17

 

You're a whopping 5 1/2 inches long this week and the size of a sweet potato! This week your beginning to accumulate all that cute squishy fat that we'll all enjoy squeezing and kissing and hugging once you come out. You're starting to listen to us and what's going on too! I think that's pretty cool! What do you think of Emma? Your eyes have finished moving from the side of your head to the front (thank goodness) and are even starting to move. And lastly little one, you'll be working on making little finger (and foot) prints too. No wonder we've been so tired! I'm especially excited because this is the week that I first felt you move (for real this time! And during the Pascha service!). It took me a while to notice you little one because you were being pretty gentle. I have felt you almost everyday since. This week we'll be getting a call from Kaiser to schedule your 20 week scan...can't wait to see you again and get some more cute little pictures. Oh and I ordered something special for your room this week too, I think you'll like it a lot!

17 week update!

How far along: 17 weeks and 6 days

Symptoms:The lower back/coccyx pain I experienced in the first trimester is back with a vengeance. It's more of a "caught" feeling actually and as soon as I stretch and pop whatever is out of whack back into place I'm good. The only bummer is I can't get on the floor in public. Oh well. I've been noticing that my belly is (majorly) growing too, and the stretching and pulling is rather intense (and painful! Round ligament pain!). Lisa Marie told me about this wrap that I could make to help support my stretching muscles and ligaments. I think it originates in Japan. It's pretty cool and feels so nice, until it twists up. I think I'll still be paying Babies R Us a visit to pick up a support belt though...maybe when we register in a few weeks. Other than that we're good. My humongo appetite has died down. I've been getting in two pretty good meals a day and some snacks.

Total weight gain: 7 (or 8?) pounds. A lot of my clothes don't fit right anymore. 

Maternity clothes: A friend of mine let me borrow some of her maternity clothes, sadly most are for cooler weather. I'm feeling pretty frustrated with my wardrobe these days. I still haven't figured out how to comfortable dress myself, and finding things that fit and that aren't too expensive is super tricky. 

Sleep: I have gotten on this really weird sleep cycle of waking late and staying up late. It makes me feel so lazy. Got. to. Stop!

Best moment last week: Feeling the baby move! I first noticed "something" during the ENTIRE Pascha service. I kind of played it off because I was super uncomfortable and tired...I thought maybe I was imagining it. THEN, I felt it again Sunday night. I was laying in bed, Thomas had already gone to sleep, I was still awake of course, playing around with my belly. I was poking it and squishing it, feeling around to see it I could tell where the top of the uterus was/is and such, it's sides, and poking this one spot that has gotten really hard in the last week or so. After a good 4 minutes I felt an "extremity" (I'm not sure if it was a hand or a foot) punch me...pretty much telling me "Stop that please, it's super annoying and some of us are trying to sleep"...it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo amazing!  Thank God!!!!!!!

Movement:Tons now that I know what it feels like. It's not constant, and only really happens in the evening or at night when I'm trying to drift off to sleep (I think baby ham is nocturnal). But occasionally during the day I'll feel little twinges and pokes. It's so fun!

Food cravings: Spicy stuff and milk for this week. 

Belly Button in or out: Still in, but it's definitely spreading/thinning out and becoming so flat (and ugly)...it looks so weird. But, on the bright side I can no get to all those cracks and crevices. I have a clean belly button complex from doing so many ekg's. I can't tell you how many times I lifted up a shirt and belly button lint was either flying around (along with dead skin-but that's another story) or oozing out of the persons belly buttons. Long story short I keep it clean.  

What I miss: Sushi. Sometimes I get nervous that after the baby comes I wont like it anymore. :( And clothes that fit and make me feel pretty. I need some ideas on how to "dress for two"...I've been feeling so frumpy. AND...all the clothes that I packed away today. Mostly my high waist skirts and "sassy outfits" (thanks Lauren :P )...I thought to myself as I was carefully packing them away, "Will I even be a barely above-the-knee kind of girl anymore come November?". I'm turning a new leaf! 

What I am looking forward to: Baby's 20 week scan

 

Milestones: Feeling the baby move!  

 

How is daddy? He's happy that I felt the baby move. I told him that now that the baby can "hear" and "respond" he HAS to start talking to it...so he did. They talked about how when "he" comes out daddy will teach him how to play video games and do boy things"....He did say something cute the other day, though not directly to me. It made me tear up a little so I copy and pasted it here so I wouldn't forget what he said: " I want to be surprised at the birth... How exciting to stare at your child with all it's beauty and then realize at that moment what your child's gender is too! WOW! Can you say overwhelming amounts of joy and surprise? I've heard all the arguments against waiting, but I really really really really want to wait." He then went on to say that "it's not something one can do and not the other", so looks like I wont be finding out.

How are the grandparents? Still excited? this question is kind of redundant.

To fridge or not to fridge

Ultrasound pictures were never so meaningful to me until the awareness that I might never have one of my own to display on the front of our fridge really sunk in. The socially ubiquitous little black and white images posted up for everyone to see seemed like such a rite of passage in the days of IF. So here I am, the proud owner of three little blurry images of my little ham, and I've safely tucked them away in my journal, away from the sun I suppose (I've been told they fade). For someone who's made such a big stink over the things, it seems a little strange, and so this morning I pulled them out and taped one to my fridge (our fridge is stainless steel so magnets don't stick to the front :( kind of a bummer when I think of our future with kids art/awards and such). Why I did it? I don't know. It just seemed like the thing to do. I immediately pulled it off though. It seemed like there was a better home for it. So I quickly nestled it in with St. John and pretty close to St. Hannah and called it a day. After all the intersessions they made for me/us I'm sure they don't mind. 

16

Little baby, I've been patiently waiting to feel you moving around in there...hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to, but I'm getting more and more anxious...so hurry up! I've read that this week you'll be able to hear my voice, your annoying dog barking, your daddy, auntie and grandma (who always insist on talking to you and saying goodbye to you too before they leave (It tickles my belly so bad!). I'm thinking of starting the Wind in the Willows for you. It will give us both something relaxing to do I think. The Bump says that this week you're the size of an avocado, which sadly must mean that you've shrunk, because in my opinion an orange is much bigger. Oh well. I get to see you in a few weeks, and I'm selfishly hoping that Daddy doesn't get to come so I can find out what you are. I'd promise not to tell him or anyone about you. I want to know so bad! And I want to start sewing for you (since I'm not sure if you'll let me after you're born) since I have a lot of projects in mind. But don't worry, I'll hide them from Daddy so he can be surprised on your birthday!

The second trimester has been pretty good for me so far, except for being really tired (I slept till 11 today) and congested, being really gassy again, and having a HUMONGO appetite. I feel hungry all of the time! It's crazy how hungry I am, which may or may not be such a good thing.
The staff at my OB dept. are Nazis about weight gain and they've already made mention of the fact that they are "concerned about my weight gain to date", because I gained 4 pounds in the first trimester. I think 3 was acceptable. I actually went to the doctor the other day and while I was being weighed the nurse suggested that we "try another scale".  I think she thought it was broken or that it was off or something because of the numbers (which out of modesty I won't reveal). I told her that the scale wasn't broken, that I was just 4 months pregnant, and she sympathetically glanced down at the paper she was holding and wrote down my weight. She did say that I "don't look it", which was cool, and probably just means that my baby is made entirely of lead.
So for the benefit of little lead baby and my bum, I'm trying to stay semi-full and not eat junk or fast food, which is really hard because all I want to do all day is drive here and there and eat this and that. (french fries from in-and-out!) Veggies still don't sound good, neither does BJ's, the crust on my toast or sandwiches (which is so weird because that was always the part I ate first) or meat that I have to cook myself. Oh and coffee and Thai food still seem disgusting too.

 

15

Hey little baby...this has been a big week for us and for you too. You are almost 5 inches now, and guess what, still the size of that fruit I called you last week. You were actually a little version of it's prettier, better tasting cousin, the lemon. But now you're an orange so we're good. I've been feeling a lot better (A LOT BETTER) and have had more of an appetite too, you make me feel hungry all of the time!!! You are getting so big that I finally look pregnant (sometimes people notice us too :) Have you been more comfortable lately? If so that's because I stopped sleeping on my belly. I miss it a little lot, but now I think we're both more comfortable on our side. Good luck to you little one...we're praying and rooting for you. And p.s. tell your little bones to hurry up and harden already! I can't wait to feel you kick! 

This picture is from this years Annunciation Tea and is super special to me for so many reasons, I'm sure you can imagine. I laughed so hard (after the brief spell of dissapointment I experienced) after seeing this picture. I remember feeling like I was so big that day, really happy that I had a little-huge bump to dress up, and super excited that I'm starting to show.  Then I saw this and thought "aww man, I don't even look pregnant next to Jenny!!!" Soon enough... :)

14

 

You're the size of a navel orange this week! That seems huge considering just a few weeks ago you were the size of a prune! I'm told you could be sprouting some hair this week (like eyebrows! and your fancy coat of lanugo), and working on refining your little movements. I can't wait to feel you move little baby! It's going to be so beautiful.

14 week update!

How far along: 14 weeks and 6 days

Symptoms: I'm doing a bit better now that I'm in my second trimester (wow! It feels so crazy to say that!). Everything's getting more and more mild, so I'm super thankful!

Total weight gain: 4 pounds

Maternity clothes: a few shirts, Laurens jeans, and some dresses. I think dresses will be my favorite thing this summer.

Stretch marks: not yet :P

Sleep: Has been so weird! I think Thomas is moving to the couch. Unfortunately. He tells me I'm like a little heater. I move around so much and take off my pj's by morning. 

Best moment last week: Does this week count? Sunday! and Thomas noticing my belly!

Movement: None yet. I haven't felt that sensation again...it's a little curious. I hope I'll be able to feel the baby in a few weeks. That's going to be so exciting. 

Food cravings: Cereal or eggs every morning. And meatballs.

Belly Button in or out: In of course. Though it is taking up this awkward elongated stretchy kind of shape. It's definitely changed already.

What I miss: Sushi and blue cheese dressing :(

What I am looking forward to: My next ultrasound!!! (!!!!!!) and feeling the baby move!

 

Milestones: Second Trimester!! (Whooo Hoooo!) 

 

How is daddy? He's good :)

How are the grandparents? They're good too! 

13

Well little baby you're the size of a peach and I've read that you are approaching "normal proportions" (that sounds so cool!) this week. Speaking of this week, it's the last week of our first trimester little one and I'm pretty excited (and ready to feed us better too)! You are working on some big changes this week like moving your intestines and a set of vocal chords! We've been working on your room a bit too. Daddy put up this really cute (AND butter cream yellow!) vintage chandelier that I found. We've already got your closet system all set up and we've been moving around the furniture in there too (it's going to be so cozy). I'm hoping to plant something green and flowery outside your window so we have something pretty to look at. Love you little baby...See you in a few weeks!

So I've totally underestimated this whole "pregnancy" thing. It's really, really (really) hard....harder than I expected, and I know this is just the beginning and it's only going to get worse, so I'll stop complaining. BUT, I have a lot to look forward to so it makes it all worth it!
I've been trying to update my eating habits into something more worthy of "baby growing", and that more closely resembles items found on the food pyramid. Rice Krispies, milk, and subway are not cutting it for us in the "iron" or "energy" departments. Food is a really sore subject with me still. Hardly anything at home sounds good, and I find it easier to go out and get something, rather than make something to eat, and find that by the time I'm done cooking it, it either A) doesn't sound good anymore B) doesn't smell good or C) doesn't taste as appealing as I thought it would. But eating out presents some major predicaments too, like trying to find healthy choices that don't break the bank. I mostly try to go for the grilled and the sauce-less, and no fries....most of the time ;)
In the next month or so I'm going to be weaning myself off of the metformin per doctors orders. My doctor isn't really comfortable with the idea of me being on it during pregnancy. I can agree with both sides of the story. The benefits of staying on it include a lower risk of developing gestational diabetes (which I will be more prone to with PCOS), less of a risk for misscarriage (!!!), and aiding in milk production. However some studies have shown that it interferes with placental flow and it obviously isn't contributing to a "natural" pregnancy. There is some correlation to stopping the medication and miscarriage if you stop it too abruptly. I plan on taking a month or two to wean my body off of it. By that time I'll be a little over 20 weeks so I feel like it can be done (with lots of prayer of course!).

12

Well little baby, this is all we have for week 12. Just some little plums, which I'm told are about the size of you this week! I've been really busy going to what seems like a million doctor/midwife/nurse practicioner/dentist appointments. I promise to take a picture for us next week though (though technically it IS already "next week").  We're almost out of the first trimester (HOORAY for us!) and you've been quietly growing away in there, and resting some too. All of your major body systems are  almost done forming and you're making hormones now too...I hope they're the girl kind, but I'll still love you if it's the kind that makes you want to squish snails and play with the pups and want big muscles!