I like this.

About that 'moratorium'...

It can go into affect after the weekend, OK?!? Babies R Us was having a 'Member's Only' sale, and I got all these things for less than $20! And I have a 30% off everything Old Navy coupon this weekend!

More Bedding Options.

I like these as well...(if you're not sure what I'm talking about, see post two down from here!). Opinions?

I like this one a lot..I've always been a fan of brown/pink as well, and it's not too terribly girlie except for the pink explosion...I wouldn't paint the room pink though. Maybe a cappuccino/mocha color instead.

Baby's First Loot!

It has come to my attention that gender ultrasounds are just a ploy by mass-producing baby clothing companies to draw in business, and the sonographers are merely their pawns. See evidence below:

I know you can't tell by the picture (it's hard to fit that much in one screen without having to step waaaaaaaay back), but those clothes have little hearts, baby elephants, baby owls, teacups and polka dots on them. What was I to do? Seriously, I need help. I've known I am having a girl for 29 hours, and Baby B (as she will be known until she has a name - it could be a while!) is now the proud owner of her first NINE outfits, as well as some separates (a onesie, a pair of pants and a sweater). In my defense, I am a bargain shopper through and through, and paid a whopping total of $70 for ALL of the pictured goods, but still...ay ay ay. I see this heading in a dangerous direction! It's just...she's so danged cute. How do I know, you ask? Duh, she's MY daughter. Just kidding. But seriously, I just know she's so adorable and deserves EVERYTHING. And apparently everything is what she shall have.

I have placed a temporary moratorium on baby shopping. I cannot buy anything for AT LEAST twenty-four hours.

I'm doomed.

Baby Bedding.

These are the two I'm trying to decide between right now. They're both the right amount girly/feminine, and yet not over the top, no ruffles, and have other patterns/colors besides pink. Always a plus!

OR

Which do you prefer? Comments welcome, as always, but not sure how much they're going to sway me one way or another. I have one I'm leaning towards, but wanted to see what other input I could get first.

Yesterday's U/S Pics!

This is her face, with eyes and nose and lip showing. No deformities or markers for concern. Very good news!


Face again? To be honest, I have NO idea what we're looking at in this one. I just take the pictures Dr. Allen gives me!



Dear baby,
This is the only time EVER I want to catch any of your goods on the internet, ya hear?
Love,
Mom

More News...

So, in my extreme excitement and also exhaustion, I only thought to post that it's a girl. Here are some other highlights from yesterday's appointment:

~SHE passed her major fetal anatomy inspection with flying colors, with all major organ systems looking great. She has two healthy kidneys, a healthy bladder (hopefully with a larger capacity than her mother's!), her brain is developing healthily, and all limbs and bone structures, including her face, are looking great. Go little lady!

~Mention of her heart was noticeably absent in the last statement because, frankly, with all the worry about what me having Fifth Disease early in pregnancy could do to the baby's blood supply, I thought this news deserved it's own little blurb: Her heart looks great, without any fluid build up, and we are now in the clear with regards to me having had Fifth Disease!!!!!!!!! No more specialist visits, no more chance of her needing a blood transfusion. Thank you, God.

~While everything I read and am sent weekly on her development says that she should be weighing in at 5-6 oz, homegirl weighs half a pound already, which both terrifies me and makes me VERY happy. Terrifies me because eventually she has to evacuate, and makes me happy because I've been worried about her growth due to my low weight gain/lack of belly/stomach virus, and apparently she's growing JUST. FINE. This is also good news because the bigger she is, the more likely Dr. R will induce for sure, which is ideal for budgetary reasons :)

ALL GOOD THINGS! What a fantastic appointment!

It's a...

GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Belly Shots: 17w2d

Note the clean mirror ;)

Our Routan Baby!

I thought this was pretty hilarious. According to the VW Routan Babymaker, this is what our child is going to look like:


My only issue, though, is that THIS BABY LOOKS LIKE A BOY. Crap. And I'm pretty certain our little homey's hair is going to be slightly darker, and maybe a wee bit curly (gasp!). I'm feeling the eyelashes though. Clearly I was wearing a fantastic mascara in the picture of me I uploaded for this.

Click here to make your own Routan baby!

17 Weeks!

17 Weeks, and a little stomach bug to show for it :/ Here's what's happening:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Puberty or Pregnancy?!?

Is there that much of a difference between the two?! Well, except of course that one ultimately ends in a child, while the other drags on and on and on and ends in, well, nothing but a nice set of knockers if you're lucky (which I was not)?! I guess you can actually count that one in the similarity box, since pregnancy is doing wonders for my little girls that puberty never did.

I ask because recently my skin has decided to start a complete and utter revolt against it's normal, peaceful, clear state. Oh, how I miss you, clear skin. I now more closely resemble a teenage boy, which is ironic, considering the rest of me has never been more feminine. There is nothing masculine about growing a human being from scratch, is there?! IS THERE? That's another thing...my patience has dropped through the floor, and it was already a bit lacking to begin with. God forbid you ask me to repeat myself, or don't answer me right away when I'm asking you a question. In that way, I definitely identify with a hormonal, pre-menstrual teenager girl.

Other than that, I would like to report I'm feeling well, but between the accident last week, the resulting stress of car shopping this week and the distress my stomach has been feeling the past few days, I'm not. I'm feeling bitchy and bloated and like everything I eat has been laced with Dulcolax. I forgot to mention the wretched case of insomnia I've acquired as well, waking up at 4AM like clockwork each night and staying wide awake until nearly 5 or 5:30...awesome. Does wonders for the mood I'm in lately, let me tell you.

I must say, however: I'm still in surprisingly high spirits considering the events of the past week...maybe it's Henry? Buying a new car? Two thumbs down. Having a new car? Fantastic!

Henry's Home!!

Here is Henry, in all his beautifully detailed, new-car-smelling glory! I am happy to report he got fantastic gas mileage on the way home from the dealership (If your car is equipped with an MPG calculator, consider yourself lucky. Just the awareness it brings is enough to bring your MPG's WAYYY up!)!


Welcome home, Henry!

And we shall call him...

...Henry. Not the baby, sillies! My new car!

That's right, folks! Car shopping has come to an end!!! HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!! Thanks to the outstanding folks at Covert Ford, namely Dee Yeo and Mike Cox, we got a great deal on my new Eddie Bauer Explorer, and it took a cumulative hour and forty-five minutes. No joke. They are SO amazing! I'll never buy a car anywhere else. Covert was George's first home as well, and coincidentally, my salesperson sat in the same cubicle as the salesperson I purchased George from...I knew it was a good omen!

He hasn't come home yet, since I had a car there with me last night, but after he gets detailed and washed this afternoon, I'll be taking Henry home tonight! So EXCITING!!! Pictures to follow. Know this though: Henry is baller :)

16w2d Belly Shot!

I must be a masochist to continue to post belly shots...though note the absence of any stretch marks. It seems that the bloated belly of 14w2d has vanished, to be replaced by the actual baby bump of 16w2d. Forgive the toothpaste on my mirror - it's the only drawback of the Sonicare :)

(Ed. Note: Yoga pants are not doing anything forgiving for my hiney in this picture, but I swear it's not actually that size on a regular basis!)

In Other News...

Yesterday morning around 10:30AM, I was in a very serious car accident. I'm not eager to relive the gory details just yet, but long story short, I got trapped in my car, locked in with smoke and chemicals pouring in from the airbags deploying. It was, by FAR, the scariest thing to ever happen in my life.

I was taken to the hospital at the suggestion of my OB, Dr. R, and the people at Seton Medical Center on 38th Street were fantastic. Nicest hospital staff I've ever come into contact with! I was having some severe left-side abdominal (not uterine!) pain when I arrived, so they drew some blood, set up an IV 'just in case' (is there anything scarier than them preparing for just in case when you're pregnant and in the hospital?!), and took my blood pressure in every position about 100 times. All looked good, but they consulted a radiologist for fear that the pain on my left side was my spleen having ruptured, and since I couldn't have a CT Scan due to my pregnant state, they took me up for an abdominal u/s. All checked out OK, and they only instructed me to keep an eye on the pain, and if it got suddenly worse to come back in, because sometimes they rupture after the fact. Conclusion: my abdominal wall just hurt like hell from the impact/airbag/seatbelt combo...the latter two most likely saving my life - so I can take a little pain, no problem. I am, however, really missing pain pills like hell right now!

The good thing to come of it was that we got a nice, long look at baby, who is looking big and quite cramped in there already! Heartbeat was nice and strong (the world's nicest nurse, Jane, checked the heartbeat for me before she even drew blood or anything else, so we knew little one was alive), and baby was squirming around everywhere, annoyed with my sonographer! I must say, he/she is very beautiful :) I cried through most of it, since all the fear and insecurity and doubt I had been feeling lately melted away when I thought I could have lost him or her. It was so nice to get a peek at baby.

...Of course, since I was there looking pathetic and banged up and sobbing like a little girl, I figured now was the time to 'work' this look and ask about the baby's sex! The sonographer obliged me, and looked for like 10 MINUTES, and there is NO PENIS. However, he said that, "..just because there is nothing between the legs, doesn't mean it will stay that way." Hmm..doubtful. It's my understanding that if a baby is going to have a penis, HE does at 16 weeks. I know the absence of a P doesn't guarantee a V is there, but I'm thinking girl. It remains to be seen for sure, though, so let's not get our hopes up (or down, in some cases) yet!

I am sore as hell this morning, as I knew I would be, but trying to plug along, and figure out a few things now. My car is...well, let's just say I'm not quite sure it's fate. It's either damn close to totaled, or just barely totaled. It remains to be seen. I will say this, though: I was just getting hell for my choice of a large SUV as a single girl the other day, asked why I didn't '..trade that beast in and get a sports car or something.' While to his credit, he didn't know I was pregnant, I can reply this with confidence: That car, that gas-guzzling, obnoxious, 8-seater SUV? He saved my life yesterday, and the life of my child. Had I been in a little Kia, or Honda, or God forbid a Smart car (not so smart in this occasion, eh?), I feel certain that at least one of us would not be here. My Expedition is durable to a fault - I can take out others, but they can't touch me. I have NEVER seen it get so much as a scratch in a collision, which means that the impact was severe and just-right to make the front crumble in like that, and in a car, would've been so much worse. While I've been wanting a smaller vehicle to save on gas, insurance, etc., the irony of the situation is that if my car is totaled, and I have to buy a new car, I won't be buying a car. Our lives are far more important than saving a bit on gas money, especially with a baby in the car. The second two rows escaped unscaithed, and though I hate paying for nearly 30 gallons of gas a week, had my baby been in that car, he/she would've been just fine, if a little scared.

So thank you, Charlie, my beloved car. I hope you make it out alive, since I feel so fond of you just now, though I am terrified to get behind the wheel again before kiddo arrives, though I have to. If you don't, though, thanks for giving up your life for ours. And thank you, God, because it all could've ended SO very differently. Thanks for having our back :)

I promise to never take my baby or my life for granted ever, EVER again. And all of you shouldn't either! Life is so much more fragile than we give it credit for!

16 Weeks!

Today marks 16 weeks in!! Very exciting!

How your baby's growing:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

How your life's changing:

The top of your uterus is about halfway between your pubic bone and your navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. You're probably feeling a whole lot better as you settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.

Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, many don't feel their baby move until about 18 weeks or more. (And if this is your first baby, don't be too impatient — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so.) The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll be able to feel them much more frequently.

16-Week Appointment

Holy cow, time is flying by! I couldn't believe it was already time for my next appointment this morning! Wowsers!

Appointment went great. Baby's heart rate was 153, so slightly lower than it's been (161 and 167, respectively), but according to the old wives tale, it still seems likely to be a girl, despite the lack of scientific basis of the theory :) I'll take what reassurance I can get! My fundal height (measurement from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus) is at 16cm, so right on target, giving less credit to those 'twins' comments ;0) I've gained a total of 4.6lbs (now is NOT the time to round up!), apparently mainly in the past two weeks, so while completely bummed out (I may have even shed a tear on the scale, but I was feeling emotional and hungry this morning), the doc is proud and says I'm on the low side of normal, which beats the crap out of being on the high side. I keep telling him I refuse to pull a 'Kate Hudson' and gain 70lbs for my ONE baby. He just laughs. Have I mentioned I love Dr. R, lately? He's fantastic.

My blood pressure was 99/60, which is great, so no signs of any pre-eclampsia at this point, though that typically rears it's head later on. It still can present with elevated blood pressure at the beginning, though, so I'm lucky it's stayed low. The only time it was remotely high was before my NT screening, when it was 120/80, and I was feeling a bit stressed at that point, so that makes sense.

They also did the AFP (alpha-feta protein or something close to that) draw today to check for signs of neural tube defects, namely spina bifida. Those results will be back on Monday. Dr. R was QUITE pleased with my NT screening results, as am I, so crossing my fingers on these results, and then that will be it for screening tests and blood draws for potential problems. My 20-week appointment is scheduled for August 13th, and if (God forbid) wee one doesn't cooperate for the gender ultrasound in 12 DAYS (!!), we'll find out then instead. They also plan on doing a 24-week ultrasound to make sure I'm not showing signs of cervical incompetence, since I had to undergo surgery a couple times before, which is a risk factor. I'm trying to have faith that all the u/s's will look great and put us in the clear, and basking in the thought of seeing our baby three times between the end of this month and mid-September. My mom is coming out in September also, and my 24-week appointment is slotted for that week, so I'm hoping she'll get to come and see baby!!! How exciting!!!!!!!

Whew!

So, despite my extreme desire to not be 'that woman' that calls her doctor's office EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK., I gave in and called earlier after the dry cleaner that questioned me about my pregnancy last week (inappropriate) asked me if I had lost the baby (very inappropriate!). I knew I was looking smaller despite not having had any fluctuation in my weight, but I basically went from looking five months pregnant to looking like my normal self and wearing my regular clothes. Hmmm..

Anyhow, I called the doctor, and they said that it's totally normal to have those extreme changes in appearance. While it can be disconcerting, it could be due to a number of factors: bloating, water weight, baby's position, etc., which is basically what my mother said also, so I feel much better. My 16-week appointment has been moved up to Thursday at 8:45 though just to check in on the little one and for my own peace of mind.

Oh, how I love Dr. R :)

The Incredible Shrinking Belly?

In the past several days, I've been noticing that my belly seems to be getting smaller, as opposed to bigger. Here we are this morning (15 1/2 wks):

Clearly there is something there, but this is about where I was at 11 1/2 weeks...should I be worried about this? Or just grateful? These are my size 4 pre-baby shorts and a size small shirt...it seems even smaller in person (the belly, not the clothes..) Hmm...

Pregnancy Amnesia?

I'm sure you think I'm referring to the unfortunate absentmindedness that goes hand-in-hand with pregnancy. Looking back, it was actually one of my very first symptoms. However, that's not what I want to talk about today. What I want to talk about today is the unfortunate phenomenon of OTHER women forgetting what it's like to be pregnant and miserable and saying things like, "If I didn't know better, I'd think it was twins!" Oh yes, I've been getting a bit of this lately from women I would expect to, um, I don't know, be a BIT MORE SENSITIVE?

That particular comment came from a relative. I LOVE that particular person with all my heart, but you DO know better, having seen a billion ultrasound pictures, so WHY OH WHY would you say that? Not to mention, this would be a more justified comment had I been needlessly packing on the pounds. But at 3 lbs up, and with the only enlarged feature of my body being my belly, THAT'S JUST NOT NICE. And clearly, given that we're related, you've concluded that naturally she's had some children herself, right? You would think women who have been pregnant EVER may stop and think to themselves, Hmm, I wouldn't have wanted someone to say that to me, but this seems to rarely occur.

Take a friend of mine for example. She decided to tell me this long, drawn-out story about a co-worker whose baby died sporadically when she was eight-and-a-half-months pregnant. I love you dear, but WTF was the point of that story? Remind me to tell it to you when you're just passing the stage where you feel you can breathe a sigh of relief, just to keep you on your toes.

The worst is when other pregnant women or recently pregnant women tell similar stories. "While I was in the hospital, another woman's baby was stillborn." Great. Fantastic. Way to put thoughts into my head (and dreams!).

So, please. I'm not trying to pick on anyone or call anyone out. I just wonder sometimes why women, including strangers at the grocery store, think horror stories or comments about our weight/body/etc are appropriate?! My advice is this: Remember the golden rule. If you wouldn't want someone to say it to you while you're getting increasingly rounder and your ankles are swollen and your body isn't functioning quite the way it's supposed to and your face is breaking out, DON'T SAY IT TO THEM.

15 Weeks!

For some reason, this one feels like a big milestone. Maybe just the nice, round number?! 5 weeks to halfway there!!!!

How your baby's growing:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

How your life's changing:

You've probably gained about 5 pounds* by now (a little more or less is fine, too) and are well into the swing of your pregnancy, but you may still be surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then. If your nose is stuffed up, for instance, you can probably chalk it up to the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased blood flow to your mucous membranes. This condition is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." Some pregnant women also suffer nosebleeds as a result of increased blood volume and blood vessel expansion in the nose.

Don't be surprised if you and your partner are feeling a little stressed out these days. Many pregnant couples worry about their baby's health and how they'll handle the changes ahead. But with physical discomforts on the wane and energy on the rise, this is also a wonderful trimester for most women.

*YAY! I'm only at 3lbs! Muahahaha!

First Baby Presents!!

First off, STUPID. INSOMNIA.!!!!!!!!!!

Second, yesterday I got my first two baby (and mommy!) presents in the mail. What a fantastic surprise!!!!!!!!!!!
Baby officially has it's first outfit, a cute little yellow number that says, "I love mommy" Heck, yeah. Also, a little whale bath scrubbie...very cute! I cannot wait to know the sex so not only can I paint the room, but I can also do the bathroom up all cute! 18 days to go! Thank you, Granny Wendy!!!!!!!!!

I also got a package from my kickass friend T, who had a baby last year around the same time I'll have this little one, and has been ENDLESSLY helpful in the advice/sympathy department. She sent me some kick ass mommy books (loving them ALREADY!!), baby's first book - Five Little Monkeys - and a little blue blanket/lovey animal. SO cute. I've been feeling a bit...nervous and overwhelmed...lately, and these two packages totally squelched that and reminded me how much I have to look forward to! THANK YOU!!!!!!! (Baby says thank you also...I know by my increased appetite that woke me up in the middle of the night for some cocoa krispies :) )

AHHH! My baby has things!!!!! How adorable :)

Starting to Feel Better!

FINALLY!

The time has come where I can ditch (usually) my afternoon naps and still make it to 10 & 11PM - though I still love a good, long weekend nap when I can sneak one! I notice that the days that I've done yoga I am flat exhausted by 9PM, but can usually stay awake for a bit just the same. My only complaint with yoga is that I am SO excruciatingly sore from coming back hard after an eight-month hiatus. Not only that, but I am an uber competitive person, despite the fact that yoga isn't meant to be a competitive sport, and like to pick out the best person in the class and then compete with them. I guess I should start counting my pregnancy as a slight disadvantage, especially since it's quite disheartening to me that the best person in the class is no longer me :(

My work schedule has dropped off to mainly half days this week, with Fridays being regular days, and that is making all the difference in the world! I would definitely not have the time or energy to do yoga, or pick up some babysitting for extra $$, if it weren't for this schedule change!

I am also finally getting my hair cut and my highlights touched up after (*gasp*) FOUR MONTHS without a touch up. Holy crapballs! I'm hoping that if I can't stop my belly from protruding, I can at least divert attention up and away to my gorgeous, full locks? As it stands right now, people prefer to look at my belly, and I'm almost with them on that one!!

Here's hoping all the hormones don't make my highlights whack out! Although I'm guessing having orange or red or some other funky color highlights would also work wonders on diverting attention from my belly?!

19 days until we find out the sex!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As Promised...

..just two days late :) Oops!

14w2d belly shot:

In my yoga clothes this AM:
Lord, I'm huge.

Prenatal Yoga.

So, I started my prenatal yoga class at 24-hour yesterday, and good Lord I can hardly walk. I knew it would be like this, since I was quite the yoga devotee up until my layoff in November, but geez...rather than taking it easy I decided I wanted to 'prove myself' since it had been so long since my last practice...and I'm pretty certain I overdid it. It also didn't help that I ended up in a power yoga class, rather than an Ashtanga or Hatha Flow class..

I definitely feel more radiant and strong though...it's kind of mitigating the effects of feeling like a massive heifer now that I'm starting to show!

Hello, Second Trimester!!!

Good morning, beautiful world. Hello, enormous sigh of relief. I'm in an infinitely good mood this morning! Why you ask? I have FINALLY arrived at my second trimester where I will reside for 14 glorious (fingers crossed!) weeks until October 10th (could that seem further away?!)!

Development this week (14 weeks):

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Things to come (for us) in the second trimester:

*More energy!
*Feeling baby kick in 3-6 weeks!
*Others being able to feel baby kick!
*Finding out gender in 3 1/2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!
*20-week scan, where we take a close, in-depth view at all baby's organs and verify gender again!
*I have my last MFM Specialist visit to look at the baby's heart to see if me having had Fifth Disease when I first got pregnant will have any long-lasting effects! - 7/28
*Prenatal Yoga
*Baby Shower - 9/12/09

Development (of baby) in second trimester:
*Lots of weight gain, and ability for me to feel his/her movement
*Completely differentiation of genitalia!
*Baby will grow from 3 1/2 inches (the length of a lemon) to 14 1/2 inches long in the next 14 weeks, and will grow to over two lbs in weight, rather than the mere ounces he/she still is.
*Baby will reach the age of viability, where God forbid something happens and I go into pre-term labor, baby will have a chance of survival.
*By week 27, baby's lungs will be developed enough to work with medical support if born early. Working at CPS, I saw a baby come at 22 weeks who lived, so I am ever-hopeful.

Happy second trimester to me!!!!!!!!!!

PS: Belly pic to come this afternoon!

First Trimester Wrap-Up!

A few milestones here today:

First off, it's the last day of my first trimester. 'Bout freakin' time!!!!!!!!! First, I thought it ended at 12 weeks. Then, thirteen perhaps? NOPE. Fourteen weeks starts trimester two, the fabled beautiful, pleasant energy-full trimester will be arriving in four hours. HECK YEAH.

Second, I'm unabashedly fat, and am now wearing maternity pants, which make me look even f'ing fatter, since they don't force your belly in like a harness. Awesome. You should've seen D's eyes when I walked out in them. I think it's nearly facebook announcement time, since baby is announcing his- or herself whether he's ready or not. Holy moses!

Third, I start prenatal yoga either this weekend (ideal), or Monday (significantly more likely). I have only gained a couple pounds (fluctuating between 1.8 and 2.2, so we'll call it an even 2), but I want to continue a SLOW AND STEADY weight gain, rather than blowing up now that I'm supposed to be gaining a pound a week (major sad face!), and want to do whatever I can to keep my body in good shape to help* handle the demands of labor. Plus, my bump is only cute in yoga clothes, despite the fact that I'm certain I look closer to five months pregnant than 3.5. Crap!

Happy Fourth of July weekend, everyone! Be safe!

*I am not delusional enough to think that this will help more than .01%. Don't worry.

It's official!

...some of my clothes aren't fitting too well these days. Currently, I'm rocking the hair tie around the button and through the buttonhole look to give my pants/capris a bit of extra use. I am CLEARLY not ready for maternity clothes (am I?!), and this way I don't have to buy regular clothes in larger sizes in the meantime. Bad for my budget AND my self-esteem!

I think a trip to Motherhood Maternity may be in my future, though. I was just hoping to put a trip there off until ~5-6 months when I'm clearly pregnant and when I have an idea of what size I'll need to get me through my pregnancy...right now I feel like anything I buy will be too small in...minutes? Basically.

Last night was the first night I nearly cried about my size, thinking I would never be thin again. I know this is a sentiment ALL pregnant women feel, but for only having gained ~2lbs, I sure am huge! Even my legs feel huge...where is all this coming from if I haven't put on much weight, though? Ugh.

I know it's for a good cause, and I can totally handle that. I just wish I weren't in this does-she-have-a-beer-belly-or-could-she-be-pregnant stage...it'll be cuter and easier to handle when people are certain which it is!

GREAT News!

Yesterday, I got such great news!

Dr. Allen, my MFM Specialist that did my NT Screening and will do my gender/anatomy scan to determine if my fifth disease affected the baby's heart at all, called to say that my results had come in from the NT Screening. For someone my age (25), the risk of having a baby with Downs Syndrome is 1/1250. After reviewing my AFPF and HCG levels and the measurements taken during the ultrasound, the risk of this baby having Downs is 1/8,600, and the risk of the baby having trisomy, a serious and usually terminal genetic condition, is 1/10,000. I'll take those odds! I'm SO glad I did the screening!!!!

That great of news makes bonuses and money and anything else, really, just not seem to matter :)