13 Weeks

Today was one of the most amazing days in my life. We had an appointment with the midwives this morning and I went in not really knowing what to expect. At our last appointment we had talked about doing some of the early genetic testing but nothing was set in stone...which was driving me crazy! The appointment was a peek into what future appointments were going to be...very quick and painless. They checked my weight (down 6 lbs from 5 weeks ago), felt my tummy to check uterus growth, asked how everything was going and if I had any questions. And then we got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. As soon I heard that wonderful, rapid beating I burst into tears. It was such a relief and the most amazing sound I have EVER heard. Makes me tear up just thinking about it. That made it real for me...

And then my day got even better! The midwife said I would have to go to the perinatal department in the hospital for the 1st trimester screening and luckily they were able to squeeze me in an hour later. The test consisted of a blood draw (luckily I'm starting to get used to this part) and an ultrasound. The test primarily checks for Downs syndrome but also other chromosomal abnormalities (for more info feel free to check out this link http://www.americanpregnancy.org/prenataltesting/firstscreen.html ). I am trying to remain positive about the outcome of the tests. I don't want to stress myself out worrying about 'what ifs', I'll cross that bridge if I need too.

I will have the results of my blood work back in 5 days. During the u/s, they measure the back of the baby's neck to determine the amount of fluid present. I'm not a doctor so I'm not going to get too technical explaining why. But the doctor said that everything in the u/s looked good so we are hoping for a good results in the blood work too. I'll keep you updated.

The baby was in a bad position for the test and apparently also sleeping. They did a external and an internal sonogram to get a better view and after some poking to my belly Baby V finally woke up and started to move. In the last u/s, the baby was just a little bean but this time around was a different story. Baby V looked a little alien (as you can see from the u/s pictures) but we could see eyes and a tiny nose and chin in the profile. We saw little feet, the heart beating, and the baby was waving it's hands around....seeing it move it's arms was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced.

So I went out on a limb and asked if they could maybe determine the baby's sex. It is still early but I have read that it is possible for them to tell just not with 100% certainty. And the woman doing the u/s said it shouldn't be a problem!!! So after a few seconds...it's a...BOY!!! I asked how sure of the that she was and she said 90%. She made the comment that generally girls are a little swollen down there but they are never THAT swollen and she would be "very surprised if it was not a boy." I'm going to hold off going crazy buying blue until our 20 week appointment (October 19th) when the sex can be seen more clearly BUT it felt amazing to get this bit of information today. Justin and I were both hoping for a boy (I have just always felt that it was going to be a boy) and a lot of our family members were predicting and/or hoping for a girl. Sorry to disappoint but I'm THRILLED!!! What an awesome experience I am going to have...with my son.

Today has been such an emotional day and I am exhausted. Getting to hear HIS heartbeat, seeing him move his beautiful little hands, and finding out that my intuition of it being a him (with 90% accuracy ;)) has made this a very, very memorable day. As I said before, today's excitement made it real for me. I am looking forward to the weeks, months, and years of watching my blond haired, blue eyed, kind hearted little boy grow up (I'm guessing on the blond hair and blue eyes but J and my dad were toe heads so I'm thinking there is a good chance Baby V will be too.)



In the above picture, Baby V's body is on the left and head on the right (he's looking to the left) with his hands up by his head.



This photo is the same straight on picture as shown above...yes he totally looks like an alien but he is all ours :)



And in this one, his back is towards us but you can see his hand and tiny fingers at the top of the photo.

Sorry to go on and on but I want to have the memories of this day. Now on to your weekly update...

Fingerprints have formed on your 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.



(Is it just me or does the shrimp seem smaller than last weeks lime??? We go back to fruit next week ;))

Love you all!

Lindsey

12 Weeks

Well one more week and the first trimester will be OVER!!! And I am very hopeful I will start feeling like a normal person again...fingers crossed! Last week was probably the hardest week for me so far. By mid week, I was completely beaten down by a cold. My body was drained of all energy and my appetite was nonexistent. The combination of the two left me feeling totally overwhelmed and caused me to have my first hormonal, emotional breakdown. Unfortunately, I realize that the hormonal breakdowns will NOT end with the first trimester :(

But it's the start of a new week and I'm trying to stay optimistic. To be completely honest, some days I wonder what exactly I was expecting from pregnancy. I dreamed about getting pregnant but it never crossed my mind what pregnancy was actually going to be like. This is definitely an experience one can't really understand until you are actually going through it. I suppose out of the changes that occur in life, this is probably the biggest. At times I can't help but doubt myself and the decision to start a family. I'm scared. And I know deep down that most people go through the same emotion but it doesn't change the fact that I am terrified of this great unknown........here I go, getting all emotional again ;)

I don't want to leave you all thinking I am falling apart at the seams. As I said before, I am trying to stay optimistic and I really feel like in the next few weeks I will start to feel like myself again (well the more hormonal version of myself). We have our second appointment with the midwives next Tuesday and there is a possibility we will have an ultrasound in conjunction with blood work for genetic testing. The thought of having a chance to see Baby V and his/her progress in the past 5 weeks brightens my day too. And here I am at 12 weeks...



The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your 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 your 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 (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.



Hope all is well family and friends,

Lindsey

11 Weeks

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccuping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.



Lindsey

The good, the bad, and the....of early pregnancy

Luckily for me, I have not yet encountered the "ugly" part of pregnancy but from everything I read it is coming, arriving sometime around the third trimester :)

As I enter into my 11th week of pregnancy, I realize that the dreaded 1st trimester is quickly coming to an end. A fact that brings me much joy, for multiple reasons. But before this time is over with, I wanted to remember the good and the bad aspects of my experience with early pregnancy.

The good...The obvious, I'M PREGNANT! As the weeks go by, I keep up on my reading and closely follow Baby V's progress. And I must admit that every week I am truly amazed at the development that happens to a baby in the early weeks of pregnancy. For example, the heart starts to beat by week 5 or 6 and at this point Baby V's eyes are developed. The amazing realization that Justin and I were able to create a life and that I am able to give this baby everything he needs to start his life is not lost on me and I feel so grateful.

The bad...the abundance of interesting side effects of early pregnancy. The first and scariest of my symptoms was extreme hair loss! Even before I knew I was pregnant I noticed a significant amount of hair loss. I, like most women, can clog a drain and fill up a hair brush but generally I am not able to achieve these feats in a matter of 2 or 3 days! Yes, a scary amount...needless to say I have been rockin' a ponytail for several weeks ;) Luckily, this unfortunate symptom has begun to lessen in the last few days.

Second, unfortunate side effect..."frequent urination." Let me sum this up, I have to pee ALL the time. "All the time" meaning at times AT LEAST once an hour and at night I have to get up AT LEAST twice to use the bathroom! I am afraid of what is going to happen when the baby is actually big enough to put pressure on my bladder. We might need to purchase stock in Charmin ;)

Nausea and tiredness. Both come and go all day long but luckily neither have been more than a slight annoyance. I have been paying close attention to my diet and trying to eat well balanced meals with few empty calories. But my super sensitive sense of smell and aversion to overly flavorful foods brings on my nausea with lighting speed. So needless to say, my appetite has been minimal which has caused me to lose 4.5 lbs in the past few weeks. Oh well I'm sure I'll be packing on the pounds all too soon! My fatigue has been better over the past week but when it hits me it feels like a weight has landed on me and taken every ounce of energy out of me in a second...I have learned to embrace the power of a cat nap!

My most recent "bad" has appeared the last 3 days in the form of heartburn and a terrible pain in my stomach that feels like extreme gas pressure. This uncomfortable feeling has been occurring in the evenings and usually after I eat. I am REALLY hopefully that this new symptom will go away as quickly as it showed up!

A few minor symptoms include "baby brain" which has caused me to be extremely forgetful and at time very absentminded. And my patience seems to be running on a shorter rope these days. Being snippy is not something I enjoy and while I try to keep it in check as much as possible I'm sure my husband would request I try a little harder ;) Thankfully I am married to a VERY patient man who is great at taking everything in stride.

I, too, am learning to take everything in stride. The good, the bad, and someday the ugly is all for the greater good of our baby.

Lindsey

10 Weeks

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.



Despite being down 4.5 lbs, I have been feeling a little 'bigger' the last few days so I decided to take a 10 week picture and I think I am looking a bit more round these days ;) Sucking in no longer has any effect on the belly. It's not much, but it's what I've been waiting for!!!





Lindsey

Starting The Collection

Well we still have a long way to go before Baby V is here but I suppose it's never too soon to start preparing. I am really trying to hold off on starting the nursery until we know the sex but that doesn't mean I haven't started getting ideas and looking at bedding ;) Justin and I, along with some of our family members, have begun buying little things here and there to prepare. I must admit that I LOVE buying and receiving things for Baby V. For me it makes everything seem more real and sometimes I even go into the nursery just to look over some of the things we have (I even caught J in there yesterday doing the same thing). So I wanted to share and remember some of the early things we have started collecting for Baby V.



My dad and Cathy sent us one of their infamous "care packages" which contained a bear and blanket for the baby and a lot of good stuff for me as my pregnancy progresses. And so J wouldn't feel left out he received 1/3 of a chocolate bar and the staple can of tuna (inside joke)!



My sister in law, Jen, gave us all of these wonderful goodies for the baby. I absolutely LOVE the ducky sleep sack and the onesie with little ducks!



Justin and I were bored yesterday so we decided to take a drive up to the mountains and stop in Frisco for a little shopping. J understands my love of hand bags so we went to the Coach outlet store. I pulled out this huge bag thinking 'wow too bad this isn't a diaper bag.' Upon opening it I discovered, much to my delight, a changing pad inside...it was a diaper bag!!! What more can a girl ask for ;) Because I have the MOST amazing husband ever AND they were having a huge sale so we were able to get this $400 diaper bag for 70% off!!! We also found this super soft frog and adorable onesie over the weekend.



Last weekend we went to the annual CUB v ROCKIES game with Ryan and Jaimy. I decided to finally and officially change my allegiance to the Rockies. Let's face it, I've been in Colorado for 5 years, this is home now, and the Rockies have played a big role in my time here. And once again, the ROCKIES WON!!!



Hope all is well, friends and family!

Lindsey

The pregnancy diet...

Ladies, want a sure fire way to lose weight...get pregnant!!! Your appetite will nearly disappear, when you do get hungry NOTHING sounds good, and when something does finally sound yummy chances are the smell will make you so nauseous you will gag until you find fresh air.

I was feeling better in this department, still not much of an appetite but the nausea was starting to lessen, until tonight :( Chicken tacos were on the menu but as I was cutting up the chicken I thought it smelled a little suspect so I waited until J was home to take a whiff before I started cooking. His nose said it was ok so I started cooking. 5 minutes into frying up the chicken, I was done, and J had to cook his own dinner.

Now I am sitting next to him on the couch, breathing through my mouth, remembering how much I used to love chicken tacos. As my tummy grumbles, I am hoping that the next few weeks fly by and my nausea becomes a distant memory.

Lindsey