21 weeks

How have I been feeling?... Good but slowly declining. My right hip is bothering more than it was and my back is just not right. Good thing I go to the Chiropractor, it's a life saver and boy do I wish Daddy A was one himself.

What am I looking forward to.... New Years....THE YEAR our baby will be born! That is CRAZY to me, getting the nursery started, finishing some things around the house, registering, my baby showers, etc.
 

Any weight gain yet? Yes, I gained another pound EVEN with all I ate over Xmas, only 1 pound. YAY me! So, I guess that makes me up 8.5 pounds. I think that's under what I should be but I SWEAR, I am eating enough. I just eat pretty healthy.
 

How big is baby?... Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot or the size of a banana depending on what website you look at. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

Sleep?... Not great but ok. I have another pregnancy pillow that I'm borrowing from someone and it's been great so far. I feel little PGA kick the most around bed time and I love it. I just hope he doesn't get into the habit of staying up while I'd like to sleep and kicking away and me OR I hope that it's not a sign that he's not going to sleep after he's born.

Health... Still good thanks to my Vitamin D's, Omega 3's and Calcium pills. Oh and my Prenatals, I'm sure they help as well.

Cravings... This week, APPLES. As we were driving to Cali last week, in the rain, around 7 or 8 pm I said to Daddy A, "I want a nice, juicy, crisp apple." You know what he said to me? "We have some chips in the back seat." I didn't WANT chips, I wanted an apple, damn it! lol Well, needless to say, I didn't get an apple until the next day and it was aaaamazing and I ate some everyday since then. I can't get enough of those or clemintines. YUMMMMM!!

Food Aversions... Still nothing. YAY!

New sensation....  I've had some tingling in my nipples and I'm starting to see some white stuff on only my right nipple. Weird? I'd say so. I'm guessing I will have tons of supply from that boob. lol

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but I'm feeling little Preston kicking ALL the time now. I felt him kicking around week 18, I think, it was Dec. 8th. It felt like 4 little taps to the left of my belly button and then the next day I felt 2 more. I wasn't feeling them all the time but NOW I AM!!! It's amazing. He's more active at night right before bed. I love it.

Next appointment... January 11th to do another ultrasound. Yep, we're excited!

I am finally feeling and looking pregnant. I feel little PGA kick atleast once a day and I love it. I can't wait for when Daddy A can feel the little guy. We've picked out bedding, the crib and dresser/changer. We haven't bought any of them yet as I don't want to jump the gun YET. I'm not sure how long I can wait as we need a place to store all the precious clothes people have been giving us.

I signed us up for Hypnobirthing, which starts February 1st for 3 hours each session, which we have 4 of. I'm VERY excited about this and once we start going, don't you worry, I will update and fill you in on what it's all about!

Here is my 21 week 1 day picture because my camera didn't have the memory card in it on Monday when we took the picture. lol

20 weeks = HALF WAY BABY!!!

Let me start off by saying WHOA...20 weeks already? That's half way, where has the time gone? I can't believe it and now I feel like I'm kicking my butt into gear with things I need to get done before the big arrival. Yes, I know 20 weeks is still far away but the first 20 flew by so I'm sure the next 20 will as wel.

How have I been feeling?... Great...no morning sickness. It's been gone since week 15. YAY!

What am I looking forward to.... having 6.5 days off from work starting Wednesday around 10:30am! I cannot WAIT!!!
 

Any weight gain yet? I FINALLY weighed myself this morning and I've only gained 7.5ish pounds. YAY! That's great news to me!

 

How big is baby?...

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)
He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Sleep?... Still good but could be better. I'm tossing and turning a lot. I know have a body pillow and a small pregnancy pillow that lies under my belly and between my legs. They are both great but not easy to move when I flip sides.

Health... Great even with all these sick people surrounding me at work. Thank you healthy immune system!

Cravings... Surprisingly, I really haven't had many cravings. This week, I can't think of anything.

Food Aversions... Still nothing. YAY!

New sensation....  My boobs are seriously OUT.OF.CONTROOOOOOOOOOL!!! I caved today and bought to bras. Now, I started at a 34C and I am now a 38D! WHAT?!?! I am terrified what these puppies are going to look like once my milk comes in. OY!

Next appointment... January 11th to do another ultrasound. They couldn't get a great view of the 4 heart chambers so we get to see our little boy again... YAAAY! We're excited!

Here is my 20 week picture. I cannot believe the difference. I look HUGE in this picture but in regular clothes (not tight clothes), I really don't look this big, I swear!!  If I am this big now, I'm scared what I'm going to look like in 15 weeks. LOL

Finding the safest for baby

Wow, you would think registering for baby stuff would be easy. Well, let me tell you that it is not. 

Every parent wants the best for their child, right? I like to think EVERY parent does. Well, these (us) parents do!!!! We want the safest stuff for our little boy and future children. I’d also like to get gender neutral things so we can use them for future baby (s) and safe some money that way. There’s no need for a boy stroller and a girl stroller (if we have a girl) since when we have 2, we’ll probably want a double stroller anyways.

So, here I am researching and researching strollers. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I wanted to get the Expedition jogger stroller because it was adorable and looked easy to maneuver. I’ve read mixed reviews on it and decided to go with the Chico Cortina Travel System. It has THE safest reviews for the car seat, which is very very important since that’s when we’re all most vulnerable, I think. You can’t trust others around you so I want to do all that I can to help prevent any tragedies. 

Check, got the car seat and stroller set. Already picked out the crib and changing table/dresser that will be used as both. One he is not using the changing pad anymore, it will become a dresser. No need for an actual changing table, in my mind. I’ve heard it’s pointless and most of the time you end up changing him or her on the floor or bed or where ever you may be. 

Bottles are another story…………….

I don’t want plastic and I will be breastfeeding so I also need one that will not screw that up. I want to pump and store some milk so that Daddy A can feed our little boy too! This research has been going on and will continue to go on until I find the perfect ones. 

Mattresses are also another story………

I want an organic mattress to help reduce the changes of SIDS. I’ve read that the chemicals in regular mattresses can be a link to SIDS and I want to avoid SIDS with as many measures as I can. Also, there shouldn’t be coils in the mattresses either so this isn’t quite an easy choice that will require some time on my part.
OY.....it's all a little overwhelming, I'm not going to lie.

Finding out the sex.....

Yesterday was the BIG day. The day we had been waiting for since the day we found out we were going to have a baby. 

Our appointment wasn’t until 3:50pm (AZ MST) so the day DRAGGED on while I was at work. I couldn’t concentrate nor could I believe I was going to find out the sex of OUR baby. The baby growing inside of my belly, which let me tell you, is STILL a very surreal feeling for me.

Our little pup, Dexter, had an allergic reaction to a vaccine he got on Monday so I had stayed home with him in the AM and then Daddy A went home to be with him once I went to work. So, we were pretty occupied with that on Monday which made the day go by fast and kind of took our minds off the anxiety of finding out the sex. (Dexter is good now) 

 Daddy A was home before I was yesterday so I picked him up right after work and we headed over to our appointment. We just kept saying how we couldn’t believe we were going to find out WHO was in my belly…. Preston or possibly Emily. It just blew our minds. 

I was already VERY anxious/excited/nervous since we hadn’t seen our peanut since I was 8 weeks along. We just wanted to see a healthy little baby in there and we did plus got to know the sex. What a great day. But, when I get nervous or excited, I have to pee. They told me to drink 32oz’s of water an hour before my ultrasound. Let.me.tell.you…..I had to pee SOO bad, I thought if I had sneezed, I would have peed my pants, no joke. 

So, we waited….and waited….and waited some more, which felt like an eternity. Finally the ultrasound tech comes out and says “Stacy?” I don’t think I could have jumped out of my seat any faster than I did. 

I immediately laid down and pulled my shirt up and pants to my hips, she put the jelly on me (it was warm this time. woohooo) and asked if we wanted to know the sex. My response, “Uh, YES, pleeeeeeease!!!!”.

She started the ultrasound…there’s his head immediately and then down she goes and she went over the genital area very quickly and I saw 2 lines, which were butt bones and said “is it a girl?” She said “I thought you were going to say the other one.” She went back over it and I said “nope, that’s def. not a girl.” HAHA And it wasn’t….it’s a BOY!!!!! 

Daddy A and I both cried. I touched Chris on the shoulder and said “Aww, are you so happy babe?” He was speechless and we cried some more. Not only to know the gender but also to see how different our little boy looked from the last time we had seen him was just so amazing. He looked right at us with his eyes open, kicked me a few times and opened his fists so we could see his fingers. What a precious baby boy we have. 

I am SO in love with him already and I cannot WAIT to see/meet him. What a miraculous day it will be. I can see us right now in the hospital when they put him on my chest and both Daddy A and I are crying tears of joy! I can’t even imagine the joy and love that will come over us that day.

We cannot WAIT for May 2011 to meet out precious little Preston! What a very loved little boy he is already.

Here he is....

19 weeks

How have I been feeling?... Really good. Still pretty tired a lot but I guess that comes with the territory. I mean, growing a human isn't easy. Neither is owning a new home.

What am I looking forward to.... Tomorrow...the day we hopefully find out the sex of this little one. We are SO excited and can't believe it's finally here. Seems like yesterday I found out I was pregnant, telling my friends it would be FOREVER before we knew the sex of Baby A. Well, the time has come....I sure hope work goes by fast tomorrow.
 

Any weight gain yet? I still haven't weighed myself. I'm not doing it on purpose, I like to do it in the AM before I eat or anything and I've just forgotten. They will do it tomorrow at my appointment and I'm a little nervous about it.

How big is baby?... The size of a mango. 6 inches and 8.5 oz's. Wow! Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature. (Lets hope that doesn't happen)

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.
Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting.

Sleep?... Slowly getting hard to sleep good. I'm not supposed to sleep on my back or right side because my placenta can cut off the blood flow to me or something. haha I LOVE sleeping on my back and right side so this is becoming more difficult. Also, it starts to hurt if I lie on my back for too long.

Emotions... Ummm. I'm still getting irritated easily. lol

Health... Great even with all these sick people surrounding me at work. Thank you healthy immune system!

Cravings...This week....I can't think of anything. I really haven't had the crazy cravings most pregnant women talk about.

Food Aversions... Still nothing.

New sensation.... I didn't know holding your pee in while sneezing could be so difficult. Oh yeah, it is when pregnant. Sometimes I have to hold myself like a 5 year old. Geez louise! Also, I found a new freckle on my aereola...what the heck is that all about??? And my boobs are not the size of Asia...no joke. They are massive and it's time for me to get maternity/nursing bra's but I just haven't taken the plunge yet.

Next appointment... TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then Wednesday we have our group meeting again for the 2nd time. I'm excited to share the sex of our baby with the group! 

We are slowly finishing our Christmas shopping and getting ready for our drive to Northern California. I HATE the drive but it's better for us since we have our pup and it's much cheaper than flying. I cannot WAIT to have 6.5 days off of work. Sounds sooooo lovely.

I also can't wait to know the sex so we can start buying things and get the nursery started. YAY! Let the good times roll.

And here are my 19 week pictures. Please don't mind my tiredness, I had just taken a nap.

18 weeks

How have I been feeling?... Good but still exhausted....I know, story of my life lately. OY...and once Baby A comes, I will just continue the exhaustion, I know that.

What am I looking forward to.... Find out the sex in 1 week and 1 day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like it's SO far away still but yet so close I can taste it. I swear the torture seems worse the closer I get. I have had 2 dreams so far that Baby A was a girl until last night.....Baby A was a boy last night. It's driving me nuts...for a while I thought it was a boy because I wanted a girl so badly but now I don't know. I don't care either way, honestly, both are great but holy camolie, I just WANT.TO. KNOW!!! Baby A better cooperate on the big find-out-the-sex day.
 

Any weight gain yet? Again, haven't weighed myself but I am SURE there has been weight gain. I mean, look at my belly.

How big is baby?... 5-5.5 inches long. AWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! Still so tiny yet getting bigger. Good job Baby A! Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.
Sleep?... Great, thank God. I've never had sleep issues and I'm SO thankful I still don't. I'm hoping that will continue through the rest of the pregnancy.

Emotions... Irritated....still

Health... Nothing new to report...things are great.

Cravings...WATER!!! I have been SO thirsty lately that it almost makes me want to cry. I drink water all day, that's all I drink so WHY oh WHY am I so thirsty??
Food Aversions... Nothing....YAY!

New sensation.... Nothing that I can think of. My boobs are OUT OF CONTROL and I think in 1 week, they will no longer fit in my current bra's so off to Motherhood Maternity I go. Luckily, they aren't expensive like I thought and they will last through once I have the baby and I'm nursing (hopefully). That's what the girl at the store said, at least.

Next appointment... December 14th TO FIND OUT THE SEX. Yes, we are VERY excited for this! We can't wait to know if we have a he or a she growing inside of me. Also, we haven't seen Baby A since I was 8 weeks along, that was 10 weeks ago. So, this time, he or she will actually LOOM like a baby. I will cry, I know it as I'm sure Daddy A will too. We feel so incredibly blessed to have a part of each of us growing into 1 precious little person! :-)
2 weeks until I am half way through this pregnancy. That BLOWS my mind. I feel like we just found out and that was over 3 months ago. Wow, this really is flying by. I've been feeling great and actually going out and doing things that I wasn't doing during the 1st trimester. I'm so happy to be myself again.

We got our Christmas tree Friday night and I'm sooooo happy to have it. I bought a stocking holder for Baby A but no stocking because THAT will depend on if Baby A is a boy or a girl! Christmas' are going to be SO much more fun now with a baby around. You have no idea the things I have in my mind that I want to do with him or her. Polar Express up North is one of the top things I can't wait to take our little one to.
Here are my pictures.........
The first 2 are from Saturday when I felt HUGE in this outfit but I loved it. The 2 in blue were taken tonight! ENJOY!

17 weeks

How have I been feeling?... Good but still exhausted. Had my In-laws and Dad here, we did more stuff to the house so it's been non-stop since the end of October.

What am I looking forward to.... Having our house to ourselves again, Christmas shopping (I've done none) and finding out the sex in 2 weeks and 1 day! :-)
 

Any weight gain yet? Haven't weighed myself this week...the scale is at the apartment still. I'm sure I've starting gaining as food isn't an issue anymore. My belly's definitely getting bigger.  I've tapped into my hand-me-downs of maternity clothing and found that I LOVE maternity pants. I even bought my own pair yesterday at Kohl's. They are heaven and I really think all pants should have elastic waist bands. lol

How big is baby?... The size of an onion. Our 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.

Sleep?... Still sleeping great but I feel that won't be happening much longer.

Emotions... Irritated....still

Health... Nothing new to report...things are great.

Cravings... Ice cream and I made sure to curb that craving Sat. night after we went out to dinner. It was Thrifty ice cream and A-MAZING!!!

Food Aversions... Nothing....YAY!

New sensation.... Nothing new to report...still have huge boobs and the thought of buying new bra's makes me want to vomit.

Next appointment... December 14th TO FIND OUT THE SEX. Yes, we are VERY excited for this! We can't wait to know if we have a he or a she growing inside of me. It'll be great to put a name to the little one and to start buying things. I really want to get the nursery started soon.

I honestly cannot believe I'm 17 weeks. Seems like just yesterday we found out we were blessed with this miracle/blessing. People told me it would go fast but I didn't believe them.....I want the next 2 weeks to go fast so I can see our babe again and find out if we've got a boy or a girl and that he or she is a healthy one but then time can slow down again for a bit.

I need to start calling around to find some information about different classes I can take. I also need to start interviewing Doula's so I can insure I have the one that best fits my personality and birthing desires. There really is a lot that goes into preparing for the birth of your child. It's amazing what is happening inside of me, I'm constantly blown away and so blessed to be able to go through this naturally (ie: no infertility, medical intervention, etc).

Everyone says to relax before the baby comes and that once he or she is here, life will zip right past me. I feel like it already is...I'm 29 for God's sake, when did that happen?? I'm married to a wonderful man, own a home, and we're having a baby. A BABY!!!!! I still can't wrap my head around it and I probably won't for along time! I feel like we haven't had a chance to sit down and really take in the fact that we're expecting a child together. However, Daddy A has started talking to my belly more. Baby A finally has developed ears so he or she most likely can hear us talking to him or her. So sweet!!! :-)

Here are my pictures.........
Sorry folks, I took this weeks picture with a different outfit on, I just couldn't muster up the energy to go upstairs, find the outfit I needed and then change. So, you'll have to do with this outfit. AND, I feel like I look FAT! WOW! It must be the outfit. I swear, I don't look like that in person! haha Is that what they all say?? Also, not quite sure why it looks like I have a saggy booty in the picture on the right! HAHAHAHA

16 weeks

I know, this is almost a week late but we didn't have internet for a few days and then my in-laws and Dad came into town. I just haven't had time to sit down and do ANYTHING, no joke.

How have I been feeling?... I've been feeling good this week. Exhausted with all the house stuff that's been going on. Way too much for me to handle with being pregnant at the same time.

What am I looking forward to.... Honestly, having my house back to just me and Daddy A. I love having visitors but I also love doing my own thing and not having to worry about entertaining other people.
 

Any weight gain yet? Haven't weighed myself this week...the scale is at the apartment still. I'm sure I've starting gaining as food isn't an issue anymore.

How big is baby?... The size of an avocado...YUM! 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 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.

Sleep?... Again, another wonderful week of sleeping. I've been exhausted with working and then working on the house. I'm starting not to sleep AS great though as I'm not supposed to be sleeping on my back as much. This is hard for me as I'm a back sleeper so I toss and turn a lot.

Emotions... Irritated....lol

Health... Nothing new to report...things are great.

Cravings... Can't think of anything this week. Well, yesterday I really wanted some ice cream.

Food Aversions... Nothing....YAY!

New sensation.... My boobs...they are huge and getting even more veiny and sore again. Fun times, I tell ya.

Next appointment... December 14th TO FIND OUT THE SEX. Yes, we are VERY excited for this! We can't wait to know if we have a he or a she growing inside of me. It'll be great to put a name to the little one and to start buying things. I really want to get the nursery started soon.

Here are my pictures from Monday...........

A little of this, a little of that

Wednesday I went to our first group class at my MidWife's office. Daddy A had to work so he wasn't able to go with me but he will be joining me for the rest. There were 6 other couples besides me. When I first got there, we took our own blood pressure, tested our urine for protein and sugar, weighed ourselves, and then went in individually to see the Nurse Practioner where she went over our results (mine were all great, yay) and then did the Fetal Doppler to hear the heartbeat of our little peanut. It took her a while to find it, just like last time, but when she did find it, the baby would move so she'd have to go searching and then the baby would move again. That little stinker!! I didn't get an exact heart rate because he or she was moving so much but she said it was in the 150's.

Our first visit & ultrasound, the heartrate was 155. Our 2nd appointment with just the Fetal Doppler, it was 172.

It's amazing how wonderful the sound of a heart beat can be. It's a sound I will never forget nor will it ever get old. I love it. It's evidence I have a peanut in there growing. I mean, yes, my belly is growing but since I can't feel our peanut and I haven't seen him or her since I was 8 weeks, the heart beat is what keeps me sane and happy! :-)

So, after the group, I had to call and make my next appointment for 4 weeks later to do the Anatomy Scan and find out the sex. This is what we've been waiting for....is it a boy or a girl? We are dyyyyying to know and also to know he or she is healthy and developing normally. Our big day is December 14th at 3:50pm Arizona time. This day canNOT come soon enough. It's all I think about now. Can I buy blue, brown, and green clothing or will I be buying pinks and purples???

When I first found out I was pregnant, I instantly thought it was a boy because I wanted a girl so badly. However, I had a dream about 1-2 weeks ago, that was VERY vivid, and I gave birth to a healthy little girl with no Dr; my Mom delivered her and I was in no pain what-so-ever even with no pain medication. I like how my brain came up with that....I hope it turns out to be true although I HIGHLY doubt that. haha

Now I am to the point where I can really have either sex and I will be beyond thrilled....
A boy....they love their Mom's so much, they tend to be crazier than girls so if our 1st was a boy it'd be great to get the craziness over with, we'd have someone to carry on the Amador name, and we absolutely LOVE the boy name we have picked out so I'd love to use it.
A girl....well, their clothes are ADORABLE, I know what I'd do for her nursery, I want to have a great relationship with my daughter like I have with my Mom, and I'd LOVE to see Daddy A with a daughter....I know she would just melt his heart.

I really don't care anymore which sex it is....I JUST WANT TO KNOW. I want to know so we can start buying gender specific things and so we can start calling him or her by name and start bonding on a more personal level than just "oh hey, baby." HAHA

And we can't forget the fact that we are moving into a new home.....WOWZERS, it's tiring especially since I'm pregnant. I've been exhausted and started feeling like I was catching a cold....not a great combo. Momma A doesn't do well when she's exhausted. Yes, I know, I will be exhausted with Baby A comes into this world. I know. BUT...I won't be working or moving into a new home. Things will be settled at our new place and I'll have 12-13 weeks off of work to adjust to being a new Mom.

We are renting a moving truck tomorrow and loading it up with everything that's left and hoping to stay in the house tomorrow night. I am SO excited!! We also get all our new appliances tomorrow and our new kitchen table. This is even more exciting! hehe I will have pictures to post, don't worry.

15 weeks

How have I been feeling?... Well, this is hit or miss. With all the house stuff lately, it seems as though I haven't had time to think about it, which is great. However, while at work....that's another story. I felt not so hot at the end of last week but today I felt great. YAY...maybe we're on the uphill battle now with the morning/all day sickness. A girl can hope, can't she?

What am I looking forward to.... Moving into our new house, getting our new appliances this Saturday and our new table. Also, this Wednesday is my first group appointment at the Midwife's office. I can't wait. Although, Daddy A can't go, I think it'll still be great. I'm sure I'll get looks as to "awww, she's raising this baby alone" or "wow, her husband didn't even want to come with her?" Well, folks, he has school. I will make sure to make that known if we have to go around and introduce ourselves.
 

Any weight gain yet? I weighed myself this morning and I think I gained another pound. Oy vey...this better not be a look into the future....a pound a week...YUCK!

How big is baby?... The size of an apple! 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


Sleep?... Again, another wonderful week of sleeping. I've been exhausted with working and then working on the house. No joke, I go to bed before 9 and I'm out within 10 min's of hitting the pillow. It's quite great. I hope God isn't letting me sleep now because my baby is not going to sleep when he or she gets here (like his or her Father did when he was a baby).

Emotions... Same...get teary eyed pretty easiliy.

Health... Great! I've had such crazy boogers since getting pregnant. The over production of mucus is kickin' my butt. My nose just runs and runs. Also, when I've been blowing my nose, lately, there's a lot of blood. No bloody noses (which, I guess is common) but man, it's not really fun.
Cravings... Umm, this week, I can't think of anything. Today, at the grocery store though, I actually wanted to buy things. That's a first. I usually want NOTHING especially sweets. Well, I bought oreo's because they looked amazing...the golden ones. YUM! Oh, I've been LOVING english muffins in the am.
Food Aversions... I don't think anything, anymore. Well, as far as today goes, I can't think of anything.

New sensation.... My boobs...they are huge and getting veiny. Attractive....I know.

Next appointment... This Wednesday is the start of the group classes so I'm not sure when I'll have my next 1 on 1 appointment but it should be in 4-5 weeks to do the anatomy scan and to find out the sex of our little peanut. YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!
Alright, here are my new pictures.....I officially feel huge. I felt like my belly was going to pop all day. I think it's finally time to wear maternity pants. YUCK! I also felt something earlier today on my right side...I don't know if it was gas or a baby kick. Around 16-22 weeks is when you start feeling the baby so maybe it wasn't but I wanted to think it was!

14 weeks...WHAT?

How have I been feeling?... I've been feeling quite good this week. YAY for a step forward. When I'm at work and just sitting there is when my nausea seems to be the worst. When I'm up and doing something, I don't even think about it so it's either not there or I just don't notice it. I've been exhausted though due to mainly all the house projects we've been doing to get this house ready to move in to.

What am I looking forward to.... Moving into our new house. It probably won't be for another week and a half BUT once we get the carpets cleaned, which is Friday, we'll start slowly moving things in. Woohooo!

 

Any weight gain yet? Well, I think I finally gained a pound as of this morning at least. I can handle 1 pound in 14 weeks.

How big is baby?... The size of a lemon! Now, last week it was a peach. Aren't peaches bigger than lemons???
Anyways....
This week's big developments: Our 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.

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.

Sleep?... This week I've slept better than I've ever slept in my life. With all the house repairs, we've been going, going, going and then I crash the second my head hits the pillow.

Emotions... Well, nothing to report here.   

Health... Great! YAY...no sickness regardless of all the sick, hacking women around me at work. They all need to go home and cough on their own damn family.

Cravings... Pizza bagels. haha So, I caved and made them tonight on multigrain english muffins so they were a bit more healthy than a bagel.

Food Aversions... Well, meat is no longer an issue. Woohoo!! But, there's still a lot I don't want, for instance, chocolate. Ok, now if you really know me, you know that I LOOOOVE chocolate so this is very weird for me. Veggies and fruit are great though....very different but probably why I've only gained 1 pound.

New sensation.... nothing yet. Still no movement but that should start in maybe 2 weeks or so.

Next appointment... November 29th but I think I'm going to cancel that and start the group classes. Those start November 15th so Daddy A will have to miss the first one since he has class. BOO!

Alright, here are my new pictures.

Now, here are a few from the previous months...

13 weeks - 2nd trimester (just a couple days late)

HELLO 2ND TRIMESTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How have I been feeling?...  Pretty good this week. No headaches to report. YAY! That's a step right there! Woohoo!! However, I've had some intense dry heaving going on some mornings. Nothing comes out, which is good, but OMG, it's not very fun at all!

What am I looking forward to.... Doing more repairs on the house and joining a group thing at my Midwife's office. This is where we meet one night a week with other couples who are due around the same time as we are. We talk, get to know each other, learn lots of stuff about our pregnancies, soon-to-be babies, we learn how to measure my belly, weigh ourselves, take our own blood pressure, test our urine, etc. It sounds like a lot of fun. And the last meeting is after everyone's had their baby.
 

Any weight gain yet? Still no and I can't believe it. Since my last appointment, I actually lost weight but that's probably because I'm eating pretty healthy still.

How big is baby?... The size of a peach! Yum, that sounds good! Fingerprints have formed on our baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

Sleep?... This week it's been great because we've been SO busy with the house, I've been exhausted!

Emotions... The crying has subsided a little. I'm still doing it but not as much.  

Health... Great! YAY...no sickness!
Cravings... Ummm, actually, this week I don't think I've had any. Weird, I know!

Food Aversions... Still meat....

New sensation.... seems like my belly has finally popped! YAY!

Next appointment... November 29th or when the groups start and I don't know that date is!

Alright, here are my new pictures.

Here it is next to last weeks....

12 weeks

How have I been feeling?...  Well, generally pretty good this past week except over the weekend I had a another POUNDING headache. It wasn't as bad as last weekend but still was a pain in my head. hehe Still having some nausea and aversion to some foods.

What am I looking forward to.... My Mom coming into town on Wednesday and starting house projects. We closed tonight and got the keys! YAY!
 

Any weight gain yet? I haven't weighed myself in the past week.

How big is baby?... The size of a plum. Wow, he or she is really starting to grow! The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Our baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in our baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long and weighs half an ounce.

Sleep?... Umm, pretty good. Still getting up to pee once a night and that is not like me at all. I never used to get up and I liked it that way. lol

Emotions... The crying has subsided a little. I'm still doing it but not as much.  

Health... Great other than the constant nausea.

Cravings... I've been dying for some Baskin Robins ice cream so we went tonight after we got the keys to our new house. Hey, I can't celebrate with a beer so ice cream will have to suffice.

Food Aversions... Still meat....I hope that doesn't last 6 more months.

New sensation.... umm, I've got nothing.

Next appointment... November 1st and my Mom will be here so she gets to go with me! That's very exciting for both of us AND I'll be 13 weeks, which is next week. YAY!

Alright, here are my new pictures.

11 weeks

How have I been feeling?...  Well, generally pretty good this past week except over the weekend I had a POUNDING headache. I did nothing because it was just horrible. I laid on the couch with a warm wash cloth on my forehead and a heating pad on my neck. My Dr. said I could take Tylenol but that they didn't recommend any medications until after 12 weeks. Also, Tylenol does NOTHING for me so I decided to just wait it out. I really hope I don't have one this weekend.

What am I looking forward to.... A good friend's wedding this Saturday. I really hope I feel good.

 

Any weight gain yet? Nope, I think I'm back to my prepregnancy weight. YAY! All this healthy food is paying off!

How big is baby?... The size of a lime. He or she currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future. Also, his or her hands will soon open and close into fists and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

Sleep?... Last night was horrible. I tossed and turned all night. I think I'm in need of a body pillow already. Is it too early? EH, I think not. Whatever it takes to sleep good, right? Maybe even a BIGGER bed, now that sounds like heaven!

Emotions... Still crying a lot! haha I just can't seem to help it. 

Health... Very good, I've been eating healthy which in turn is keeping me healthy. Who needs a flu shot? NOT ME!!!!!

Cravings...Mac 'n' Cheese still. haha I haven't had it since last week though. And popsicles but I try to eat them a lot as I know...not very good.

Food Aversions... Meat...it's been making me gag and that's really sad for me. I LOVE chicken and could eat it every day. Actually, most foods make me want to throw up. The thought of Pei Wei makes me gag. haha And before getting pregnant, I LOVED Pei Wei.

New sensation.... Well,  my boobs have definitely started growing. *sigh* Not looking forward to buying new bra's AT ALL!!

Next appointment... November 1st and my Mom will be here so she gets to go with me! That's very exciting for both of us AND I'll be 13 weeks. YAY! This will also mark the day that I will finally announce this on Facebook. It's been killing me and I'm sick of people asking me when it's going to happen. Luckily no one (that knows) has said anything, which I'm completely shocked about that.

And here are my pictures!

Wow, it really looks like I have a belly. hehe YAY! But I don't look like this in regular clothes, I swear. By my bump, I want to say girl but I just have this feeling that it's a boy. Gosh, Dec. just can't come soon enough. People at work are finding out what they are having and another friend finds out next week. It's killlling me to know!

Collage of pictures-I tried!

Since I don't really know how to do this in Photoshop, I used Picnik and could only put 4 in at once so I'll have to do a couple of them. I will ask my friend to help! hehe

Here they are by request.

Sorry, it's all jacked up! But you get the point! There's no 8 week picture because when I went for my ultrasound they changed my due date by 6 days.

DOUBLE DIGITS...10 weeks

Wow, can you believe I'm at double digits now?!?! I can't. Only 3 more weeks until my 2nd trimester, that is SO exciting!!

How have I been feeling?...  The past few days I've felt pretty good. Yesterday I finally did some things around the apartment and I think I did too much because I was EXHAUSTED and had to take a nap. haha I haven't taken many naps since getting pregnant. Yes, I'm tired but I don't feel pure exhaustion like most people tell me I should.

What am I looking forward to.... 2nd trimester and CLOSING on our house! YAAAY!

 
Any weight gain yet? Nope, YAY! I have actually lost weight. I weighed myself a few days ago and I had lost 4 pounds. I guess that's because I haven't been feeling well for a few weeks and I haven't been eating crappy food as it doesn't sound good to me at all.

How big is baby?... The size of a small prune. I can't believe the changes going on. By the end of this week, development of fetal organ systems and the body are well under way. The baby is beginning to look more human. YAY!
Sleep?... Last night was horrible. I tossed and turned all night. Not sure if it's because the babe is getting bigger so it's getting hard to sleep on my back. Whatever it was, I didn't really enjoy it. lol

Emotions...I tend to want to cry for NO reason at all. Really, no reason. This is still the same....crying a lot.

Health... Very good. Taking my prenatals, vitamin D, and Omega 3's with DHA!

Cravings...Mac 'n' Cheese so I bought some Kraft yesterday and it was AMAZING!!! I haven't have Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese in FOREVER and it was just heavenly!

New sensation....Nothing this week either.

Next appointment... November 1st and my Mom will be here so she gets to go with me! That's very exciting for both of us AND I'll be 13 weeks. YAY!

And here are my pictures!

My lips look blue because I had some grape shaved ice at work. haha

I did notice my belly feels hard today. I made Daddy A feel it because I hadn't noticed it until today. WEIRD!

9 weeks

Wow, already? Where is the time going? Actually, I really can't wait for the 2nd trimester in hopes of feeling a lot better.

FOLKS.....we no longer have an embryo, we have a FETUS!! YAAAY!

How have I been feeling?...Well, mostly not good. Although, the last 2 days have been better. YAY! I haven't thrown up, thank God. I would be SO miserable if I was vomiting. I really hate doing it. YUCK! I'm hoping once I hit the 2nd trimester this morning sickness will go away and I'll get that boost of energy everyone talks about.

What am I looking forward to.... 2nd trimester

Any weight gain yet? I don't think so but then again, I haven't weighed  myself since last week. haha

How big is baby?...Aww, the size of a green olive. I don't like olives but it's still cute. The Bump says .9 inches. He or she no longer has the embryonic tail and can move his or her arms and legs. WOW!

Sleep?...I'm still doing pretty good with sleep, thank God. I have to get up and pee during the night now and I never used to do that.

Emotions...I tend to want to cry for NO reason at all. Really, no reason. The other day I was driving home and started crying for about a minutes. I still don't know why, it's pretty strange.

New sensation....Nothing this week.

Here are 2 pictures. I finally decided to take one with my shirt up as I've had a few requests for it. Enjoy!



Don't mind the hair AGAIN, I just got out of the shower. I swear, one of these days, I will look nice and put together! haha

1st ultrasound & a week further than we thought

So, today was the big day to see our little peanut on the monitor.

I was SOOOOOOOOO nervous before going in. Our appointment was at 7:30am and I had to drink 32 oz's of water before going ( that was fun lol).

We got right in and I really thought I was going to need the vaginal ultrasound because I've heard that's what you get for your 1st one. I was prepared, I shaved my legs for the occasion and well, that doesn't happen very often. haha

Little did I know, I didn't have to get the vaginal. YAY! I thought that'd be a little weird with Daddy A in there with me. Yes, I know he's going to be seeing a lot more giong on with my body than a little vaginal ultrasound but still.

She found the baby right away....we both cried. Daddy A tried to hide it but I could see the tears in his eyes. :-)

Then she said, "lets hear the heartbeat." Well, she didn't have to say that twice. There it was. We cried some more! haha WHAT.AN.AMAZING.SOUND. I was prepared to be emotional but not THAT emotional. It truly was the best sound I've ever heard. It was beating at 155 beats a minute and the heart was flickering so fast. It was just amazing. I'm sorry, there's no other word for it.

Also, I thought I was 7 weeks 3 days but I guess according to the size of the baby, I'm 8 weeks 2 days. YAY to almost a week further along than we thought!

I love my little peanut more than anything and I can't wait to see him./her again in December when we find out the sex. I hope he/she cooperates!

Here is the picture you've all been waiting for.

7 weeks

OK, I'm really bad with posting these on the actual day that I turn the next week. I'm sorry but I'm pretty tired now a days. lol

So, here we are at 7 weeks as of yesterday! Wow, I can't believe we've known about this pregnancy for almost 4 full weeks. I feel like it was just yesterday that we found out. Is that a precursor of how fast this whole pregnancy is going to go? I'll be honest with you, I do want the first trimester to go fast because well, a couple reasons; 1) I'm hoping the morning sickness will go away and 2) after the first tri, your chances of miscarrying go way down.

In 2 days, we get to see our peanut. OMG, we're sooooo excited to finally see what's going on in there. I'm preparing myself that we may not hear the heartbeat but I know we will see it. I'm also hoping that my due date will be changed to make me further along. I really don't think that's going to happen though as I KNOW when I ovulated so we shall see.

How am I feeling?.... Well, actually, pretty good. No wonderful but ok. I have my good and bad days. When it's a bad day, it isn't fun, all I want to do is lay down and take a nap. I really hate working right now and I blame it on being pregnant. I mean, I've never liked working but right now, I HATE it! I'm not sure why.

What am I looking forward to.... I told you, I'd talk about it every week until it happened SO.....I'm really looking forward to our ultrasound on Wednesday morning. It's going to be such a surreal feeling.

Any weight gain yet? Shockingly, no. I'm really happy and surprised about this. Although, I haven't been eating a ton because of the m/s and I haven't been craving any sweets. The mere thought of sweets actually makes me feel sick and I'm a sweets lover! Nothing has really given me a craving yet except the McDonald's fries and Mac 'n' Cheese. My good friend, Taylor, helped me with the Mac 'n' Cheese though. She made us a big tin of it and let me tell you, it's yummmmmmmmmmmmmmy!!

I bought a belly band. I'm not in need of it yet but I thought I would probably need it in a few weeks so I bought it to be prepared. It feels so weird, it's pretty tight feeling but I guess it has to be tight to hold on my unbuttoned pants. haha

How big is baby?...Aww, the size of a blueberry. How cute! :-)

Sleep?...I'm still doing pretty good with sleep, thank God. I know that will change once my belly gets bigger.

Emotions...Well, they go up and down. haha Today I had a down day. I just wanted to cry at work for no reason too. Sigh!!! And it's only going to get worse. My poor hubby!

New sensation...my nipples are burning. Oh what fun! HA! They are also growing already. I really hope they don't grow TOO big TOO fast because bra's are expensive and I'm not ready to buy newer, bigger ones. Sheesh!

Well, here is what you're all really waiting for....week 7's picture. Now, I swear, I don't look like this in normal street clothes and I'm not pushing it out at all.

Here's week six next to week 7.

Week 7's picture makes me think it's a girl because it looks pretty high. Now, I know this isn't an accurate indicator but I'm going to think that. lol I can't wait to see what the heart rate is going to be so I can guess on that too. :-)

Here is a little prayer for week 7 from a book my Mom got me. It's a beautiful book that I think every pregnant woman should have.

     "Lord, my baby's heart has been beating for a couple of weeks, but now it can be detected by an ultrasound. I can't wait to see and hear that little hear beating for myself!

     My baby's heart has both a right and left chamber now. Every day his inner workings get more and more complex- readying this little person for the outside world.

     God, I know that the actual heart isn't where our emotions live-but that's the symbolism we  use in our culture. I so want my child to be tender-hearted, never calloused or uncaring. I want him to empathize with the plight of others. I wan his heart to be pliable-easily squeezed with joy and even easily constricted with pain. I hate to think of his heart being broken, but a heart heart lacks the capacity to know true love.

     Lord, will you give him a soft heart, yet protect it as well? May he have a heart for the things you love.

     In Jesus' name, Amen."