Big exciting week 13 BC! (minus 1 day)

OK, so the appointment today wasn't real exciting.  Just my vitals (blood pressure really good and I lost 2 pounds in 4 weeks), fundus measurement (fine), and listening to the heart beat (160 bpm).  So that means the likelihood of miscarriage is down at virtually 0.  Yeah!  And it means I'm almost done with adding hormones!  Yeah!  Which means the yucky feeling all the time should go away soon.  Supposedly.  I hope so.  We did schedule another appointment for 4 weeks and there will also be an appointment for a high-level ultrasound to check the baby completely.  By the end of February, we might actually know what model of baby we are getting!  Beca's still convinced it is a baby brother (because you have a girl).  And now she believes she needs to have a party for the baby - before the baby comes.  She is definitely excited!

And the comparison for week 3 is about the size of a large shrimp!  Fingerprints are forming and some other stuff is going on but I can't get past the shrimp with the fingerprints.

Busy, fun weekend

It looks like we have busy weekend schedules coming up!  Starting with this weekend.  Hopefully I'll start feeling a lot better soon and be able to keep up more!  I had to take a nap both days.  Beca and I started Friday doing some shopping and dinner at Red Robin while Steve was playing poker.  He was home pretty early but all of his girls were exhausted, including Zoe, so we were all passed out asleep.  Saturday morning, Beca and Steve went to a fun birthday party - and Beca got to bowl for the first time.  At least not on the Wii but with a real ball and pins bowling.  She got a 66!
Saturday night we went to the Leahy house and played with the A-team!  It was so much fun to watch the twins and Aidan1  But even more fun to catch up with friends!  I ate too much so I stayed full for about 3 hours and then had to eat again anyway!  Steaks, twice baked potatoes, green beans, bread, fruit, pound cake and chocolate fruit dip!  Alec loved the pound cake and Addison wanted more and more fruit!  Beca and Aidan just wanted to play!  I'm starting to remember some of the craziness of having really little ones and the importance of their schedule.  We got home pretty late with a little girl who was exhausted but she still insisted she was hungry.  Then she slept until after 8 am and I think she only woke up then because she had a bad dream.
I had several pregnancy moments this morning.  I had to stop at the grocery store on the way to brunch but then I remembered something else I had forgotten at the house.  Then when we left the house a second time, I couldn't remember if I had left Zoe outside or not.  She wasn't - she was upstairs somewhere asleep and didn't pay attention to the fact that we had come back home.  Eventually we made it to brunch at Traci and Carl's.  It was fun but Beca insisted that she didn't like French Toast.  She was in a combative mood all morning about everything though.  Eventually the berries sufficed.  She did get to go ride on Traci's old go-cart with Carl.  Traci and I used to ride it up to the pool.  I don't think we'd both fit on that seat any more though!  I love their house.  They have lots of sweet pictures around the house - mostly wedding so it was fun to see her bridal portraits hanging up.  It also made me think about photography a bit more.  I love when I can take photos of people I know and love but I'm always so worried that it isn't going to turn out well.  I know it is just an occasional hobby and I'm good with that.
Then I slept for over 3 hours.  Beca did not have a nap so now we're headed up to read a chapter of Charlotte's Web and go to sleep!

Week 12 - approaching less anxiety territory

With Beca I was never worried about anything.  This time, I'm a bit more anxious about everything.  But as week 12 starts, the rate of miscarriage drops to virtually 0, meaning you have to have something rare happen.  So, I'm starting to feel a little better about not having a 3rd miscarriage in the span of a year and that I might have an actual baby this summer!  Next week is another appointment. We're hoping for an ultrasound but I know that he might just listen to the heartbeat and be done.

So at week 12 the baby is about the size of a lime - yeah for recognizable food size!!  The babycenter website had this about this week:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.  Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long and weighs about half an ounce.

I'm full into maternity clothes.  Can't wear regular clothes any more.  There will be lots of clean out in the next few weeks around our house but I'm just not quite there.  My focus is to get ready for my scrapbooking weekend in February so I can finally start Beca's baby book.  I'm thinking of yard sale in March to clear out whatever we can.  My mind is much more ambitious than what my body can keep up with.

Still nauseas all the time and still hoping it will wane soon.

Someone has to be on the ends of the bell curve

Comparisons... everywhere.  With Beca, it's always been what she's doing now, how she's growing, etc.  I'm sure it won't be much different for this baby.  But the thing is, everyong falls somewhere on a normalized bell curve.  It's just how it works.  Any statistic you can come up with, there's a large population of information that says all the data falls in the normalized bell curve.  Most things, you'll fall in that lovely middle section, where you are normal like everyone else.  On some things, you may fall into the tailing off ends of the curve.  That's me with due date calculation because it never works out right.  So while I report August 4, I know it will be in July that we get to meet this little one (mostly because I'll have a C-section again).  There are other things I fall in the tailing off ends of the curve too - apparently I'm the meanest mommy ever.  So logically that would put me all the way to the right on the mean scale.  Not want to be too normal now, do I?  But while a handful of people get this, it's so hard to remember that one little lesson you had on it (if you ever did) and I really think that more people should be taught about what "normal" or "your baby should be doing" really means.  and when you don't fall into it, it only means that you aren't in the typical region of the normalized bell curve.  And most of the time, that's ok - someone needs to make up the tail ends or it won't be "normal".

week 11 BC

started this on Wednesday and then forgot about it - I was sooo tired this week.  Baby Cottle is about the size of a fig - reportedly for week 11.  And still making mommy sick. Constant reminder though.  My favorite snack is dip, chips (specifically Utz Ripples - Ruffles don't cut it), and carrot chips.  I love french fries and hamburgers too.  Steve determined that I respond well to grilled cheese sandwiches.  They work pretty well.

week 10 (and 1/2)

A kumquat.  What a dumb comparison for a sizing on a fetus.  But whatever.  The kumquat has wreaked havoc this week on my exhaustion and nausea.  I probably didn't help a couple of times.  I am loving french fries right now.  and hamburgers.  I could eat that all the time.  But I was sad when I heard Girl Scout cookies were started to be ordered this weekend and it actually made my stomach turn.  I'll have to order some regardless in hopes that when I hit my third trimester, I'll crave cookies and such like I did with Beca.  I'm getting tired of not being able to do much.  I know Steve is to.  I've been told to suck it up.  I'm trying.

Beca used her money from Christmas (not much - she mostly got toys and puzzles and such).  But her purchase is very cute.  It's something she asked for and thankfully, it was really on sale at Target.  So now Starsong, a My Little Pony, sings often to us.  Its more the size of a big doll and she's a "baby", complete with bottle she sucks on, pacifier and feeding bowl with spoon.  She even says "Excuse Me" and "more please" - the pony, not Beca.  While cute, I sort of can't wait for the batteries to wear out.

I don't like the cold weather.  I am freezing all the time anyway and the cold weather makes it worse.  To make matters worse, most maternity items don't come in long sleeves - or if they do, the material is thin.  Hopefully, the cold won't last too long and it will be spring soon.

fun for Beca

I finally remembered (because she said it again) what Beca says when she asks for an ice cream cone for dessert.  First, she just says "Can I have some dessert?", then its "I would like some green chocolate chip brownie ice cream" - then I have to ask whether she wants a cone or bowl.  Always it's a cone.  then she will tell whoever is getting it that she wants a "big huge bumble over the top" and she'll round her hand up and move it back and forth so she can show you what a big bumble is shaped like.  It's hysterical.  She's been using bumble for any type of bump.

She has had so much fun with her new puzzles and art supplies - I think her favorite was from Aunt Dee and Rachel - it was a princess set that you crumple up paper and push the paper onto the princess' dress.  She loved it.  Luckily, there are extra papers so maye we can make up another crumple craft!

Christmas was fun and our quick trip to PA meant she got to see Uncle Kyle twice in a week!  Definitely a treat!  Plus, it snowed in PA the first morning we were there!  We're defintiely going to need some snow boots and bibs for this girl - she loves being outside in it!  And everywhere we went, someone gave her presents.  She always wanted to open more but was generally pretty happy with all the gifts!  Now, we have to work on the thank you notes.  But that takes her being in a good mood to write her name.  I'm going to guess that her first day back to school might not be that day...

Finally not a standard layout...

I had so much fun doing my new blog layout!  And since all I can seem to do lately is sit on the couch, I'm trying to somewhat feel productive without just shopping for more stuff that I'll just have to figure out where to put it.  Sadly, that meant I spent all morning re-laying out my farm on Farmville.  But oh well.  It was still amusing for me.  I still make a list each day pretending like I might get something done.  And inevitably, my body just wants to sit and rest.

BC - week 9 (for real)

written 12/29/09 - Yup - definitely week 9!!  Appointment today went really well.  The doc said "Oh, look at the little gummy bear!".  Measured right on track, great heartbeat, and wonderfully wiggly the whole time - we could even see arms and legs moving.  It was so very cool!  So now it feels a little better rather than really apprehensive all the time.   Next appointment is in 4 weeks - end of January.  I already need some maternity pants, which luckily were hanging out in another closet!

BBC - week 8 for real this time, we think

written 12/23/09 - OK, so with the adjustment, now I should have a kidney bean with webbed fingers and toes.  The word "kidney" always makes me think of the Friends epsiode where Joey has to pass his kidney stone and they all say "kidney stone" for a while, the Indian doc being the most amusing.  Digressing quickly is currently a talent of mine.  Until I get tired and need to eat and take a nap.  I have been soooo tired this time and still sick, some days very sick.  And since tomorrow is Christmas Eve, I'll have to wait until Tuesday for the next glimpse at the kidney bean. Cautiously optomistic that everything will be fine.  I feel like it is so far.  I'd love to plan for an actual baby this time.  and since I'm down to only some knit pants that fit, I really don't want to buy more pieces for a wardrobe if I don't have to.  Here's to hoping all the rest will help make it right.

"Morning" sickness

originally started 12/13/09 - So, I didn't start one last week after the "8 week" appointment but I figured I needed to write this out before the constant sickness takes over my brain and that's all I can remember.  Anyway, the appointment was interesting as usual. the doc just copied down notes from all the previous visits in the past year and then did his cooties check, as required by North Carolina State Law )and my blood work all came back normal and I don't have any of the tested-for cooties).  Then he started trying to look for pictures.  We saw a sac on the overhead but really couldn't see much else (tilted uterus - tripped us up with Beca a little too).  Upon the closer look, the baby only measures 6 weeks and 1 day (the size of a lentil bean), not 8 weeks.  My ability to sense things in my body is way too sensitive apparently and cycles are never well calculated - I'm good at math outside but not inside.  The baby had an awesome heartbeat, though.  Really strong.  But doc agrees that the constant sickness is a great sign - oh joy.  Steve is pinging off the walls that I had to go buy a new pair of sea bands because the others weren't tight enough.

Today was the worst it has been.  I am thankful for sierra mist, slightly flat, and cereal for dinner.  My mother saved the weekend by bringing me some mini Saltines.  Oh, they are just the best thing to eat - no mess crackers.  I'm so not interested in most sweet stuff and nothing seems very appealing.  But I am trying to eat to have energy.  Weight is annoying and frustrating right now.  No weight gain (except between the time I weigh myself at home and when the doctor weighed me 8 hours later and I gained 10 pounds on the retarded scale at the doctor, which probably has never been calibrated) but definite girth gain - I went from 7 pairs of jeans that fit to 2.  4 if i want to wear a band of fabric around my middle, which on a cold day is not a bad idea.  I think I need to add the calibration question to my list of questions.  I just don't trust scales.  I know doctors absolutely love it when an engineer walks in with a list of questions, most of which a normal patient wouldn't think to ask.

My new big U-shaped pillow arrived and I sleep better with it, except that I forget to move my arm out from under it before I try to flip over.  still getting used to that.

Next baby appointment is on the 29th - 2 weeks would have been Christmas Eve and the office isn't open.  So we're hoping for something larger than a blueberry to show up.  although, with the variation in sizes of blueberries, I'm not sure what that exactly means.  I don't think the pregnancy sites are really written for people who understand what target value, tolerance, mean, mode and median are for.  i bet the standard deviation is pretty big and the capability is probably horrible.

week 8 of BBC (that's "before baby cottle")

Started 12/7/09 - So, while I won't actually post this for a little while, I needed to share a break through for my 3rd pregnancy this year.  Third time's the charm, right? This time, I can feel a lot more changes.  My boobs hurt, I'm having crazy cramps, and my least favorite is that I'm nauseated all day for the fourth day in a row.  Steve is soooo excited that I'm feeling sick.  The downside for him is that I got a large U-shaped pillow to sleep on/with.  My back is already bothering me to the point that I needed something.  It's taking some getting used to and it takes up half the bed but I am already sleeping better.  Partly because I'm just plain tired.  Sometimes exhausted.  And I don't really feel like eating for the most part until there's something that I really, really want - which has been a hamburger 3 times in the past week.

Funniest part is that I guess I did bring home an extra souvenir from Disney World this year.

First doctor's appointment is Thursday this week.  Hoping the less than 2% chance for natural twins applies to me.  Baby should be about the size of a kidney bean, constantly moving and wiggling around. Baby has webbed fingers and toes poking out from the hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and in his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. So that when baby gets bigger, he can tell people things like "A hypothesis is an idea you can test", which is what Beca likes to say.