24 Weeks

[23w5d]

Merry Christmas to everyone (albeit, a bit late) and happy new year! Tomorrow, I will 24 weeks along, and I've been feeling great. I had a doctor's appointment last Friday, and he said everything looks good. I heard the heartbeat and was given clearance for my trip to Rochester in January. Dr. Ives said that as long as I'll be near a hospital with a NICU -- just in case -- it's fine for me to travel now. I was glad to hear this since we already bought my ticket.

Adam and I spent Saturday morning at Target finishing our baby registry. I think we have all the basic necessities on there. It was my goal not to go overboard and just register for essentials. We didn't register for things like clothes or toys because I figure people will find cute clothes and buy them just because they're cute and they're baby clothes. I mean, baby clothes are cute. We also didn't register for a crib or cradle because we have them on loan. The cradle is already set up in the baby's room.

I'm also trying to get a registry up at cottonbabies.com for cloth diapers. I've spent a lot of time researching cloth ones and would prefer to use them instead of loading up landfills with stinky, nonbiodegradable diapers. And new cloth diapers like these are cute and work like disposables (no diaper pins or folding necessary).

Admittedly, I think I'm going to be a granola mom. I'm okay with that.

Adam got to feel the baby move, which is exciting. The kick/punch combos keep getting stronger and occur most frequently when I'm reading in a quiet room. I've also been sleeping 9+ hours a night but feel good overall. I have a doctor's appointment before my trip north and another with the specialist the first week of February for our last ultrasound.

Also, according to some sources, the pregnancy has reached viability (though other sources say 27 weeks). So, Baby C's chances of making it as a premie have gone up. That's good news.

22 Weeks

[ 21w5d]

Not much to report. I feel the baby move more and more frequently. It feels like little taps in my lower belly and always happens if I bend forward, I suppose because that squishes things. Speaking of bellies, mine is not so little anymore, but it's small enough that people haven't felt compelled to touch it. It's weird when I hug Adam, though, because my belly protrudes enough that I can't get full frontal contact. I told him that soon enough I'll only be able to do the "butt-out" hug.

I'm also going to Rochester for a week in January to visit and par-tay pre-baby style.

Thank you all for visiting this blog. I hope everyone is enjoying keeping up with the pregnancy. I made this blog so that friends and family far away could see my development and hear about how things are progressing. It was never meant to be a substitute for actual communication. Adam and I would love to hear from everyone, either via phone or email. Or feel free to leave a comment!

Baby C can't wait to meet you all!

CPC Update

Yesterday, we had another ultrasound at the specialist's office to check on the cysts in the baby's brain. The ultrasound was more intensive than the previous one. They checked the heart, brain, and other major organs thoroughly, as well as other indicators like the face and the behavior of the hands. Thankfully, the cysts are gone and the baby looked completely normal! From what we read about choroid plexus cysts, it's normal for them to go away on their own (many people probably had them in utero but will never know because their mothers didn't get an ultrasound -- heck, I could have had them!). We have a follow-up ultrasound on January 28, just to make sure everything still looks good. We gladly scheduled it because my obgyn doesn't offer anymore ultrasounds after the 18 week one.

I have gained a hearty 17 pounds so far, which is incomprehensible to me since I had weighed the same for the past 12 years. The baby makes up one pound of this (so far).

Also, I am feeling the baby move more and more. It's not very strong and feels like tickling in my abdomen. Adam keeps encouraging it to become a ninja. I think he's amused that the kid will be smacking my insides around. I'm just glad to feel confirmation that it's in there and it's busy. :)

Halfway Belly

[20w4d]

Apparently I'm Losing My Mind

Today, I went to leave the house after lunch, got in the car, and realized I forgot something. I quickly unlocked the door, grabbed what I needed, locked up, and got back in the car. I put the key in the ignition and realized I forgot something else. So, I did it all again, this time annoyed and promising the cat, who was stretched out on the back of the couch, that I would not be back no matter what. Luckily, I didn't forget anything else.

When I got back to work, though, someone from the production department showed me that what I had turned in to them this morning said it was meant for the December issue, which has already come out. I laughed and said that it was meant for February. Oops.

This has been happening more and more frequently. I'll be online and think about going to a site for a specific reason and I'll either get there and have forgotten what I wanted to check or lose track of which site it was in the first place. Also, twice in the last week I have walked from my comfortable spot on the couch to the back of the house to get something and couldn't for the life of me remember why I got up.

Apparently, this is common for pregnant ladies. Unfortunately, I find little comfort in that fact.

Halfway There

Yesterday was the halfway point. It's all downhill from here -- to the birth and meeting our little bundle of joy!

Not much to report. I think a few times I've felt the baby move, but nothing definitive yet. As much as I want to feel it, I'm trying to enjoy the little bit I have left before this kid starts going ninja-style on my insides.

I finished reading a book about writing a birth plan and now have to actually sit down and write one. Adam and I also need to start thinking about registering for baby goods and decide what we plan to do with the spare bedroom.

I finished making my maternity shirt this weekend. It turned out pretty well, I think.

Overall, I've been feeling pretty good. I can tell my abs are stretching more because I can feel them ache a bit in my lower abdomen, where they are now holding up my little belly.

Speaking of bellies, I hope to have an updated picture up soon. With my dad's visit, things got hairy and getting the camera out was overlooked. As far as I can tell, it hasn't changed much since the last picture, but I was reading today that I could wake up at any point and find myself with an engorged, protruding belly that appears out of nowhere.

But we've made it halfway. Unbelievable!

The Big Ultrasound

[ultrasound 18w3d]

There's Baby C, alive and kickin'. We had our big ultrasound Friday, and because my dad is here visiting, he got to go with us (what a surprise for a first-time grandpa, huh?). The baby is measuring great and has all of its parts -- two arms, two legs, one head, etc. The heartbeat was 136 and the baby weighed 10 ounces, about the weight of a full soda can.

My doctor said the ultrasound tech did see two small cysts near the baby's brain, a condition called choroid plexus cysts that has a weak connection to chromosomal abnormalities. After doing a little research, it looks like the cysts most frequently go away by themselves before the baby is even born. My doctor said it's not anything to worry about, but he's sending us to a specialist for another ultrasound just to be sure. I was a bit disheartened by all of this, but trust that the Lord will take care of it. And prayers are always welcome.

All in all, everything is going well. I feel pretty good and have enjoyed having a few days off of work to visit with my dad. There are a few more ultrasound pics here. Also, this is what I currently look like (after gaining 11 pounds so far).

[18w4d]

Maternity Pants

This weekend, it was my mission to find two to three pairs of maternity pants that would get me through the next five months (sorry, corduroy, but you won't last past February) and would be appropriate for work and play. So, Saturday, I set out for the mall. I looked in a handful of stores (JC Penney, Dillard's, Ross, Target) that either didn't have a maternity section, had about two racks of clothes, or where the cut of the pants were awful. (Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I don't deserve to wear bootcut pants.) Also, apparently, pregnant women are meant to wear jeans almost exclusively, as they are in abundance compared to any other type of pant.

But then, Old Navy saved me. They had t-shirts on sale (one I bought was $1.99) and it was "stuff & save" time, which meant I saved an extra 20% when using my Gap card. Unfortunately, most of their seasonal clothes were pricey -- $30 for pants, $20 or more for shirts/sweaters -- so I ended up with just a pair of jeans, three short sleeved t-shirts, and a long sleeved t-shirt for $35. Not bad, but I still needed at least another pair of pants. Thankfully, yesterday, I went to Burlington Coat Factory on a recommendation and lucked out with two pairs of chinos that fit perfectly for less than $30 total.

So, now I sit here, wearing pants with elastic in the waistband. And it's not so bad . . . so far.

Exercise and My Pregnant Body

For being four months' pregnant, I am still very small. I measured my belly last weekend for the shirt I'm sewing, and it has grown to about 30 inches, enough to give me a slight muffin top as it hangs above the only pair of pants I can still button. I was surprised when a student of mine asked me last night if I am expecting, a fact I thought I could hide from the class at least until the end of the semester. (After I said yes, the student asked me if this is why I've been so mean to them at times. I've felt bad because I know I've been running low on patience. This made me feel like a total heel, but I digress.)

At my last doctor's appointment, I had only gained about a pound and a half. He didn't seem too concerned, but I know that during the second trimester, I should be gaining a pound a week. I have no idea if I'm actually accomplishing this since we don't own a scale and when I was at the gym the other day, found that the scale in the ladies' locker room had mysteriously disappeared. Suffice it to say, I eat -- a lot. And in the past month, since I've been taking the sewing class, I have exercised less during the week than I was during the first trimester. I hope this equates to a fair weight gain.

Wednesday night, I ran for the first time in over a week on the treadmill at the gym. The run I had previous to that was just awful -- trying to push myself to get through three miles while my hips ached so badly I wanted someone to carry me home. So, I hopped on the treadmill, hoping for the best. The first mile wasn't bad, but in the second, the aches started to set in.

A few years ago, I had a bad bout of sciatica in my left leg. It was so bad that I couldn't sleep for days and had to go to the chiropractor several times before it felt better. Apparently, many pregnant women have problems with their sciatic nerves, and I'm becoming one of them. Depending on what I do (for example, standing bent over a table cutting a sewing pattern for two hours), my hips and my left sciatic nerve start aching. So, when I got to mile two of my run, I started contemplating whether or not I should keep going.

A roommate of mine in college ran all the way through her pregnancy, until three days before her son was born. Paula Radcliffe, who just won the New York City marathon for the third time, quit running all together when pregnant with her daughter. I assumed I wouldn't be able to make it all the way through my pregnancy but didn't anticipate giving up running so soon. Not to say that I'm giving up all together, but I can't push myself as hard as I'm used to and I have to figure out my limits.

I stopped running after 2.25 miles, got off the treadmill, and stretched my achy legs. That night, when I woke to go to the bathroom, my lower back hurt a lot when I got up, particularly on the left side. So, running might not be in my future for too much longer. But there's always swimming (a great pregnancy exercise), the stationery bike, the elliptical machine, and walking the crazy dog around the neighborhood. Oh, and prenatal yoga -- perhaps the best exercise ever to stretch out achy muscles and joints. There will be a lot of yoga in my future.

What to Expect in the Next Few Weeks

[ 16w5d]

The time between visits to the doctor seems endless. When at the appointment, the pregnancy seems real and immediate. The last two visits I've heard the heartbeat, which adds to the magic. But slowly the warm and fuzzy starts to fade and I'm ready to get back to the doctor's office to make this all feel real again. Our next appointment is in less than two weeks. It is also when we'll get our second ultrasound, so I'm sure it goes without saying that I'm excited to go back.

I told Adam all of this, that the pregnancy still doesn't feel real, just annoying that all but one pair of my pants still fits (not counting my beloved sweatpants, in men's large). He said my growing belly should make seem real -- it does to him. But I think it won't be until I start feeling the baby move around that I'll feel pregnant, rather than uncomfortable. According to babycenter.com and What to Expect When You're Expecting, I should be feeling this kid in the next 1-4 weeks. This makes me excited most of all!

I'm finally going to cave and buy some maternity pants this week. I bought a sewing pattern and fabric to attempt to make a maternity top, though I don't anticipate having to actually wear one for another month. Thankfully, it's pretty casual where I work (not casual enough to wear my sweatpants, but pretty close), so I won't have to buy a lot of clothes and could get away with wearing jeans everyday. Lucky me. :)

16 Weeks, A Survey

[15w5d]

Questions from a pregnancy survey:

First reaction when you found out you were pregnant?
I had a very strong suspicion that I was, but I was still kinda flabbergasted.

How did you tell your husband?
I walked the pregnancy test from the bathroom to the living room, showed it to him, and said, "I knew it."

What is your favorite thing about being pregnant? Least favorite?
Favorite: People ask me sincerely how I'm doing. Least favorite: Being tired and crabby.

Favorite children's book?
Anything by Shel Silverstein

Any cravings? If yes, what are they?
Wendy's french fries, anything chocolate

Which TV mom will you be most like?
Lois from Family Guy A combination of Lois from Family Guy and Annie Camden from Seventh Heaven

Stay at home or back to work after the baby?
Hopefully, part-time work

During labor: all natural or bring on the drugs?
After all the reading I've done, I'm planning to go all natural.

Husband: prince charming or not?
Adam has been great with everything, especially when I freak out or have a particularly hormonal day. Somehow everything is better when I get a hug from him.

Breast feeding or bottle?
Breast

What do you hope the baby gets from you/SO? Doesn't get?
I hope it gets Adam's laid back attitude and my passion for life. I hope it doesn't get my short fuse.

More kids or are you done?
We'd like at least one more. Hopefully, we can wrangle ourselves a boy and a girl.

Just won the lottery, what's the first thing you'd buy for yourself?
A Honda Element. Gosh, if only we could afford one now . . .

Last movie that made you cry?
The Business of Being Born

Dream job?
Freelance writing and teaching part time

Anyone getting on your nerves yet?
Too many to count. I wish I was more patient and didn't have the urge to yell at everyone.

Spankings or time out?
Both, I'm sure.

Best dream while being pregnant? Worst dream?
I don't remember any, just that they are vivid and frequent. Of course, I've always had a lot of weird dreams (just ask Adam).

Advice you'd give to a newly preggo friend?
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Almost 15 Weeks

[ 14w5d ]

My belly grew quite a bit. I showed it to my friend Monica, and she was blown away by how big it had gotten, and how hard. It was finally cold enough, so I pulled out my favorite pair of corduroys this week and found that I couldn't button them. Thank goodness for my bella band and the old rubber band trick. Within a month, I'm guessing I will have to graduate to full-blown maternity pants. We'll see how long I can hold out for tops.

Adam and I went to SuperTarget on Saturday to look at baby stuff. We're pretty sure that's where we're going to register. They have a good selection and it's not nearly as expensive as Babies R Us. We also looked at the maternity section, which has some cute stuff.

Friday night, I watched The Business of Being Born and it made me think differently about the birth process. Before, I assumed that I would take whatever drugs were offered during the birth, but I'm seriously thinking about doing it all natural. I have books to pick up at the library about childbirth and coming up with a birth plan that I'm planning to plow through, and a list a mile long for my doctor at my next visit to help me make my decision. There is so much I hadn't considered, and assumed that the birth was just something to get through instead of something that should be experienced fully.

Things have been so busy for us that I'm more and more glad not to be teaching next semester. School ends in six weeks, and Adam and I will have at least a month of "normal" life before he goes back in the spring. He says next semester will be his toughest, a good thing since he won't be disturbed by the baby until the very end (and hopefully can finish early in preparation for the baby). He's also taking a class on women's and children's health -- we'll see if that's helpful.

Bitty Belly

[ 13w4d ]

I had my third doctor's appointment yesterday. They drew some blood, I got to hear the baby's heartbeat, and found out I gained a measly half pound. The doctor asked me if I've been eating enough, and I told him I've been eating everything in sight. He said he's not concerned, but for the next three months or so, I should be gaining about a pound a week. I'm glad to be running regularly, and that means I need an extra 300 calories per running day, on top of the extra 300 I should be consuming anyways. Hence all the ice cream. Looking at this picture, though, it looks my face is fattening up nicely.

I felt pretty good all week, short of a few emotional lows. I've been having some pain in my sides, which the doctor said is round ligament pain and most women don't feel it until around week 20. Apparently, he said there's not a lot of room in my "normal, little belly," so I'm feeling it early.

I did notice this week that when I look down, I can see my belly protruding. It's kinda weird (and I assume it will only get weirder).

At my next doctor's appointment, I have my second ultrasound. Exciting!

Finally Telling

This week, we finally got the word out, and it feels strange. It's a relief not to hide the pregnancy anymore, but it's sort of scary that this is all really happening. From here, we can't go back. This baby is coming.

I ordered a bella band online, and it showed up on Friday. It's a band that goes around the top of prepregnancy pants to keep them up when the waistband gets too small. The pants stay up even if they are unbuttoned or unzipped. I gave it a whirl with a pair of tight jeans that barely fit, keeping them unbuttoned while we were out running errands, and the thing really works (not that I technically need it yet, but I will in the future).

Adam and I ran the Guns N Hoses race Saturday morning in 31:15. He ran with me the whole time, which was really sweet. This week, I'm going to get to the Y, so I can swim laps and give my legs a bit of rest after running another 10 miles last week.

Doctor's appointment on Friday.

The Home Stretch, aka. Almost Through the Scary Part

[ 11w5d ]

Well, here is the beginnings of a baby belly. I read that in the 11th week the fetus doubles in size (only about 1.5 inches, but still), so it made sense when I noticed that some of pants started cutting in to my middrift this week. It's really exciting, though nobody else can tell. And I'm almost through the first trimester. It's been a long couple of weeks of praying and hoping the pregnancy sticks. It looks like it's going to.

This week, the exhaustion of the pregnancy seemed to lift. On Wednesday, I noticed that I felt considerably better and have continued to feel well the past few days. I ran almost 10 miles this week, and Adam and I signed up for a 5K race next weekend.

We're planning on letting the cat out of the bag next week -- telling our families, bosses and coworkers, and friends. We're really looking forward to not having to keep this to ourselves.

Fetus

Today, the baby is officially a fetus and no longer an embryo!

Week 10 -- Belly Shots

[ 10w5d]

Well, here it is. Ten weeks, five days, and no pooch yet. Part of me is enjoying the fact that I can still hide the pregnancy, and part of me feels ready to see a real manifestation of this child's growth. I started checking a 1st trimester message board on webmd.com and read that a lot of women are outgrowing their regular clothes as early as six weeks. I did a little research this weekend to prepare for maternity clothes shopping, and I'm anticipating that it won't be easy or cheap. My plan is to take stock of all of Adam's and my clothes to see what I can get away with wearing (I have lots of cardigans and blazers -- I hope they'll make it through), then make a list of what I'll need. I'll be mid-sized through the winter but huge when it starts getting warm again. Thankfully, though, I won't need any large items like a new winter coat (like I would if we were in the North).

This week was more exhaustion, some running and walking Penny around the neighborhood, and a lot of boredom with food. I guess I've just been eating too much of the same things, so we got some different types of foods when grocery shopping. Adam already made chili, a good way to usher in fall.

I also found out this week that I won't be able to teach next semester because the baby is due to be born before the end of the semester. USA won't make exceptions for people who can't be there a whole semester, so I will be returning next fall. Honestly, I'm disappointed but quite glad to know that I will be able to relax after work everyday. Adam will still be in class, and I'll certainly be bored and pulling out my hair, but I'll be relaxed. Perhaps, I will take a community class to keep myself occupied.

First Ultrasound -- Week 9 (Really)

Today, we saw the first pictures of the baby via ultrasound. Everything looks good, and we even got to see it wiggle around. According to the measurements, I am 9 weeks 3 days today. This changes the due date to April 21. I figured I wasn't as far along as they had calculated, and I'm kind of relieved to find out I was right.

[ The baby is facing us. See its arm and leg buds? Just imagine it shimmying side to side. :) ]

[ This second picture is in 3D. It's supposed to give a more realistic perspective of the baby. ]

A Wild Week

This week was a wild one. It started pretty slowly, with a very lazy weekend where I did little more than lie on the couch watching TV, but by midweek I was a hormonal mess and spent all day Wednesday trying to hold back tears. This was the first day I've felt this way -- crazy, scared, tired, crabby, and weepy. It was much like have PMS, all the irrational feelings. Even after a good cry at home during lunch, I didn't feel better. But Adam was very kind to me and a friend met me for coffee after work. I eventually felt better, especially on Thursday when I called in sick to work so I could stay home and rest. I'm expecting more days like that in the months ahead.

I've been trying not to be worrisome, but it's hard knowing that we aren't making a lot of money because Adam is in school, that most days I sit at my desk at work and daydream about being able to stay home and teach part-time, and that I have no clue how we're going to make it. I often wonder how everyone else does it -- has a job they don't love and kids when they're broke. And I know I shouldn't worry and that God will take care of us, but some days that's harder to accept than others. This year has been, perhaps, the worst of my life, but it occurred to me just yesterday that because this year has been so difficult, I know God in a totally different way. Maybe that's the point. All I know is that ultimately I do trust God, and I have hope that things will get better.

I ran a lot this week -- four times for a total of 12.5 miles -- and walked Penny to the library one night. I also ate a lot of ice cream (don't tell!).

Week 9 . . . We Think

Well, I figured it would be good to get a shot of my belly pre-baby. Hopefully, it will look like this again (post-baby). This week marked the ninth week -- or at least, we're guessing it did -- and we're on the downward slope through the first trimester. Two weeks from today is the ultrasound that will give us a better clue as to how far along I am.


This week has been more of the same: exhaustion, hunger, tenderness. Hurricane Gustav blew through without as much drama as was expected. Adam was supposed to go to Louisiana to help with hurricane recovery, but the trip was canceled at the last minute. I enjoyed a short week of work. I didn't exercise as much as I wanted because of the hurricane, but I managed to get a 2.6 mile run in and a 2.2 mile walk with Adam and Penny.

I'm looking forward to my next doctor's appointment and the changes that are coming. Right now, the pregnancy is boring. It hasn't really set in that this is really happening. But it will, I'm sure.

Sleep and Exercise Habits

This week, I've felt a bit better, mostly because I've been getting to bed earlier and trying to take more naps (even if it means sleeping at home during my lunch break and taking food back to work to eat). If I get enough sleep, I feel much better, though this isn't always the case when the animals wake me up around 5 o'clock to be fed.

I'm also realizing that exercising energizes me, so even when I'm tired, I lace up my running shoes and head out the door. Thankfully, it's been a bit cooler and less humid, and I was able to run twice (5.8 miles). I've been running even though my right foot has been hurting me for over a month. I think I might have sesamoiditis, a condition that affects the ball of the foot, right under the big toe. I've been trying to stretch my foot a lot, which has helped, and take it easy when I run. I don't want to stop running, though, because I won't be able to start up again after a hiatus until the pregnancy is over. I'm going to try to run for as long as I can. This week, I also did prenatal yoga for an hour and swam for 40 minutes at the YMCA.

I constantly think that if anyone at work was paying attention to my behavior, they would know something is up. I go to the bathroom every 20 minutes, eat multiple snacks and a large lunch, drink less coffee and more water, complain that I'm tired all the time, and have been especially grumpy and whiny. Fortunately, no one pays that much attention, but I still feel like it's reasonably obvious that I'm pregnant. That's the trouble with keeping a secret, I suppose.

First doctor's appointment

Today was my first appointment with the doctor. They confirmed the pregnancy and estimate a due date of April 13, 2009 -- though we won't know for sure until the first ultrasound. I also weighed 147 pounds (surprising!). I have a new doctor because my previous one left to take a job in New Orleans, but I feel comfortable with him. We talked about my miscarriage and that the chances of having a second one are slim. I was glad to hear it, but told him I wanted to wait as long as possible for the ultrasound because I didn't want to form another unnecessary attachment. The miscarriage earlier this year was the most painful experience of my life, so I'm a bit leery this time about getting my hopes up and my emotions too high.

Dr. Ives said everything looks good and that I'm healthy. I can continue everything I've been doing, except for drinking. I told him that other than having tender breasts and feeling totally exhausted all the time, I've been fine -- no cravings, no nausea. His nurse gave me some prenatal vitamin samples and a little expectant mother package, and I scheduled the ultrasound for Friday, September 19 at 8:30 a.m. Adam will go with me then, so we can see the baby together.

This week I started teaching at the University of South Alabama and Adam started his paramedic program, so our routines have changed quite a bit. I've been exhausted every day and trying to get to bed early. I also ran twice this week (5.2 miles) and rode my bike once.


This week Adam drew this picture for me. Cute, huh?

We're having a baby!

This is what we saw tonight, after being a week late. I'm pregnant! Not sure how far along yet, but I'll be making a doctor's appointment this week.