9 Weeks

The baby has officially graduated from embryo to fetus and has grown to about 1 inch (head to rump), which is about the size of a medium green olive (to me, I don't consider this much different than last week's raspberry, but who knows). The head is continuing to develop and take on more baby-like proportions. And this week the baby is pumping iron as the muscles begin to form which will allow the baby to move it's arm and legs, but not quite enough for me to feel yet. The baby's heartbeat can be heard by doppler, and hopefully we will have the opportunity to hear it at our first appointment on Tuesday.

The baby is also developing hair follicles, but being a baby who didn't have hair until I was 2 was to I'm not holding my breath that I will have a baby with a full head of hair! At this point the baby weighs less than 2 grams, which is about the weight of a penny (so why have I gained 4 pounds?) And although the sex of the baby was decided at conception, the baby is beginning to develop either into a little boy or a little girl. Exciting! Any guesses to which it may be? Most guesses have been for a girl, but my mom and aunt Christy are sure it's a boy. Only 11 more weeks til we will know!

As far as symptoms go I haven't been experiencing anything new. My appetite has decreased some as well as my frequent bathroom breaks, which are still frequent, but not as bad. I am mostly excited to meet with the nurse practitioner next week for the first appointment and then with my OB the next week. There is the possibility that I have started to experience "pregnancy brain" aka forgetfulness. It is hard to tell because part of that is just who I am, but yesterday I totally forgot to wear my jacket to work, which I paid for because it was a bitter cold walk in and out. And I also started to leave without getting my stuff out of the breakroom. The day before I forgot to grab my parking pass and put it in my rental car so I had to pay for parking (although the shorter walk was nice). Maybe it was a fluke, or just one of those days, but I have been promised that it will come! Thanks again for all the love, support and prayers.

8 Weeks!

Well today officially marks 8 weeks. Which is super exciting because I can now move on to the next chapter in my book, the third month!

The baby is growing up a storm (but my appetite could have told you that), and is measuring about a half an inch (head to rump). So we can compare this to about the size of a raspberry! Moving on up! The baby is starting to looking a little more human as the lips, nose, eyelids, legs and back continue to take shape. The heart is beating about 150 times a minute, but still unable to be heard by a doppler. The newest and most exciting change is that now the baby is making teeny tiny spontaneous movements, mostly twitches and unfortunately I probably won't feel any movement for another 8-10 weeks.

Unfortunately, I am headed out the door to work and can't ramble much longer, but if I get the chance I will update more later!

UPT

I hope I am not offending anyone buy uploading this pic. These little pee sticks hold so much power! They power to deliver the most wonderful news or the worst news. Really, they carry quite a hefty weight if you think about it. Anyway, the top one is the first one I took. I like it because it still shows the result! Now some people have problems deciphering the all important second line, which indicates a positive pregnancy test. I was pretty certain about the second line, but I still wanted to try out another test just to be sure.

Later in the day, with a separate sample I used the second test, the EPT. I liked this test too because it is very easy to read! You can't see it now, because it is digital and apparently has a very short battery life once used, but it will either have the words "pregnant" or "not pregnant" on it. Very easy to read, so little confusion should exist. I am just sad that it now longer says "pregnant" but just has a blank screen, obviously I still haven't thrown it in the trash regardless.

Pampers!

I bought my first pack of diapers today! A girlfriend from work told me that the best advice she got while they were expecting was to pick up a pack of diapers whenever at the store or when they are on sale. Well today I was at the store and they were on sale. My favorite brand too! 96 Pampers for $19.99. I've seen them upwards of 8-10 dollars more than that. I got size 1, but plan on getting a few from every size. Realistically I'm not sure how much I can stock up because of storage space, but it never hurts to have a few jumbo boxes lying around right? Plus if I buy one box every two weeks I could have close to 1,500 diapers, which will probably only last about 4-6 months if I am lucky!

Although there is the reusable diaper route. The cost is higher upfront, but over the course of 2-3 years I think the overall cost would be less. Cons to washable cloth diapers would be the washing (yuck!). Disposable diapers are convenient, but hard on the environment. I know some moms who use cloth while at home and disposable on the go. Anyone have any advice on this? Lots to think about...

7 Weeks down, 33 (ish) to go!

As of yesterday, I am 7 weeks pregnant. Which also means, I've known for almost a month, but it sure doesn't feel like it. I am still in a little bit of disbelief I think because I am having little to few symptoms, so nothing really to remind me of the little blueberry growing inside me!

Yes, this week the embryo is the size of a blueberry! Even more amazing, at this point the baby is 10,000 times bigger than at conception. Most of the growth is concentrated in the head and cells are being made there at a rate of 100 cells per minute. This week the baby's mouth and tongue are forming, and the arm and leg buds are beginning to sprout paddle-like appendages. These will soon become the hands and feet. The baby's kidneys are now in place and ready to begin their job of waste management.

I've seen an increase in my appetite this week. I can eat well beyond my normal portion at some meals, and often find myself unsatisfied after a meal or snack. I will admit to a 4 am bowl of chocolate cheerios (but that was also due to a few hours of early morning insomnia after a trip to the bathroom). McDonald's always sounds better than a sensible salad, so I compromise and get a salad at McDonald's, although I will admit to the occasional chicken nugget meal. I did make a joke to a friend at work yesterday when we walked over to the McDonald's at Riley that I may go ahead and get the 20 piece family pack. Don't worry, I didn't.

March seems to be going by fast, which is exciting because my first OB appointment is on April 5. It will likely continue to be a quiet month, which I am happy to have because I know it is all downhill from here. We have the first two appointments in April, a trip to Nashville planned in May, a family vacation in June and Megan's wedding in July, at which point I will be five weeks past the halfway point! I just realized that my pregnancy is in perfect tune with the season! As spring is upon us and everything is turning ripe and green so is the baby! Flowers are just starting to poke through the ground as a friendly reminder that better weather is on the way and even more beauty and growth is to come, just like our little blueberry is just barely making any sign it exists, I have no doubt I will soon see the growth! How exciting.

Our second "baby"

Lila!

Our first "Baby"

Maverick!

The Porcelain Thrown

So I got called off work today and decided to check out a movie with Megan. I won't say which one, but it rhymes with Lustin Dieber (sorry, I couldn't come up with a better one). Anyway, it was sooo good, except the 3 bathroom breaks I required. WHAT? Seriously, this is definitely going to put a damper on my most favorite pastime, movie-going!! Once right before it started during the previews, which I absolutely hate to miss, once in the middle and once in the end and I almost couldn't make it until then! That's close to 3 times in 2 hours. Can't wait til the baby is actually sitting on my bladder ;)

Speaking of Caffeine...

Just saw this on the yahoo home page:
5 reasons to not quit coffee:
1. It protects your heart: Moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than noncoffee drinkers, an effect linked to coffee’s antioxidants. Coffee has more antioxidants per serving than blueberries, making it the biggest source of antioxidants in American diets.
2. It diverts diabetes: Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides, specifically) play another role: boosting your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. In fact, people who drink 4 or more cups of coffee each day may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to some studies.
3. Your liver loves it: OK, so the research here is limited, but it looks like the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases.
4. It boosts your brain power: Drinking between 1 and 5 cups a day (admittedly a big range) may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. Those antioxidants may ward off brain cell damage and help the neurotransmitters involved in cognitive function to work better.
5. t helps your headaches: And not just the withdrawal headaches caused by skipping your daily dose of caffeine! Studies show that 200 milligrams of caffeine—about the amount in 16 ounces of brewed coffee—provides relief from headaches, including migraines. Exactly how caffeine relieves headaches isn’t clear. But scientists do know that caffeine boosts the activity of brain cells, causing surrounding blood vessels to constrict.

5 reasons I can continue to delude myself into believing my caffeine addiction is ok!

Week 6

So I am getting a little bit ahead of myself here, I actually won't be six weeks until Wednesday. But I am having so much fun that I am going to go ahead and do a 6 week update anyway. Plus, I will be working on Wednesday and Thursday and I wouldn't want to get behind!!

The baby is measuring about a quarter of an inch, or about the size of a nail head. This week the baby is developing the jaws, cheeks and chin. Little indentations on both sides of the head will form ear canals and the small black dots on the face will form eyes and in a few more weeks the baby's nose will be formed. Also taking shape this week is the baby's kidneys, liver and lungs. So amazing. The heart beats about 80 times per minute and getting faster everyday.

Pregnancy symptoms are pretty much the same but you can add in an increased sense of smell, possibly heartburn and indigestion and bloating.

I've been trying to cut back on my caffeine, but is hard to do, especially because no caffeine means getting headaches and I don't really want to take anything for those headaches. I am still drinking a small cup of coffee in the morning, but have mostly cut out any sodas during the day. Most of what I have read has said that up to about 200mg a day is considered safe, but not a lot of research on the subject is definitive, mostly because there is no way to tell how it may affect the baby.

There are also certain foods that I am supposed to avoid. The biggest thing for me is cutting out the soft cheeses, such as feta and bleu cheese, which I pretty much would eat about 3 times a week on a salad. It's just so yummy, in omelettes too! I'm supposed to avoid lunch meats because they have a higher risk of carrying bacteria, so if I eat it it has to be heated to steaming, so goodbye Jimmy Johns. No raw fish, means no raw sushi, but I can still do the tempura rolls and such. I have to avoid big game fish that carry higher levels of mercury, but I don't usually eat any of those, things like salmon, talipia, and such are considered safe. I've been trying to increase my vegetable intake, I usually can squeeze in enough fruits, but I have to tell you, snacking on veggies isn't that much fun, so I've just been trying to hide them in the my salads and stuff. No undercooked or raw eggs either, so no licking the brownie batter or poached eggs (I will miss you both). All in all mostly small sacrifices that add up to a big reward, a happy healthy baby.

After the first trimester I will also need about an extra 300 calories a day. Yippee! The goal will be to gain between 25-35 pounds in pregnancy and I can't say I am looking forward to seeing that number on the scale. Luckily, I went to hop on mine this morning and it didn't turn on so maybe that is a blessing in disguise! I don't plan on running right out and replacing it either.

Our baby at 5 weeks

So here is the week 5 update (weeks 1-4 are pretty uneventful). Our baby is an embryo and mostly resembles a tadpole, or if you ask Jake, Lord Voldemort. The baby is growing very fast and furiously and is about the size of an orange seed (much bigger than the poppy seed it was in the first month). The most exciting part is that in weeks 5 the baby's heart is taking shape and the first system, the circulatory system is operational!

What does all of this mean for me? Lots of trips to the bathroom! My body is in overdrive growing the baby which means an increased heart rate and increased blood flow to my kidneys which means lots of potty breaks! Because of all of this and the increased energy used to build our little tadpole there is a lot of fatigue. So far I have felt pretty much the same energy-wise but I am looking forward to an excuse to take naps in the coming weeks! Nausea and vomiting usually start around this time and can continue through the first trimester and beyond, but fingers crossed, nothing yet. Also, food cravings and aversions are taking place. Again, nothing I have experienced yet, but I have taken the opportunity to buy and keep icecream in the house, although this week I tried to go a little healthier and got mango sorbet, which I have yet to try. So all-in-all I'm pretty much the same me! Which is good, except when you want something other than the positive pregnancy test to remind you about the little orange seed you are carrying around. For now I will enjoy my same old body and being symptom free because I know all of that is about to change.

Also, I forget to mention that the baby's due date (by my calculations) will be October 31. We'll see what the doc says, but when does a baby ever come on their due-date anyway? As long as we make it to term I will be a happy camper!

What to Expect when you're expecting...

Hi! Welcome to my new blog! Most of you probably have heard by now that Jake and I anxiously awaiting our first baby! Being in the "baby business" this is a really exciting time for me, not so sure about Jake ;) So let's start at the beginning.

Jake and I decided that 2011 was going to be the year of the baby. Well, I may have forced Jake to decide that, I'm not sure. Although I am convinced that Dad's aren't really fully ready to be Dad's until they are one. Me, I've been a mother since I was six. It didn't happen in January, which I was prepared for, but I was actually kind of surprised it happened in February. I took a home pregnancy test as soon as I got up on my birthday, and just prepared myself for another negative as I left it to think and I went to let the dogs out. Well much to my surprise I came back to see a definitive positive (those things are so advanced these days!) Then came the waterworks! I had plans and things to prepare for so I just kind of let the excitement take over but reminded myself to pick up another test later (and a different brand) just to make sure. And of course, that one was positive too, PHEW! Now, how to tell Jake?

Most of us know that Jake is very smart and always one step ahead. I hadn't told him specifically when I was going to take a test but he must have figured it out because when I handed him a nicely wrapped little box with the two tests in them when he got home from work he just looked at me and said, "You're pregnant!" He thinks he's sooo smart. At this time I hadn't even had a chance to miss my period so we were barely even past conception (again, those little tests can tell you 6days before a missed period), which I definitely knew was too early to tell. The last two weeks have been long and excruciating keeping it in and I was so happy to let it out last night!

We are so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing family and friends. The responses were all positive and tear-filled. Announcing news like this is kind of an interesting thing. Like how do you bring it up in conversation? I wasn't sure. We had talked about me wearing a "designated driver" t-shirt or having Jake wear a "baby daddy" tee, but in the end saying it out loud felt best.

So I am starting this blog as a virtual scrapbook and a way to share our growing family life with friends and family near and far. I'm going to do my best to give week by week updates. So far what I know is, our first appointment with the nurse practitioner is April 5, I will be 10 weeks (and for my brothers and brothers-in-law who may not know, pregnancies generally go to 40 weeks). Then about a week later we will meet our OBGYN, Dr. Bridget Hurry. We have another appointment in May and then June 15th is our 20 week appointment and our ultrasound. So Jake will get to find out if we are having a boy or a girl for his birthday. He has already said, that if we have a girl and then go on to have some boys there are definitely going to be some double standards, I told him I knew all about that being the only girl in my family! I thought it was pretty cute though.

Again, we appreciate all the love and support and we are so lucky to have our family on this journey with us.