Halfway there! 20 weeks!

Today I am 20 weeks pregnant! I have 20 more weeks to go (more or less). I am officially halfway there.
Since I just recently posted about how I am feeling, I'll just leave you with a belly picture and the baby info:


Congratulations--you're almost halfway there! Celebrate by talking to your baby; she can hear you now. Weighing in at about 9 ounces (.25 kg) and measuring over 6 inches (15 cm) long, your baby is aware of all kinds of sounds, from the beating of your heart and growling of your tummy, to songs on the radio and the buzzing of your alarm clock. If you feel a "bounce" in your tummy when you hear a loud noise, it's because your baby hears it, too! This is the start of your baby's active phase. You'll feel every twist, turn, and wiggle. You may also hear your baby's heartbeat through a stethoscope, and it's probably faster than you expect--120 to 160 beats per minute.

If your doctor hasn't already measured your tummy, now is the time. Although the size of every uterus (and every baby) is different, most women measure around 8 inches (20 cm), from the top of the pubic area to top of the uterus. You will continue to grow about half an inch (almost 15 mm) per week for a while. If your measurement is much larger, it could mean your pregnancy is farther along than expected-or that you are carrying twins! If it's much smaller, it may indicate your baby is not growing as expected, or that your pregnancy is at an earlier stage. Either way, most women will have an ultrasound at this time to determine how their pregnancy is going and to find out the sex of the baby.

Happy Thanksgiving

From all of my family, to all of yours!

Congratulations, it's a....envelope!

So, we had our halfway ultrasound today. It took almost an hour, but we got to see the various parts of our growing baby. It was very cute to see the curled up hands, and to see the baby moving his/her arms around. Everything looks good with the baby, right on track for where I am at in the pregnancy (19 weeks 2 days).
As for the gender, well...that's been written down on an envelope and sealed and put safely somewhere in our house. We are still holding firm about being surprised when we finally give birth. So neither of us are looking at that piece of paper until after we come home from the hospital with the new baby.

I gotta tell you, though...having that envelope in the house, right there, makes it VERY tempting. *sigh*

Anyway, here is one of the ultrasound images. The baby is facing up, with his/her head to the right. The bulge on the left is the belly, and the light little dashes above that are the hands/fingers.

19 Weeks

I am now 19 weeks along. Almost to the halfway point.
My belly keeps growing (well, duh), though I am not putting on the weight as fast as I should be. I need to eat more. And sleep more. (and exercise and de-stress and take more time for myself, etc.) The baby is kicking around a lot more in there. Not quite enough for anyone to really be able to feel it well. But soon, I hope. Matt thought he might have felt it a few nights ago. But the baby tends to settle down when Matt puts his hand on my belly...maybe the warmth emanating from him? Heh.

In two more days (on Wednesday), we have our ultrasound appointment. This is the one where they take time looking at the baby, measuring things, etc. And yes, this is the appointment where we could find out of the gender if the baby cooperated and we were interested in finding out. But this time we are going to wait and be surprised. Matt would kind of like to know, but I really want to be surprised this time...waiting until I give birth to find out whether it's a girl or boy. I didn't wait the first time for various reasons, and this time those reasons aren't there, so I see no reason not to wait. We aren't big on girl or boy themes, more into neutrals, and we have lots of clothes and items from Liam, so there is no need to ask for anything from people. If anyone really wants to get us gender-specific clothing/items (pink and frilly, etc), they are welcome to...they should just include a gift receipt with it (or be okay with us re gifting it down the line) in case it turns out to be the opposite. I don't mind this, and I don't mind picking out two names. I think it will be far more exciting to hear the news as a part of that wonderful moment, for us anyway. Hopefully everyone will respect that (I am surprised at how many people are surprised and have their own opinion on how we should run our pregnancy).
We WILL post whatever good ultrasound pictures we are given. So check back soon after, okay?!


Here is this week's official pregnancy info for 19 weeks:

Baby starts growing again, and you can feel it, with backaches and even some heartburn!
Six inches (15 cm) in length and weighing more than 7 ounces (.20 kg), your baby is still tiny. But remember, by the time you deliver, baby's weight will increase by about 15 times what it is now! Your baby's skin has begun to develop a creamy, protective coating called vernix, but on a sophisticated ultrasound, you will clearly see the network of developing blood vessels showing through baby's thin skin.

Heartburn, backache, constipation, leg cramps, swelling of your feet and ankles--these are just some of the discomforts you may experience as baby grows. Dizziness is also common, often due to a drop in blood pressure, so be extra careful when rising from a bed or chair. You may also notice tiny bright red bumps, known as spider nevi, appearing on your body. Not to worry, they are just dilated blood vessels and will also be gone shortly after your deliver. Sometime during your second or third trimester, you may also develop melasma (also known as "pregnancy mask"). These brown spots of hyper-pigmentation (usually across cheeks and bridge of the nose) are related to raging hormones but are exacerbated by the sun. Most often it fades after delivery.

The Joy of Fire Trucks

I know...the joy of fire trucks? What is she talking about? Do fire trucks actually bring you joy? Do they bring me joy? Actually, yes they do.
...Why?

Because Liam loves them.

I never thought that seeing a fire truck on the road would make my heart happier and bring a smile to my lips and even make me exclaim "Ooo look! A fire truck!" to no one at all while driving somewhere. But suddenly, now it does. Because my son loves them so much, and gets so excited when he sees one...heck, when he even just hears one. They bring him such delight. And I love that delight in him so much, that it brings me joy, too. So, yes...seeing a fire truck on the road, as I did today coming home from my yoga class, brings me surprising joy.

18 Weeks

I am now 18 weeks pregnant. Only 22 more to go. I am almost to the halfway point. I definitely have a lot more energy, but still big periods of exhaustion. I am feeling the baby moving a lot more, though not quite as much as at the beginning of last week. He or she is taking it easy, this week, I think. Matt and I need to sit down and start thinking about names a bit more seriously...so far we each just been jotting down ideas as they come to us.

Here is both the belly picture and the info update:



18 WEEKS
You're gaining weight and your baby is too, weighing over 5 ounces (.14 kg), and measuring more than 5 inches (13 cm) in length. What an adorable pair you are! Baby's rapid growth period is beginning to slow down, but his or her facial features are starting to form. Your baby can now yawn, frown, smile, and make other facial expressions. Taste buds have developed, and your baby can sense bitter from sweet, and swallowing reflexes are now present. He or she may even start getting the hiccups! Because baby's eyes are still developing, they're very sensitive. If a light is shined onto your belly, your baby might flinch and try to cover his or her face.

Now that your uterus is about the size of a cantaloupe, you may begin to experience backaches. A shift in your center of gravity (upward and outward), along with increased hormone production, can cause some joints to loosen. As a result, you're more prone to twisting your ankles or wrists, so take care when exercising. Your heart is working about 50% harder now, so don't be surprised if you feel a bit out of breath.

Little Stirrings of Life

I am a bit late posting but I was away from a computer for the last four days.
On Saturday I was at yoga class, enjoying the various poses and reconnecting with myself after a stressful week at work. Karin asked us to do Legs Up The Wall at one point. As I lay there on my back, I felt it. This little light bump in my lower abdomen. Not a little flicker or bubble that I am not quite sure about. This I was sure about.
I felt the baby kick.
It was amazing. For the first time i was sure I was feeling the baby moving. And so strongly. It was very touching. And special.

These last few days I have been at a spa retreat with my mother. While there I have felt the baby kicking more and more. And last light, after a middle-of-the-night bathroom trip, the baby really went into a kicking spree. It was so wonderful to feel so much of the baby. Sort of a special time, in the middle of the night when no one else was awake or around. Just my quiet time to connect with the baby. And I finally really feel the baby.

I cant wait until the baby kicks strongly enough that Liam can feel it.


Some Details:
Even though I have felt little flutters and bubbles that were probably the baby kicking, I first felt the baby kicking for sure at 16 weeks, 5 days. I am currently 17 weeks and 2 days. Here is the baby info update for "17 weeks":

If you hold out the palm of your hand, your baby could sit in the center! Weighing in at over 3 ounces (.08 kg), your baby is growing a little more every day.
This week, your baby begins to develop fat cells (also known as adipose tissue). As your baby grows, these fat cells are essential to maintaining heat production and body temperature. Right now, water makes up most of your baby's body, but by the end of your pregnancy, more than three-quarters of his or her birth weight will be fat.

Your uterus is really growing. Its shape is changing from round to more oval and it is starting to fill your pelvis. At the top, your uterus will begin pressing against your abdomen, and you'll feel this pressure more when standing up than lying down. You may also feel some pelvic pain, caused by a stretching of the round ligaments that run between the top of your uterus and the wall of your pelvis. You may have pain on one or both of your sides, but it's normal and nothing to worry about. If, however, this pain is severe-and especially if you experience vaginal bleeding or water loss-call your doctor right away. Most often you will be fine, but it's important to let your health care provider make that determination.

100 Days

The baby is now 100 days old (inside). How do I know this? Well, I have a Pregnancy Journal that Matt reads to me every night...just like he did when I was pregnant for Liam. It's awesome to know what is going on daily with the growing life inside me, and it's wonderful to have something like this to share with Matt. I look forward to him reading it every night. But wait...I have something awesome that I have to share about this.

Some of you might know that Matt is currently in Austin, TX, for a mini-vacation, for a geek-out festival thingy called W00tstock. It didn't occur to me until after he had left the house that he would not be around to read to me for three nights in a row. I pondered about what to do...wait for three nights and make him read four entries all in one night? Read them without him? I decided to just wait for him to get back, because I loved hearing him read them.

As I started to get ready for bed, I texted Matt to tell him goodnight. He sent me a file via text and told me to open it when I was getting into bed. I finished getting ready for bed, figuring it was some video of him doing something in Texas. I opened up the file, and it was a sound file of him...reading that night's baby journal entry. He had pre-recorded it a few days earlier, so that I would still have that moment with him in the evening. In fact, he had pre-recorded all three nights that he was going to be gone. *melt* I was surprised...and so filled with love for him. With all the crazy stuff going on with redoing the family room and getting ready for a Halloween Party, he had remembered that it meant a lot to me to hear him read those entries, and that he wouldn't be around to read them...and he took action on it.
Yesterday his journal reading said it was Day 100. *happy sigh*

Catching up, 14 and 16 weeks

Yes, I know, I am really behind on my posting. I just wanted to throw up a quick belly picture that was taken shortly after week 14, and give the update for this current week (week 16). And yes, I should really be posting a belly picture for this week as well, but didn't get a chance to have Matt take one before he left (where is he? That's for another post). Sorry, things have been hectic.

Week 16 update: As this week begins your baby has fingernails, and the hair on his or her head is starting to grow. Although baby's brain is still tiny, it is beginning to send signals to muscles that allow arms and legs to begin moving. The motion, called "quickening" can be slight or more robust, but don't be alarmed if you don't feel it this week--you will soon enough.

(I am feeling more flicker bubbles that might be the baby moving around. Can't tell for sure yet.)

So, here is my belly picture at 14 weeks.



After I get the next one posted, I will try to also have a page that shows all the belly pix together for comparison, like I had for last pregnancy.

8 Years

Today is a very special day. Eight years ago today my wonderful husband and I got married. We gathered with friends and family, all our loved ones, on a beautiful autumn day, and we promised to spend the rest of our lives together, doing our best to be there for each other and share our journey as one. It feels like way more than eight years. Hopefully it will be many, MANY more.

I love you, Matt. Happy Anniversary.

Second Trimester

Today I am 13 weeks pregnant. Which means I am leaving the first trimester and entering my second trimester. Woo hoo, a third of the way there. Doesn't feel too much different. Well, I guess I have a bit more energy most of the time, and feel less icky during the day (though hunger in the evenings and early morning will still affect me...gotta keep eating). I am definitely getting rounder and look pregnant all the time now, not just in the evenings. Still have a ways to go, but I am in no rush. There is still too much that I want to get done around the house and in my life before I become immersed in babyhood again. *smile*

10/10/10

Just thought I would post about today, it's particular date. The tenth day of the tenth month in 2010. 10/10/10. And even more interesting/cool? 101010 in binary is 42! Totally awesome. (If you don't get the awesomeness, go read Douglas Adams).

Anyone out there?

Just wondering if anyone out there reads my posts? I never see any comments (aside from the few Danamarie left a while ago...thanks Danamarie!)...so I am assuming I am sharing with my mind with the ether. Would kind of be nice to know I have a following...just some friends and family taking the time to share in my thoughts and maybe post a few comments in return. I don't expect to have the popularity of someone like Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (man she gets a lot of comments), but I wouldn't mind having a few to look through...you know...to help that low-self-esteem issue I tend to have.

*sigh*

Heartbeat

Today I had an OB appointment. I am 12 weeks and 3 days. And today I got to hear the heartbeat on the Doppler. And heard it I did...loud and strong. I also heard the bumping sounds of the baby moving around in there. So all is well. Baby Miller is doing quite fine so far. Can't wait until I actually start to really feel those movements.

Week 12

I am now 12 weeks pregnant. I am feeling less tired, though evenings still exhaust me. I don't feel as icky, and even though I am having some soreness from round ligament stretching, it's not as sore as it was the first pregnancy. I continue to experience some light Braxton Hicks and sometimes I feel little bubbling sensations that could possibly be very early baby movement. Supposedly I shouldn't be able to feel it this early, even though I know what to look for (or feel for), and it IS still more than a month earlier than when I felt Liam move during my first pregnancy. But you never know. Can't hurt to imagine it.

Here is general baby info, and a belly picture.

The growth spurt continues. The baby's weight is between .01 and .015 kg (0.33 and 0.5 ounces) and he or she is at least 2.5 inches (6 cm) long. At this point, length is a better indication of growth development than weight, so that's the more important measurement. Most basic body structures are already formed, so from this point forward it's a matter of growth. By now, the baby's heart is beating and it can be heard it via an ultra-sensitive Doppler ultrasound. Bones are starting to form, fingers and toes are separating, and nails are continuing to grow. Tufts of hair may even be starting to form! The baby's brain is also at work, with the pituitary gland churning out hormones as the nervous system continues to develop. The amount of amniotic fluid is also on the rise, increasing to about 1.5 ounces. The baby continues to move, but the mother still can't feel it. The tooth buds have begun to form.

Goodbye Grandpop

As I sit here, with my mind still fresh from the other family losses less than two months ago, I am filled with even more sadness over this latest loss. My paternal Grandfather, Robert Ogbin, finally passed away at 5:00am this morning. He was 92 and had been in a nursing home for several years, suffering from Parkinson's and dementia. Even though it felt like he had gone a while ago, not really living in the present world, it still hurts that he's gone now. That they are all gone. That I've gone from four grandparents and a great grandparent to just one single grandparent...my maternal grandmother. The great/grandmothers were sudden, and the one was definitely unexpected...no time for goodbyes. The other two spent last year+ of their lives wasting away, not able to even really enjoy it the way they should be able to. It all seems so unfair, and a waste...and so I cry, cry over the unfairness of it all. The loss of four loved ones, in only two months. Makes me wonder why...why life does this? But I already know the answer...life doesn't DO anything...it just is. Stuff happens. Life doesn't do fairness or unfairness. You just need to live it while you can. So I am going to quote some words from a new Ozzy song that I am currently addicted to, and tell everyone to go live your life as much as you can, right now...

"Every second you throw away
Every minute of every day
Don't get caught in a myriad
Because life won't wait for you
No, life won't wait for you, my friend."
            - Ozzy Osbourne, "Life Won't Wait"


Sorry for the crappy picture, it's the best I can find right now.
From Sandy and Travis' wedding - he's in the wheel chair.

Autumnal Equinox

Today is the autumnal equinox. Day and night are of equal lengths. Night and day are even. The first day of autumn. And this one is marked by a full moon. The harvest moon. Pretty amazing!
Happy Autumn, everyone!

10 Weeks

Today I am 10 weeks pregnant. I'll mark the occasion by posting my first belly picture and some baby info.



Baby: The baby is only the size of a plum, but he (or she) is growing every day. He/she is out of the "embryonic stage" and entering the "fetal stage." Fingers are separating this week, and webbed toes will soon follow. Baby's tail is quickly disappearing, too.

Me: I have been feeling very tired, very worn out. I've had a few icky feeling mornings, but that is about it. No actual sickness. I am definitely showing a little belly, although when I look straight on in a mirror it really just looks like I am slightly fat. *sigh* I want to get a bit bigger so that it's obvious I look pregnant. And I want to feel that baby flutter kick in there.
I'll try to post belly pictures every two weeks. And at some point I'll include a link on the right to a page that just has belly pics for comparison.

Some milestones

Yesterday I hit two milestones in pregnancy (well, what I am calling milestones...just things that happen during pregnancy at some point).
First, I started wearing my maternity pants. Gave up trying to squeeze myself into pants that were hard to zipper up and button closed. So I got down the bag of pants (forgot I had so many of them), and threw on my favorite pair of corduroys. SO much better, comfy. And one more step to making it even more real (still a little bit a of a surprise, and surreal).

Second...a familiar feeling. I was sitting at my work desk, noticing a sensation that kept recurring. But I was distracted by work and so wasn't really thinking about it. I've been wondering when I would feel the baby flickering around in there, and so part of my brain kept straying to that. But that didn't make sense with the sensations I was feeling. I finally gave it some more thought. My lower belly was tightening, and then that tightness was kind of rolling down through my belly. Then it hit me. Braxton Hicks! I was having Braxton Hicks! Wait...at 9w3d (9 weeks 3 days)? Um, isn't that WAY too early? I know I felt them early last time, but that was still at 17w2d. This is 8 weeks earlier than that. So I grew a little concerned and looked it up online...and was relieved. Apparently Braxton Hicks start up around about 6 weeks, but usually they aren't felt until past the halfway point in pregnancy, after 20 weeks. Some women don't feel them at all. Some feel them sooner. And SOME apparently do feel them as early as their second month, which I have just passed out of. So it's not uncommon to feel them this soon. And usually the second time around women apparently feel them a bit stronger. So it all jives. So, it's all okay. And I am feeling Braxton Hicks. Already. Wow! Now THAT makes it a lot more real. A familiar sensation from last time. Kind of neat. I still haven't felt the baby move and can't wait until that finally happens, but I probably have another month before that happens, even my second time around. I'll post when I notice.

YAY! Pregnant!

Too much going on

I know, I haven't really been posting all that much. Haven't been keeping you up-to-date on my pregnancy, haven't been posting about the stuff going on, or the things I have been meaning to post about. I want to post about some of the knitting projects I've done, and some things I've experienced, that occurred before this journal came into being. I want to talk about stuff going on recently (like fixing our foundation and getting a new patio with pavers). I want to keep everyone updated on my pregnancy.

I promise to post more, and to include pictures. Regarding the pregnancy, everything is going well. I am currently 9w 2d (9 weeks and 2 days). Still in the first trimester, but only a few weeks away from the second. The baby is doing well, at least as of my last appointment. Saw the little one moving around, waving its paddle arms, measuring at almost an inch long (about 5 days larger than expected). Aside from really being exhausted and not really having an appetite for much, I am doing well. Already starting to swell a bit and there are some pants that I can no longer wear. Guess I need to break out the maternity wear already.

Before I go, I do want to say/ask one more thing. Does anyone read these? Is there anyone out there actually taking the time to read any of my posts? Or am I just posting to the thin air of the Internet? I know Danamarie reads when she has time and will sometimes comment, but I know right now she is busy with a show. Do any of my family members take time to read my thoughts? I would LOVE to actually see comments to my posts...from family, from friends. So if you ARE reading these...PLEASE leave a comment now and then. Even if it's just a hello because you don't know what else to say.
Thanks.