Today's prenatal appointment highlights:

- I have put on 9 pounds since the beginning of the pregnancy! Apparently I have been putting weight on, despite the read-out on my home scale. Better get that checked out. Normal weight gain is about 3-5 pounds in the 1st trimester and then 1-2 pounds each week in the 2nd. Considering I lost a bunch of weight in fall due to all of the stress I was experiencing, this amount seems reasonable.

- Listened to the baby's heartbeat with the Doppler device; hb was 160 bpm; Dr. said this was good

- Saw Jr. on the U/S screen again today! As before, the baby moved around a lot, which my Dr. said is a sign of good health (baby can't sit still, just like Mom and Pop). My Dr. said the baby possibly appeared larger than 13 weeks, although the machine we were using was rather old. We could see the heart beating, all of the vertebrae in the spinal cord, all of the fingers and toes, and the outline of the face/head. The baby's knees were bent and it reached its little hand up to its mouth during the big show. I could sit and stare at that machine all day. It's still very hard to believe that this little growing being is inside of me. Quite surreal. I imagine it will become very real once the jabbing and kicking begins.

Great appt. Too bad Miller wasn't there- we didn't realize how much we'd get to see today!
- posted by Ma @ 9:12 PM

 
13 weeks= 2nd trimester is now upon us!

Over the past few weeks, my morning sickness has greatly subsided. (Although I still am having my regular Monday pukes.) My stomach is starting to paunch out quite a bit, but I don't seem to have gained much weight. I have completely outgrown my normal pants (although I can squeeze into a couple if I don't mind being a little uncomfortable, which I DO!). I'm wondering if a lot of the paunchiness is just gas/ water bloating. How romantic.

Every once in a while I feel like there is a wiggly/vibraty feeling where the baby is hanging out. Again, I'm not sure if this is simply gas or digesting noises or the real deal. I guess as time goes on, I'll start to know for sure!

I'm continuing to get tons of sleep. Working with toddlers is a very demanding job (which I LOVE!!! our kids rock!!!), so lots of sleep is a must. I usually get at least 8 hours of sleep each weeknight, and I take a million naps on the weekends when possible. I'm trying to enjoy it while I can since everyone tells me I won't be getting decent sleep for years to come once the baby is born!

My biggest craving lately has been water. I can't seem to get enough of it, which is a huge pain since that just means I have to go to the bathroom 8 million more times a day and night. Whatever it takes to keep Jr. happy. Also, I've been craving fruits and veggies, which I've been gobbling down liberally. Much better than all that empty calorie/no nutrients sugary nonsense.

This weekend Miller and I visited our family in Wisco. It was fun to get all excited about the baby with our parents and grandparents. I love getting Mom and Dad used to the idea of being called Grandma and Grandpa. It'a bizzare transition! Miller's mom found a bunch of cute maternity clothes for me- she is always so thoughtful. I was surprised at the girth of some of the clothes, but she assured me that I truly would be as gigantic as the clothes appear. Both scary and exciting.

Tomorrow morning is my next prenatal checkup. I'm hoping to hear the heartbeat with the Doppler device. Updates coming soon...
- posted by Ma @ 9:38 PM

 
Two doctor appointments this week.

1st appt: (Tuesday) Checked vitals, met with a midwife. Got some nutrition tips, otherwise uneventful. Vitals were in check.

2nd appt: (Wednesday) Ultrasound.

WE HAVE A HEARTBEAT!!! What a fantastic experience. As soon as I saw the shape of the baby in the u/s screen I knew we were golden. I could see a vague outline of the facial features, the main body, and the arm and leg buds. The technician zoomed in on the chest and we saw the little flashing heart. My own heart lit up too! I started to laugh and a tear slipped out of my eye. When the tech zoomed back out a bit and resituated the scanning device on my abdomen, the little one started to wiggle around- a lot! I laughed out loud and realized that it's just like us- it can't sit still. Next, a little arm went up into the air and seemed to wave at us. I was too thrilled. What an amazing experience. I could have stared at that screen all day.

The tech said that the fertilized egg came from my right ovary. (Interesting, I thought.) The baby is about 3 1/2 cm long and is true to estimated delivery date (October 1). What a relief to know that all is well so far. All of the morning sickness, aches, and crabbiness is worth it! I have another checkup scheduled for 4 weeks from now, and a second (more intensive) u/s scheduled for 10 weeks from now.

Telling our parents was almost as exciting as experiencing the event itself. The best thing is is that it's Dad's birthday today! Not a bad birthday greeting, I'd say. Many positive signs have been showing up lately. Call me crazy, but I believe the signs are auspicious. This is meant to be.

Hopefully I can scan in the photos of the baby from the u/s and post them here soon!
- posted by Ma @ 9:34 PM