Third Trimester... 28 Week Visit

HOLY COW! I am in my last trimester! I can't believe my pregnancy has gone by so fast, 12 weeks to go.

The visit today was pretty uneventful. The baby's heartbeat was in the 140's again and my belly measurement was good. Today I got to do the glucose test again and wait for an hour for them to draw my blood. Hopefully all is well and we can sail on through to delivery!

My next appointment is only two weeks away - I can't believe I am to this point already! The baby will be here before we know it!

24 Week Appointment

Today was the BEST appointment we've had so far! First we had our ultrasound and everything is great. All of the baby's organs are where they are supposed to be and attached correctly. We are actually measuring like we are 25 weeks gestation instead of 24. We didn't really get any good pictures today though. Babypie was folded nearly in half with legs crossed and above the head with one hand holding a leg. We got lots of pictures of that, but they are not very clear. The best news was that my cervix measured long and was completely closed!!

After we were off to see Dr. Binder. We didn't get to hear the heartbeat today, one because we just had an ultrasound and two because he couldn't find it! He said he hopes the baby is more cooperative next time. He wasn't concerned because we'd had an ultrasound ten minutes before. The only news I wasn't excited about was him telling me that I have to take another glucose test because the baby is big. He hasn't said anything about my belly measuring big though. Oh well, I guess it's better to be safe. One other thing, he said that my cervix measured longer than eight weeks ago, which is absolutely incredible! As worried as I have been about it since the beginning this was confirmation that it shouldn't be that big of a concern! YAY!

So my next appointment will be my last four week appointment. After we will go to every two weeks! I can't believe that it is this close! I will also have to do more blood work with the glucose test and also get my rhogam shots.

The baby moves around like crazy now and I feel bigger every day. Here is a 24 week belly shot!

Brandon Feels The Baby!!

Yay!

Over the last four weeks the baby's activity has become very frequent. The "kicks" are getting stronger as my belly grows. One night last week I was laying in bed and the baby was moving around a lot. Brandon puts his hand on my belly and I guess the baby could feel the weight of his hand pushing in and kicked right under his hand, but I started laughing so Brandon said he couldn't tell if it was a kick or me laughing so we lost on that one.

On Sunday morning we were laying in bed as usual and he put his hand on my belly again. I was determined not to laugh this time. Well, within a few minutes he felt the little kick under his hand! He said it felt like a little hiccup! I was SO excited! He finally felt a little of what I've been feeling for the last few weeks! He hasn't felt any kicks yet, but I am sure he will again soon.

We go to the doctor on Friday for my next checkup and the "BIG" ultrasound. We are still not going to find out the sex even though everyone in the world is pushing us to!

Belly Pics

Here are a few belly pictures. Although the belly is not totally there, it definitely won't be long now! The only other picture I have is from the day we found out. I didn't really see the point in taking pictures until I started showing....

18 weeks

20 Weeks

What was that??

Perhaps the baby moving?

I really don't know for sure. Sunday morning I was laying in bed watching the food network and I suddenly felt something like a little "knock-knock", it was sort of like a "hello, I'm here". That's the reason I am not sure whether or not it was the baby. It didn't feel like what anyone had described to me and I know everyone is different but it still leaves me wondering.

I've heard it feels like a little hair on the back of your neck, or it feels like little bubbles, or it feels like gas pains, or so many other things that I don't feel like I felt. SO I am confused as to if it really was the baby or not. I haven't felt it since then, but I am hoping to feel more in the next few weeks and definitely be able to determine if it was in fact the baby.

16 Week Visit.

My 16 week visit was last Tuesday. The visit with my Doctor was pretty exciting. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat! The heart rate was 145. It sort of blew me away - it is now totally real that I have something alive growing in my uterus! I went in with the idea that I wanted to express how concerned I am about my cervix. So before I went I did my research and was prepared with questions and suggestions. The cervix begins "feeling" weight by the 17th week so I wanted to make sure things were good before the weight begins. I reminded him that he told me we would watch my cervix through the pregnancy and I wanted to know how we were going to "watch" it. I was prepared to ask for a cervical ultrasound and give him a little speech, but he suggested it first. So he called down to ultrasound and they worked me in.

It is actually called a transvaginal ultrasound, but it is not as bad as it sounds. It is actually pretty amazing that just from this little wand they can see, take pictures, and measure things inside of you. The ultrasound tech said my cervix looked long she took a few measurements and pictures and then said lets take a look up top! I was so excited to see the baby, but at the same time a little disappointed that Brandon wasn't there. Since they had to work me in he didn't stay becasue he had a meeting and we had no idea how long we were going to have to wait. She took quite a few pictures. The baby was moving all around the whole time she was looking. She measured the head and the femur to check gestational age to be sure I was right about my last period. I made sure she knew that we don't want to know the sex so that she didn't accidentally show that part. She said things were still really little and she may or may not be able to see, but she told me to make sure before they touch me for my screening to tell them we don't want to know the sex becasue at that point it will be very obvious and because of my history to make sure when he orders my screening that he orders another transvaginal as well.

After they were finished they gave me lots of pictures and a report to bring back to Dr. Binder. By the time I got back to his office he was already gone for the day. When Karen, his nurse looked at the report she said that I should have a seat she wanted to give him a call and tell him what was measured. Concerned me a little. I heard her tell him the length was either 3.12 or 3.14 - centimeters I assume, so then all sorts of things started running through my mind. Turns out that's an ok length and he told her to tell me that's good and he'll see me next time! Yay!

I can't figure out how to get my u/s pictures posted. I don't have them digitally so I had to scan them, but now I can't crop them and it's just a big pain. Hopefully I'll be able to figure it out and get one posted!

So here we go for the next four weeks. They go by SO quickly. It seems like I have been to the Doctor a million times already and I am just barely into my 2nd trimester so it hasn't even gotten more frequent yet!

In other news I am starting to show a little. I can no longer wear my regular pants. I have to place an order for a few things because I only have two pairs of maternity jeans and OMG they are SO comfy! I don't know how I will go back to real pants after the baby is born...

Like a Light Switch

Hooray! The morning sickness is gone!! It is the strangest thing. One day I was nauseated all afternoon and the next day I felt great and have felt great ever since. I am beginning to feel like myself again and I am so glad! I am now anxiously awaiting the baby belly. I am guessing/hoping that in the next three or four weeks I will have outward signs of pregnancy. I want to tell everyone I encounter that I am pregnant. Brandon keeps telling me that once I get the belly I'll be bitching about it, but for some reason I don't think I will dislike it at all.

My Pants are Tight!

I wore my first pair of maternity pants this week. I think that it may be that I just can't wear the particular jeans I had on that morning anymore. I got dresses for work sat down to eat my cereal and I couldn't breathe. I had to make a quick change so I went for the maternity jeans. Very comfy all day. Luckily I do still have two pairs of jeans that are loose enough to still wear. I guess I need to start thinking about clothes...

I also ordered a maternity swimsuit. The bottoms fit GREAT, which is usual for me, but the top is a little small. I mean in the boob area, go figure. They haven't grown, but geeze do the people who make these swimsuits think that the belly is the only thing that grows????

12 Week Appointment - 5 Days Early

We went back to the Dr today! I was expecting all day to hear the baby's heartbeat. Well, when he came in he said it was probably a little to early to hear it so we'd look at it! He drags an Ultra Sound machine in the room and all of the sudden there's a little guy with a little blinking heartbeat! WOW! It was incredible even though it barely resembles a baby at this point it was still amazing and it made it SO real. I am now relieved and thrilled. Dr. Binder says the baby is the right size for it's gestational age and it looks like it's supposed to. Yay!!!

Fear

I have a constant fear that something is going to go wrong. I guess that's normal for first time pregnancies or maybe even tenth time pregnancies - I suppose. It is hard to put my finger on why my mind goes to some of the places it does. I often wonder, what if something goes wrong and I don't know, or I can't get to the doctor in time, or I can't stop it? What if I go to my next appointment and they can't find a heart beat? What if I go to use the bathroom and I am bleeding? Is that little cramp I feel a growing pain, or gas, or is something wrong? I am wearing myself out, and I am so full of what ifs that I feel like I am making my nausea worse with my worries.

I read that once you hit ten weeks your chance of miscarriage goes down to less than 2%. Which is great so I am anxiously awaiting Sunday. But then I worry about my cervix dilating too early because of the conization I had five years ago.

I had pre cancerous lesions on my cervix and had to have a conization to get rid of the affected tissue. It was basically borderline cervical cancer, but since then, every thing has been great. All of my pap smears have been normal. At the time I was told that having a portion of my cervix removed could cause it to be incompetent, therefore resulting in a miscarriage, but also I could have absolutely no problems at all. He also said at that time that it might come down to simply putting a stitch in my cervix to hold it closed.

He didn't seem to be concerned at all. He asked how long it had been since the conization (he did the surgery back in 2004) and he just said we'd keep an eye on it. WHAT?!?! I wanted to say can you just put a stitch in there just in case something goes wrong? I didn't though I am tempted to at my next appointment. I guess I should just put it out of my mind for now and just make sure he checks my cervix at each appointment which I would guess that's what he means by saying we'd keep an eye on it.

Cleaning

I know it's early, but we've already started to clean the baby's room out. Since we moved in eight months ago our "front room" has been the catch all. If one of us didn't know what to do with something the answer was put it in the front room. It also had things still boxed from the move! UGH! But I made a HUGE dent in it tonight.

It sort of makes me nervous to designate a "baby room". It still just seems strange and doesn't even seem real at times. I think I've finally gotten over saying it and that doesn't seem so weird anymore, but the thought of having a little person that we are completely responsible for in 7 months is SCARY!! As time goes on and I start to show and feel the baby I am sure I won't be as freaked out. I am sure I'll be fine. I started baby sitting when I was 15 so I sort of feel like I might have a clue as to what I am doing, but this is going to be OUR little person! WOW

Funny Feelings

Aside from feeling nauseated all the time, I just feel weird. It's sort of like I am not quite myself. I don't really know how to explain it. I am ridiculously indecisive (a little strange for me), my taste buds are whacked out, and I can freaking smell things a mile away. I keep trying to remind myself that I am growing a human, but it still doesn't seem real. I guess part of that is all the damn things that I worry about. Maybe once I feel the baby I won't worry so much.

I am so overly emotional that I don't know what to do with myself. I had to bring Rexx to the Vet this morning knowing good and well I had to leave him there and I cried like a damn baby when I got in my car without him.

I just keep trying to coax myself into relaxing at the same time as trying to convince myself I am not going to puke too. It's exhausting!

Morning...er...Afternoon Sickness

I am trying to figure out exactly why it's called morning sickness. I suppose because the majority of women are feeling nasty in the morning. Well lucky me, I get to be one of the odd men out and feel like crap at the prime of my day! I wake up feeling fantastic and ready to start my day. No problems brushing my teeth, no problems eating breakfast or showering. My mornings are great. I work, I eat lunch and then about one or two it hits me. BLAHKY! Its so frustrating because once I get nauseated then I get tired and all I can concentrate on is not puking at work and getting home to take a nap. It makes for a pretty exhausting afternoon.

I have to say though the amount of time I feel yucky seems to be getting less day after day. I hope I don't jinx myself with this, but today I really only felt bad for about an hour and a half. Last week it was hours on end - so I guess there is hope in sight. Another thing I hope for is that I really don't remember at the end how crappy I felt in the beginning....

First Appointment

Today was my first appointment and Brandon came along. It wasn't very eventful. I talked to probably fourteen different people about five thousand different things. I had a well woman exam which I found to be interesting, but he said since I had one six months ago and I won't have another for nine months and given my history he said this was the time to do one. I complained abut the nausea and he said it was good that I am nauseated. He said that means things are progressing well. I have all the signs. I could definitely do without the nausea, but it comes with the territory. I will go back four weeks from today and hopefully hear the heartbeat. He told me at 12 weeks we'd be able to hear it. I'll only be 11 weeks though so hopefully I won't have to wait another four to hear it!

The other thing that really excited me today was how interested Brandon is. He seems like he wants to come to every appointment with me. I really wasn't expecting that from him, but I am in NO WAY complaining about it. He made sure I made my next appointment on a Tuesday so that he wouldn't have any interference with work and would be able to make it! It's so awesome and I am so VERY lucky!

So after two cups of pee, ten tubes of blood, and information overload, I am due on January 17th!

How We Found Out

It all started with my boss breaking one of his molars and having to go to the dentist. It apparently was a tooth that had been bothering him for a while and he ignored it. Well, I had the same kind of thing going on with one of my molars. I decided I didn't want to risk breaking the tooth so I made an appointment to see my dentist. On the drive home that afternoon I suddenly thought "I am almost two weeks late!" I had told myself a week earlier that I was going to wait until my intersession class was over to take a home test because I really didn't want any thing else on my mind, but I needed to know because of the x-rays that I was going to have to have during the root canal that I was scheduled to have the next morning.

So when I got home from work I decided to take a home test. Brandon wasn't home yet, but I but i sort of thought it wouldn't be positive because in April I was a week late and I really thought I was pregnant and turned out to be very disappointed when I started. I hadn't put the test on the floor before there was big huge blue plus sign! I couldn't believe it and I instantly started laughing. A few minutes later Brandon got home. I didn't really know what to say so I just brought him to the bathroom and showed him the test. He said "What does that mean?" When I said it means I am pregnant he said - no it doesn't! Then he said do you have another one? Take it again! I took a little trip to the pharmacy and got another test and drank three bottles of water in the next hour so I could pee again. He believed it after the second test but we were still pretty shocked.

We said at that moment we weren't going to tell anyone until I went to the doctor first. We couldn't stand it! The first person we told was my dad. I wanted him to know first since I wasn't going to be able to tell him in person. He was super excited and said "I hope it's a boy!" We then went to my moms and told her, my sister, grandmother, and my stepdad. We made our way through Brandon's family and we decided we weren't going to tell anyone else. By that time we were way too excited and couldn't hold it in any more so we started calling everyone!

My first appointment is on Monday and I can't wait! I am not sure it will be all that exciting because I am not exactly sure what will go on. I imagine because of my history he will do a pelvic exam, and I am sure that I will have a hundred questions. The only thing I am nervous about is being termed high risk right off the bat because of the surgery I had in 2004. Hopefully since it's been five years there won't be any cervical incompetency. I am going to keep my fingers crossed!

I TOTALLY SUCK AT THIS

I am going to try to catch up soon. Everything is kicking my ass right now...