Thursday, December 30, 2010

12 weeks

Yay!  I am at 12 weeks!  I can't believe that it has been 3 months already!  I still haven't gained any weight but I should start showing soon.  I promise I am eating a ton!  I am feeling a lot better, not as nauseous or tired.  I am getting some headaches now, but I can handle that.  My next midwife appointment is on Monday.  I ordered a Fetal Doppler off Amazon.com and I am patiently waiting for it's arrival from UPS today.  I can't wait to hear my baby's heartbeat again!

We got home yesterday from all of our holiday travels.  We enjoyed time with my family in St. Louis and with Jeff's family in Springfield.  My cousin Maggie bought the baby an adorable bib from her study abroad in Rome.  We also got two board books from Jeff's grandparents.  Jeff's brother Mitchell decided to temporarily name the baby "Pat".  Pat got to go on two roller coaster rides at Silver Dollar City.  Pat loved the roller coasters and also wanted a mint-chip waffle cone for dinner.  Yummy :)

Here is what is going on at 12 weeks:

"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."

Monday, December 27, 2010

Dream

Dear sweet baby,

Last night I had my first dream about you.  In my dream the hospital called me to say that you were ready and to come get you.  I was so excited, I couldn't wait to see you.  When I got there you were a boy with fiery red hair.  My uncle does have red hair so I guess this could be possible. :)  We had named you Levi and you were amazing and so active, wiggling around in my arms.  The doctor said that you had to have medicine for your eye because one eye had turned gray and then they said I couldn't take you home until we paid for your eye treatment, so I had to fool around with the insurance for a while. :p

Well, whether you are a boy or girl, and whatever color hair you have, we can't wait to see you.  We love you so much already.  You will be perfect for us sweet baby.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

11 Weeks

"Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a lime, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden. She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two -- nor will you notice the hiccuping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming"


Monday, December 20, 2010

Maternity Clothes

I bought my first two maternity shirts today! No, I am not showing yet.  :(  But I can't wait!  I only bought them because the GAP was having a big sale and I was curious, so I checked out their maternity section.  I bought one pink long sleeve shirt and one cute black tank-top.  I don't see much of a difference between maternity shirts and regular shirts.  It was fun trying to figure it out.  I was bundling up shirts to stuff under the maternity shirts to make my future belly.  I am thinking that most of my current clothes will last me for quite a while. 

I having also been researching cloth diapers.  I have several friends that use cloth and it seems like the way to go since I am going to be staying at home.  At first Jeff was not excited about the idea, but now that we have talked to 3 or 4 friends that currently use them and say they are totally doable and a big money saver, I think he is on board with the idea.  I am asking questions and observing how my friends use them so I can decided on the best brand and style.  Believe it or not, there are many different options. 

My next appointment is Jan. 2 and I am going to talk to the midwife about having a water birth.  I also am so excited to hear the heart beat again!  I am still feeling exhausted and nauseous, although the nauseousness has been better the last week.  AND by the grace of God, I have had several full nights of sleep!  (By full nights I mean waking up just once to pee.)

Yesterday, Jeff and I saw this amazing Christmas performance by the KC Symphony and got to watch our good friend Brooke sing in the Symphony Chorus!  It really got me excited again about Christmas.  I can't wait to see both of our families over the break.  After the performance I made sugar cookies for 6 of our neighbors and Jeff and I went and delivered them and shared our pregnancy news.  Jeff finished wrapping presents for our families, so now I just have a few more gifts to make. 

One day left of school!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Christmas Spirit

Well, I am in the midst of my second pregnancy cold, so I am doubly exhausted.  But this morning I have many praises.  For one, last night was the first night in weeks that I have gotten decent sleep.  I only woke up ONE time, at 3am to go to the bathroom.  Hooray!  Second, I bought this amazing CD at Cost-Co called "Classic Christmas".  It has Christmas music from Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Gene Autry, Ella Fitzgerald, Andy Williams...  This is my kind of Christmas music.  It's what my dad plays at Christmas and it is so good and quality, not like some of the crap they play on the radio now.  I listened to it the whole way to work this morning and it really lifted my spirits. 

Favorite Christmas songs: "We Need a Little Christmas" (esp. the version from the Muppet Christmas movie) and "Baby it's Cold Outside" and of course my all time favorite (but not on the CD): "Feliz Navidad".

Sunday, December 12, 2010

10 weeks

Today starts 10 weeks!
          Baby's now the size of a prune!
"Your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.
He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.
If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.
In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches."

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Ladies Night

Last night I went to my small group and got to tell some of the women that I am pregnant.  I have been looking forward to telling them for weeks!  These are women who have walked through this journey with me and know my heart's desire for being a mom.  It was so good, so rich, talking with them, sharing the story of finding out, sharing joys and fears.  At the end of the evening they prayed over me, and it blessed me so much to hear their words of truth.    I woke up with such joy in my heart this morning, full of unusual energy, I think because I was so blessed by these women and their presence in my life.  I look forward to traveling on this journey with them.  I look forward to the days ahead when our children will play and grow together.  This is an amazing kind of community and family God has put us in.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

On a random note, this morning I was contemplating my future wardrobe and said in a panic, "Jeff, what am I going to wear this summer!?  I mean, do they even make maternity soccer shorts!!"

Thursday, December 2, 2010

First Prenatal and Ultrasound

On Tuesday we had our first prenatal appointment with the midwife.  Jeff and I both really liked her.  She said that everything looked great.  We weren't sure about the due date.  I said that I thought I was only 8 weeks because from charting I know that I have longer cycles (about 35 days instead of 28 days), but from the date of my last period I would be 9 weeks.  We also couldn't hear the heartbeat, which is pretty normal at this point, but she said I should get an ultra sound to make sure how far along I am.  SO, yesterday we went to get the ultrasound and it was AMAZING!  We saw the baby, just a little jelly bean.  We saw the heartbeat flickering on the screen and then we got to hear the heartbeat.  I was correct about how far along I thought I was.  I am now 8 weeks, 4 days and my due date is July 9th.  I feel so relieved that the baby has a good heartbeat and is truly in there.  It made it seem much more real, especially for Jeff.  Here is Jeff's response: "It's like an alien, there is something alive inside of you.  What have a done!"  :)  But really, he was so excited, his face lit up.  (On the downside they told me to chug 36 oz of water an hour before the appointment and not go to the bathroom, so I was more like, "great, there's the baby, now hurry up I have to pee!")