26 weeks & 4 days

We had our 26 week check-up appointment yesterday and I wanted to wait until after that to write this update. We are now starting our bi-weekly appointments! Time is just flying by... this is the last week of my 2nd trimester. The baby is doing great. She is very active! I mostly feel her in the evenings when we lay in bed. I can feel her getting bigger (not only by looking at me) but also by her movements. She kicks on all sides of my belly now- and sometimes all at the same time. I joke that she is going to have her Daddy's dancing skills because sometimes it feels like she is breaking it down in there.... :)

My weekly book says she is about 14 inches long from head to toe and weighs about 2 pounds now. After our appointment yesterday, she may be slightly bigger than that. The doctor said I'm measuring about 27 to 28 weeks so she may be here a little sooner than we expect! He said typically we wouldn't have another ultrasound but since she may be bigger than we think, just to remind them and we can fit another one in closer to the due date. That can be the reason we do one :) Her heartbeat was in the 150 range and of course we love to hear that each time we go!

My belly is still measuring 36", which is the same as my measurement at 24 weeks. I feel larger and  guess it is just moving outward more... I did gain a little weight since my last appointment. I'm up to 147 pounds which is a total of 17 pounds gained. I have noticed that it is harder to bend over to do things, like put on socks/shoes. Getting up off the couch is taking more effort than ever before too. Luckily, Brent usually just pulls me up! My next appointment is my glucose tolerance test. Hopefully that won't be as bad as some people make it out to be...

Below are the pictures we took at 26 weeks. It was after a workout class so I may look a little sweaty.....

I am so excited about tonight! Brent and I are going to put together the crib and dresser for the nursery. We had the carpet replaced on Monday and have been cleaning/organizing things to their new places. Her room is so clean and ready for furniture! Our guest bedroom is now that and our office, and Brent's music room. It may be a little more crowded than normal but we will make it work! 

We have also signed up for a childbirth class in February. It is offered either during the week or on a weekend. They have it one weekend a month so I'm glad we went ahead and signed up for this! We also made an appointment to go meet with a Pediatrician next week. After talking to a lot of people and researching providers online, I really want to use Primary Pediatrics and their Doctor Lance Slade. Not only does he have an impressive resume, but he and his family seem very involved in the community and helping children. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend :)

24 weeks along...

I know it has been a few weeks since I have updated this blog. I hope everyone had a great New Year. Today is my first day back at work and I'm not feeling great. I have a sore throat and just feel "sick"... I am hoping to go home and go to bed once I get off. But, on to better news- we have a growing little girl on our hands. She is now up to 12" long (from head to toe) and a little over a pound in weight. The brain, taste buds and lungs are starting to grow quickly now. The lungs will continue to develop until the very end. They are starting to produce surfactant, which is a substance that helps the air sacs inflate once she is born. She is now the size of an ear of corn.

She is very active because I feel her move pretty often. Sometimes I feel her on both sides of my belly at the same time which is just showing how long she is :) My waist is now measuring 35" around and I'm weighing 145 lbs, which is a 15 lb gain so far. Below are the 24 week photos. I can really notice that my belly is getting round and can see it coming off of my ribs a lot when I look into the mirror. I do have a feeling that my belly button will be popping out at some point because it is pretty flat right now :)

We have started to get ready for the baby by getting the nursery together. Our office will now be sharing the room with our guest bedroom so the nursery will be our old office room, which is the smaller of the two. We ordered new carpet to get everything all clean before she arrives. Brent pulled up the old carpet and is going to paint the room this week. We are doing the room in grey and yellow with elephants and giraffes. The walls are mostly white with the top half a soft yellow. The furniture we ordered is black and we have the bed and dresser ready to be put together once the room is ready. We got some really cute nursery items for Christmas. Catherine made us book ends that are grey and yellow elephants. She is very creative! Our baby bed was a gift also from my parents for Christmas. I can't wait to put it together and get everything up :)

We will also have a baby name to share soon! :) 

Update to Week 20!

I am a few weeks behind in getting the blog updated- but we've had a lot going on the past few weeks. As I am sure most of you know, we found out on the day before Thanksgiving that we are having a baby girl!! Our Mom's went with us to the visit so we could all find out together. We are so excited and can't wait for her to be here.... well we can actually, 20 weeks to be exact. (or less) It was so amazing to be able to see the ultrasound and her moving around so much. It looked like she was doing the backstroke in there.... so busy moving. She was being a little stubborn at first because they tried for at least 20 minutes to see between her legs and she wasn't having it! I had to go see the Doctor for my check up, drink a soda and then come back for her to try again. That is when we saw it! She was weighing 8 oz. then and looking great I must say... a picture of her is below. You can see her face to the left and top of her belly with her fist in the top right.....

She (it's nice to say that now instead of "it") is measuring about 6 1/2" long now from crown to rump which is about the size of a large tomato. Her brain is designating areas for all of her senses this week and she is able to hear my voice, and of course the people around me. I have been feeling her move more now. Last Sunday I felt her moving for about 5 minutes or so. It was so great :) I am looking forward to Brent being able to feel her... I am surprised I don't feel her more after what she was doing during the ultrasound.

For week 18, I was weighing about 137 lbs, which is an overall 7 pound gain and my waist was 34", which is 4" larger than before. This looks very different from before- you can see my belly below! This is the 19 week picture because I forgot about doing it at 18 weeks, I was too excited about the baby :) I need to catch up on my 20 week measurements and picture.

I am having some trouble sleeping, or at least getting comfortable. I have a body pillow which helps, but my back and hips hurt when I am trying to sleep on my side. Besides not getting comfortable, I have to get up and use the restroom at least two or three times a night. But, this is not me complaining :) I think that lack of sleep in pregnancy is just preparing you for when the baby arrives.

Since I am a few weeks behind on pictures and measurements, I will try to get those updated soon! We are going to start on the nursery soon and register! I'm very excited about getting everything all set up! See you back in a few weeks....

Weeks 15 & 16

The baby is growing big now! Most of the features are already formed and organs are starting to work. For week 15, the baby is about 4 inches long (head to rear) and weighs about 2.5 ounces. This doesn't seem like much, but I was eating a Reese's cup this morning (after my breakfast!) and it weighs .75 ounces, so it's about 3.5 Reese cups :) Which actually has some weight to it... I know not much but it is nice to have something to compare it to. 

The baby is moving around a lot now and he or she's legs are growing longer than the arms and all of the joints are able to move now. The taste buds and lungs are starting to develop also. I read that the baby can sense light, even though the eyelids are still fused shut, and if you shine a flashlight on your belly the baby will move away from the light inside.. isn't that cool? Brent thinks it is cruel so we haven't done it... I have been craving a lot of spicy foods- of course if you didn't guess already cheese dip with jalapenos. I am so happy that I don't hate it during pregnancy. I was a little scared at first when I wasn't feeling well- but we are all clear now! :) 

The weather got really chilly this week and I came down with a cold. It wasn't terrible, but I did rest a lot and try to take it easy. I didn't go to work on Friday and slept most of the morning which was needed and I think helped a lot. Saturday was our 5 year wedding anniversary! It's hard to believe that we've been married for 5 years, but they have been wonderful. 

Here is a picture we took during week 15. (I'm sorry we forgot to close the toilet seat, ha)

This Tuesday was the mark of week 16! Which if you go by the first week of pregnancy, this means that I am in the middle of being 4 months pregnant- gosh that seems weird. (the calendar I saw uses some months as 4 weeks and some as 5, but I am sure there are lots of different ones out there) I have read and heard that this week may be the beginning of starting to feel the baby move- maybe not for a few more weeks, but there is a possibility. I haven't felt anything yet and if I have I surely didn't know what it was. I am really looking forward to that moment... I find myself going back to listen to the heartbeat we recorded from our 14 week appointment on my phone and just grinning while it plays- it makes me so happy! 

The baby this week is 4 1/2" long and about 3.5 ounces- which if we use the Reese's cup weight again, that is almost 5 Reese cups! He/she is growing so much now each week. The baby is compared to the size of an avocado. There are a few external things going on this week- the legs are growing longer, the body is developing tiny hairs all over, the scalp is starting to pattern, the eyes and ears are moving towards their final position, the head is sitting more up on the neck and the heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day! As the baby grows the blood volume will grow too. The doctor said that I would start gaining more weight now too which I noticed I have! My weight is up to 135.5 pounds, which is a total 5.5 pound gain. My waist is also measuring 33" which is a total of 3" in growth. I can tell and feel that my waist is lost now and more straight than before. Most of my clothes are still fitting, just my pants aren't buttoning or even being able to zip any longer. Thank goodness for the belly band that covers them being open and holds them up! What a great invention. I have a few maternity clothes that I am starting to wear but not enough for every day of the week yet. 

The doctor told me at our last visit that I could start to jog again if I wanted to. I've been walking but have really missed being able to run. This week my Mom and I ran (and walked) about 2 miles two different times and it felt great. I am out of breath a lot quicker now but being able to walk when needed is perfect. I am being very careful to take it easy and not overdo it. I am just glad to be able to move around! Although, I must say running is VERY different while pregnant. Not only do I feel slightly heavier, but it is weird having something new in your body and feeling your belly move around since it hasn't before. The doctor has assured us that the baby can't feel a thing and it won't hurt anything to run. I have felt fine since doing this and plan to continue a few times a week- as long as it isn't freezing outside! 

Below is the picture from week 16. 

I will have more photos to post on my next entry at week 18- that is when we go back for a sonogram and get to see our baby again and to find out the gender-- so if anyone has any guesses I would love to hear them :) See you in a few weeks...

Week 14

It is hard to believe are at week 14 already. Well, actually today is 14 weeks and 3 days. Time really is going by pretty fast considering we are in our 2nd trimester already. I feel like we just found out we were pregnant a few days ago. But, it is feeling very real now and as my body keeps changing, it is more noticeable too. Most of my clothes are still fitting pretty good. My pants won't button but to be honest it is more comfortable that way anyways! I think Brent is starting to really "feel" like we are pregnant too as my belly grows. He stopped in the kitchen the other day and just looked at it with a smile and rubbed it... :)

 This week the baby is the size of a lemon, about 4" long and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Its head is now sitting more up on its neck and the body is growing faster than the head now. It can squint, move its mouth, urinate, and even could be sucking its thumb- if it is anything like me! The liver has started making bile this week and the spleen is helping in produce lots of red blood cells. I read in my book that if you feel right about your pelvis you can feel your uterus, a round shape. One night we were on the couch and I was laying back and feeling around, pushing around lightly, trying to find this shape in my body and Brent looks over at me and says "STOP IT" and I started laughing immediately because I knew exactly why he said that. He then said "STOP, that isn't good for the baby, you don't want to hurt it". :) so sweet (and funny)

We had our check up yesterday at the Doctor's office. We were seeing a different doctor this time, Dr. Durso. They say they like for you to see all the delivery doctors in the office just in case one of them is the one to deliver you if Jeri (our doctor) isn't there. He was very nice and I really liked him because he told Brent I could have as much ice cream as I wanted because it was a good source of calcium! So now he is my best friend. :)

This appointment was just a check-up. He went over my medical history, told me I was in good shape and could start running again and it was completely safe for the baby to do so, told me to get the FLU shot, and that I should start gaining more weight now. I weighed in at 133 lbs, 3 lbs total gain, and my waist is measuring 32 1/4" this week (1/4" larger than 2 weeks ago). I feel like I am getting larger outwards instead of wide. My mom said she thought my hips were about the same (filling in some of course) but that I was moving outwards. We have been measuring Brent too and he has stayed pretty consistent with his weight and measurements- let's see if that changes! We also got to hear the baby's heartbeat, which is the best sound in the world. It didn't take him anytime to find it... he just put the Doppler on my lower abdomen and there it was....We recorded it also so now I can listen to it whenever I want- which can be comforting waiting for the next appointment... the baby's heartbeat was 155 bpm. Below is the recording if you want to listen. (It is actually a video that shows the ceiling in the exam room- LOL)

We also took the 14 week pictures that are below.

Some say that you can feel your baby move around 16 weeks or so. That is so exciting to think I may be able to feel that soon. We have decided that we want to find out the sex of the baby- I thought I liked the idea of a surprise but I am just having a fit to go buy something and get the nursery started and that is VERY hard without knowing the sex.

We set our next appointment for 18 weeks and that is when they will do another sonogram and tell us the sex. We haven't had a sonogram since week 6 so things are going to look very different. The appointment is set for November 21st, right before Thanksgiving! We hope to share that great news with everyone shortly after! So, until next time- :)

12 weeks

I am a few days late this week with an update. I forgot to take my measurements and a picture on Tuesday so I had to set a reminder on my phone to do it yesterday. Maybe that is part of the P-Brain (pregnancy brain) we used to tease Brittany about all the time :) I have noticed little things that I am forgetting... but nothing too major which is good so far I guess.... 

I have been feeling good this week. The nausea is pretty much completely gone now and mostly I feel like I have plenty of energy. I have started back going to some work out classes (at a very low impact rate) I was doing before and still walking a few times a week, usually about 2.5 miles each time. The weather has been so nice it feels great! I am hoping that I can get permission from the doctor at our next appointment to start running/jogging a little bit. Not running 10 miles or anything, but just about 2 or 3, or whatever my body can handle. Maybe even just a walk and jog would be nice- I just don't like not being able to do something. The workout class I started back going to is called Ripped- a little hand weights and cardio stuff. I just don't do any of the jumping around stuff, but instead do the moves without jumping! 

I had a weird thing happen to me on Monday morning. I did my "usual" of getting settled into work and then get my breakfast ready. I am hungry much earlier now so I eat much sooner than before. Plus I am not getting full on coffee anymore so I am sure that has something to do with it. So I went to the sink to wash off my spoon and all the sudden felt like I may throw up. I didn't smell or see anything that triggered that feeling, just came out of no where. So, I figured I should probably go to the restroom just in case. I didn't want to be hovered over a trash can as faculty and students walked by the break room. A very good decision on my part as right when I got the restroom I got sick. It lasted just a minute or so and of course it feels horrible at the time, but then a few minutes later I was fine. So strange...... 

We are now 12 weeks pregnant. Very hard to believe the first trimester is almost over! The baby is about 2 1/2" long this week. About the size of a large plum! It is so cute too, or what my book says it looks like is really cute :) It weighs about 1/2 oz. It's organs like the small intestine are starting to work, its opening and closing its mouth, hands and little fingers, and it can even squint. Also our book says that if you push on your stomach where the baby is, he/she can feel it and is moving around. We are really wondering if it is a boy or a girl.... so excited to know! My waist is now measuring 32" inches (the same from 10 weeks) so a 2" inch growth from the beginning. Brent's waist is also the same from 10 weeks, he was happy about that :) The picture from this week is below...

It is nice now that I don't feel like I am keeping secret from everyone and I can just talk about it whenever I want and tell anyone I want! Most people that I work with know now and our friends all know. It is very exciting- and now the "shock" factor that we are actually pregnant has gone away it is part of our life. I must say that I have the BEST husband in the world- he has really been very sweet to me and is making sure that I have what I need, I'm getting enough rest, feeling okay, and of course making sure I am not eating too much cheese dip (if that is even possible) LOL. He really has started helping with more stuff around the house and just being great and I really appreciate it and love him!

We will see you back here in the next week or so with more updates and another picture! :)

Week 11...

This has been a good week! I feel like one morning I woke up and my stomach just wasn't the same- I have a baby bump- and I Love It! At first it wasn't so noticeable in the mornings, but "grew" as the day went on... but now it is there.... really neat.

The baby is now the size of a large lime. Its head is about half the size of it's body. (That is because it's going to be so smart!) It looks more like a baby now with arms, legs, facial features, hair follicles, and its moving around like taking water aerobics :) It's boy or girl parts are developing and will be complete in the next few weeks and we will be able to see at our 18 week appointment (hopefully).

This past weekend my family had some pictures taken and Brent and I got a chance to take a few also... below are our favorites! See you next week with more updates!