28 Weeks 2 Days

Well, it's been a while. :( I've been a slacker. Sorry. I am now 28 weeks and 2 days along! in the third trimester now! Yay!! I started feeling the baby move a few days after our ultrasound, and now she's always wiggling around in there. :) It's nice to be able to feel her and know that she is okay. Andrew has felt her and it freaks him out a little bit I think. I don't blame him though! Even I think it's weird when she moves and rolls around. I love it, but it is weird. I finally have a belly and I always find myself touching it and rubbing it without even thinking about it, it's comforting.

I had my doctors appointment yesterday. Everything is good. I had my glucose test that tests for Gestational Diabetes and I passed with flying colors! Thank god. The baby's hear beat was good at 123, the nurse explained to me that as the baby gets bigger her heart gets bigger and doesn't have to pump as hard, so her heart rate will continue to decrease until after delievery when it'll go to a normal childs range. My blood pressure was a little bit high but since I have no swelling and no protein in my urine they aren't worried about it. She said that sometimes the baby can put pressure on my aorta and that will cause my blood pressure to elevate. I checked it at home today and it seemed to be fairly normal so I'm thinking that maybe that's what was happening. They also drew blood to check my thyroid so we should get those results sometime next week. And I've finally started gaining some weight. I gained about five pounds in the last four weeks, so now my net weight gain is about four pounds. It's still really good so I'm not worried about it, it's typical for women to gain a pound a week in the last trimester. It still really sucks to see the number on the scale go up, I have a harder time with that then I do with actually having a belly.

Andrew bought me a body pillow for my birthday and I love it so much! It feels so much better on my hips and back and I can tuck it under my belly. It just makes sleeping so much better! I still have to get up at least twice a night to use the restroom but I feel like I'm getting better sleep other than that. Now I don't have to prop myself up and sleep in a sitting position. lol!

Okay so here are some belly pictures. :)

 

It's a......

I am 19 weeks and 4 days today and we had our ultrasound this morning! It was so fun. :) My mom and Andrew's mom came with us to the appointment, it was so fun to see how excited they were. We got there bright and early, appointment was at 8 am, and only had to wait a minute to get in. I drank about 18 oz of water before the appointment (they asked me to drink 16 oz) so by the time we got there I had to pee so bad! The ultrasound tech was super cute and nice and she seemed to totally know her stuff, I was very happy with her. *I love all of the girls at the office, everyone is so nice and excited* So she started the scan and it was so fun to actually see a baby this time, not just a blob. The baby was laying face down so we could see the spine really well, it was so cool. I love anatomy to begin with so it was so fun to see everything. It amazes me how the tech can go through all of the different layers of the baby; we saw the bones and skull, the heart and different structures of the brain, and you could see the outlines of the soft tissue. So the tech was looking at the baby and measuring it's head and arms and legs but because of the way the baby was positioned she couldn't get a good look of the front of the baby. The tech really wanted to see all four chambers of the heart, and we could only see two, and  I wanted to see what was between it's legs so.... the tech sent me back out to the waiting room with my newly refilled bottle of water and told me to drink. Ugh. She wanted my bladder to be even fuller so that hopefully it would push on the baby and make it move. So we waited while she did her next ultrasound appointment and I drank almost 24 more ounces of water. By the time she came back (which really wasn't that long) I thought I was going to die!! I had to pee SO SO BAD!! So I hobbled into the room, so I didn't pee my pants, and she started the scan again and the baby had moved into the Perfect position! Yay baby, thank you so much! So we got to see all four chambers of the heart and her upper lip (to make sure it was normal) and then we got to see the parts! The baby.... is..........a......................................



Glitter Text @ Glitterfy.com

Yay! I am so excited!! Our little girl is so healthy and beautiful! I'm sure I'm the only one that thinks she's beautiful at this point in time but I'm a little biased. :) We could see her wiggling around in there and moving her arms and legs. I still can't feel her in there but I'm sure I will soon. It was kinda weird to see her moving around in there and not be able to feel her. So fun! And she was also measuring pretty much exactly on schedule, a day ahead actually, so my due date is still Feb 28.  Here are some pics from the ultrasound-

This is her profile.

 This is the money shot. She has her legs tucked up under her and you can see the three lines of her girl parts. :)

 And this is her skull, she's looking straight at us and you can see her ribs also. I've gotta be honest, this picture is a little bit freaky. Just in time for Halloween I guess. lol!

So like I said I still can't feel her move around in there. :( I asked the ultrasound tech where my placenta was because sometimes if it's in between the baby and the front of your uterus you might not feel the baby as well, but she said I have a posterior placenta, meaning it's between the baby and my spine.

I have been feeling good still. I was throwing up a little bit earlier this week but I think it was because my sinuses were really congested. My energy level is decent. I cleaned the kitchen and living room today, and vacuumed and did laundry, which is more than I've done since getting pregnant I think. lol!

They tell you that you are supposed to lay on your left side, it's the best position for the baby to get the blood and oxygen it needs, and it keeps the baby from laying on your nerves and cutting off blood flow to your lower body, but during the past week or so when I lay on my left side my belly feels really heavy and it hurts, like it's being pulled down. So I still prefer my right side, and things aren't falling asleep or hurting so I'm not too worried about it. It feel weird though.

Still not eating chocolate much. I've eaten a chocolate cup cake but that's about it. But my appetite is coming back. :) I'm sure it'll help me start gaining weight but it's nice to not feel sick all of the time.

Anyway... I think that's about it for this week.
I can't wait to meet my baby girl!!

16 Weeks

Hey! 16 weeks this week, almost half way there!! I had a doctors appointment this afternoon. The doc said I haven't lost anymore weight but I haven't gained any either. I'm thinking that that means I'm going to start gaining soon. :( Oh well, it's good for the baby. The nurse checked the baby's heartbeat, nice and strong at 141 bpm-normal. :) She also measured my fundal height and said I was measuring just a couple of days larger than I should be (which is okay). For those who don't know, the Fundal height is: "a measure of the size of the uterus used to assess fetal growth and development. It is measured from the top of the mother's uterus to the top of the mother's pubic bone in centimeters. It should match the fetus' gestational age in weeks within 1 to 3 cm, e.g., a pregnant woman's uterus at 26 weeks should measure 23 to 29 cm."

So I've been trying to feel the top of my uterus and can't find it so I asked the nurse to show me. I found it! Yay! When I push on my belly it is fairly hard and as I move my hand up I can feel it curve away, that's the top of my uterus. Right now mine is at my belly button. It's fun to be able to feel it myself, I'm not sure why, but it is. :)  The doc also said that the hormones should be starting to level out within the next few weeks and I'll have more energy and my appetite will come back. He also said that my breakouts should start to go away! Yay! After I saw the nurse and doc they sent me over to the lab to do some blood work for genetic screening, for things like Downs Syndrome. At my first prenatal appointment the phlebotomist took like six vials of blood so I was kinda expecting something similar... nope, one vial, that's it. :) Nice and easy. And the girl was so good! It didn't hurt at all!! I should have the results back by the end of next week.
So I've been sick the past week. :( It sucked so bad. It was mostly sinuses and headaches... and no sleep! Last night was the first night that I slept well in a while. I am still stuffy but it's getting better.

Okay so here is another belly photo. I think it's really starting to show up now. Drum roll please...............

There it is! Still sorta funny shaped but oh well, everyone is unique right? To me it looks so much bigger in the picture than I think it really is but Andrew said it was right so.. it must be. :) We find out the baby's sex on October 7th. Just 23 more days to go! It'll be nice to be able to say he or she instead of it. It seems so impersonal and fake.
Still no movements yet, the doc said I should start feeling them in the next four weeks. I'm very excited for that. No swelling yet, thank god. My hip is hurting again. *rolley eyes* and I'm trying to think of what else happened this past week but I'm drawing a blank...... I guess that's it for now. :)

Week 17 of Pregnancy

Your baby is practicing sucking and swallowing as she gets ready for the real thing: a breast or bottle! As for Mom, you may be warding off some unwanted belly touching.

Your Baby in Week 17 of Pregnancy
My how your baby has grown! She's about the size of your palm, weighs about five ounces, and is developing some body fat (join the club, baby!). Her heart is now regulated by her brain (no more random beats) to beat 140 to 150 times per minute — about twice as fast as yours! What else is up? She’s practicing the survival skills she’ll need at birth — like sucking and swallowing.

Baby's Body Fat

Your baby is about five inches long and more than three and a half ounces — the size of your open hand. Baby's body fat is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy.

How big is your baby at 17 weeks pregnant? About five inches long and more than three and a half ounces  — the size of your open hand. (Open the other one too and imagine your baby cradled in both your arms right after delivery!)  Body fat (baby's, that is) is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy.  By the time your baby is born, body fat will make up about two-thirds of his or her weight (and will make all those chubby parts especially yummy). 
 
Your baby is almost certainly listening up by now. In fact, loud noises — the dog barking, the doorbell ringing — will actually startle your baby (and also get him or her used to such noises; for instance, fetuses who regularly hear a dog barking will become babies who sleep right through Fido's outbursts).  Your baby's eyes (which have fortunately finished their migration  to the front of his or her head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed.  And since practice makes perfect, your baby is sharpening his or her sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first (and second…and third) suckle at your breast or bottle. In fact, most of the survival reflexes that your baby will have at birth are being perfected in utero right now.

And here's some proof that your baby is truly one of a kind (as if you needed any!). Within the next week or so, the pads on your baby's fingertips and toes will become adorned with completely individual swirls and creases (aka fingerprints).
Your Body in Week 17 of Pregnancy
Now that you're starting to show, chances are that friends, coworkers, and even strangers may feel the urge to reach out and touch your belly. If you don't mind, that's fine. But if you do, speak up kindly but firmly. More new developments with your body: a slight vaginal discharge (leukorrhea) and a greater sensitivity to allergens these days — both are totally normal — and the appetite of a truck driver now that the queasy feeling is (probably) gone.

15 Weeks.

Okay so I suck again. I missed another week. :( Oh well. So I'm 15 weeks 2 days today, yay!! I have another doctors appointment next Tuesday and then on October 7 we find out the sex of the baby! I am so excited, I can't wait. Let the count down begin!! So what's been going on? Well, my nose is super stuffy still! It's getting even worse and it's so annoying. I'm sneezing every 5 minutes I swear. No one ever told me about this. Lol. Ummm.... my belly is the same size as when I last posted so no new picture today. I still have to pee like crazy, and I've been craving water constantly. My appetite is back, mostly. It's so nice to like food again. I weighed myself this morning and according to my scale I've lost nine pounds since I got pregnant. And I am totally fine with that. Although it would be nice for my belly to pop so that I finally look pregnant and not just like I've been eating too many donuts.
I've been having problems with my right hip. I've never had issues with it before but it's been really sore and my muscle in my thigh has been so sore too. I have to physically pick up my leg to cross it over the other one. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the Relaxin that my body is producing, but it's a pain in the butt. It was finally feeling better today and then I went to get out of bed and I tweaked it again. Last time I was at the doctors I asked about it (my shoulder and knee were hurting then) and he said that due to the relaxin (a horomone your body produces when you're pregnant to help spread your hips) it's a lot easier to twist and pull things, especially while you're sleeping. Lame.
I got a new pair of pants today! They are so cute! I went to Ross to look for a pair of work pants and I found a pair of jeans instead. They are so comfy and they are more of a straight leg, which I've never worn but I've always wanted too, and I love them! I love that they are long enough for me to wear high heels with them. :) That's the hardest thing for me, finding long enough pants. All of the work pants that I've tried on have been way too short. :( So I am excited for Friday when I can wear jeans to work.
Everything I've read says that I should be able to feel my uterus now, about three inches below my belly button, but so far no such luck. They also say it's still pretty early for me to feel the baby move since I'm a first time mom and I haven't definately felt the baby yet but the past two days I keep feeling this little twinge on the left hand side of my belly a couple of inches below my belly button. It feels like a little muscle twitch and it only lasts for a second so I don't know if it is just my muscles but I would like to think it's the baby.
I had another baby dream again last night. <3 I dreamed that we had a little boy. He was a tiny new born and I was holding him to my chest and wrapping him in those cute little baby cocoons. Which, by the way, I plan on finding a pattern so I can knit some. But anyway, he was the most beautiful baby I've ever seen. He was so tiny and soft. It was so hard for me to wake up because I could literally feel him on my chest and I knew when I woke up I wouldn't feel him anymore. So we'll have to see if my dreams are right and we have a little boy, or if they're wrong and we get a little girl.
What To Expect When You're Expecting says that by then end of the week the baby will be able to hear me talking. :) Isn't it so weird. To think that there is a person inside of my belly that can hear me talk and sing in the car is a little freaky.
I still don't like chocolate. :(
Anyway, I think that's pretty much it for today.

P.S. I think I'm getting a cold and I am NOT happy about it!!

Week 16 of Pregnancy

Your baby's eyesight (and eyelashes!) is developing rapidly, but all you might be seeing in the mirror these days is a body that looks depressingly bulky.

Your Baby in Week 16 of Pregnancy
Your baby now weighs in at a whopping three to five ounces, and he's four to five inches in length. The bones that are now in place in his ears means he can probably hear your voice as you talk to your partner and pals and sing in the car. While he’s getting used to your voice, the tiny muscles in his body, especially the ones in his back, are gaining strength, so he can straighten out a little more. And thanks to his developing facial muscles, your baby is capable of making a few expressive frowns and squints, even at this early stage. (Don’t worry, those frowns have nothing to do with the sound of your voice!) And his eyes are finally working, making small side-to-side movements and perceiving light (although the eyelids are still sealed). Peekaboo! 

Baby's Hearing Develops

This little one's a looker — with a face that has both eyebrows and eyelashes — but a skinny looker since there's no baby fat yet. Baby's crown-to-rump measurement is between four and five inches, and weight is around three ounces.

Listen up: Tiny bones in your fetus's ears are in place this week, making it likely that the baby can hear your voice when you're speaking (or singing in the shower)at 16 weeks pregnant. In fact, studies have found that babies who are sung to while they're in the womb recognize the same tune when it's sung to them after they are born (so choose your baby Muzak with that in mind…). 
 
And baby's busily boning up in other ways. For one, the backbone (along with the back muscles) is stronger now — strong enough, in fact, to enable your baby to work on straightening his or her head and neck even more. Baby's crown-to-rump measurement is between four and five inches in length, and weight is hovering around three ounces.
This little one's a looker — with a face that has both eyebrows and eyelashes — but a skinny looker since there's no baby fat yet. And here's the skinny on baby skin: It's practically translucent now, so if you took a peek inside your uterus, you'd be able to see your baby's blood vessels under that thin skin.

13 Weeks

Yay! Second trimester!! So I am now 13 weeks, that means I have completed 13 weeks and am now currently in my 14th week... confusing I know. I've been feeling pretty well lately. I've been pretty dizzy and lightheaded but Andrew thinks it's because of me not taking my anti-depressants and I think I agree, so that should stop soon. My gag reflex is on high alert so it is really hard to brush my teeth, and especially hard to brush my tongue. :( Doesn't help any when I have a yucky taste in my mouth all of the time. Oh the joys of pregnancy. ;) My boobs still aren't bigger, thank god, but my belly is finally starting to show... a little bit. My stomach is getting tighter and the line in the middle of my belly by my belly button is almost completely gone!! Yay! And I know you know what I'm talking about, the crease between your top belly and bottom belly. :) So, I have been informed that I need to start taking belly pictures so here we go.. now please don't judge, I started out with some extra already and this is a quick pic taken with my iphone in my bathroom mirror..... Ready? Get set! Go!!

Here we are! Momma and baby! Remember, it's 9 pm and it tends to get a little bit bigger as the day goes on and after I've eaten (I'm stuffed with awesome sushi, thanks Roxy!!). Lets see, what else? Um, I still fit in my jeans but my work pants are tight so I've been living in my Belly Band, keeps my pants up while they are unbuttoned and unzipped.

I had the most awesome dream last night! I dreamed that I was babysitting my friends baby and I just remember thinking, "I'm gonna have one of my own soon..." and the feeling I got looking at that baby was just unbelievable. I don't know how to explain it but I still remember what it felt like. It was like a proud/love/awe... just amazing. I can't wait to meet this little person growing inside of me. But even before I meet him or her I can't wait to start feeling movements!! I want to feel the baby move so bad. And I want Andrew to be able to feel it. I can't wait for the first time he feels the baby in my belly, I think he will just fall instantly in love. I think that is when it becomes more real to the daddys. I mean he knows its real now but he'll actually be able to feel the person that he helped make. Dads don't get to feel the yucky-ness and the cramps and pains and the crying-at-every-commercial/song/poem/news story/ facebook status-ness like mom does. *sigh*

Anyway, enough rambling, here is the technical stuff. Enjoy. :)

Week 14 of Pregnancy

It's all about hair now as your baby sprouts some on his head, eyebrows, and body. As for Mom, those first-trimester symptoms should be easing up a bit.

Your Baby in Week 14 of Pregnancy
Now the size of your clenched fist, your baby is more fluid-like in his movements, so he’s no longer doing the jerk every time he repositions his arms and legs. Other developments this week include a roof of his own (inside his mouth, that is) as well as intestinal activity: His intestines are producing meconium (which is the waste that will make up his first bowel movement after birth). He is also sporting a downy coating of hair (lanugo) that keeps him nice and warm. Not to worry — you won't give birth to a monkey; baby fat will accumulate over the next few months and take over the function of keeping your baby warm and toasty —allowing most of that hair to shed. 

Week 14 Of Pregnancy: Fetal Movement

If you could peek inside yourself now, you'd see a baby the size of your clenched fist (and come to think of it, at 14 weeks of fetal development, your little one can clench his or her own fist!). As fetal development continues, your baby also has the coordination, strength, and smarts to wiggle his or her fingers and toes and even suck a thumb (how cute is that?).

At 14 Weeks Pregnant, Your Baby is a Mover (But Not a Shaker Yet)
Growing by leaps and bounds, by week 14 of pregnancy, your baby is leaping and bounding. He or she is on the move almost constantly — and those movements are a far cry from those jerky twitches of last trimester (though you won't feel any of them for weeks to come). They are now ballet-like, smooth and fluid. 
Your Baby at 14 Weeks: Developing Perfect Posture (or Better Posture, at Least)
Speaking of ballet, it'll be years before you'll start nagging your offspring to stand up straight — but unbelievably, he or she is doing it right now, without any prodding!  No slouch anymore, your baby's neck is getting longer, helping his or her head stand more erect. This gives your 14-week-old fetus a more straightened-out appearance.

Your Little Bigfoot — A Hairy Baby at 14 Weeks
Growth is happening on top of the head as well — by 14 weeks pregnant, your baby could be sprouting some hair (though the final color may not be determined until birth) and the eyebrows are filling in, too.
Hair growth isn't limited to the baby's head, though.   He or she is also covered with a downy coating of hair called lanugo, largely there for warmth. As fat accumulates later on in your pregnancy (the baby's fat, not yours — though that will accumulate, too), most of the lanugo will shed — though some babies, especially those born early, still have a fuzzy coating at delivery (it sheds soon afterward).

Week 12

Just one more week until the second trimester!! Yay! I had my second doctors appointment yesterday and everything is great! The nurse used the doppler to find the baby's heart beat. She said that 12 weeks is still pretty early to hear the heart beat and so if she couldn't find it not to worry and we'd go take a peek at the baby. Honestly, I was hoping she wouldn't find it so that we could see our peanut again but no such luck. She played around with the doppler for a minute or two and heard it really faintly twice and then all of a sudden... there it was! Loud and strong! 156 beats per minute. It was so fun. I honestly thought that I would be more excited when I heard the heart beat, and I was very happy, but maybe it's just that I am so sure about this pregnancy that it feels like a normal thing. It's like, okay, that's what it's supposed to sound like and that came from my belly, what's next? Maybe when we have our ultrasound in October and when I can feel the baby move it'll make me feel differently. Who knows?

I also lost four pounds. Woo hoo! Doc said it was perfectly normal for this stage in the pregnancy. I always thought that I would be one of those girls that gets pregnant and instantly starts gaining weight everywhere. I haven't been exercising and I haven't been watching what I eat too closely. I figure that at this point I'll eat whatever I can keep down. lol! I did get a prenatal yoga DVD but I have yet to try it. Maybe tonight.... maybe.

I have been on two antidepressants for the past couple of years and the past couple of weeks they have been making me sick when I take them. So what have I done? Not taken them. I know, I know, not the smartest but I have had no side effects of not taking them (like I normally do if I forget them) and I've been a little bit more emotional, but I'm also pregnant. So after the nurse got mad at me for not taking them I talked to the doctor about it and he said that if I feel fine and they make me sick then not to take them. He said we don't want a sad mom so if I do start feeling depressed and my meds are still making me sick then we'll try a different kind. So Andrew is on crazy lady alert and he's gonna help me monitor my moods and depression. Poor guy gets the brunt of my bad moods so he'll know if something is wrong probably before I even realize it. :)

But, the best part of the appointment is when the doc told me that I CAN EAT COOKED SUSHI!!! Yay! I am so excited! Mom took me out to lunch today and we had sushi and it was sooooo yummy! The best ever! Thanks mom!!

Okay, so since I was a slacker last week here is what was going on with the baby then:

Week 12 of Pregnancy

While it may seem as if you've doubled in size over the past few weeks, it's your baby who actually has!

Your Baby in Week 12 of Pregnancy
By now, your baby weighs a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements necessary for eating, and his bone marrow is busy making white blood cells — weapons against germs once he's out of your safe haven. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that'll enable him (or her) to make babies of his (or her) own in a couple of decades or so.

Week 12 of Pregnancy: Fetal Organs and Systems

Most of your baby's systems are fully formed, and if you haven't already, it's likely that you'll finally hear your baby's heartbeat at this month's checkup! Your developing fetus now has a crown-to-rump length of about two and a half inches (the size of a large plum).

This week marks a turning point for your baby. At 12 weeks pregnant, the herculean task of developing new bodily structures is nearing an end as most of your baby's systems are fully formed. Now comes the maintenance phase, during which your fetus' systems continue to mature for the next 28 weeks and the organs get to work.
 
Your little fetus weighs as much as half an ounce now, and the crown-to-rump length is about two and a half inches (the size of a large plum — busily working his or her way through the whole produce department). It's hard to believe (especially from the outside, since you're probably barely showing at this point), but your baby has more than doubled in size during the past three weeks.  And that's just on the outside — there's plenty going on inside too. The fetal digestive system is beginning to flex its digestive muscle — literally — as it starts practicing contraction movements, a skill your baby will need after birth to push food through the digestive tract. The pituitary gland at the base of the brain has started producing hormones. And the bone marrow is making white blood cells, which will one day help your baby fight infection (including all those germs passed around the snot-nosed playgroup).  

If you haven't already had the pleasure, it's likely that at this month's checkup you'll finally hear your baby's fetal heartbeat — a sound that will make your heart race with joy!

And here is this weeks development:


Your Baby in Week 13 of Pregnancy
What's up with your baby? Well, besides being as large as a peach now, that big old noggin of hers is now about half the size of her crown-to-rump length (that’s one reason why your little peach looks more like an alien from outer space at this point). By the time you give birth, her body will catch up, measuring three-quarters of her total size. What else is going on in there? Tiny bones are beginning to form in her arms and legs, the intestines are beginning to move from the umbilical cord to the abdomen, and the vocal cords are well under construction (the first step toward saying, "I love you, Mommy!"). And because she can move her arms and legs in a jerky fashion, she may be able to get her thumb into her mouth (a habit that may come in handy for self-soothing when she’s a newborn).

Week 13 of Pregnancy: Fetal Growth Rates

Your fetus is now about three inches long, the size of a peach — and half of that length is head. By the time your baby is ready to make his or her entrance into the world, the head will be only one-fourth as large as the body.

Your fetus is about three inches long and the size of a peach at 13 weeks pregnant. But don't compare your fetus with the fetus next door. Starting about now, babies begin growing at different paces, some faster than others, some more slowly, though they all follow the same developmental path. Growing at a universally breakneck speed now is your baby's body as it tries to catch up to the head in terms of size. Though your baby's head is about half the size of its body now, by the time your baby is ready to make his or her entrance into the world, the head will be only one-fourth as large as the body.
 
Your baby's intestines are also in for some big changes right now. Up till this point, they've been growing in a cavity inside the umbilical cord; but now they're moving to their permanent (and more conveniently located) address, in your baby's abdomen.  And to serve your growing baby's needs, the placenta is also growing.  It weighs about an ounce now and will weigh one to two pounds at birth (something else you'll soon be able to blame your weight gain on!).

Also developing this week: your baby's vocal chords. Because sound can't travel through your uterus (your baby's current habitat), you won't be able to hear any sounds or cries just yet, but oh boy (or girl) — those vocal chords will get a good workout once that baby is born.

Letter to Non-Pregnant People

Oh my gosh! I found this today and I think it is AWESOME! So funny. If you've been pregnant before I'm sure you understand, and if not... well here ya go. :)

Dear Non-Pregnant Person,

I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, surely she doesn't mean me- then you should probably read this twice.

1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you an &*@!!!

2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby".

3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in 2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.

4) The body of a pregnant women should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5) Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!".

6) By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7) There is a reason that tickets to Labor & Delivery are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents.

8) Like everything else is life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9) If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10) The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

Signed,

All Pregnant Women

10 Weeks!

This week is ten weeks!! Yay! Almost through the first trimester. :) I have been feeling pretty good the last week. Not much nausea. I have been craving sushi like Crazy!! Gah! Too bad the doc says no. :( I feel like I'm getting a little bit of my energy back... but not all of it. We went to our friends house on Friday night and by 11:30 pm I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore so I went and slept on their couch until Andrew was ready to go home. Lol. I swear I can sleep anywhere, anytime, anyhow. I have been having some small cramps and twinges in my lower abdomen but I know that is normal, just things stretching and moving. I'm waking up at least once a night now to use the restroom so that's kind of a pain- but I'm sure it'll just get worse as time goes on so I'm happy that it's only once a night right now.

I wore my belly band for the first time today. You use it to keep your pants up and on while letting them be unbuttoned and unzipped. My jeans are fitting fine still but my work pants are just a bit tight when I'm sitting at my desk. So it was really nice to be able to walk around with my pants undone and no one even knew! Yay! So what belly I do have is what I started with but the bloating is what's making things a little uncomfortable. I'm excited for when I'll actually have a baby bump and not just look fat anymore. But since this is my first and I'm a bit larger it'll probably be another six weeks or so. :(

Baby is spoiled already! Our little one has gotten a stuffed bear/blanket from Glacier National Park from my mom, an adorable onsie from Aunt Grandma, and a super cute froggy/turtle toy that hangs on carseats and strollers and sings songs from Andrew's mom. :) So cute! We played the songs for Jackson and Lily and Jack wasn't too sure about it. He flattened himself out and crawled toward it and he would jump back if I moved at all. lol! We'll have to keep playing it for him so he gets used to it.

People have asked if we're worried about how the puppies will react to the baby and the answer is no, we're not worried at all. Our dogs have been around small babies before and they do really well. Jack ignores them for the most part, we know he'll be very protective of our little one but that is okay. And Lillers likes to lay next to the baby and just hang out. She follows them around and just watches them. So cute!

Just two more weeks until my next appointment! I'm so excited and anxious. I just want to know that everything is still going well. I'm sure they are but it's nice to have that confirmation. We still are thinking that we're not going to find out the gender until birth... but... it's so hard when I see all of the super cute gender specific clothes! Andrew is going to have to keep me from caving and finding out. Lol.

Week 11 of Pregnancy

That adorable little alien inside your tummy is starting to look human about now, as you start feeling a bit more human yourself.

Baby's Hair and Fingernails Develop

Slightly more than two inches long now and weighing about a third of an ounce, your fetus is growing by leaps and bounds. And so is his or her head, which is equal in length to the rest of the body (don't worry — all fetuses are top-heavy).

Slightly more than two inches long now and weighing about a third of an ounce, your fetus is growing by leaps and bounds when you are 11 weeks pregnant. And so is his or her head, which is equal in length to the rest of the body (don't worry — all fetuses are top-heavy). 

Your baby (now about two inches long) has been pretty busy this week, growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries (if she's a girl). She has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of her tiny nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. What else makes her look human? Those hands and feet have individual fingers and toes (meaning good-bye to those froglike webbed hands and feet). Hooray!  

On the crown of that large head (and over the rest of the body), hair follicles are forming. Fingernail and toenail beds begin to develop this week and by next week, the nails themselves will start to grow (so don't forget to add a baby nail clipper to your to-buy list). 

Your baby's body is straightening and his or her torso is lengthening (sounds like a yoga pose, doesn't it?). Other poses your baby can assume now: stretches, somersaults, and forward rolls. And while you can't tell this baby's gender by its cover yet, testes are developing if it's a boy and ovaries if it's a girl. 

Another week down!

We went on vacation with some friends over the weekend and it was so FUN! It was so hard to come home. :) It was so beautiful and relaxing. The picture in my previous post was taken when us girls were on a walk one night. I got a lot of great photos of flowers and the beautiful scenery.

I felt so great the entire weekend! Well, I did get hot and tired quickly on our hikes/walks but I didn't get sick. I think it was because I was constantly eating. lol! I swear I am addicted to Otter Pops now. Otter Pops, Slurpees, apparently I like cold icy things. Fine by me. Now that we are back I'm feeling a bit nauseated again (I think that has a lot to do with my prenatal also). I haven't started getting a belly yet, I just have the one I started with, but I feel really bloated most of the time.

Week 10 of Pregnancy: Baby's Bones Develop

Your baby's nearly an inch and a half long and the size of a prune, but not nearly as shriveled. In fact, your baby is really taking a human shape now. Though your baby's arms are developing, each one is only about the size of this number 1.

Your baby's growth is fast and furious when you are 10 weeks pregnant. He or she is nearly an inch and a half long and the size of a prune, but not nearly as shriveled (even with all the time it spends in water). In fact, your baby is really taking a human shape now. Bones and cartilage are forming, and small indentations on the legs are developing into knees and ankles. The arms (complete with elbows) can flex already, but don't run to the store for a baseball bat just yet. Though your baby's arms are taking shape and getting stronger, each one is only about the size of this number 1.
 
The tooth bud fairy is making her appearance this week, heralding the arrival of your baby's little choppers, which are forming under the gums. (Those pearly whites won't break through the gums until your baby is close to six months old). Other systems are go, too. Your baby's stomach is producing digestive juices, the kidneys are producing larger quantities of urine, and, if your baby's a boy, he's already producing testosterone (yikes!).
 

Sneak Peek!

Baby's first picture!!

We had our first doctors appointment on Tuesday! When I called to make the appointment it seemed so far away but now it's here and gone and it went a bit faster than I thought it would. Good thing. I just hope things continue to go fairly quickly, at least until this first trimester is over. So we got to the doctors and filled out the required forms and waited. They actually got us in pretty quickly, into the Dr. Later's office anyway, and then we waited some more. lol! Andrew was a little more excited when he saw all of the Harley Davidson and motorcycle stuff in the office. The doc finally came in and took my medical history, not much to report since this is my first pregnancy, and then we went to the exam room. I didn't need an exam since I had one last September so that was nice. I didn't even have to take off my clothes! I layed on the table and Dr. Later put jelly stuff on my belly and put the little wand on there (reminds me of a hammerhead shark) and there it was! Our little peanut right in the middle of the screen!! We could see it's heart beating and the doc said everything looked good. The baby measured just a couple of days ahead of our due date so he said we'll keep it at February 28. After we were done we went over to the lab and they took 6 vials of blood!! Holy cow! I haven't heard anything about the blood work but I don't anticipate any problems. I'm most interested in how my synthroid levels look. But since the baby was a little bit ahead of schedule I am assuming everything is fine, since synthroid levels affect the baby's growth.

 

Here is Baby Herbst! The baby is the little peanut shaped thing in the middle of the ear shaped thing (my uterus I think?) Cute huh?! lol! Anyway... that's it for now. More updates later.

Who has the fast forward button?

I am officially eight weeks along today... yay? I feel like I should be so much farther along. This is taking FOREVER! Lol. I have my first doctors appointment on Tuesday and I am super excited... and nervous... and anxious... I'm not sure what to expect and I just really hope that everything is okay. In my heart I feel like it will be but, I'm still nervous. I have been so tired lately. I swear the only thing my body wants is sleep, okay and food, but mostly sleep. I feel so lazy. My house needs to be cleaned, I have a ton of scrapbooking that I need to get finished, my poor puppies are bored out of their minds. And my poor husband, he has a wife that lays around all day. How sad is that? He's been really good so far but I still feel really bad. I need to start doing my yoga but I don't even have the energy to walk up the stairs, I don't know how that's gonna work out. They say that in the second trimester you get a burst of energy and you feel somewhat back to normal. I can't wait. Can someone just please hit the fast forward button for me please? I seem to have lost mine. I still have 5 weeks left until then. Ugh. At least we're past the half way point, right?

Week 9 of Pregnancy

Your baby is busy building muscle, but all you may want to do these days is take a nice long nap.

Your Baby in Week 9 of Pregnancy

Your baby, now the size of a green olive, has grown about an inch since last week. Tiny muscles are beginning to form, so while he might not be ready to pump iron, he's gearing up to move his arms and legs. It's still too soon to feel anything in your belly, but you might be able to hear something at your next checkup. Try listening for your baby's heartbeat via a Doppler device — that welcome sound should be audible anytime now.

Your Body in Week 9 of Pregnancy

Chances are you've never felt so tired in your life and for good reason: Your body is working overtime preparing for motherhood as it develops the placenta, your baby's lifeline. At the same time, your metabolism and hormone levels are surging, which triggers a decrease in blood sugar and blood pressure. The result of all this: pregnancy fatigue. Relief is around the corner as your energy level increases (and morning sickness decreases) over the next few weeks once placenta construction is completed.

6 Weeks

So I'm six weeks along, almost 7. It took me a while to figure out this whole week thing but I finally got it. So it's like birthdays, you don't say you're 20 until you have completed 20 year of life, so when someone asks I tell them how many weeks I've completed, not the week that the baby is developing at. Glad that's straightened out. I've actually been pretty lucky and haven't had major morning sickness, but it still sucks. :( I have crazy heartburn, I'm nauseous for most of the day, I have bad headaches, and I'm really dizzy. Oh, and I'm still getting cramps, normal, but still scary. I've only actually thrown up a couple of times, which is a lot less then some of the poor girls on the What To Expect When You're Expecting website. Oh, and did I mention, I've been REALLY tired. Last night I decided to try taking my prenatal at night instead of in the morning, and today has been the best day so far. :) I still have bad food aversion, cramps, and I'm hungry every two hours, but other than that I'm good. I'm still nervous about what the next few weeks will bring, from what I've read and hear m/s is the worst during weeks six to eight-ish. I can't wait until I'm in my second trimester.

Week 7 of Pregnancy

Right now, the only things growing faster than your baby's brain may be your tingly, achy breasts.

Your Baby in Week 7 of Pregnancy

Your baby is now about the size of a blueberry (and about 10,000 times bigger than he was at conception). Most of that growth is concentrated in the head as new brain cells are generated at the rate of 100 per minute. Your baby's mouth and tongue are forming as arm and leg buds sprout, and those little kidneys are getting ready to do their job (pee production and excretion).

Your Body in Week 7 of Pregnancy

Your baby might be the size of a blueberry, but your breasts probably look more like melons. By this point, some expectant moms have grown a full cup size, which might be welcome news if those boobs weren't so darn tender. The culprits? Those naughty (though necessary) pregnancy hormones again, along with an increase in blood flow and a buildup of fat — all essential to the task your body can perform in about eight months: breastfeeding your newborn!

Excited!

I've been wanting to start a blog for a long time but I've never really been that great at blogging so I keep procrastinating. Well, here we are! :) On June 23rd we found out that we are expecting our first baby!! Yay! We are so excited.

The weekend before Aunt Flow was supposed to visit I started having some minor cramping and some not so minor heartburn (more than normal) so instantly I was suspicious that I was pregnant... but I didn't want to get to excited. We had only been trying for 2 months, and no one gets pregnant that fast, so I kept telling myself that I was just dreaming things. So Monday comes around and... No period. I kept calm and waited. Tuesday came and again, no period. So I'm still trying not to get excited but it just wasn't working. I've never one to have a lot of patience, when I want something I want it NOW! Anyway, so finally it's Wednesday, three days late, and I just can't stand it anymore. During my lunch break at work I sped to the dollar store, I don't want to spend ten bucks on a pregnancy test for it just to tell me not pregnant, and I run in and find the tests. There were only three on the shelf so I decided I better buy all three. Why not? They're only a dollar and I'll probably need more for next time I have a freak out. So I rush back to work and run to the restroom. As I'm sitting there staring at the test Andrew calls, I'm the only one in the restroom so I decided I might as well answer...

Me: "Hello?"
Andrew: "Hey, what are you doing?"
Me: "Nothing..."
Andrew: "Are you in the bathroom?!"
Me: "Yeah.... babe, we have two lines..."
Andrew: "Oh, wait, what does that mean?"
Me: "I think it's a positive...."

and then began the freak out. My hands started shaking and my heart started pounding. Andrew is telling me not to get too excited yet and I'm trying to take his advice but It's not working so well. I think he finally decided that I wouldn't be very good at conversation for a bit and we hang up. I ran back to my desk and drank the rest of my drink as fast as I could. I needed to take another test, just to be sure. So about half an hour later I'm trying not to pee my pants as I run to the bathroom. Again, another positive!! Oh my god! What do I do now?! Doctor, I need to call my doctor. So I run out to my car, so I can have some privacy, and called my doctor. The girl that answered the phone was so cute and helpful. She congratulated me and told me that she could hear me shaking, and when I asked her "How do I know it's real?" she laughs and tells me that she's pretty sure it's real. She helped me make my first appointment for July 20... seriously, I have to wait that long?... then she transfered me over to the nurse so I could ask some questions. Wow, this is real..

Skip to the next week. Andrew finally decides that we can tell our parents, I've been begging all week, he wanted to wait until we were 12 weeks and past the really iffy part but there was no way I could wait that long. So we went over to my mom's house (there was nothing at home for dinner anyway) and told them the good news. Mom started crying, gave me a hug, and then ran straight for the phone to call my aunt. Lol! Andrew so predicted that would happen. :) Then we went up to Andrew's mom's house and told her, and she cried. It was great. Everyone is so excited and happy. This baby is going to be spoiled rotten! This will be the first grandchild on both sides, and as the first grandchild (mostly) in my family I know just how spoiled the kid will be. So that's the story. And now we wait... eight more months to go.