33 weeks 2 days

33 weeks: By the end of this week, Avery could be around 5 lbs and 20 inches long. She is baby-sized! It's amazing to think even if she was born now she would be decently sized. It's hard not to imagine her peanut-sized! Not much to report in growth and development. She is differentiating light and dark more and her fingernails my have reached the ends of her fingers by now but otherwise she is just steadily growing! She can gain up to a half a pound a week from here on out.

Cravings/Aversions: I am really into red grapes these days. I also had a craving for Cajun food recently. Otherwise nothing new to note. I guess I'm reaching the stage of having very little room left for my stomach because on several occasions I've been unable to finish a light meal and have ended up very uncomfortable and sick. It should be no big deal for me to eat a chicken sandwich and yet I could only manage half the other day at chick-fil-a. I guess I'll have to start eating smaller, more frequent meals. Which is. . . annoying. I don't have time for that.

Symptoms: I am having very mild swelling in my fingers now but I'm still able to wear my wedding ring. I'm hoping I don't reach the point of having to leave it off. I have nausea after meals sometimes now as I mentioned above. I am very tired all the time but often have insomnia at bedtime. I can often fall asleep at bedtime but wake up in the middle of the night and find myself unable to get back to sleep. I am hot all the time. We keep our house relatively cool but there are times I find myself sweating just sitting. I guess this is preview of what menopause will be like!

News this week: We had a little excitement recently. I had a day that I wasn't really feeling our little girl move. She has her lazy days but generally I feel her at least a few times. On this particular day I hadn't felt her at all so that evening I drank a big glass of orange juice and laid down to try to get her to move. No luck so we went over to the hospital to get checked out. The doctor had advised that a decrease in movement is worrisome and reason enough to make a trip to L&D. So we went and got hooked up to the monitors. Avery looked good. My blood pressure was good. But I was contracting every 2 minutes! I didn't even know it. Once I relaxed some I could feel the contractions but it was odd to know they were coming so frequently and I hadn't realized. Thankfully I was not dilated at all and after relaxing in bed for awhile they tapered off. Guess this mama needs to slow down some! I have noticed Braxton hicks here and there when I'm really busy or worn out. Luckily nothing terribly regular (that I know of!) yet. We had a 4d ultrasound at 32 weeks and it was an amazing experience! I will try to attach some pictures at the end of this post. Our little girl is BEAUTIFUL!!! I am so in love. There is nothing like seeing the movements I've been feeling for months. I will definitely recommend the experience to anyone considering it in the future. Coming up this week we start some new testing. We will be doing weekly non-stress tests and biophysical profiles. I believe the non-stress test is similar to what I experienced at L&D the other day. I think I'll spend a little time on the monitors just making sure mom and baby are doing ok. I think the main idea is to make sure baby is still thriving in there and not under too much stress. I don't know much about the biophysical profile. From what google tells me, it accompanies the above and looks at fetal movement and amniotic fluid level. They are able to score the baby on a scale and the score gives an indicator of how well the baby is doing or if they may need to be delivered. I'm guessing that because my hypertension can cause some strain on the placenta which in turn would put stress on the baby this is their way of making sure that hasn't happened yet. I should know more after this week. I have my first testing tomorrow and see the doctor Wednesday. The countdown has begun! This baby is coming sometime in the next 6 weeks or so! I think the plan is still to induce at 39 weeks if she doesn't come before then. Things are getting real!

31 weeks 1 day

31 weeks: Baby Avery is just working on growing and developing skills to use when she arrives at this point. She is practicing swallowing, breathing, kicking, and sucking. She should be about 4 lbs and 19 inches long but who knows how big she really is as she was 3.3 lbs 3 weeks ago?

Cravings/Aversions: Still craving St Louis style pizza. I guess I didn't eat my fill while I was there. I have been eating a lot of fruit which is at least a healthy craving. I'm not really interested in chicken recently. I hope that doesn't last long. All through this pregnancy (and before really) I have loved chick-fil-a and popeyes. Anything chicken, or better yet, spicy chicken made me a happy mama. But today I was looking for some lunch and the thought of chicken was gross. I still hate the smell of coconut but I don't mind the taste. I had an ocean water from sonic for lunch and loved it. The lid on the cup kept me from smelling it.

Symptoms: I think I've hit the stage of being hugely uncomfortable. I am having lots of pain in my pelvis. I am guessing it is stretching but by the end of a long day at work it is hard to walk. My leg cramps are getting more and more severe and they are an almost nightly occurrence. I feel bad for Carl because I think I'm pretty grouchy lately. It is just hard feeling miserable so frequently. I feel better today since I got some good sleep and I've been able to stay off my feet. But I'm sure next week, by Friday, I'll be super angry again. (Sorry Carl!) On the positive side of things, I love feeling this little girl move. I think I will miss it when she's born. I am never alone, I always have my little girl with me and every movement is a reminder. As of right now I can tell she is not head-down because I can feel her butting her head up under my ribs on my right side and I can often feel her feet kicking me over by my left hip. She is not interested in being upside-down right now and I don't blame her!

News this week: Avery had her first flight! We went to St Louis to see my family. It was amazing to see everyone and I was surprised how comforting it was to be around everyone. I would love to be pregnant and live close to home. I can only imagine how nice it would be to be able to shop with my mom or invite everyone over to see the latest ultrasound pictures. I got a huge surprise when I thought I was meeting my family to head out for ice cream and instead walked into my own baby shower. I was so incredibly touched that my mom, brother, and grandma planned one for me. I did not expect it and was genuinely shocked. I think it is incredibly sweet that my brother played such a big role in the planning. Not all young men will plan a baby shower for their sister. I got lucky to have such an incredible brother. And an incredible uncle for Avery. I know he already loves her and that is such a blessing. I got to see a lot of people I haven't seen in a very long time. There was yummy food, Jim created a playlist of all my favorite childhood songs, and there were lots of thoughtful gifts for Avery. My family requested that instead of a card, everyone bring a book for Avery's library so we got a nice selection of books to read to her when she arrives. Such a cute idea. I am so very lucky to have such a great family and that they went to a great amount of trouble to put together a shower for me. I was in town for just a short amount of time and it was quite a lot of work to fit this into everyone's busy schedule. We were also lucky enough to get tot celebrate both Carl's and my grandma's birthdays while in town. We are getting ready for another baby shower tomorrow. This time it is with Carl's family and friends. I'm excited to see everyone and get to celebrate Avery again. I feel incredibly happy that Carl is having this experience with me. I'm sure not too long ago, neither of us imagined a baby in our futures. I think Carl is going to be such a great dad and I am so happy that I get to be the one to make him one. Avery will be a very loved little girl. I am excited for him to get to celebrate with his family. We are both so blessed to be surrounded by people who support and love us.
I have a few more pictures to share since the last post:

Here is my 29 week picture:

 

Here is my 31 week picture:

 

We placed another decal over Avery's changing table/dresser:

 

We have quite a stash of cloth diapers thanks to help  from Carl's parents. Here is her drawer full of diapers:

28 weeks 3 days

28 weeks: Avery should be the size of a small cabbage right now and weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 lbs. At this point she is working on packing on the fat. She should appear less wrinkled as her fat stores build and she will start looking like the chubby babies we are used to in the coming weeks. Her site is improving so she can sense changes in light. Her lungs are now mature enough she could potentially breathe on her own.

Cravings/Aversions: I am craving bologna sandwiches! I Saturday morning I ate one for breakfast. I really shouldn't even be eating bologna but I can't help it! I wouldn't call pizza an aversion but strangely, I normally love pizza and I have no desire to eat it right now. I have slowed down on sweets too. I normally love candy and I still feel like I want candy but when I try to figure out what kind, nothing sounds good. I was also craving fried chicken and orange juice recently but I've had both and now I feel better. The only craving that's hung around is the bologna.

Symptoms: Heartburn got to the point of misery so I've started on a daily zantac and feel much better. I still keep my tums in my purse just in case but I only use them rarely now. The crazy exhaustion from the first trimester seems to be coming back. I am worn out a lot because I don't sleep well. I wake up around 3 or 4 most mornings and then toss and turn. Unfortunately, I think I also wake Carl up.  I guess we are practicing for when she arrives. My leg cramps have gotten worse. I have been getting Charlie horses since the beginning but they have been mild until now. Now they make me jump out of the bed. Imagine waking up to extreme pain in your calf, trying to untangle from the blankets, roll over with a beach ball for a belly, and get out of bed to massage your leg and try break the cramp. No easy task. Probably funny to watch though. Summer time in Houston is not kind to a pregnant lady. I feel like once I get hot, I have a very hard time cooling down.

News this week: I saw my doctor last week and expressed some concern because I wasn't feeling Avery move much. I had been seeing my stomach jump and move and then it seemed to dwindle to the point I was only feeling her maybe once a day. The doctor ordered an ultrasound because with my hypertension I'm at risk for low amniotic fluid levels. Low levels would cause decreased movement.  Either that or it could be a lazy baby. I was concerned and not excited to have to wait until today to see how Avery was doing. Well ever since the doctor called her lazy my little girl has been working to prove her wrong. She's been moving and grooving several times a day. We had our childbirth class on Saturday and she kept bumping and kicking Carl's hand while it was on my belly. The ultrasound was today and according to the sonographer, she has plenty of fluid. She is also still a girl. And she's a big girl! She is 3.3 lbs. I guess at her size she is measuring at 30 weeks rather than 28. I don't think they change due dates at this stage of pregnancy because babies grow at different rates at this point but I guess she is about the size of a baby due October 27, rather than November 8. So who knows, maybe she will surprise us and get here before Halloween!

I haven't posted any pictures lately so here are a few:

Here is Avery today. Can you see her face? Her eyes and her little button nose?!

26 weeks!

26 weeks: The fruit and veggie comparisons are getting a bit wacky but evidently she is about the size of a head of lettuce. She is about 2 lbs and 15 inches long so I'm guessing she is closer to the weight of a head of lettuce rather than the actual size. She is hearing more and more and can probably recognize the sound of mine and Carl's voices. I told Carl he needs to start singing to her! Lol. Her eyes can distinguish light now and I've read that if I shine a flashlight at my belly she might kick or move away from it but so far no luck with that. My uterus is the size of a basketball now. Prior to the pregnancy it was the size of a clenched fist so it's done a lot of stretching. So those of you who have indirectly called me fat (you know who you are) imagine your current body and then imagine a basketball inside of it. Anyone is going to be a little fat, right?

Cravings/Aversions: Well, I have had a long-standing craving for sweet and sour chicken but after ordering a dinner sized portion for myself and eating it for 3 meals, I think I've cured it. I love yoohoo. Other than that, I can't say there is anything else that comes to mind. Carl and I have been unfortunate to have a stomach bug that just won't go away so my appetite has been hit or miss.

Symptoms: My pelvis is breaking! But seriously, it feels like this baby must be jumping on it. Heartburn is crazy again. I've had some weird moments of insomnia. If it's not having a hard time falling asleep, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and then am wide awake for about an hour before I fall back asleep. No swelling so far which I'm super happy about. I thought being on my feet all day would mean that my feet would barely fit into my shoes but I only have mild swelling in my fingers so far and that could just be from the heat. My blood pressure is still good so I'm very thankful for that. Avery is still kicking but it seems like she's flipped. I used to feel and see her kicks up near my belly button (still an innie!) but now they are low and more internal. I am 95% sure she is breech right now but it doesn't matter this early on. My doctor's appointments have been every 2 weeks for awhile now and I am assuming they will continue that way until close to the end. This is the stage in which other people without any risk factors start seeing their doctor every 2 weeks. Did my 1 hour glucose test on Wednesday and am waiting to hear results. I'm hoping I hear Monday. The stomach bug I mentioned above seems to be hitting me hard and sticking around a long time and my OB says that's to be expected since I'm pregnant. She says baby is fine even if mom is miserable. I would not recommend this. As I said I have days that it is hard to eat and last night I woke up out of a dead sleep with stomach pain. I just want to feel good!

News this week: We have a childbirth class coming up! We were supposed to do it in July but we were the only ones signed up so they cancelled the class. I'm looking forward to the information and also to touring the labor and delivery unit. I just want to see what to expect. I also want to find out when the recommend you pre-register and how to go about doing that. I'm a planner and I want to get things done. We are also getting excited about our trip to St Louis for Labor Day. Hoping to catch up with a lot of people and eat a lot of delicious food. We will get to celebrate my grandma's and Carl's birthday's while there which will be fun. I think it will be weird for my family and friends to see me pregnant and I'm interested to see how everyone reacts. Hopefully we will make some decisions about daycare and a pediatrician soon too. Just over 3 months until she gets here! We will get to choose her birthday sometime near the beginning of October. I will be induced about a week earlier so it's strange to think we will get to choose her day. Can't wait! I'm going to have a daughter! I still can't believe it.

23 weeks 3 days

23 weeks: She is the size of an ear of corn and weighs about 1.5 pounds. Her hair is growing darker and her fingernails are almost fully formed. Her lungs should be almost fully formed but not yet ready to function. By week 24, though, she will be considered a viable baby! Still, we hope she stays in an "bakes" for many more weeks to come!

Cravings/Aversions: Still crab Rangoon; specifically wanting cold ones at breakfast time. Also had a big craving for sweet and sour chicken last week so Carl took me out and I got a huge portion that lasted 2 meals! As my trip to St Louis approaches, I am craving things that I know I can get there: Lion's Choice roast beef sandwiches, Imos pizza and toasted ravioli, arrancini from Bommarito's, and Krispy Kreme donuts. I think I'm going to eat my way through the city. No real aversions right now.

Symptoms: My pelvis is starting to hurt. I don't know if it's loosening up or just experiencing pressure from the little one but it hurts and sometimes I waddle. I also think I have carpal tunnel! Who knew? Apparently it can happen during pregnancy due to some swelling and is more common at night when your feet are up and swelling can move out of your lower extremities. For quite some time now my hands have been falling asleep and causing pain at night time. Only recently did I read about the cause. Otherwise I still get tired or nauseous sometimes but otherwise I'm ok. My blood pressure is still good. In a little over 2 weeks I will have my glucose test to check for gestational diabetes so cross your fingers I don't have that!

News this week: Carl felt her kick!! She was particularly active and he rested his hand on my tummy and could feel her move and then he felt two big kicks! I was so happy I cried! It just made me very emotional to see him feel her. It makes it seem more real. I feel her pretty much every day now. I love it. It is so funny when she gives me a hard kick and surprises me and I literally jump. I love everything this baby does.
Carl and I went to a cloth diaper class last weekend and we are pretty excited about the concept of cloth. It just seems like a better all-around option. We ordered a couple of diapers and a wet bag (to put the dirty diapers in) as samples so we could get a better idea of what we liked and I'm going to try to attach pictures.

Diapers and wet bag:

 

Bump Updates:

 

 

 

22 weeks 1 day

22 weeks: Wow! It's been a long time since I updated. Baby girl is the size of a papaya. In the next four weeks, she should double her weight! She is getting so big. If w could see her now, she would be wrinkled because her skin grows faster than the fat underneath accumulates. But she will be plump and soft by the time she is full term. Her tooth buds are forming as are her taste buds.

Cravings/Aversions: I want some crab rangoon! The craving started the other morning and hasn't gone away. I don't actually want Chinese food, just the crab rangoon. I have been eating more cheese sandwiches like I did in the first months. I like American cheese on white bread with a little mayo. For some reason they hit the spot and they are good for when Carl's not home and I'm too lazy to make real food. Iced tea tastes weird to me again so I'm drinking lots of flavored water and juice. I love anything tart and lemon. I love lemon-ices and fresh lemonade. I picked out two varieties of cranberry juice for this week so maybe I'm just drawn to anything tart.

Symptoms: Nothing too new this week. I have my second cold of this pregnancy and have a cold sore again. I never had them before and I told Carl if I ever get another cold sore I'm going to immediately think I'm pregnant! When they say your immune system is diminished when you're pregnant, they mean it! I feel terrible and there is next to nothing I can take. On a positive note, baby girl is kicking. It is not consistent, some days I feel it and some I don't. I can feel her kicks getting stronger and I felt one from the outside today. I can't wait for Carl to feel! Otherwise, space is growing tighter. I get winded easily and  this cold isn't helping. Climbing the stairs makes me winded right now.

News this week: We got our crib not too long ago. We have been waiting and waiting for it to be back in stock and once it was, we raced to get it. So now her room has a glider, a dresser, and a crib. Those are really the only major furniture pieces we plan on getting for her room. Next I think we plan on choosing some decorations to create a "theme" for the room. This baby girl is so lucky to have a daddy who is so involved. I am so glad that Carl is with me through every step of this. He really takes an active role in each decision we make and he wants to do the best for his little girl. It is really so sweet. In other news, we are looking at daycares and it looks like cloth diapers are back in the picture. Several daycares say they have never used cloth but are willing to give it a try. Carl and I have ordered some samples to look at and hopefully also take to whichever daycare we choose to give them an idea of what we are talking about. Most seem to think we are doing the old-fashioned prefold diapers with the safety pins and diaper covers. We want them to see what our diapers would really be like. I am excited to further explore the cloth option and can't wait for our samples to arrive.

19 weeks 1 day

19 weeks: Baby is the size of a mango now. Baby should be approximately 10 ounces but from an ultrasound 2 days ago we know that our little one is approximately 11 ounces. At this stage babies are growing at slightly different rates so Baby Curtis might differ from the average. I read somewhere that baby may start sleeping now.  Interestingly enough, at the end of our ultrasound it looked like the baby was tucking it's chin and hunkering down into a sleeping position.

Cravings/Aversions: Not really craving anything on a regular basis. I'm pretty spoiled though because Carl lets the baby and I choose dinner any time we go out. He says I'm the pregnant one so I get to choose what we eat. I will say that last night we went to Joe's Crab Shack and I ordered some spicy citrus steam pot thing. I thought there was going to be no way I'd finish. I did! It was awesome. The crab and shrimp soaked up the flavors of lime and tabasco and it was heavenly! I'd go back tonight and do it again if it wasn't a little pricey! I'm going to be thinking about that meal for awhile. I am eating twizzlers as I type this but that's nothing new. I have always loved candy and pregnancy hasn't changed that. It doesn't really count as an aversion but I'm sick of sprite. I try to avoid caffeine and so it's what I normally order when we're out but it's getting old!

Symptoms: Heartburn! It's striking every night and it stinks. I guess I should just start eating tums for dessert. I am also getting random waves of nausea. I get hot and dizzy and then nauseated and it just comes out of the blue. I am feeling the baby more now. I think I felt it roll over or flip. It felt like when your stomach drops on a roller coaster ride except it wasn't in my stomach. I can also feel little kicks or punches but they happen so fast it's almost hard to know what I really felt. Can't wait until they are strong enough for Carl to feel his baby's movements.

News this week: It's a girl! We had an elective ultrasound around 17.5 weeks and found out we are expecting a daughter. That was confirmed at our anatomy scan 2 days ago. We are thrilled. She's going to have us wrapped around her finger. The elective ultrasound was cool because we saw her moving around in 3d. She was very still until the sonographer gave me a drink of very cold water. Once the water hit my stomach the baby started dancing. The anatomy scan was cool too. No 3d but we could see the baby's brain, spine, the 4 chambers of the heart, and her 2 kidneys. The sonographer could even see her bladder filling so we know her kidneys are working. We have to wait for the radiologist to read it and get back to our doctor before we hear any more details but it seemed like all was well. When we tried to look at her face she crossed her arms over it so she might be a little shy. She is already the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. 
Carl and I have worked on our baby registry this week. I thought a wedding registry was hard but this is worse! There is so much to choose from and we have to weed out the things we don't really need. For the things we do need, it's just hard to know how many we might need. There are swings, bouncers, and play mats. Does a baby need all of these?! We are trying to keep things pretty minimal for the most part. But it is fun to look at all the cute baby stuff!
Here are some pictures:
Baby girl in 3d:

 

 18 week bump, haven't taken one for 19 weeks yet:

Baby's face (too small to see much detail yet):

 

 

 The girl parts:

 

 

Side profile of baby (you can see her little spine!):

17 weeks 3 days

17 weeks: Let's see, baby is the size of a sweet potato by the end of this week. Not sure what that means as sweet potatoes range in size so greatly. More specifically, baby is about 5 1/2 inches long and 5 ounces. The baby's ears have almost moved into their final position. It's bones are beginning to harden and its heart is getting stronger and pumping about 25-30 quarts of blood a day.

Cravings/Aversions: I have been craving St Louis style pizza and have even dreamt about it! Also wishing for some Thai food. No longer want lunch meat. Carl and I went to a place that makes hot sandwiches so I could eat one without feeling bad but I couldn't even finish. I don't feel too sad about that.

Symptoms: Nothing too exciting to report: mostly just same old, same old. I have developed some dizziness which I guess is common.

New this week: I have begun taking bump pictures. I hate feeling so fat but I realize that some day I am going to want to remember this and show these pictures to Sprout.

16 weeks 1 day

16 weeks:  Baby will be the size of an onion by the end of the week. I'm not crazy about onions so this isn't my favorite week. Lol. Baby is starting for form baby fat so I guess it's already gearing up to be soft and chubby. Baby can hear now and may be startled by loud noises like dogs barking. But a baby exposed in the womb to those noises are more likely to be used to them a birth. So hopefully the baby will be able to sleep through any noise the dogs make. Baby's eyelids are still sealed but it may be able to perceive some light. And it's fingerprints are forming!

Cravings/Aversions: I am craving marshmallows right now. And artichoke dip. Not really sure why but both sound so good all the time. I have been eating a lot of Cheetos too. No new aversions thankfully.

Symptoms: I have more and more growing pains. Getting up quickly normally makes me catch my breath because it tugs in my abdomen. I am still super congested and have a difficult time sleeping because I can't breathe. I have definitely hit the stage of being hungry all the time, especially in the morning. I feel like I am getting quite fat. Not loving that but it's a part of the deal, isn't it? I ordered a maternity swimsuit today so hopefully I can swim some this summer to keep cool and to feel weightless. I have read that pregnant women usually like the pool.

New this week: Well, I think I might have felt baby a few times. I feel a tickle-type sensation in my lower abdomen. It is very exciting and I can't wait until I feel it more or until Carl can feel it too. I know baby is moving around a lot in there because I've had to chase it with the Doppler. This morning I was using the Doppler and I swear I could hear it kicking. I was listening to the heartbeat and then I'd hear loud thuds like when someone taps on a microphone. Pretty sure baby Curtis was kicking up a storm. I can't wait until we see the baby again. Can't wait to see it kicking and moving around. And hopefully then we will know if it's team pink or team blue!

14 weeks 3 days

14 weeks: Baby is working up to the size of a large navel orange this week. Pretty big right? I bought one for a recipe this week and it was amazing to hold it in my hand and know that the baby inside of me has gotten that big. It's not a little tadpole anymore. Baby can grasp and could even be sucking it's thumb right now. The tiny bones in it's ears are forming and soon it will be able to hear.

Cravings/Aversions: I love juice of all kinds. I like sour things lately like lemon-flavored things, pineapple, and sour candy. Still think iced tea tastes strange. Craving breakfast sandwiches most mornings (like an egg mcmuffin) but haven't given in yet mainly because I don't have time.

Symptoms: Well, I'm not sure if this is pregnancy related or lack of physical fitness or both but I mowed the lawn yesterday and I'm pooped. Our mower is a push mower with no power drive so it's all man power. It felt good to get some physical activity but I am so sore and tired today. Next time I will drink more water and take more breaks. My skin is not so good lately. It's like I'm back in my teenage years. I'm having a lot of round ligament pain so when I laugh or sneeze or get up too fast I have a pulling sensation in my lower abdomen and it can be quite painful. I have been having nosebleeds which seems like one of the less common pregnancy symptoms. If you ask Carl, he will tell you I'm not sleeping well. Lol. Poor guy, I've been tossing and turning and kicking and his sleep is suffering because of me. I think I'm going to be using Benadryl pretty frequently during this pregnancy. I'm getting a bit of a belly these days and I think I'm going to have to start documenting the progress of the "bump" soon.

New this week: Mother's Day was this past weekend. I wasn't sure what to expect this year because I'm a mama but my baby isn't here yet. Carl surprised me Saturday with the most thoughtful gift. He picked out the cutest flower gift bag and matching tissue paper. Inside was a bottle of perfume. I had mentioned wanting this perfume one time last Fall. I can't believe he remembered. He also bought me a baby name book so maybe we can pick out some potential names for Sprout. We had a great weekend together. And he was so thoughtful to make me feel like a mommy. I have a great husband! Sunday we celebrated with Carl's family and then worked together on the yard.  It was a very nice weekend but too short.

13 weeks 3 days

13 weeks: We made it to the second trimester! Mom and dad are very relieved about that. Baby is the size of a lemon this week. A lemon seems smaller than a peach but I guess it's meant to indicate the length of the baby rather than the overall size. Baby has fingerprints and is growing hair now. Movements are more fluid and less spastic now.

Cravings/Aversions: I sort of love banana moon pies lately. Actually, anything artificially banana flavored sounds good. I also really like fruit snacks. Dairy makes me nauseous lately and iced tea has an off taste.

Symptoms: My nausea has come back somewhat but fortunately, so has some of my energy. I don't feel like I have to pass out as soon as I get home. Carl and I have been trying to take walks lately with the dogs and that feels pretty good. It definitely doesn't hurt me to walk.

New this week: I have been listening to Sprout's heartbeat pretty frequently as I have been nervous since the accident. Just want to make sure everything's ok in there. The heartbeat is getting stronger/louder and easier to find. It is also moving higher in my abdomen so I can tell Sprout is growing as is my uterus. Still haven't felt any movement though I hope to soon. It can take longer for first time mom's to recognize the feeling. I can't wait to feel my first little flutter. I asked Carl today if I look chubby or pregnant. After much hesitation (I'm sure he thought it was a trap) he said I just look chubby. I think I'm at the stage where it would still be rude to ask if I'm pregnant because I could have just eaten a big lunch. Can't wait to find out baby's sex though not sure when that will be. We don't see the OB again until May 20 and no idea when our next ultrasound is. I am very tempted by the independent ultrasound places that let you see your baby in 3D and will check gender for you. I am an impatient mama.

12 weeks 2 days

12 weeks: Baby is growing into a peach this week. It's intestines are moving out of the umbilical cord and into it's abdomen. It's vocal chords are forming but fortunately we won't be hearing any crying for many more months. We are quickly closing in on the second trimester!

Symptoms: Still getting hit with some crazy fatigue out of the blue. Today I washed our sheets, cleaned the toilets in the bathrooms, sorted a bunch of mail, and cleaned out the refrigerator. I was on a roll and then suddenly I hit a wall and passed out on the couch for about an hour. I woke up groggy and have been trying to get back into the groove since then. Still, some days I feel a little better. I feel like I have developed restless leg syndrome. I've read that it's not uncommon during pregnancy. I feel like my legs get jumpy when I'm relaxing in the evenings and lasts all night. I also have a hard time sleeping. The doctor says it's hormones. I guess it's practice for when the baby gets here.

Cravings/Aversions: Today I've been craving what I can't have: deli meats. I want a turkey sandwich with swiss on a Hawaiian roll. I can have it if I microwave the meat but it's not the same. I also want a spicy chicken sandwich but I don't have the motivation to go out and get it. Mushrooms are back in the picture; I had some the other day and liked them just fine.

News this week: We had an ultrasound on Friday. It was amazing! I don't know how to explain it but it's like I don't always realize there's a growing baby in there.  I think I imagine it the way I first saw it at 6 weeks. So to see it jump and move around when the lady poked around at my belly. . it was miraculous! I probably sound like every gushy first-time mom but now I know how they feel. It was amazing to know that it was moving around and I couldn't even feel it. And it looks like a baby! A tiny little baby. It's half me and half Carl and it's growing every day. I think it's sinking in and I can't believe how much I love it already.

11 weeks 3 days

11 weeks: Well, baby should be the size of a large plum by the end of the week. It has some reflexes at this point so if I push on my belly, supposedly it will respond and move around but I still can't feel it. Most systems are formed now so it's all about growing and getting all those new organs to work.

Symptoms: I seem to be getting more headaches than usual but that isn't a surprise since I'm sure my hormones are crazy. My extreme fatigue gave me a break the other day and I thought I might be turning a corner but it was back yesterday and today. I have also been having some significant round ligament pain when I stretch or sneeze.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing too new. Eggs are kind of gross lately but I try to eat them just to get some protein. My appetite has improved since the nausea has worn off and I eat pretty much normally now, which is nice.

News for the week: Carl and I bought a dresser for the baby room. We wanted to buy the crib but it was out of stock. We also ordered a glider for the room for late night feedings! I can't wait to get some of the furniture set up in the room so it looks like a baby space.
We also bought a gender prediction test from the pharmacy. We know the likelihood that it is correct is probably 50/50 but it is fun. So today I took the test. I mixed my urine with some sort of crystals and waited 5 minutes. If it stayed yellow or turned sort of orange it meant girl. If it turned green it meant boy. And. . . . . it says boy. Carl was excited. So I guess we'll see!

10 weeks 1 day

10 weeks: Baby will be the size of a lime by the end of the week. It can do somersaults but it is too early for me to feel them. It's head is the size of the rest of it's body.

Symptoms: Nausea is very sporadic at this point which I'm thankful for. Still very exhausted. Can't help but think this must be a combination of pregnancy fatigue and the fact that my blood pressure medication has been increased pretty much every two weeks since we started. I don't think my body is getting time to adjust, thus I feel tired as hell!  I have been getting headaches pretty regularly but I'm not surprised as I'm sure my hormones are crazy. Speaking of hormones, I cry easily and get angry very quickly. I am very impatient with people that are making me angry or frustrated and I feel myself wanting to say something when I would normally hold my tongue. Otherwise, I have had some leg cramping but nothing too crazy.

Cravings/Aversions: Carl and I went out for steak the other night and he got a steak with mushrooms on top. I robbed one from his plate because I love mushrooms. . . . loved. Apparently they taste gross right now. Or at least at that particular moment. I almost spit it out. Loving rice krispie treats. I'm not sure what about them I crave but just thinking about them in the pantry makes me want to put the computer down and get one right now. I have been drinking fruit smoothie every morning to try to get more fruit in my diet and so far that hits the spot.

Big news this week: Carl and I heard the baby's heart beat! We bought one of those home fetal dopplers (thank you Carl for humoring me) and I've been trying for a few days. Last night I was trying and trying but only succeeded in finding my own heartbeat. Carl came in to give it a try and after several minutes we found it! It was elusive and we lost it shortly after we found it. It was such a relief to hear it. I'm not going to turn into one of those ladies that calls the doctor as soon as I can't find it because I realize that chances are the baby is just swimming around or hiding. But I have to say I couldn't help but wonder "how do we know it's really ok in there?" Hearing the heartbeat reassured me that it is alive and well in there. I cried of course. I am a proud mama. Carl was quite pleased too. I found it again this morning and was able to hold on to it long enough to get a rate. It was beating at a respectable rate of 158.  I read a lot of online pregnancy forums and some women say they wish they could skip the pregnancy and go right to having the baby. I'm not exactly feeling awesome and going to the doctor EVERY two weeks is not fun but I can't imagine missing these moments. I can't wait to feel it move or find out it's gender. And ultrasounds seeing it suck it's thumb or blow bubbles. This is something not everyone gets to experience and I want to absorb every minute of it.

9 weeks 1 day

9 weeks: This week baby is working up to the size of a prune. Teeth buds are forming and it is moving it's very tiny arms and legs.

Symptoms: I have had nausea since early on, luckily with very little vomiting. Things are finally starting to ease up and I can eat fairly normally. I do find myself getting full pretty easily and can rarely  finish everything I put on my plate. That never used to be a problem! My skin is bad. I look like a teenager. It's seems that during pregnancy I am prone to zits right on the end of my nose! I wake up looking like Rudolph. I have some pulling sensations in my abdomen which are caused by everything growing and stretching. I have to pee all the time. I thought this came later when the baby is jumping on your bladder but evidently pregnancy makes your kidneys work more efficiently and you begin running to the bathroom fairly early on. Finally, this might be TMI but hey, you ARE reading a pregnancy blog, my boobs hurt. Even the seatbelt brushing across them causes me to tense!

Cravings/Aversions: The other night I was craving a cheese sandwich (tasted awesome!), love tangerines, juice of any kind, Chinese food (but I crave that normally so maybe that's not a baby thing). I hate the smell of coconut and I currently don't like onion rings. Nothing to crazy so far!

I hope to start posting bump pictures soon. I'm ashamed to say I have a bit of a belly already. I wasn't skinny before and since I've been pregnant I have lost all ability to suck in my gut. I know whatever bump I had is just bloat at this point but the fact of the matter is my pants are tight and I just don't care what's causing it. Interestingly enough, I have actually lost weight but you'd never be able to tell it!

It's official!

I have been waiting for quite some time to start this. It's seems as though when you have created something out of virtually nothing you get this crazy urge to brag about it! Just kidding. But I have been bursting at the seams to talk about this since we found out. So let's begin there: how we found out.
I'd love to say everything was a giant surprise but that wasn't so. Unfortunately, I have hypertension and becoming pregnant on my regular medication wouldn't have been healthy for the baby so we switched to something more baby-friendly (but less effective) before we started trying. Immediately I was on alert for pregnancy symptoms but after a freak bloody nose I tested and it came back negative so I told myself to tone it down a bit. Probably about a week later it was the weekend and I was super lazy/tired. We went to breakfast with some family and I found it hard to get interested in a breakfast I would normally have loved. That evening Carl and I were relaxing on the couch and, I don't know what made me do it but, I got up and went to the bathroom to take another test. It was the two-pink-line variety and I immediately got just the control line. Our trash can was without liner and I went to get one. When I returned. . .there was a second pink line! I almost threw a positive test away because I was too impatient to wait! Then of course I thought "what do I do?" Carl finally came to check on me and all I could think to say was, "there are two pink lines!" Of course he was confused because he didn't even know I had tested. We went to the store to buy back-up tests which were all positive. We were both completely shocked because it had happened so fast. We both anticipated months of trying before we had any results. It is one thing to talk about getting pregnant and another to actually be pregnant! I think we both very a little bit panic at first!