to see if the pregnancy is actually progressing. If the numbers aren't doubling, it's not a good sign. This has been the longest 48 hours ever! Thank goodness HCG came back at 5,504....yes, we might really be having a baby!! Now for the good stuff:

Here's the baby at 5 weeks, 4 days old!! All you can see here is the gestational sac (black part) and yolk sac (little white thingy underneath the gestational sac). Right now, the baby's the size of a sesame seed!

November 11, 2008

First stop this morning...the doctor's office for bloodwork, which they said would be back after 2:00 pm......the LONGEST day ever! I know the test I took said +, but there are supposed to be numbers in certain ranges to really confirm it. This seems just too good to be true :) What a relief when I called (at 1:45 - couldn't wait any longer!) and the nurse said, "Well, you're definitely pregnant."

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!! I started crying right there on the phone. This is really happening!!

November 10, 2008

Today's the day we found out we're going to be parents!! I slept fitfully all night last night knowing I was going to test to see this morning. Good thing I had a box of two, because I couldn't believe my eyes!! Mark was still in the bed snoozing away, and my heart was still pounding when I said, "Mark! Come here!" He bolted out of bed in there like I was being eaten by a bear - oops! Sorry about that wake-up call, but he was all smiles....and then back to bed he went!